Stripped Screws in Above Ground Pool Buttresses

by Rick McIntosh
(Tennessee )

I have an above ground pool. I have all of the metal tops off the sides. There are about 10 screws in the uprights around my pool that are stripped. I tried a stripped screw removal kit and it didn’t work. How do I remove the screws? Can I get the coping off to replace the liner without removing the screws?

Hi Rick

That is a really good question. It is a situation we encounter from time to time. One example of a stripped screw is one that turns but does not come out. Usually one of two things work for us. If you unscrew the other end of the rail and lift it, putting pressure on the screw it will usually come out. Wedging a flat blade screw driver under the rail near the screw will also apply pressure on it.

I am assuming you mean a screw that is rusted in place and the screw head strips before you can get it out. As soon as we notice this situation we get the big screw driver and hammer. A combination of tapping with the hammer and turning the driver will usually loosen the screw. The smallest of the vise grips are helpful also. We can clamp them tightly on a screw and usually get it to come out.

That same set of vise grips can sometimes be used on the under side to snap the screw off.

If the screws holding the top cap to the upright can be removed top rails can be taken off several at a time, still connected to the top plates.

Last week all the above failed and we resorted to plan D. We put a slight bow in the wall and popped the rod out from the cap and into the pool. Once the liner was installed and the coping and rods in place, the wall was again bent and worked back into it's proper place.

There is always a way my friend, it's a matter of finding the best one.