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Vinyl Liners
A vinyl liner pool has a custom made sheet of
vinyl between the water and the pool structure. This is in contrast to a gunite or shotcrete pool which uses
plaster as its waterproofing membrane.
Vinyl liners typically lock their top edge, called a bead, into a track located on the
bottom of the coping, which is at deck level. Underneath the liner is a sand or
cementitious floor, specified in dimension to the "cut" of the liner that is to
be used. The floors come up to meet the walls, which are commonly 3 ft by 8 ft panels made
of galvanized steel or thermoplastic. These walls are supported from behind so that they
won't bow out against the weight of the water. All of the wall panels are secured together
to make up the perimeter shape of the pool. For this reason, there are some limitations to
the possible shapes of a vinyl liner pool.
Vinyl liner pool sales seem to be regional.
Many areas of the country seem to have nothing but vinyl liner pools, whereas in other
areas you'd be hard pressed to find even one. In our (Wash D.C.)
area, there is a nice mix of vinyl and gunite pool builders to meet consumer demand for
either products. I won't get into a large discussion on vinyl versus gunite, however,
generally speaking, the vinyl liner pool can be built cheaper than the gunite (concrete)
version. If you already own a vinyl pool; here are some service tips from our vinyl help
file:
Vinyl Liner Repair
Liner
bead coming out of the track?
Liners are meant to fit tightly into the shape of the pool.
If the liner was installed slightly off center, or if the liner is too large or too small
for the pool's shape, you might experience the bead popping out of the track.
With the use of a heat gun or blow dryer and a lot
of elbow grease (eat your wheaties), the liner can be stretched and locked back into the
track. I was also informed by a pool tech recently that boiling hot water works well when
you need to stretch a liner. If this is a continuing problem, the use of
liner lock can help in keeping the bead in the
track. It is best to consult a professional for this problem, to avoid over stretching or
melting the liner. I also caution about the use of electrical equipment (heat gun) around
water (pool).
It's usually a lot of pulling and pushing to get a
liner back into the track. In some cases you'll need to lower the water level a foot or
more if it is out very far. Better to put back in small areas than to wait until you have
to lower the water. Use of a small hair dryer (blow dryer) can heat up the liner, making
it more stretchable, and easier to get back into the track. Be careful, keep the dryer
moving and not too close to the vinyl! I once heated a hole right through a brand new
liner using this trick! Also, if you drop the dryer into the water, don't reach in to grab
it, you could become electrocuted. When the liner is put back into the track (it can be
exhausting work, I'm telling you) consider using
liner lock, pennies or popsicle sticks to help
hold it in the track.
Liner losing its color?
The original color of your liner will fade with the use of sanitizing chemicals
and the effects of ol' Mr. Sun. Harsh chemicals and high concentrations of such are to be
avoided. This will remove the plasticizers which give liners their resiliency, leading to
brittle vinyl, which leads to new liners. The chemical makeup of modern vinyl allows
manufacturers to create liners that are now much more durable and resistant to chemical,
solar and algae problems.
Vinyl liner leaking?
Not an uncommon problem. Liners are typically manufactured in 20 mil thickness
(28-30 mil option). Although resistant to punctures...it can happen, and will happen.
Especially as the liner ages, losing its resiliency. If you are fortunate enough to see a
small hole in the liner, simply patch it with a vinyl liner
patch kit.
If underwater, buy a
"wet" patch kit. If the source of the leak isn't readily apparent, go to our
section on Leak Detection.
If you are
adding more than one inch of water to your pool per week, discounting splashed-out and
backwash waste water, you probably have a leak. Do not allow leaks to go unchecked. Leaks
can washout supporting back fill behind the walls, corrode the walls, and may wash away
sand on the floor, creating large sinkholes.
It is not
advised to drain your vinyl liner pool, or allow it to leak out below the level of the
walls. The water in the pool holds the liner tightly against the walls and floor. If the
water is removed, the liner must be reset with a vacuum to suck the liner into place while
filling. Otherwise, large wrinkles may appear when filling a loose fitting liner. In
addition, an empty liner pool may allow rain water to seep in under the walls, washing
away and destroying the specifically contoured shape of the floor. There also exists the
risk of a wall collapsing or caving in. Consult a professional for assistance in these
areas.
Never add
undiluted granular chemicals, specifically pH de-creaser and Calcium Hypochlorite (shock)
directly to the pool. These particles will settle to the bottom, "bleach" the
vinyl, and compromise it's strength and resiliency.
Resetting
your vinyl liner: If the liner has been drained, or leaked out on it's own, it will need
to be "sucked back" into place with a vacuum device to remove the air between
the liner and the pool shell (walls/floor).
The vacuum will be in place until the water level is
at a predetermined point on the wall. The vacuum is then removed, and the pool continues
to fill. This is necessary to ensure proper fit, and reduce or eliminate wrinkles in the
vinyl. Prices will vary on labor and trip costs involved, but expect a few hundred dollars
when it's all said and done.
Vinyl liners are not limited in colors and patterns
as they used to be. Changing this will dramatically improve the visual effect of your
pool. The cost of the liner will depend on it's shape, size, thickness, and pattern
choice. As an example, a 17' x 35' oval, with a Rockcliffe print, 28 mil thickness, will
cost in the neighborhood of $1200.00.
In Ground Vinyl Liner Installation
The labor involved in replacing a vinyl
liner begins with the measuring of your
pool for the... (continued.....)
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