BEFORE YOU START the rather complex job of replacing the liner of your old above-ground pool...
get lots of advice from your local pool store. My local gurus are at the Comfort Center in St. Joseph, Missouri.
This was my first time replacing an above-ground pool liner, and I was pretty petrified. But it looks like I got the job done!
The best DIY instructions came from the Arizona Shade Builder web site. I used Google and found great stuff here:
get lots of advice from your local pool store. My local gurus are at the Comfort Center in St. Joseph, Missouri.
This was my first time replacing an above-ground pool liner, and I was pretty petrified. But it looks like I got the job done!
The best DIY instructions came from the Arizona Shade Builder web site. I used Google and found great stuff here:
Shade Builder: http://www.shadebuilder.com/
BE PREPARED for all kinds of weird things to happen. You're basically building a 15,000 gallon water balloon, so if DIY projects make your blood pressure skyrocket, consider paying someone else to replace your pool liner. However, you might first want to consider the...
SAVINGS -- When my
wonderful local retailers quoted me the average cost of getting my pool liner replaced, I nearly fainted! Talk about sticker shock!
wonderful local retailers quoted me the average cost of getting my pool liner replaced, I nearly fainted! Talk about sticker shock!
Cost to Replace Pool Liner--Local Retail & Service Pool Liner Local Retailer Price (25' Round Overlap) $380.00
Cost to install (This included about $120 of Baquacil® chemicals) approx. $820.00
TOTAL COST* approx. $1200*
*The pool store gave me this ballpark figure, but said they'd have to come out and give me an estimate.
Cost to Replace Pool Liner--DIY
Pool Liner (25' Round Overlap, blue pebble-bottom basic pattern; (ordered from Pools Etc., Inc.)
http://www.poolsinc.com $199.99
Pool Liner (25' Round Overlap, blue pebble-bottom basic pattern; (ordered from Pools Etc., Inc.)
http://www.poolsinc.com $199.99
Cost to install (Includes $120 of Baquacil® chemicals, plus new gaskets for skimmer & return) $145
TOTAL COST** approx. $344.99
TOTAL SAVINGS $855.01
FIRST -- I waited til I had lots of time, and still neglected to consider how long it takes my pool to fill. Using my hose at home, where the water pressure is very low (and turning it off now and then to do laundry or take a shower!), it took almost 3 days to fill the pool.
- Tools & Materials --
At least one devoted Significant Other (you'll need a real good friend, sibling, or other able-bodied human to help--this thing ain't pretty to do all alone) - Cordless electric drill (for removing/replacing the 144 or more screws)
- pockets or pouches for screws.
- Assortment of phillips-head and flathead screwdrivers
- Groove-joint pliers
- Regular pliers
- Cold bottled water or iced tea (for the heat)
- Duct Tape
- Masking Tape
- Other stuff you've always needed when working on your pool :-)
Supplies--
- Gaskets for skimmer and return
- New coping strips (some or all of the old ones may need replaced--although these are pretty sturdy)
- Extra cold drinks, a good sense of humor, devil-may-care guts, and philosophical outlook.
- Vast amounts of time, in which one could plant crops.
How We Did It...
First, I shopped around online for good deals. When the local pool store said they'd sell me a pool liner for $380, I decided that was too much. I ordered the pool liner from Pools Etc., Inc. http://www.poolsinc.com/ because they were listed by the Better Business Bureau, and I saw customer comments about their good service and promptness. Free shipping, too!
Quality: I chose the medium-quality liner, with a 15-year warranty
(we'll see how long it lasts!). The liner arrived in about 3 business days via UPS ground. Note: If you've got a house full of rambunctious kids, I'd suggest going for the upgrade (25 guage) --still cheaper than the local store, and it's a tougher quality liner.
Liners come in lots of patterns and colors/styles. I went for the simple blue pebble-bottom, but there are fun prints too, if you want to spend a little (or a lot) more.
First, I shopped around online for good deals. When the local pool store said they'd sell me a pool liner for $380, I decided that was too much. I ordered the pool liner from Pools Etc., Inc. http://www.poolsinc.com/ because they were listed by the Better Business Bureau, and I saw customer comments about their good service and promptness. Free shipping, too!
Quality: I chose the medium-quality liner, with a 15-year warranty
(we'll see how long it lasts!). The liner arrived in about 3 business days via UPS ground. Note: If you've got a house full of rambunctious kids, I'd suggest going for the upgrade (25 guage) --still cheaper than the local store, and it's a tougher quality liner.
Liners come in lots of patterns and colors/styles. I went for the simple blue pebble-bottom, but there are fun prints too, if you want to spend a little (or a lot) more.
pebble-bottom: $199.99
Aquarium $319.99
Unpack your new pool liner when it arrives and check to see that it's the right one (Actually, I didn't open the box until I was ready to install it). Do Not use a knife to open the box! I pulled the box open, and then removed the flaps with the sharp staples, just in case. New vinyl is slick and heavy, and will slither around, looking for any sharp object to catch and tear on.
Clean up the bottom of the pool. Mine has a concrete slab bottom, so I wept out the tree twigs, pebbles, leaves and stuff, then spread some sand in the cracks and chips in the concrete bottom.
Remove fixtures, such as the top-panels and holding clamp parts from all of the uprights around the pool walls. I found the trickiest part of the whole operation was trying to keep the vinyl from catching on the sharp metal corners of the pillars. Ugh.
Don't forget the skimmer frame and return need to come off! But do NOT cut the holes for skimmer and return into the new liner until the water level is up close to them...the weight of the water stretches and pushes the vinyl upward, and you'll keep taking up slack around the edges as the level rises.
I arranged the fixtures on the grass around the pool, so that they were easy to reach when it was time to reassemble the top rails. (79 lb. Golden Retriever pictured to show actual scale).
Unpack your new pool liner when it arrives and check to see that it's the right one (Actually, I didn't open the box until I was ready to install it). Do Not use a knife to open the box! I pulled the box open, and then removed the flaps with the sharp staples, just in case. New vinyl is slick and heavy, and will slither around, looking for any sharp object to catch and tear on.
Clean up the bottom of the pool. Mine has a concrete slab bottom, so I wept out the tree twigs, pebbles, leaves and stuff, then spread some sand in the cracks and chips in the concrete bottom.
Remove fixtures, such as the top-panels and holding clamp parts from all of the uprights around the pool walls. I found the trickiest part of the whole operation was trying to keep the vinyl from catching on the sharp metal corners of the pillars. Ugh.
Don't forget the skimmer frame and return need to come off! But do NOT cut the holes for skimmer and return into the new liner until the water level is up close to them...the weight of the water stretches and pushes the vinyl upward, and you'll keep taking up slack around the edges as the level rises.
I arranged the fixtures on the grass around the pool, so that they were easy to reach when it was time to reassemble the top rails. (79 lb. Golden Retriever pictured to show actual scale).
Cover sharp edges and bolts with duct tape: I learned from the Shade Builders' web site to cover bolts, screws, metal edges, etc. with duct tape before pulling the vinyl over the metal sides.
Spread the new liner in the bottom, with the sides pulled up over the metal outer wall. Pull up the liner until it is draped with only the center part touching the bottom. Let the weight of the water push the liner down from the center on out, lowering the sides as the water spreads.
Spread the new liner in the bottom, with the sides pulled up over the metal outer wall. Pull up the liner until it is draped with only the center part touching the bottom. Let the weight of the water push the liner down from the center on out, lowering the sides as the water spreads.
Use clothespins to tack up the side walls of the vinyl liner, at first. As the water spreads across the bottom, and pushes the vinyl against the side walls, you can keep lowering the sides and finally start putting the coping strips back up. (Get a big package of cheap wooden clothespins, they'll pop off sometimes, and the wood floats!)
Turn on the hose and start filling the liner from the center. When I did this, it turned out that the concrete base wasn't level, it was lower at the deck side. So I just tried my best to keep the liner gently taut and lowered it from one side to the other. Not perfect, but it seems to be working OK (cross fingers/knock wood).
Try to prevent creases and folds in the bottom of the liner. When the water is at about an inch (or less), you can go in and do some spreading with your bare feet & hands. But remember, the pool walls may have shifted into their own 'creative' shape over the years, and the fit might not be perfect. In my case, it became gradually clear that my pool is actually a bit oval now, and it's deeper at one end (the end near the deck). So the liner puckered a bit, but it seems to be working out. If the wrinkles in the bottom become a problem when I go to vacuum the pool, I'll be SOL.
Keep taking up the slack as the water level rises. Don't give up! And be careful not to catch the vinyl on the sharp metal edges (I had to patch two pin-holes because of the corner-edges on the upright posts--if I had to do it again, I'd probably put towels or washcloth "condoms" over the tops of the posts).
Remember to allow for the skimmer -- I just tucked the overlap above the skimmer, as the previous owners had done with the former liner.
Try to prevent creases and folds in the bottom of the liner. When the water is at about an inch (or less), you can go in and do some spreading with your bare feet & hands. But remember, the pool walls may have shifted into their own 'creative' shape over the years, and the fit might not be perfect. In my case, it became gradually clear that my pool is actually a bit oval now, and it's deeper at one end (the end near the deck). So the liner puckered a bit, but it seems to be working out. If the wrinkles in the bottom become a problem when I go to vacuum the pool, I'll be SOL.
Keep taking up the slack as the water level rises. Don't give up! And be careful not to catch the vinyl on the sharp metal edges (I had to patch two pin-holes because of the corner-edges on the upright posts--if I had to do it again, I'd probably put towels or washcloth "condoms" over the tops of the posts).
Remember to allow for the skimmer -- I just tucked the overlap above the skimmer, as the previous owners had done with the former liner.
Older pools might have odd-shaped curves but don't worry...remember, it's the big "water balloon" of the liner full of water that will guide the shape of the outer wall. Just make sure nothing's bent to the point
of being sharp or jagged.
of being sharp or jagged.
As the level rises (mine took many hours to get this far, but the water pressure in my neighborhood is really low!) you'll be able to stroll around the pool, tugging here, adjusting there, and when it looks nice and smooth, start adjusting the coping strips securelly along the top.
Now is a good time to change the filter sand and get the pump ready to go if you haven't done so already.
When the pool is almost full, get out that electric screwdriver and start re-assembling the top brackets and rails. Note: "Helpful" golden retriever makes the task easier...
Also, if your pool fills slowly get the chemicals ready to go ASAP. It rained twice while my pool was filling--a sure way to have an algae-festival! I got out the shock and algicide and dosed the pool even before it was full enough to get the pump running. ...Now I think I've got some dead algae floating on the top, but at least the whole pool isn't cloudy and green.
Finally....Have a Deck Party!!! It's time to kick back, float around, drink Margaritas, and enjoy!
Finally....Have a Deck Party!!! It's time to kick back, float around, drink Margaritas, and enjoy!
