12'x20'x4' inground pool vinyl liner replacement

[kathylu]

Hi there...new to the forum but had a pool all my life. My Pop built this pool himself in 1964(I take care of it now...he's 82). It originally had marine plywood walls, an overlap liner and vinyl covered wood coping. My parents replaced the liner once and in 1994 the walls finally gave way (30 yrs not bad I'd say). The pool was replaced with a new sand bottom, steel wall and a beaded vinyl liner in 1994. That liner finally gave way this winter We need a DYI solution. I have people to help me to install a new liner but I have no idea of the pool brand. The receipt does mention universal coping and I can see it has a regular bead liner channel. I looked online and the only ready- made liners in our size (12'x20'x48") are for Kayak and Fantasea "onground" pools. Are the beads different for an "onground" pool. Do I need to order a "custom" liniing...the forms are very confusing because this pool is simple..constant depth at 4', 90degree corners and a rectangle (no cotouts,no steps) . Thanks in advance :) Kath

[Watermom]

Welcome Kathylu. Liner replacement procedures are not my forte so I'm going to bump your thread up again to the top to see if someone can give you some advice! By the way, thank you for becoming a subscriber and helping to support the forum!

Anybody??

[waste]

Welcome to the Forum!

I think you'll find that a custom liner for your pool won't cost much extra because of it's simplicity.

[kathylu]

Thank you for replying Watermom and Waste...I need all the help I can get!:) Any suggestions for a reliable liner company online? Our local pool supply store quoted over $900 for this liner and that seems very high, considering the replacements for a Kayak and Fantasea pool in the same dimensions average about $300. Need to get the ball rolling on this replacement...the walls are getting rustier every day. :( Thanks for any help! :)Kath

[waste]

I got a number of online dealers when I Yahoo searched "swimming pool vinyl liners". I can't speak about the reliability because I've never bought a liner online.

I think it was Al (Poconos) who brought up the mil v.s. gauge scam some run - 25 gauge is a good bit thinner than 25 mil so - caveat emptor (buyer beware)! [I HOPE I spelled that correctly]

[Jim_G]

Kathylu I have used PCPOOLS dot com for many items including a liner just like the one you need...mine also was DIY built to the same spec's...i got a season closout deal for the liner and shipping @ $214.00. and it fits like a glove..ck them out. if your pnls are rusting but still usable you can clean them off with a 3m scotch bright pad then prim with some spray can paint. i used 3m spray adheasive and 1/8" floor foam padding (the foam that goes under hardwood floors) glued to the walls which help protect the vinyl from abrasions..

[kathylu]

Waste...Jim..Watermom..You guys (and gal) are awesome! Thanks you so much for the advice...will definitely be using the foam liner and hoping I get a reliable liner company. I really appreciate you taking the time try to help me. As I said in my first post...I'm not even the pool owner. However, I have truly joyful memories of this pool and now the responsibility is in my world. I'll tell you how it goes!(all suggestions are still welcome...if anyone has found a major liner deal or awesome DIY tip!) Tnx again :)Kath

[kathylu]

Hi all:) Just sending an update...forgot to mention that the local pool store wanted another 1200 bucks for installation of this 12x20x4 liner..no steps...no cutouts! Found 2 great companies (they actually responded..lol). One has exactly what my folks want (solid old school aqua) and I'm ready to order but the bead is a bit smaller than the profile dimensions shown on their websites. A question to the experts out there...the liner is clearly trashed but the bead seems pretty solid...did the bead shrink? Are there guidelines for a universal bead (or pool liner bead guidelines in general)? Need advice ASAP...gotta get this ball rolling! Thanks for any wisdom! :) Kath

[waste]

The bead shouldn't shrink, there are 3 'standard' beads - if you can identify which you have, you can make sure it will fit your receiver. You might be able to cut a small piece and take it to a pool store for comparison or I might be able to help you figure out another way to identify it (if my old friends from the pool biz will help me)

[kathylu]

Thanks for the reply Ted :) Great minds think alike! I just over-nighted a piece of the old liner bead to the company I'm planning to order with. The salesman (very nice and professional) said he could send me a sample of every bead they have but it made more sense to show him exactly what I'm dealing with. Will keep you updated (I may have to upgrade my membership so I can post some before and after pics ;)) Thanks again :) Kath

[kathylu]

Hi all :) the liner is ordered (turns out it was a standard bead) and is (hopefully) being manufactured this week. Another question to you awesome people out there...I have to do some major sanding (and spray painting) to these steel walls and repair/leveling of the sand bottom. How far in advance can I prepare the walls/floor and is there a particular sand I should get for the floor? I anticipate the linier arriving within the next 2 weeks. Thanks for your wonderful and informative site! :) Kath

[kathylu]

Hi everyone...not sure if this will be a double post...if so sorry about that. Just sending an update, the liner is ordered and hopefully being manufactured this week. As I mentioned, I sent a sample of the old liner bead and my salesman said it was a standard bead. I need to do a lot of prep work before this liner can go in...removing the old liner, sanding and spray painting the walls as well as filling in holes and leveling the sand bottom. I have 2 more questions for you awesome pool folk...how far in advance can I start this prep-work (I anticipate receiving the liner in 10 days or so) and is there any special sand I need to get for the floor? I'm assuming children's sandbox type sand because there are no pebbles etc. Thank you for this wonderful and informative site! :) Kath

[waste]

Hey Kath!

You can address the wall issues at any time, sand them down and Rustolium *TM* spray paint them, to keep the rust at bay. I'd wait until the liner is delivered to fix the floor, any rain or strong winds will effect the floor, so you want to only have to retrowel it once, just prior to putting the liner in. I can give some tips on retrowling sand, but it will take me some time to type it and I'm not sure when my next day off is.

I wouldn't use 'play sand' it's too expensive - go to a building supply place or quarry and get 'dead sand' or 'mason's sand' @ ~ $.10/ pound. You can use 5 gallon buckets or the plastic tote bins to put it in. If you need a lot of sand, you can line a pickup truck bed with plastic and have them use a bobcat to toss a scoop in the back (a bobcat scoop is ~ 2000 lbs.).

[kathylu]

Ted :D Thank you my friend...APPRECIATE ALL YOUR tips :)...this site is a Godsend :) I'll update you on my progress. Thanks again to Watermom and Jim too..advice well appreciated! :)

[kathylu]

Hi everyone :) Tomorrow is the big day...wallls are sanded, rust-free and spraypainted, coping repainted and sand added to the floor. My first liner installation tomorrow. Wish me luck! Thank you for this forum...awesome! Kath

[Watermom]

Hope you'll find 2 minutes to report in! Good luck.

[waste]

I hope all is going well with the install!

Don't forget to take pics!:)

[kathylu]

Hi everyone! The liner is in and starting to hold water! YEAH! There are a few wrinkles due to the very unique set up this pool (basically a shoebox in the ground with a customized filtering system my Pop came up with years ago) but I can live with them having saved my folks a few grand . Anyway...it's being filled right now and I'm reading everything you experts have to say about the BBB system. Not quite sure what I should put in chemically because the filtering system will not work until the pool is almost full (late tomorrow at the rate it is filling now). I've always used the HTH chemicals my folks buy and never had to start up a "fresh" pool. Should I use the bags of shock they bought or start with bleach? This is a sand filter...does the sand need to come from a pool store or will any fine sand work (just trying to save even more money lol)? I'll be posting before and after pics (might even have a few from the original pool from the 60's!) when it's swimable. :)
Thank you again for your wisdom and support Kath! YOU RULE! :)

[kathylu]

OOPS...there was a typo on that last post...sorry... I meant YOU RULE (Watermom..Waste etal)! The heat stroke I got the last couple days working on this project must have affected my typing abilities ;)LOL! :) Kath

[Watermom]

What kind of shock did they buy? We are finding out this year that HTH has gone over to the "dark side" as Ben calls it and their products are not very good any more. You could just use bleach.

While you are filling it, you might want to go ahead and drizzle some bleach in there. It doesn't take long for an unchlorinated pool to have an algae bloom brewing. Just walk around the perimeter of the pool and slowly drizzle some in being careful not to splash you or the liner. Then take a clean broom or oar or something and stir it around.

You must use pool sand for the filter. Play sand or other types that you might buy at Lowe's or whatever will NOT work.

[kathylu]

Thanks for the response Watermom.:) My parent's awesome neighbor is monitoring the water fill for tonight. He's shutting the hose off before bed and will restart in the morning. I didn't add anything because there was only 3 inches of water in the pool and I was afraid the bleach would damage the new liner. What should I get as far as CYA? I'm not sure that I've ever used this...but it seems like you need to know what you're doing (I've read all the links from here) to use it. I'd also like to start off with the BBB method and not add anything extra unless needed. Thank you for taking the time to help me (all of you wonderful people). This has been hard because it's not even my own pool and I really,really appreciate your help. Said it before..say it again! This site is a Godsend!! :D Kath

[Watermom]

Kath,
Buy a 2 lb. container of CYA. It is also called stabilizer or conditioner. Check the label. If it says cyanuric or isocyanuric acid, it is the right stuff. Once the pool is full and the pump is running, pour it slowly into the skimmer so as not to clog the pipes. Then, keep your pump running 24/7 for the next 4 or 5 days while it is dissolving. That dose should give you around 35-40ppm. After a week, test it and report the level here.

During the first week or so until the CYA dissolves and starts to register, it will be hard to keep chlorine in the pool because you'll lose it to the sun. You'll need to add it at least morning and evening and if you're home, you can check it in the afternoon, too. When you test, add enough bleach to get the cl up to about 5 or 6. In this size pool, each quart of 6% bleach will add around 2ppm of cl.

Can't remember if you bought the recommended kit or not. At any rate, if you haven't done so, consider getting it. It will make life with this pool easier.

Post your pH and alk readings.