Liner Issue - Extra floppy on the toppy

[Subliminal]

Hey folks,

First post here. Just got my water level up over the skimmer, turned on and loaded the DE and got my levels up to something resembling 'snuff'. :)

Anyway, I'm not sure if it's stretched and twisted, if I built the berm too high, or all the above, but my 24 ft above ground pool has too much material on the top...above the water level.

I don't think I'm allowed to post pics, but maybe a link?

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-W-2MRlA5_Ow/U5-IIMh_8GI/AAAAAAAAsuM/ZKa97ixPe-g/w957-h539-no/IMG_20140616_201049289.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yr335rrD79o/U5-JaKEXS3I/AAAAAAAAsug/W0QgofHrUkM/w957-h539-no/IMG_20140616_201037069.jpg

I'm not sure how to fix this, but it was the first thing my wife noticed...even before the crystal clear water. ;-)

[PoolDoc]

You can post pix, or rather link to them. I edited your post so they were visible.

I'm going to ask someone else to look at this . . . since the only way I know to fix that involves draining most of the water.

[hrsdennis]

Hi, That happens a lot with beaded liners(it appears you have a j-hook liner of sorts). In the hot Arizona sun where I installed pools it happened a lot. Since that was unacceptable for a pro I always carried extra coping. It was always a last minute decision, after having filled the bottom of the pool with water, do I use the bead or pull the liner over the wall and use coping? Most of the time it was coping but that always left the liner tight and looking good.

You could probably do the same, pull the liner up and over the wall and use coping. You could also drain the pool, let the liner sit and shrink for a couple of days and refill. You could also drain and hook a shop vac up to it, that might flatten it out, at least you would know before you filled it again. Removing some of the cove, or base, is also an option, but one I would use as a last resort, it's so much extra work.

Hope that helps, Dennis

[PoolDoc]

Thanks, Dennis.

Those are kinds of details nobody knows without having been there, getting their hands dirty.

And, I've gotten my hands dirty plenty over the years, but not on AG liners!

[Subliminal]

You could probably do the same, pull the liner up and over the wall and use coping. You could also drain the pool, let the liner sit and shrink for a couple of days and refill. You could also drain and hook a shop vac up to it, that might flatten it out, at least you would know before you filled it again. Removing some of the cove, or base, is also an option, but one I would use as a last resort, it's so much extra work.

Hey Dennis, thanks for the response. Being that the pool is full, do you think it's ok for me to remove some of the top rail and whatnot, to be able to pull the liner up and tight, without removing the water? I finally got the pool full and the chemical right, and I'm hesitant to remove water...but I don't want to pull a piece off the top of the pool and have serious issues with the integrity.

[hrsdennis]

Yes, it is OK to remove top rails with the pool full. This is assuming that the pool is level and round. I would go a few at a time as you work around the pool.

When you pull the first rail you will have a little separation. Normally a couple of strong people can push the rail back into place while another person shoots in the screws with a screw gun.

If you are doing multiple rails, like is your case, just note the amount of separation and try to make it up by setting some of the rails in a little wider hole pattern. If you keep all your uprights straight up and down, you will be fine when you get back around to where you started.

Dennis

[Subliminal]

Sheesh...just typed this all out and then lost it.

Dennis, thanks for the reply. What I think I should be able to do, but want to double/triple check before doing it:

1. Remove top railing (which looks to be just for looks).
2. Remove top plates in area that needs work.
3. Remove or at least lift a section of stabilizer rail
4. Lift the liner where it needs fixed, and instead of hanging it with the vbead, lay it over top of the wall and use the coping strip. I assume this is ok for the liner to be laid on the wall...I did opt for the 10 mil liner instead of the cheaper .5 mill (or whatever...got a thicker one at any rate).
5. Reinstall everything as it was.

I just want to make sure we're on the same page, as I'd hate to pull some stabilizer rail and have the side push out in a way that is unfixable...:)

And thanks again!

[hrsdennis]

That's exactly the way I would do it. While it should be OK to remove all the rails at once, I would just do 4-5 at a time and work on that area. You might have difficulty if you do not plan on raising all of the liner. It looks like you have enough slop to pull the molded part of the liner over the wall and install coping. But I think you would have to do this all the way around. The heavy molding might prevent you from going back and forth from coping to the j-hook hanging over the wall. Unless doing some trimming with a razor knife would help. Your other problem area will be around the skimmer. I assume it has been installed so you really cannot do much adjusting in that area. You would probably have to blend from overhang to j-hook.

As you get into it you will find out if it can be done with a full pool or whether you need to drain some water to get more stretch in the liner.

Dennis

[Subliminal]

Thanks again, Dennis. I suppose the other option is to just leave it and not worry about it. The wife really looks at it with chagrin, though. ;-)

[hrsdennis]

That's the option I would take at least for a while. I would get some use out of the pool while it is full and get used to the whole pool thing. There could be any number of reasons down the road that might require you to drain the pool. If so, you could fix both problems at once.

For now I would just enjoy it.

Dennis

[robbym70]

.... I suppose the other option is to just leave it and not worry about it. The wife really looks at it with chagrin, though. ;-)

Being a married man myself--I'm thinking you answered your own question right there !