Where should the vertical line be for new liner on 18 x 33 pool?

[reesie]

We're installing a new liner ourselves...hopefully. We bought the strips to convert our pool so we could go from an overlap liner to a beaded liner because they are supposed to be so much easier to install. No instructions came with it. We've had nothing but problems.

I ordered a beaded liner. I was sent a universal liner but didn't know it. I'd never seen a beaded liner. We tried installing it. Every time we put it on, it would come off. We searched the internet for videos and finally determined we'd been sent a universal liner. We cut off the top part so that we now have a beaded liner. We put the liner in but it didn't fit right. We adjusted it several times. The walls looked right but we had a lot of excess material in the floor.
We took the liner out and dug out 2 inches of the floor, smoothed the floor and built up the cove again. We put the liner in again and it still doesn't fit right.

[Watermom]

This might be a question that Waste -- aka Ted --- can help with. I'll ask him if he can find a little time to take a look at your question for you. It may be a bit til he sees it so please be patient.

[reesie]

Not a problem. We appreciate any help we can get.

We've adjusted it every way we can think of. We also found another line on the bottom and at the moment, are just ignoring the vertical line going up the wall (it coincides the the seam). On the previous overlap liner we replaced, the instructions said this line was the center line on the long end (33 ft.) of the pool. Since this liner had no instructions, we were using that as a guide. It didn't work out.

If the bottom line is the center of the pool (and it appears to be from taking a tape measure and measuring it), that vertical line means nothing? We didn't even notice the bottom line until today. We were focused on the vertical line since the previous liner used that as a focal point. I tried to call the pool company that I bought the liner from (on the Internet). It appears they've gone out of business. Their phones are disconnected. My email bounced back.

Anyway, if Waste (Ted) can share any tips/guidance it would be greatly appreciated whenever he gets a chance.

[waste]

Patience is a virtue.

Have you tried using a shop-vac to provide suction to help you see where the liner needs to be adjusted?

The center seam should be what you use to center the liner. If that's not working, use the vac to help you see how you need to adjust the liner. Wrinkles in the floor may require you to excavate more material out of the bottom.

If you have any questions on what I've said - ask and I'll get back to you.

[reesie]

We took the liner completely out yesterday and removed about 2-3 inches of dirt. We tried to remove more but the straps that run from one side of the pool to the other were uncovered and we had to cover them back up. We put the liner back in and have shifted several times. It lokks a lot better than it did but it's still a lot of wrinkles. We just can't get it where it's right.

We got most of the floor smooth but a big wrinkle that runs all the way across the pool. We've tried working it around every way we can. The line is about where it should be according to the tape measure and the sides of the pool. My husband went ahead and put about 2 inches of water to see where the water would pull the liner and shifted the liner some that way.

We tried the shop-vac but I don't think we got a tight enough seal. We didn't have much success with it. We'll try it again, maybe tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

[waste]

Sorry you haven't been able to fully resolve the issue.

When you go the shop-vac route - it's important to make sure that the liner is fully sealed [use duct tape to seal where you put the hose behind the liner and tape off any suction and return ports - from the outside of the pool]

With < 2" of water in the pool, if you can get good suction from the vac, it's possible to go barefooted into the pool and work out wrinkles -it's a little tedious but possible.

Thanks for the update and please stay in touch.