Fast Good Reasonable Liner?

[topnotch]

Does anybody know a source for a quick liner around NJ or online?
16x32x4.5 overlap style

I was looking for something dark...swirly...not too fussy....want to put water in my pool..

[drumr]

Topnotch,
You may want to check www.poolsupplies.com, They are somewhere in NJ, maybe NYC area. I bought a liner from them, very fast shipping and reasonable price. Just 2 days to middle TN. I also bought a pump from them with the same results.

Good luck!!

[CarlD]

Actually, PoolSupplies.com is Leisureliving.com, is FantaSea.com--and ALL of them are Island Pools, based in Grand Island, NY--between Buffalo and Niagra Falls.

I bought my FantaSea from them and have bought a lot of stuff from them. Their prices generally are pretty good and they do stand behind their products.

They are probably as good a place as any to order an on-line liner. But you can try SpecialtyPools, RedsPools--and bunches of others.

[drumr]

Thanks for clearing that up Carl, I am at work and couldn't remeber exactly where they shipped from, I was thinking the NJ/NY area. Do they have an actual bricks/mortar store or are they online only?

JD

[Poconos]

Pooldoc and Waterbear ranted yesterday in another thread, now it's my turn.

My thoughts have been festering for awhile now and this thread is the trigger to post.

Poolsupplies.com was recommended for a new AG liner a couple times in another thread. Buyer beware, and this probably applies to all online sources.

-- Order with Leisure was placed via phone and not on the web. 24' AG liner.

-- Be aware that on their website they use the term 'gauge' when referring to liner thicknesses. Guess I was just uneducated but gauge doesn't mean mils. I assumed it did since their use of the term 'gauge' is opposite to its use in defining metal thicknesses. In metals, lower gauge = thicker metal so I assumed since 25 gauge is thicker than 20 gauge...and more $$, that gauge = mils thickness. Talking to Leisure Living their 25 gauge equates to 21-22 mils. 20 gauge is around 16.

-- Shipping. They ship FedEx. Stinks. FedEx apparently uses contract drivers and in this one instance we think the driver didn't want to drive up a 1 lane road so just stated they couldn't find the address. Come on FedEx...this was a regular city street address, not an obscure rural route. My friend had to drive 50 miles to get the liner at the FedEx depot.

-- Because of this Leisure did refund the $25 heavy shipping charge that wasn't made clear at time of purchase.

-- Liner pattern chosen from the website was Leisure Tile. Box had a 'Leisure Tile' sticker placed over the manufacturers pattern which was really a Boulder Swirl. Close but not the same. Again, person on the phone never mentioned this. BTW...The LT pattern is still shown on the website.

-- Liner was picked up on a Thursday night because installation was scheduled for Friday. Next, installer said this isn't a 25 mil. That's when we find out 25 gauge is 21-22 mil. OK. Close enough.

-- Couple weeks later I get a sample of the liner. Put a mic on it...16 mils. Another phone call. I recorded the call, and informed the tech guy the call was being recorded, and received his approval. Box had a BS-025 code as part of the number. Assumed Boulder Swirl, 25 gauge. Now the excuse is the manufacturer packaged the wrong liner, a 20 gauge. They refunded another $30. I wonder how many other boxes have the wrong liners?

Lessons Learned:
Before buying liners online, or from anywhere, ask specific questions about thickness, patterns, shipping, substitutions, and anything else you may not be certain of. Never assume the person on the other end of the phone knows any details. Before installing or taking it fully out of the box, measure the thickness and verify it's what you expected. Read the companys substitution policy carefully, if there is one. This is their way out of these issues.

We made some mistakes on this liner replacement project but the bottom line is it looks good and the warranty on the liner will outlast the pool. Sick part is the same liner could have been purchased at a local poolstore for about the same price.

Gee...I feel better now.
Al
(ajs-1)

[drumr]

Wow Al, I didn't know that about the liner thickness, I ordered the 20 gauge and just thought it was the same as 20 mil, I haven't had any problems so far, but I keep checking it because I installed it myself. Like I stated earlier, I have had real good luck with them as far as shipping and price, but you never know!!!
We don't have any real good pool stores in my area, and when I was asked how I sanitized my pool and I told them BBB, they about kicked me out of the place, like many others here I occasionaly stop by to pick up a part or something, but that's about it. Most of my pool equipment shopping is done online.

JD

[CarlD]

Good points, Al!

They are a bricks-and-morter pool shop. They build the FantaSeas right there. I went there before I bought my pool.

Unfortunately, they aren't building the solar pools now as they fired their plastic-forming company--too many panels were/are leaking (I have a bunch that leak). They haven't been able to replace it yet.

The ones I have that leak aren't too bad--a tiny dribble here and there.

[hrsdennis]

Here on a couple of further comments on Poconos post. There once was a time when liner gauge and mill were synonymous terms. I am not exactly sure when that changed but I think it has to do with Swim Line and their online dynasty. I have often felt that the online 25 gauge liners were not much different than our local 20 mil. I just felt it had to do with the manufacturer and the type of vinyl used. Our store bought liners here are usually Doughboy and internet ones were usually Swim Line. That pretty well explained it all to me. But I guess it goes a little deeper than that. In the Swim and Pool Gear also sell by the gauge and they both use the Swim Line products. You have really got me wanting to dive into this and do some more research.

When I am not building pools I install, and or, sell aluminum awnings. Our awning panels come in several standard grades. The most common being the .020 mil, the .025 mil and the .032 mil. We refer to these as 20 gauge, 25 gauge, and 32 gauge. I hear all of the time how that cannot be, the higher the gauge the thinner the material. It’s just not so in all cases, I guess.

I consider the Swim Line 20 gauge liner to be a five year liner. They are inexpensive and in five years you have gotten your moneys worth out of them. If they last you longer that’s great. It means you have taken very good care of your pool. This brings me to warranties. Read them very closely. With most liners bought over the internet this is how it is. Most stores for that matter. The warranty only covers defects. Defects in seams to be specific. Seams go bad on the initial fill up of a pool if it is going to happen. It is very rare for a seam to go bad at any other time. So a week after your pool is full I can assure you that your warranty will never be used.

I have seen times where the liner companies will take back liners for reasons other that defects, but not to often. Why should they, the hole was not in the liner when it was installed. The next part of the deal is they will not cover water loss, chemicals, labor or shipping. Considering the manufacturing cost of the liner they have very little to lose. And the best part is the prorated thing. After the third season they have nothing to lose. You pay for shipping and the prorated cost is usually more than their manufacturing cost. After five years, if you use your warranty for any reason I know they are making money.

When the fifteen year warranty liner goes bad in five years, you either buy a new one or you use your prorated warranty, either way you become another customer.

OK, I’ve done my ranting for the month. Enjoy your pools, Dennis

[Poconos]

Thanks for the information Dennis. Your post contains more valuable information. Will have to think about creating a general sticky concerning liner purchase guidelines and suggestions. How many people know this stuff or even think to measure thicknesses or have the micrometer or caliper to do it? Gee...maybe liner gauges are somehow related to railroad gauges? Just joking of course.
Al

[waste]

Thanks for the information Dennis. Your post contains more valuable information. Will have to think about creating a general sticky concerning liner purchase guidelines and suggestions. How many people know this stuff or even think to measure thicknesses or have the micrometer or caliper to do it? Gee...maybe liner gauges are somehow related to railroad gauges? Just joking of course.
Al

Al, (sorry this thread is a little stale), if you do the sticky, remember to add that looking at a 1' X 3' swatch doesn't give the true impression of how a filled pool will look, we've had a number of customers complain that the liner we're installing isn't the one they ordered (even though it is). Whenever possible, look at a pool with the same liner, or at least a picture of that liner in a filled pool. Just a little friendly advice based on experience