Pool liners are easy to come by when you’ve just installed your swimming pool. However, what happens when your pool liner gets slack and wrinkled and you decide to change them? That means it’s time to replace your old pool liner with a new one.
Replacing your old pool liner doesn’t take several months or a year. Replacing your pool liner generally takes 3 weeks maximum. But if you have many hands on deck, then there is a possibility that you would have your pool liner replaced in 2 weeks maximum.
Normally, pool liners, especially Vinyl pool liners have to be replaced at least every 5 to 9 years. When you begin to see the tears and the wrinkles on the pool liner, then that’s a cue for you to get it replaced so that you can enjoy a fun-filled swimming season, especially before summer.
And if you can’t get the whole replacement thing done by yourself and with the help of friends, then you should probably call the attention of a pool expert company. Even though it might cost about $1000, it’s still worth it.
Read: What Does It Cost To Replace A Pool Liner?
Table of Contents
How Can You Replace Your Old Pool Liner With A New One?
There are so many that you can take to ensure a proper replacement is carried out. That is, to have the old pool liner taken out, and the new pool liner installed smoothly, and correctly.
So in this article, you are going to learn how to replace your old pool liner with a new pool liner within a period of 3 weeks.
Step 1: Get your tools ready!
This is the first step for any activity that would be carried out in the pool. Get your tools ready and assemble them. This is because certain things must be in place before you begin to remove the old pool liners.
So get your garden hose preferably get a long hose, then if you don’t have a sump pump to help you in the draining, get one. Get a screwdriver, a utility knife, a plaster in case the bottom of your pool is leaking, a duct tape. Assemble these tools and pick a preferred day that would be clear of rain.
For safety sake, do not replace the pool liner during spring or winter. Get the replacement done when the skies are clear else if it’s an indoor pool, you can get the replacement done at any time.
Step 2: Drain your pool.
Connect the garden hose to the pump and turn it on. Then throw the other end of the garden hose into the pool and let the draining begin!
Draining the pool may take hours and sometimes 24 hours because the groundwater beneath the pool that can cause the pool liner to float, needs to come up so that the groundwater will be completely drained out of the pool.
Step 3: Take out the Faceplates.
In this part, once the pool has fully drained, then get your screwdriver and begin to take out the faceplates and gasket from the skimmer. Then take out the step steel strips as well.
Whatever will hinder the removal of the old pool liner, take them out. If you have pool lights installed in the pool, take them out also.
Step 4: Use your utility knife
Take up your utility knife and cut out the old liner. Then begin to cut them all out and throw the old patches out of the pool as soon as you cut them out. When the old pool liner is out, check the bottom of the pool for any leakages.
If there is any spot that needs repair, get it repaired and leave it to dry if you repaired it with plaster. When the plaster and sand are fully dry and workable, you can now continue with the next stage.
Meanwhile, don’t forget to re-tape the wall with duct tape where the wall panels have been fused together. Taping it will allow the liner not to get trapped or sucked directly into the seams.
Then you can brush the flooring, and even spray the walls if necessary. You can spray the wall with some adhesive that is if you have some wall foam attached to the pool.
Another place you should spray with the adhesive is the gaskets of the skimmer to keep them intact.
Step 5: Replace with a new pool liner!
If you are using a vinyl pool liner, you should get two people to hold it at both ends at the front, and get another two persons to hold it at the rear. Then hang the pool liner from the shallow part of the pool up to the deep part.
Sometimes, pool liner manufacturers, tend to instruct users on how to properly install pool liners. Now you can begin to insert the beaded edge of the pool liner to the pool edge, insert and smoothen until it is all done! Now turn on the liner vacuum.
The liner vacuum will such out the air from beneath the pool liner. And then this will aid you and your workers, to walk around the liner, smoothing without any wrinkle of any sort.
Step 6: Cut out and fill the pool!
Now that the pool has been properly vacuumed, get your utility knife and cut out the area where the vinyl-covered the skimmers, main drain, and pool light section.
Once this has been done, you can now fill your pool to the ankle level. So that you can walk about the pool, install the faceplate in the skimmer, and insert the pool lights.
Afterward, you can now remove the vacuum hose, and fill up the pool!
Read: How Long Can A Pool Liner Last Without Water?
Final Thoughts
Replacing your pool liner doesn’t take much time. All you need is a maximum of 3 weeks to get your new pool liner installed.
If you can’t get it done all by yourself, get a pool expert to do the job for you. Don’t forget to assemble the tools you need so that you don’t leave your work halfway.
