One of the great pleasures of a vinyl pool is being able to dress it up with different liners. While some might consider it a disadvantage that inground pool liners have to be replaced every 7-10 years, it’s also an opportunity to give your pool a new look. Whether you’re buying your first liner, or replacing an old one, here are some thoughts to keep in mind.
1. Pick a pattern that looks nice and hides the seams
There are a lot of different vinyl liner patterns to choose from, and more are coming out every year. Which one you pick will have a dramatic impact on your pool’s appearance. Obviously, you want to pick a pattern and colors that you find appealing. However, you also need to envision how the liner is going to look installed. How do the pattern and colors blend with your decking? How will they play with your lighting? These are types of questions you have to ask yourself.
You may also want to look for a pool liner pattern that effectively hides seams. It’s normal for seams to show in an installed liner, though it’s considerably less noticeable once it’s underwater. Still, some patterns are better at hiding seams than others.
2. Consider professional installation
There are a lot of sites selling inground pool liners on the internet that overstate the ease of installation. While it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of specialized experience, installing a swimming pool liner does require precision. If you’ve done a lot of home improvement projects and are confident in your ability to make accurate measurements, you can probably pull off installing your own pool liner. Otherwise, contact a local pool contractor.
When choosing someone to install your liner, follow the same general process you would use to pick a contractor for inground pool installation. Ideally, you want someone with a permanent address who can be held accountable for their work. If there are defects or other problems with your liner, it’s also helpful to have someone who can deal with the manufacturer if you need warranty work.
3. Protect your investment
Inground pool liners last 7-10 years on average, but it can easily last half that long if you’re careless – or twice as long if you’re conscientious. Some factors in pool liner durability can’t be helped. For example, if you use your pool year round in a warm climate, you can expect your liner to wear out sooner, no matter how careful you are. But other factors are within your control, such as whether you use a safety pool cover when the pool isn’t in use. Keeping your pool free of debris and maintaining proper water chemistry can also extend the life of your liner.
You can expect to have minor leaks and tears over the course of your liner’s service life, which can generally be fixed with a repair kit. However, there will eventually come a time when your inground pool liner will need to be replaced. Take this chance to do any renovations you’ve had in mind, such as adding steps or an attached spa. But most of all, enjoy giving your pool a makeover as you choose a replacement liner.