swimming pool vinyl liner

When you have lower alkalinity, it takes less acid to reduce pH, so use the dosing calculator to factor that in! Well, according to CGT's research, water can absorb into the vinyl (more on this in a moment). There are three common types of steps for a vinyl liner pool: White plastic steps are the standard for vinyl liner pools. The salt corrodes the panels and any handrail and ladder anchors made of galvanized steel(use bronze). At River Pools we offer fiberglass pools in Virginia and Maryland (and in other areas of the country through our dealers). But this accessory comes with major trade-offs and is ill-advised. When theres enough water to hold the liner in place, they cut the holes for any skimmers, lights, return jets, or the pool steps are cut and faceplates installed to hold the liner in place. Curious about the basics? Just like pools with cement finishes, water temperature throughout the year will drive much of your LSI chemistry strategy. Here too, professionals continue to debate the superiority of each. Here at River Pools,we worked exclusively with them for years before we discovered and fell madly in love with fiberglass pools. While the liner is what you see in the water and swim next to, it exists strung across the real floor of the pool. Because a vinyl pool is assembled primarily with factory-made componentsvs. Spoiler alert: the LSI still matters. Doing so will require a special-order liner at a higher price. Use the Orenda App to figure out where your calcium and alkalinity levels should be, factoring in all six components of the LSI. because it acts like a good insurance policy. than similar fiberglass or concrete pools. . A vinyl liner is smooth other than the slight ridge where one piece of material meets another.

But be advised: A puncture-proof liner is like a unicorn; it does not exist. Panels can also be designed to accept different kinds of masonry coping besides the typical stainless steel variety. Swimming pool vinyl liners are a popular alternative to cement-based finishes and fiberglass pools. For cantilevered coping, the builders pour patio concrete up to a styrofoam form at the edge where the pool meets the patio. Advances began with the advent of modern design and manufacturing technology. Wrinkles in your vinyl liner wont hurt anything, but if you choose to, Divots and dents are usually cosmetic issues as well, but a bump due to a rock or pebble could lead to a tear in the liner. All in all, vinyl liner pools tend to be easier to manage and more affordable. if your vinyl liner pool has polymer wall panels, but not if you have metal wall panels. Critical to the form and stability of any vinyl liner pool is the walls. In the past, one of the biggest knocks against liner pools was their extreme limitation of shapes, sizes, liner patterns, and possible features. Temperature cannot be ignored. These wall panels are typically 42 inches tall, so the shallow end of vinyl liner pools are typically that depth. Were all about making information available to you and easy to understand. An inground vinyl liner pool usually costs $25,000$40,000 at the initial purchase. Lets look at the chief components that comprise this inground vessel thats also known as a kit pool and package pool. However, the possibilities now extend to patterns that mimic pebbles, marble, or other natural stone.

are premade, with many options available. You can still have solid blue, gray, or white.

If they backfill with the original dirt without using proper compaction methods, there may be structural patio problems down the road. Most cost at least. Keep in mind that this will probably take longer than hiring a professional, and you run the risk of inaccuracy. The vast majority of vinyl liner pools are rectangular, but you can definitely customize the shape, size, and depth of the pool. Pool safety can be compromised.

e worked exclusively with them for years before we discovered and fell madly in love with fiberglass pools.

that recommendation does not factor in the LSI (especially water temperature), the alkalinity and pH recommendations allow for only a narrow window of water balance within that given calcium hardness range, and, because in most parts of the United States, 150 ppm of calcium is just too low, period. pool construction, We found much of it valuable and worth sharing. Installation of our fiberglass pools is done through an independent dealer. That all being said, technology continues to advance and we have been seeing more complex liner pools out there. Today, installers will lay out a vinyl pool in various shapes and send the measurements and customizations to the factory. They advertise that it isnt a classic concrete or fiberglass pool.

liners cost more and are harder to handle, but they provide extra protection against dog nails or that pointy toy your toddler threw into the pool. But it can also be a weakness if you are used to pH rising.

Thicker oneswhich carry a higher price tagare more resilient.

Ladders are tougher to rely upon for climbing out of the pool, particularly for some children and individuals with mobility challenges.

The panels surround a base material that covers the earth and forms a floor. |

| Website Design by IMPACT. If you have the hefty budget for an automatic pool cover, you can also order a liner pool with built-in tracks and vaults to accommodate this feature. But personal experience doesn't necessarily mean someone knows the details. In addition, liners fall into two kinds of finishes: You can even add a slide and water features such as, On the technology front, you also have options. Overall, pool liner quality and variety have advanced tremendously over the years. the purchasemaintenance, repairs, and replacements. - Shannon Hill, Copyright 2022 River Pools | All rights reserved. Which material is optimal? It generally takes 48 weeks to build a vinyl liner pool. It is also the quickest to install. Vinyl liners contain small amounts of calcium carbonate (CaCO.

The warranty is extremely pro-rated. | Liner porosity leads to bigger problems like wrinkling and fading. A mil is. The type of safety cover you have also matters to winterization chemistry. Installers hang a colorful, patterned vinyl sheet from the wallsthus the name vinyl pool or liner pool.. This became a longer article than we intended. Second, vinyl liners can absorb water. And it brings into question why most recommendations for vinyl pool chemistry have calcium lower than in cement surface pools. In some installations, an installer will build the surrounding deck cantilevered over the top of the wall so that coping is not visible. Vinyl Liner Pool Information. The top of the liner has a bead that inserts into a track mounted to the top of the wall panels. An inground vinyl liner pool usually costs, Type of steps and benches (plastic or metal), Type of coping (concrete or natural stone), Type of wall panel (steel, plastic/polymer, or aluminum).

Non-embossed liners doesnt feel as squishy because theyre flat across the top. The LSI still matters in vinyl pools! Regardless of the material, factories produce the walls in sections or panels. Vinyl over steps are premade, with many options available.

We presume water penetrates in pursuit of that precious calcium carbonate. However, pool chemicals and electricity will still cost you about, Vinyl liner pools are super budget-friendly. When water gets cold, the need for calcium rises. For vinyl liner pools, the standard is white aluminum C-channel coping.

Finally, since the wall panels are not waterproof, a liner is needed to retain water in the pool. Because they are pre-fabricated and installed relatively quickly, vinyl liner pools are usually less expensive to build and renovate than in-ground gunite pools with cement finishes.

| Among them: dog paws, long fingernails and toenails, falling branches, patio furniture that rowdy individuals toss in the pool, and other sharp objects that find their way into the watersometimes carried by heavy winds. swimming pools, liners can tear or puncture easily, but theyre also inexpensive and easier for builders to work with. This includes the cost of the liner, labor, water to fill the pool, and other minor expenses. Then, using these project specs, the manufacturer prepares the wall panels, liner, and other components. However, to eliminate the risk of corrosion, some installers avoid using steel in areas with high water tables where the earth is often damp. Before you contact local contractors, its helpful to understand these package pools and some of the key options available on them. Others contain abstract patterns, and some are fabricated with pearlescent, reflective material that shimmers in the sunlight. You may need to increase alkalinity to get through the winter and make sure that at the coldest temperature, your LSI remains balanced in those conditions. Winterize with the future coldest temperature in mind. When mixed with cement, the liquid slurry hardens into a solid, porous surface. Feel free to ask us questions in the comments, or click the button below to reach out and request pricing: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(42700, 'bda57b49-fe55-451a-a1ec-94b15af7ee0c', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Be sure to download your free ebook below before you go for an in-depth comparison of the three main inground pool types. If you know your pool will freeze, prepare for it and let the pH naturally rise up to its ceiling, (usually about 8.1-8.2). The debate among manufacturers and contractors continues. The wall panelssurprise!make up the walls of your pool, everywhere except the steps. They assemble any plastic or fiberglass steps or buddy seats at this stage as well. Vermiculite is a flaky, lightweight mineral made that looks like mica. Cold, stagnant watergetting colder and colder as the weeks go on in the fall. Perhaps there is some truth to the over-chlorination idea, as illustrated in CGT's research,5 but is it as significant as aggressive water gnawing away at the liner, and pigment being collateral damage? How is the water going to saturate itself with the calcium it needs if you don't winterize the pool properly? On the other hand, some prefer an embossed liner with a patterned texture. You'll probably find the following information: You can use a salt water system if your vinyl liner pool has polymer wall panels, but not if you have metal wall panels. They are custom-made to fit your specific pool and a trained installer puts them in place. , also called a thou (as in a thousandth). because youd need to cut the liner specifically to fit the fancy design, which would be not only a pain but also near-impossible to do accurately.

This is goodin the sense that you're less likely to damage a vinyl liner pool in the short term. This will help limit how high your pH can rise naturally. Theyre made of polymer, are attached to the pool walls, and jut out from the main body of the pool. Vinyl liner pools are super budget-friendly. The surface is less slippery than a non-embossed liner. If your primary chlorine has a high pH (liquid sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite), you will want your alkalinity around 70-80 ppm in the summertime. But stay away from salt systems, as the mineral will eat away at the vinyl material. | So to find what we're talking about, go, liners have less urgency for chemical balance on a startup, vinyl liners can actually contain trace amounts of calcium in them. Grout is a concrete blend of sand, cement, and water. Prefabricated pool steps are also part of the equation.

They then completely fill the pool with water. A ladder is, well, a removable metal ladder that you install into the patio. That being said, the goals for water balance are the same, and sanitization itself is identical. Steel fares better in rocky and clay-like soils. Now you know the components, cost, pros and cons, and construction process for a vinyl liner pool. A pool base is typically made of vermiculite or grout. If you're following the LSI, liners offer more grace and time to get your chemicals in order. Consider features such as, On a large vinyl pool built with the proper dimensions, a. Today, liners come in a wide array of sizes and shapes, and the number of available patterns has exploded with hundreds of options. For these issues, you have to, Today's vinyl liners typically last 59 years, at $4,000. To summarize: Vinyl liners are great pool surfaces, but it is up to you, the pool owner or service technician, to treat the water right. On a large vinyl pool built with the proper dimensions, a jump rock or diving board is also possible. This option is equally thick all the way through. Some contractors complete the patio surround before installing the liner, and others install the pool first. The weakness is that they contain so little of it that the water hardly has any means of correcting itself if the LSI gets too low (below -0.30). We had to look it up. More importantly, the material is more durable over the long hall in the presence of some soil conditions, such as soils that contain high levels of chlorides. The crew ties structural steel rods to the bottom of the pool walls. Good luck maintaining LSI balance with just 150 ppm calcium hardness when the water drops below 75F. Flat-mount coping is flat and just secures your vinyl liner. While this style is the most common and economical, lets be frank: On most pools, the white jumps out against the pools blue interior, sticking out like a sore thumb. When they remove the form, the concrete itself is the edge (often bullnose). Our research [so far] tells us no. Were all about making information available to you and easy to understand. But the chemistry still matters! If you have never seen a vinyl liner installation, it's pretty neat to watch. To ensure youre getting the best value and the best fit for your situation, compare the pros and cons of fiberglass, vinyl liner, and concrete pools. Others contend that polymer walls perform better. Dog claws, a broken branch, or even hungry insects can tear that pretty easily. The builders bolt the pool wall panels together and secure them with braces for support. In our opinion, range chemistry recommendationsregardless of pool typeshould always be followed within the context of the, The weakness is not that vinyl liners contain calcium carbonate (CaCO, We disagree with the recommendations for 150-250 ppm of calcium hardness. Become a Dealer or Franchise The builder places the liner into the pool, snaps it into place, then form-fits it to the shape of the pool using a vacuum to remove the air behind the liner. They mix this material (typically vermiculite or grout) and then trowel it in place. We are often asked how to manage water chemistry in vinyl liner pools, and if liner pool chemistry needs to differ from in-ground gunite pools. Divots and dents are usually cosmetic issues as well, but a bump due to a rock or pebble could lead to a tear in the liner. That led to Wikipedia and other sources talking about vinyl for other usesparticularly flooring. Some vinyl liner installers have the skill to fashion a version of an infinity-edgepooljust dont expect it to look like the real McCoy you see on gunite pools. the pool itself, any cool features, and the surrounding area.

Coping is the border around the top perimeter of the poolthe transition from the pool to the patio. Wall panels can be produced in many shapes and dimensions as well. What is a Vinyl Liner Swimming Pool and Your Options for One? Most vinyl manufacturers recommend between 150-250 ppm calcium hardness. One solution here is to hide the jarring white structures beneath your liner. The thicker the material, the more resilient it is. The weakness is not that vinyl liners contain calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Dog claws, a broken branch, or even hungry insects can tear that pretty easily. Terms & Conditions If you have a salt system, your alkalinity should be even lower, between 60-70 ppm. For example, youll see that fiberglass pools keep most of the positive characteristics of vinyl liner pools and avoid the negatives. A typical vinyl liner replacement may take only a few hours with an experienced crew (not including water fill time), as opposed to days or weeks for a renovation and re-plaster. In addition, if you have a saltwater-chlorine sanitizer on a pool, beware: In case of a leak, the metal does not hold up well in the presence of this corrosive mineral. Rather than a gunite spa though, it will be a prefabricated unit that is installed adjacent to the vinyl configuration. So is stainless-steel, Pool buyers can order a package pool in standard shapes and sizes or with custom specifications. Finally, to lock the base of the walls and braces in place, most installers will pour a band of concrete around the entire pool perimeter.

Vinyl liners for inground pools are usually, the gauge, which varies in size depending on the dealer.

altogether for labor, materials, water, and chemicals. Some people do the most basic work and pay professionals to do the more skilled areas. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(42700, 'b19a3d0a-1487-4004-87a0-a07c51d247af', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Inground Pool Shopping: Can You Buy a Pool Online? Overview of package pools and their key components. where one piece of material meets another. So a 28 mil liner is less than one millimeter thick (0.7112 mm).

The most common material options are steel, aluminum, or polymer (plastic). If your primary chlorine is acidic, like Trichlor, you may want 90-120 ppm alkalinity, because pH will be suppressed by your chlorine. The builders install plumbing around the pool and to the pump and filter system. DIY also makes it harder to have a specialty freeform curve because youd need to cut the liner specifically to fit the fancy design, which would be not only a pain but also near-impossible to do accurately. So 28 mil is 28/1000ths of an inch thick. , but still typically less than a similar fiberglass or concrete pool. These factors influence the upfront price: On average, a vinyl liner lasts 59 years. The vast majority of vinyl liner pools are rectangular, but you can definitely. Standard shapes and sizes remain an option, but customization is available for most package pools. At Orenda, the majority of our focus has been on cement-based finishes (plaster, quartz, pebble, etc.) You can find out for yourself while playing with the. than hiring a professional, and you run the risk of. Vinyl is flexible and waterproof. On the technology front, you also have options. So is a spa. You know how it goesstart with one idea and the research rabbit hole opens up. Installation uses some techniques for installing a concrete deck. Another unit of measurement is the gauge, which varies in size depending on the dealer. Manufacturers incorporate UV inhibitors so that colors and patterns do not quickly fade in sunlighta common problem with older liners.

Thanks to these replacements, the low initial cost of the pool could be off-set within the first ten years after construction. You apply the material mixture on top of the soil with a round-edged pool trowel, and then install the liner on top of it. To offset this lower alkalinity, you will need more calcium hardness. Prefabricated pool steps are also part of the equation. In particular, CAD systems opened the door to many variations on standard pool packages. Theyre made of polymer, are attached to the pool walls, and jut out from the main body of the pool. The LSI matters, and because there is so little CaCO, 5 We tried to hyperlink to the actual technical bulletin we are citing, but their website has all of them in succession with anchor links. Water can stay aggressive for longer, and permanent damage to the liner can occur.

Contact The kind of steps you see most often is white polymer. I now know that they needed to replace the liner years ago. Depending on the project specs for shape and size, the manufacturer will package the panels involving one, two, or all three of these shapes. . If a measurement is in gauges, ask for it in mils to be sure its what you need. 3 "Mil" is not short for millimeters (28 millimeters would be about an inch thick!). Then the builders pour an eight-inch deep concrete footing around the outside perimeter of the structure to lock the wall panels in place. Theyre measured by the highest peaks of the liner, not by the lower solid partmeaning if a liner is 25 mils embossed, it wont be 25 mils high all the way across the top. The term C-channel (or U-channel) means that its bullnose (or half-round, like a C shape) coping thats bolted at the top of the pool wall panel as a permanent border for the patio concrete. In that same vein, while you can get a plethora of patterns and colors, vinyl liners are almost all a similar feel and appearanceunlike a concrete pool which can have many textures and vibrant colors. Earth is also backfilled around the pool walls. What level of customization and the kinds of features you include will come down to your budget and the skill level of vinyl pool installers in your local market. , with peaks and valleys. Others like to install the entire pool themselves. This is because Trichlor suppresses pH (because it is acidic chlorine), and the vinyl surface offers nothing to artificially raise pH again. Consider features such as pool controls or healthier alternative sanitizers such as ozone or ozone/ultraviolet combinations. Others like to install the entire pool themselves. Wall panels can come with penetrations for LED lighting, drains, returns, and skimmers. Some attempt to simulate the waterline tile of a gunite pool. Even today, vinyl liner pools are sometimes disparagingly referred to as baggies. But certainly, these pools have improved immensely over the years. The lifetime cost is what you spend after the purchasemaintenance, repairs, and replacements. Ladders are tougher to rely upon for climbing out of the pool, particularly for some children and individuals with mobility challenges. |, Installation & Construction Liner pools also offer some flexibility for special features, such as tanning ledges (in limited shapes and sizes) and various step and bench configurations. To ensure youre getting the best value and the best fit for your situation, compare the pros and cons of fiberglass, vinyl liner, and concrete pools. rather than relying on information on this website, which is not intended to be a final Even if a vinyl liner is damaged and faded during the winter, its surface is still smooth and therefore not abrasive to swimmers' feet. Product specifications are believed to be accurate at the time of original publication. "River Pools" is a service mark of River Pools and Spas, Inc. and River Pools Fiberglass, LLC.

The salt corrodes, Parts of Vinyl Liner Pools Do Harbor Algae Growth. You can add different coping, like fancy pavers, on top of it. 5 We tried to hyperlink to the actual technical bulletin we are citing, but their website has all of them in succession with anchor links. Embossed liners feel soft because they vary in thickness, with peaks and valleys. The thickness is measured in milswhich is not the same as a millimeter. But this article is specific to vinyl liners and howthey interact with the water. Still, this isnt everything you need to know to make your decision.

Most cost at least $10,000 less than similar fiberglass or concrete pools.

Contact Concrete pools can be just about any shape and size, whereas liners are more limited in their shape and sizes. The thicker the material, the more resilient it is. For many years, you could have a rectangle, kidney, and maybe a lazy L, but that was about it. Mil is one one-thousandths (1/1000th) of an inch thick. This stage first requires a bonding inspection. Under proper conditions, liners tend to last 6 to 12 years. Over the entire lifetime of the pool, it will cost many thousands more than a fiberglass pool. Depending on the kind of panels, the crew may also install a system of X braces to reinforce the walls long-term stability. Because sand lacks structural integrity and can change shape and distort the appearance of the liners surface, it has heavily fallen out of favor. And if you don't know what "mil" means, you are not alone.

This pool begins with a series of metal or polymer wall panels. Sand carries the lowest price and is easiest to install is. because of their interaction with water chemistryespecially during the initial few days of a startup. But the embossing treatment means the liners thickness is inconsistent, and therefore more prone to damage. | However, in regions with cold winters and hot summers, its another story; when the earth contracts and expands, polymer does not move well enough to adjust. Since extra attention is needed to properly hang the liner over each step, your installer may also charge more for the labor. The warranty does not cover any labor, water, or other expenses. Master pool chemistry with the Orenda pool chemical dosing calculator. The economic option for a vinyl pool liner is 20 mil embossed. Especially in cold water, liners can face prolonged damage because the water has almost no mechanism for correcting its chemistry if it goes aggressive. After the builders assemble the perimeter wall panels, the footing inspection must be approved. steel walls, So what exactly is a vinyl liner pool? smooth them out, that takes significant time and effort, drain the pool and remove the liner for repairs, the panels and any handrail and ladder anchors made of galvanized steel. Another benefit is that patterns and colors do not drive the price of a liner. The aluminum can be painted different colors, but white is the most common. You can DIY a vinyl liner pool, saving $10,000$15,000. One 'mil' is 1/1000th of an inch.3. Sorry. In other words, vinyl liner pools should be easier to maintain water balance in. Warsaw, VA 22572, River pools was a Some panels come with fiberglass inserts that will accommodate steps; in some cases, even benches/loveseats and tanning ledges are possible. The bottom line:The LSI matters, and because there is so little CaCO3 for the water to take, the consequences can be more severe over time. For example, youll see that fiberglass pools keep most of the positive characteristics of vinyl liner pools and avoid the negatives. Each is either straight, 90-degree angles, or curved with different radii. See the diagram below. Here's a cool video showing the basics.

specification. Standard vinyl liner pools include white coping and big plastic white steps that jut out from the body of the pool. less than a millimeter. If you expect to receive any credit on a liner replacement, be sure to read the warranty in full.

You buy the liner to fit over the steps. Custom shapes cost more, but still typically less than a similar fiberglass or concrete pool. First, as mentioned before, vinyl liners often contain calcium carbonate.

package pools. Expanding on that same train of thought, if Trichlor is your primary chlorine, pH tends to stay too low in vinyl liner pools compared to plaster pools. It's not that those answers are wrong, it's that they are too generalized and not specific enough. This leads us to our next subject. Compare this to a concrete pool, which is rough enough to scrape your skin unless you pay big money for an all-tile or polished interior finish. Thicker liners cost more and are harder to handle, but they provide extra protection against dog nails or that pointy toy your toddler threw into the pool. That includes all types of pools. At the job site, installers will erect this set of panels by bolting them together. So is stainless-steel pool coping that borders the structures perimeter. Theyre measured by the highest peaks of the liner, not by the lower solid partmeaning if a liner is 25 mils embossed, it wont be 25 mils high all the way across the top. does.

You can choose from many patterns and colors without large differences in cost, unlike cementitious surfaces which can vary widely in price.

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