How to Install Pool Liner in 12 simple Steps (Guide)

As soon as the first own pool or a new pool, because the old model may have shown irreparable signs of wear after a few years, has been delivered, you would like to take a bath in the cool water as a pool owner.

However, before relaxing and frolicking in crystal-clear water, the pool must be set up, which includes not only the installation of the appropriate frame, but also the laying of the pool liner.

In the event that you want to install the inner shell of your own pool, which is often made of PVC film, not only a certain degree of craftsmanship is necessary, but you should also consider a few basic aspects and steps in this process, which is why they are explained in detail in the following sections.

Before you install the pool liner: What to consider?

Before laying the pool liner, you should make sure that the prevailing conditions are as ideal as possible, which includes, for example, that you do not apply the pool liner, since pool liners are basically thermoplastics, in excessive sunlight, nor at temperatures lower than ten degrees Celsius.

In addition, it is advisable to use a protective fleece, which should be thoroughly vacuumed before installing the pool liner to ensure that there are no stones on it.

Another important factor in the installation of a pool liner is the condition of the substrate, which, in order to achieve the best possible visual and functional effect, must not only be free of foreign bodies, but also not uneven or sloping.

When installing the pool liner, it is important at all times not to bring sharp objects into contact with the product, otherwise there is a risk of damage. For this reason, it is also recommended during installation, if feasible, to avoid wearing sturdy shoes and instead either on socks or barefoot to be present in the basin of the pool during installation.

If you want to be sure that the ground is safe for installing the pool liner, check out our guide on how to prepare the ground for any above ground pool.

Installing pool liner yourself in 12 steps (instructions for round pool)

If you have a certain degree of technical understanding as well as manual talent, it is no problem to install a pool liner yourself with regard to the steps to be carried out, however, in case of doubt, you should always get a professional second opinion.

A professionally trained expert is in most cases much more experienced, simply due to the fact that he has already installed a pool liner himself much more often and can also add an experienced perspective to the individual pool installation.

In principle, however, the following steps are absolutely necessary in order to be able to install a pool liner adequately yourself and to be fundamentally satisfied with the result afterwards.

Step 1: Create the necessary conditions

Before making the necessary preparations for the installation of the pool liner, there are a few steps that should be taken beforehand, including the laying out of a protective fleece on a hardened concrete floor, the individual strips of which are then glued together with an appropriate tool in such a way that they do not overlap.

After the wall runs have been inserted into each other, the respective perimeter of the pool can be marked, for example, with the help of a felt pen, so that the fleece can then be cut out at this point.

Once the appropriate shape has been cut out, the wall runs are draped back into place and then the steel wall is inserted into the guide provided for this purpose and a finish is formed with the supplied connectors.

In order to secure the transition from the bottom of the pool to the walls adequately, the appropriate protective wedges are applied and some handrail rails should also be strengthened so that the pool has a certain degree of stability before the punched components are cut out.

To protect them from rust in the long term, all cut edges must be deburred and galvanized, and after the rust protection has dried, it can be repainted with the appropriate paint for a more attractive appearance.

If you want a softer pool bottom, you can cover it with a special pool foam. Before laying the pool liner, you should clean the protective fleece with a vacuum cleaner to remove sharp foreign bodies, such as small stones.

Step 2: Prepare the pool liner

Due to the fact that in most cases conventional pool liners are folded lengthwise towards the center and then rolled up in a first step at the end of the production process, you should make an appropriate positioning before unfolding the pool liner. The inner cover for the particular pool should be placed there, set the case that there are two ends.

Step 3: Unfold pool liner

In order to unfold the pool liner without much trouble, after positioning it in front of the two faces of the pool, roll it out in the two remaining other directions. While unfolding the pool liner, you should also make sure that it is also pulled apart to a certain extent to initiate the next step.

Step 4: Pull the pool liner up and secure it in place

In this step, the pool liner is pulled upwards along the steel wall so that the welded profile can be put over the respective edges, whereby it is advisable to fix them temporarily with clothespins at a distance of about 50 centimeters.

In no case should you use the handrail for this, as you may have to take it off again if you need to correct the pool liner, which could damage the cover.

Note: Here’s what to consider when installing pool liner for rectangular pools.

With regard to laying a pool liner in a pool with the shape of a rectangle, it is necessary to take into account a few peculiarities, which include, for example, the fact that the hooking of the cover into the profile provided for this purpose should be done from the middle of the long side and with the use of two people.

In case the pool liner is too short, it is recommended to gently heat it with the help of your own body heat or a hair dryer, and then pull it into the appropriate position.

Step 5: Remove wrinkles from the bottom

The smoothing of the pool liner wrinkles should be done with special care, as this and the following steps will have a long-term effect on the overall appearance or condition of the pool’s inner shell.

To ensure that the pool liner fits without wrinkles, it is necessary to make sure that it is pulled into the grooves of the bottom, and the respective weld should be as close as possible to those. In addition, it is essential that there is an even distance from the corresponding fillet weld on all edges in order to remove the pool liner wrinkles on the bottom in the best possible way.

Step 6: Remove fasteners and attach handrail

At this point, it is time to remove the temporary fasteners in the form of clothespins and install the handrail, making sure that it is as tight as possible.

Assuming that you use a ladder or additional tools for this step, be careful not to damage the pool liner, so working in socks or even barefoot should also be preferred.

Step 7: Let in some water

In order to correct any remaining wrinkles in the pool liner at the bottom of the pool, it is essential to let a little water into the inside of the pool. However, it is advisable not to exceed a water level of three to five centimeters, as it is then difficult or even impossible to correct the wrinkles.

Step 8: Smooth out remaining wrinkles on the bottom

While the pool is already filled with water, you can turn your attention to smoothing the remaining wrinkles in the pool shell, as this should be done in the first few minutes after filling to achieve a satisfactory result.

During this step, it is necessary to make sure that there is an even distance between the pool throat and the outer welding seam in the entire pool, otherwise it will not be possible to carry out the following steps properly.

Step 9: Remove wrinkles on the wall

When laying the pool liner along the walls of the pool, a significant attention should be paid to the prevention of oblique wrinkles or wrinkles of any kind, so it is necessary to proceed with the same care as in the treatment of the bottom.

To achieve a visually pleasing result, it may be necessary to correct the position of the pool liner by moving the wedge piping or realigning the hook-in piping.

Step 10: Add more water

Once not only the bottom but also the walls of the pool have been cleared of wrinkles in the pool liner as best as possible, the pool is further filled with water. As a guideline, the water level should be about ten centimeters below the first opening of the pool.

Step 11: Sealing the installation parts

In this penultimate work step, the sealing of the corresponding installation parts takes place, which, however, should only be done when the prevailing water pressure has anchored the pool liner in the throats in the best possible way.

After feeling the holes in the wall of the pool and a subsequent cutting in the respective places, the necessary components are fixed with screws, which should be able to be screwed through the pool liner without any problems.

Step 12: Fill the pool completely with water

After the individual installation parts of the corresponding pool have been sealed in, it is worthwhile to get a brief overview of the pool’s structure.

This will ensure that there is no faulty installation or that it is possible to take corrective action at certain points. As soon as you have come to the conclusion that the pool has been properly installed, it is time to fill it completely with water.

In the event that there are any doubts or uncertainties regarding the proper installation of the pool liner, it is advisable to seek advice either from other pool owners or from an experienced and professionally trained expert.

Laying pool liner in an in-ground pool

In principle, it is strongly recommended in most cases that the installation of the pool liner in an in-ground pool should be carried out exclusively by a professionally trained specialist with the appropriate expertise.

However, apart from consulting an expert, there is now the option of laying the liner yourself using the relevant accessories. Although the ROOS company emphasizes the advantages of laying the liner yourself, such as reduced costs, there is also the option of consulting a professional.

If there is even the slightest doubt about how to install the pool liner in the individual pool, it makes sense to consult a pool expert in order to avoid undesirable side effects that can occur, among other things, due to improper installation.

Conclusion

The pool liner is an essential part of any swimming pool and should be properly installed not only for aesthetic reasons to enjoy the longest and carefree swimming experience.

Although there are a few steps that must be taken into account in most cases when installing a pool liner, there may be deviations in the corresponding individual shapes or areas of application of a pool, which should be taken into account when assessing the respective situation.

In the event that you are unsure about installing the pool liner yourself or generally wish to have the work carried out by an experienced professional, there are numerous experts who can be of assistance.