Used aboveground vinyl pool: use old liner for added protection?

[micrologix1500]

For better or for worse, my wife and I bought a used above-ground pool, disassembled it, and lugged it home. The only thing left on the seller's property is the old liner. Now, I know better then to think I could reuse the old liner to hold water. But, we're toying with the idea of cutting the bottom panel out and placing it underneath the new liner as an added layer of protection. Is this an asinine thought or might it be worth doing? Does anyone have any first-hand experience with this?

Please don't share your beliefs as to how dumb it was to buy a used pool, or how useless a pool will be in Michigan. I've read those threads already, thank-you-very-much :) Besides, it is done and paid for, there's no turning back now!

[buffalobill]

basic instructions can be found at:

i suggest you also consider:

1. will you be insulating the ground and walls to retain heat and stretch your swimming season?
2. will you be allowing the center to be deeper than the edge so the pool dirt will collect in the middle for easier leaf removal while still keeping the water depth level above your youngest child's chin at all ages.
3. look at led christmas lights.
4. look at electricial to wire a safe GFI for your pool yard and deck lights.
5. look at new 300 lb capacity pool ladder made in canada.

[micrologix1500]

It has been said to us that water could get trapped between them. I just figured that the thousands of pounds of pressure the water would apply to the liner would prevent any voids, air pockets, etc. from forming that could let water in. But, I claim no knowledge of pools and very little of physics :)

[micrologix1500]

I read the instructions, thank you for the link. They are VERY basic though!

I'm not aware of how you would insulate the ground and walls. Do tell.

I figured we'd have a deep end and a shallow end, but like you mention it might be a better choice to have it deepest in the middle. Our youngest child is 10 months so keeping it below his chin will be a challenge :)

We're blessed with a very deep yard so there's no risk of dangling cords like X-mas lites falling in. (I think that's where you're going with that!)

We're also "blessed" with a city code inspector as a nextdoor neighbor, so it'll all have to be done to code. I have a 2002 NEC code book and pretty good electrical skills so I'll do what it takes to make it right. (as an aside.. I figured it would be OK to use UF cable to wire the receptacle.. Looks like I have to use rigid or PVC tubing though.. bummer)

Please give me the information on the ladder you speak of.

thanks! Kevin

[micrologix1500]

Well that may be where I'm going astray.. The guy I got the pool from said the only times he's had to patch the floor of the pool was when rocks (he assumes it was the sharp corners of a rock) wore through the bottom. I didn't figure our feet would inflict much wear upon the bottom of the pool. (although my feet are pretty rough and calloused..)

The possibility of more wrinkles are a concern. How much of a concern, I'm not sure. I've never set one of these up so I really have no clue what to expect.

[micrologix1500]

$1200. It is a 21' x 41' Doughboy, about 10 years old.

Looking back on the deal, I might have been able to hold out and got a better deal. We've been keeping an eye on the local classified section though, and it seems like all the ones we found were either too small for our liking (18' round seems to come up a lot) or they came with none of the accessories and we would have had to buy everything separately. This one has a brand new pump and kettle-o-sand, miles of hoses, strainers, a slide, ladder, chemicals, kid's lifejackets, even fun-noodles and a beachball :) Basically everything imaginable was included. The guy has a real nice house that will be bulldozed next April for a high-rise condo complex, so he has no need for any of it.

I'm following the logic of not butting up two layers of liner together. If we do this, I will put an inch or so of sand between them.

[micrologix1500]

We put up an inflatable pool this summer.. that was my introduction to pools. We had days this summer that I wished the water wasn't so damned hot.. One day the water was 94 degrees! I know this summer was an aberration though. I'm sure that since we have a big pool, next summer will be cold and rainy.

We jumped in the pool last Sunday just for the hell of it.. The water was 64 degrees. That was too cold. I'm surprised I don't have pneumonia right now. It might take a few days to set in. I think your temp. range is probably pretty accurate.. I don't think I'd get in again if the temp is under 70.

[Dan Espen]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I had periodic cicadas make dozens of holes in our first liner. Two layers might just have slowed them down. I'd be inclined to put a layer of sand on top of the old liner not lay the new liner directly on the old.

[Jmagerl]

They make thick plastic pool liner bottoms for the exact reason you state.

I currently have a sand bottom and my main problems are worms and tree roots. Every spring when I open the pool I find new grooves in the bottom from worm tracks. I have never had a puncture in the bottom yet. My next replacement liner will have one of those bottom liners under it.

I hope you have a heater because the pool season will be very short without one. (mid june to mid august- chicago area). I put 72 degrees as my minimum water temp. 80 is better (mid July). Don't know how I jumped into lake Michigan as a kid.

[Kathy]

used above-ground pool,

Just curious - How much did you pay for it?

[Dan Espen]

Wrinkles are bad. They will collect dirt, stop any automatic pool cleaner, and lead to premature failure. There should be no wrinkles at all.

You need to put a layer of sand under the liner, don't put it on bare ground. At least 3 inches of sand.

Normal use will not make holes.

I've gotten holes from insects and, I suspect, small rodents tunneling under the liner and trying to surface. If that doesn't seem likely in your case, forget using the old liner.

If you do use the old liner, put down sand, old liner, sand, then new liner.

If you lay the new liner on top of the old one, it's going to be really nasty when you eventually take the liner out.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It would also be a moisture barrier. If water gets between the two liners, it could get yucky maybe. Don't know for sure, but I'd be concerned about that happening.

[Kathy]

years old.

Wow. About 5 years ago I put a post on a newsgroup of free stuff and got someone to come and _take_ my 6 year old, 27' round x 52"deep pool away. I gave him everything(even chemicals & toys!) except the automatic vaccuum. He drove 100 miles and brought his family for the ride. Those 2 little girls would be young teenagers by now. I hope they enjoyed the pool.

[josh]

wrote

I have an above ground, same liner for 8 years. Have sand bottom. Your worries are cutting/tearing the liner from the inside, so unless I'm missing something, I don't know what an additional bottom underneath would accomplish, except wasted time and maybe a few extra wrinkles telegraphing through.

[Bob G.]

===Its been years since I had an above ground pool... and replaced it with an in ground one....\\

BUT the above advice is what I would have given IF I were the first to reply.. Personally I would not bother with the old liner. BUT I would schedule plenty of time...then double that just to get the bottom wrinkle free... with liner inground pools a shop vac stuck under the liner will suck the liner tight so you can work out every single wrinkle ...should work on an above ground pool also..just leave the vac on until you have a few inches of water covering the bottom...

Enjoy the pool...unfortunately I have to close my pool this weekend... and I hate doing that...(not hard work...just hate the thought of winter comming...Bummer

Bob

.

[Dan Espen]

I can't see how I could get a vac to work, the liner is loose around the edges. Never tried it though. The first 1/2 inch of water will nail the liner to the ground.

Closed mine last weekend.

It certainly is depressing, not only can't I use it, but instead of the beautiful blue water, I see that cover. What the world needs is an attractive pool cover.

[Olaf]

70 is, I think, the low limit for scuba diving without a wet suit. Hypothermia can set in if you stay in water under 70 for too long.

[micrologix1500]

I figured if those Russian submarine guys could survive several days in

40 degree water, I could handle half an hour in mid-60s :) But then again, I'm sure most of them came out of the sub pretty sick!

[keith]

Were they *IN* the water? There is a difference between 40F air and

40F water. My bet is that they wouldn't have lasted an hour in 40F water.