How to Prevent and Fix Wrinkles in Your Pool Liner
Revised on June 26, 2023
Wrinkles in swimming pool liners are common, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating for pool owners to deal with. Wrinkles aren’t pretty to look at and they put your swimming pool at a higher risk for damage, which can lead to costly repairs.
There are several factors that can cause wrinkles, so it is important for pool owners to know how to prevent them from occurring and how to deal with them if they happen in your swimming pool.
Is it bad to have wrinkles in my pool liner?
In short, yes, wrinkles in your pool liner are bad. Besides being unpleasant to look at, wrinkles can cause damage to your swimming pool. Dirt and debris can easily get trapped in the wrinkles, causing a higher risk of holes and the area of your liner with wrinkles is weakened.
What causes wrinkles in a pool liner?
The first step in protecting your swimming pool liner from wrinkles is to know how they form. Here are a few common causes wrinkled pool liner causes.
Wrong liner size or improper installation
Wrinkles tend to happen most often while installing your new liner. Accurately measuring your swimming pool and getting a liner that is the exact fit is important to avoid wrinkles. Never add water to your pool until the liner lies exactly how you want it and is wrinkle-free.
Slipping pool liner
If you do not have enough coping clips attaching your above ground overlap pool liner, the liner can start to slip down the wall. This creates wrinkles in the wall that will likely spread to the floor of your pool.
Water loss
Whether you have a leaky liner or you are partially draining your swimming pool, water loss is another cause of wrinkles. A low water level causes the liner to move away from your pool’s walls which can cause wrinkles or breaking depending on how brittle your liner is.
Incorrect chemical levels
Keeping your pool’s chemical levels balanced is important to protect your liner from wrinkles. High chlorine and low pH levels are two culprits of wrinkles.
Early signs of unbalanced chemicals can often be seen by a fading or bleaching of your liner. If you see this happening, you may want to consider adjusting your chemical levels.
How to avoid wrinkles in my pool liner
Proper swimming pool maintenance is the best way to avoid liner wrinkles. This includes:
- Keeping chemicals balanced
- Maintaining the pool’s water level
- Regularly inspecting for leaks
- Opening and closing your pool correctly.
The sooner you catch wrinkles forming, the better your chance is for removing them. Liner wrinkles that have existed for months are nearly impossible to remove, so as soon as you see any, try to remove them.
Additionally, wrinkles are generally less likely to form and easier to remove with warm water.
How to get wrinkles out of your pool liner
When you notice wrinkles forming in your pool, there are a few simple ways you can get rid of them.
Don’t add or remove water
When installing your pool liner, you want to remove all the wrinkles BEFORE you add in the water. Many people think the weight of the water will help press out the wrinkles, but that’s rarely the case. Once they’re covered with water, it’s going to be much harder to remove any wrinkles.
If your pool is already filled with water, draining your swimming pool is not the answer either. Pumping the water out of your pool almost always does more damage than good. Try one of the below tricks insteadFor additional questions regarding pool liner wrinkles, feel free to contact the professionals at LinerWorld!
Use your feet or hands
Use your hands or feet to gently spread the wrinkles out or push them toward the wall. Wear water shoes with soft rubber soles to avoid damage to the liner.
Use soft weighted objects
For stubborn wrinkles that won’t easily smooth out, you can place soft weighted objects, such as sandbags, on top of the wrinkles. This will help to stretch out the liner and gradually press the wrinkles out. Leave the weights in place for a few days to allow the liner to settle.
Warm things up
Cold temperatures and water can make the liner feel stiffer and prompt wrinkles. If you’re trying to remove wrinkles from your pool, pick a warm day and turn up your pool heater to help soften the vinyl on the liner and make it easier to push wrinkles out.
Buy a new liner
If the above tactics fail, your liner may be too old or stretched. Your best bet at that point is to purchase and install a new pool liner.
At Linerworld, we have a variety of unique above ground pool liners that will bring a pop of color and fun to your backyard.
