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Above ground pool issues


Cusser

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I've had an above-ground pool since 2000. The metal top ledge/shelf pieces are aluminum with what looks like electrostatic paint.  However, decades in the Arizona sun have caused some of the paint to peel off/flake off. 

Is there any way to paint this top ledge/shelf?  I sure don't want to buy all new top pieces !!! Likely some type of aluminum primer first????

I'm open to any positive experiences here, thanks.

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TOP LEDGE PAINTING IS ON HOLD.  Patched three holes in the liner today (forgot how fragile an old liner is when water has been drained out), will try to re-fill tomorrow.  If that doesn't hold, then I'll have to decide on installing a brand-new liner I have, or maybe just replace the entire 15-ft x 4 ft pool - if such is available !!!

I wouldn't be replacing pump/filter/ladder in any case.

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Sorry my friend, I know nothing about painting pools or aluminum. But, of you do paint it, remember that paint is only ever as good as the surface prep. Sand it, clean it, prime it. Or plan to do it again soon. I tried to tell my wife that when she decided to paint our metal patio set, but she watches the diy channel and assured me she didn't have to do any of that. Now, 2 years later, we have a lovely 2-tone patio set. Sometimes I hate being right all the time... 😉

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Thanks, but this is now on the back burner.  Apparently the rolled metal of the pool has rusted over the last 20 years, both from rain and from a leak at the skimmer due to the installer, leaked between the liner and the pool itself.  So the pool liner ripped while filling it the other day (I had needed to change out the water and patch some small leaks, and this happened when filling, maybe "helped" by some wind). If I didn't have a free replacement liner here, I'd just junk the pool; my daughter is coming over today and we'll try to engineer a fix with that part like 2" lower and see if we can make it work with the new liner (I've never installed a liner before).

If this is unsuccessful, might just take a half-year break and then see if a less-expensive easy-to-install 15-foot Intex pool could be used with my existing pump, filter, and ladder.

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I have an intex. Cheap and flimsy, but it does the job and you can't beat the price. Might have some fun trying to get a skimmer for use with existing equipment.

That said, if yours is just patchy rust and the structure is solid I'd get some insulating wrap and tape it up all the way around inside the metal then drop in the new liner.

The trick for a liner is to get it fairly straight across the bottom then put a few inches of water in and pull the sides to remove wrinkles. Then continue to fill, pulling out wall wrinkles as they come up. Don't attach at top rail until at least half full.

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My daughter and I spent 3 hours today installing the new replacement liner I'd received (to replace a leaky new liner about 8 years ago).  Yeah, it has some wrinkles at the bottom, and I had to trim/re-engineer 3 vertical supports as the outside had collapsed some, but seems the operation may have salvaged a year or more from this pool.  So far the water is just below the slimmer hole, and I'm planning on cutting/setting the skimmer and return Tuesday afternoon.

Had I not had this new liner just sitting in a closet for last 8 years, I wouldn't have even attempted its resurrection. We attached the top edge liners and supports before starting the water.  So far looks like some wrinkles in the bottom but not a huge concern for me.  Hopefully pictures to be posted within a few days.

I'm getting old, like the claim that Intex is self-assembled in 45 minutes !!! 

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  • Cusser changed the title to Above ground pool issues

"Had I not had this new liner just sitting in a closet for last 8 years, I wouldn't have even attempted its resurrection. We attached the top edge liners and supports before starting the water.  So far looks like some wrinkles in the bottom but not a huge concern for me.  "

Well, so far: looks successful.  I installed the skimmer and return yesterday, will top off the water level today.

See big rip in old liner in first photo, near the ladder.  See evidence of past leakage in 2nd photo.

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All seems OK, and pool seems sturdy.  One can see that the pool is lower at the area around the skimmer.  Device on the left of the skimmer and pool net is an automatic water level device I made, using a common hardware shut off float (like for an evaporative cooler).  3rd photo is with inexpensive solar cover on.DSC08216.thumb.JPG.cdd8b7c92ecb5e3eb5212a7fad917fce.JPG

 

 

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On 4/18/2021 at 8:57 PM, Cusser said:

this new liner just sitting in a closet for last 8 years,

That's not a new liner. That's an 8 year old uninstalled liner. Big difference since they lose flexibility with time, even in your closet. Still better than an 8 year old installed liner, but not new.

Glad you got it fixed. You may get more than another year if you're lucky and your wall holds up. Did you put anything between the wall and liner?

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29 minutes ago, RDspaguy said:

That's not a new liner. That's an 8 year old uninstalled liner. Big difference since they lose flexibility with time, even in your closet. Still better than an 8 year old installed liner, but not new.

Glad you got it fixed. You may get more than another year if you're lucky and your wall holds up. Did you put anything between the wall and liner?

The liner felt very flexible and new.  The existing liner was very brittle.  Anyway: that's what I did.

No - nothing between the wall and the liner; I just did what the previous "professional" installer did, but realize that he was no rocket scientist either !!!

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On 4/20/2021 at 5:46 PM, RDspaguy said:

That's not a new liner. That's an 8 year old uninstalled liner. Big difference since they lose flexibility with time, even in your closet. Still better than an 8 year old installed liner, but not new.

Here's a photo of the old liner; the dark blue still-flexible part was shielded from both sun and pool water, as was under the top ledge.  The dark blue part is still flexible and feels like good vinyl. but the pale part is quite brittle.  I imagine contact with pool water/chemicals over the years affected it, but liners are supposed to be in contact with pool water !

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