Walls buckling during fill - HELP! I do like them to be and stay in place as that looks much better, but it doesnt matter much. Hollowell Industries, the makers of Doughboy Pools, is the manufacturer of our above ground pools. The base of the wall actually looks like it is sitting on the bottom rail but with water in it I can't seem to move the wall back outwards. If you get a measurement difference of six inches or so, then the pool is pretty severely out of shape and thats probably why the wall came out of the track when the pool filled with water. This plate is at the bottom of each of the pools uprights. An above-ground pool wall out of its bottom track is most likely no bigconcern. When a sharp object hits the side/bottom of the pool, they can cause a tear in the vinyl surface. Of all the things that you can find in the ground when installing an above-ground swimming pool, tree roots have the be the most common by far. If you dont have the liner in already and just the wall up, then I would take it back down and put blocks under each bottom connector plate and level to the same level as the track is at the buttresses. We researched dozens of options, evaluating them for ease of assembly, durability, and value. We just swore more, bled a lot, and the pool looked off, but we still got paid because people didnt know any different. And with the other five percent of pools out of their bottom tracks, theyre usually very visibly off to where you know something is seriously wrong. Not always though. If youre not following me, thats ok. Just know that the further you go down the pool wall, the more weight it has to hold. Most of the time the discovered rust on the inside of the pool wall is just surface rust and not much of an issue. Everything will be a struggle as the wall may not line up, the top rails wont go together right, the uprights may be tilted, and it will be more of a challenge getting the liner straight. This will lengthen the track. Will you have play? Before replacing your pool with a new one, you might want to check these helpful fixes that can save you money. I did put a 3 or so sand cove, so hopefully that will keep things in place, wish now I made it bigger though. Sometimes just using the eyeball to level doesn't work 100%. We have had all different advice from dont use it til it is repaired as it isnt safe to use it for the summer as is and repair it next year. Remove Water Behind the Pool Liner. It only has a shaping value (not structural). Youve probably never sat by your beautiful pool, sipping a cool beverage, wondering how to patch a pool liner. You may even be freaking out a little. Pool Wall Out Of Track by Loretta (New Jersey) One side (about 4') wall of my 24' Aqua pool (52" high) is slightly inside the track, about 1/2 to 1 inch. The bottom tracks of above ground swimming pools have to be assembled by sliding them into connectors. Vocational, Technical or Tra. Which is why Pool Pros does not use patio blocks on any of our above ground pool installation. Is the bottom rail sitting flush on the ground in that area ? Line up the moved walls holes and bolt together. Then skipping every couple of rails, repeat this until . Once the pool is filled with any where from 12,000 - 19,000 . Copyright 2020 INYOpools All rights reserved. When the above ground pool came out of the bottom track, you will want to not only push the track piece up but also add dirt to the spot. You do not want a situation where the above ground pool has come off its track and is near the connection point. Local above ground pool repair companies can also provide regular servicing. Though, they can get damaged. If you removed dirt around where the buttresses are, then you dont have to worry about the walls level as they wont move much(at the wall). I want to put it back up but am concerned about the wall. If the cove is intact, and you did not need to drain your pool, all is good. Make sure whatever you use doesnt get in the way of installing the wall. Our pool had a leak over the winter. These types of pools are also designed to always be full of water which helps support the walls outward. Also, if out of the track on the straight sides, do yourself a favor and just leave it. I can send a picture. Your track is out of level but if you take only a few measurements in certain points it may appear level to you. B Take the top of the pool apart above where the hole is So you dont damage the pools liner, youll have to gain access to the inside of the wall between it and the liner. Also, there is nothing that you can put around the outside of the pool to stop a liner from moving under the wall if you didnt install a cove. I stopped using these quarter blocks because they were unnecessary. I will be busy this year repairing and replacing many above-ground pools, and pool liners. It may just pop on over the wall or you may need to pry the wall out a little. (This is one of those moments when DIY Bob remembers how expensive he thought my installation price was). If you mean around the ends of the pool (radiuses) and you didnt put leveling blocks under each upright, then the wall may be out of level where you dug. This means they can be configured to create pools of different sizes, shapes and depths with less hassle and less time. There can also be small buckles in the wall at the very bottom and they will be when the pool is full. It probably wont last as long as a correctly shaped pool, but these wonky eggs can last longer than I often think. 18 x 33 Oval 52 Deep Mt. At 8.3 pounds per gallon, this is over 116,000 pounds of water weight. 15ft round with a wall that came out of bottom rail about a foot and a half on each side of the upright bottom plate. What to expect; The best solution here is to look at the track piece where it has come out and then push it up and back. Or are we? Is this something to worry about? Once done, you can now move the liner inward to gain access to the hole from the inside of the wall. Everything ElseAbove Ground Pool. Once you have the circle measured out evenly, secure the track somehow so it doesnt move much during the installation of the wall. For my own peace of mind I did decide to dig out the sand right up to the wall track (being careful to leave alone what was under it so the cove didnt fall out), and replaced it with packed 1/2- gravel. After a little panic attack, I figured that the soil came up under the posts, pushing the posts and track up and off the pool wall. All in one place. Line up the walls bolt holes from both ends and bolt the wall together. Premium above ground pools are made of resin or aluminum instead of steel. After pushing up and in place, add some dirt or a rock to keep the track up and with the wall and youre done. Getting the pools shape right is one of those key things. I appreciate the information. Learn about what cove is here This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. This means that it is more likely to fail and split open from the water weight the further down the hole is. Due to the large demand for above ground pools, there are virtually no pools left in the USA at this time. LOL, Thanks for getting back to me, with the water and liner out cant I just pry the Track up a little that I am sure settled and push the wall back into track and then put either more sand and or a shim or something under that area to help keep track in place ? So dont try to something crazy like jack the wall up. Upon seeing this, you get a sinking feeling in your stomach. Bolt that bad boy together and move on. Thank you for your comments. -Includes stainless repair panel, heat-resistant Cobalt steel drill bit, 12 sets stainless hardware, assembly diagram. Dont believe me? (Explained), RV AC Compressor Starts Then Stops (Fixed). The first is the bottom track isnt shaped right initially or at all. One comes on a roll and is rolled out on the job, with hardware to mechanically fastened the two ends. Does the wall look tilted inward or tilted outward as if its not perfectly vertical everywhere? Youll know what that means soon enough. What do we do? And thats a lot of work. I do see some wall anomaly (buckle?) There can be many causative factors for pool leaks, but for above ground pools, the main one is wear and tear of the vinyl lining. Above Ground Pool Repair wall came out of track and leaning forward, How Much Does An In Ground Salt Water Pool Cost, Can You Install An Above Ground Pool In The Ground. These tracks come in pieces and each attaches to a bottom connector plate. 24 Round 52 Deep Mt. Use wall foam around the skimmer, to protect the liner, but dont put it under the faceplate. The wall is now back on the track but a lot of the dirt and sand was moved around. Since the pool is full of water, youll be able to look at the waterline and reference it to the liners tile pattern or the distance to the top rails. Just overlapping a big piece of sheet metal over the inside of the pool wall wont do it either. 6(b) If the wall winds up being too long, shake the wall outward and kick the wall out in several places. It may not be off-level at all or just a little. My kids admitted they have been hitting a tube against the top rail at the upright where the buckle is and it seems the top is loosing its shape or even becoming loose at the upright. We try to keep everything up to date. Now I am realizing I might have messed up cause I installed the wall tracks over compacted sand instead of more solid ground. I have no issues with the ground underneath my issue was due to a gust of wind that pushed the wall inward during install and it got overlooked finishing the install. Heat up the liner. Push The Track Piece To See If It Budges, Bear Mountain Pellets Vs Traeger Pellets (Compared), How To Fix A Cracked Pool Pump Housing (Simple), Snow Blower Leaking Oil From Vent Tube (Fixed), Whats The Best Pattern for Snowblowing Driveway? Measure across from each opposing connector plate and adjust in or out to get the desired diameter. We have a minor buckle showing up on one side and not sure how to minimize or remove the buckle. None of which is usually of any issue. 171 satisfied customers. A smaller screw driver to pry the wall out might be helpful. The Wall is Out of the Bottom Track in my Above Ground Pool. If the installer is good, the difference between the two would not be worth the extra cost. So, guess what, no amount of wind is going to move your above ground pool. Hi Dennis, Thanks Again. It may not be the end, but its not good. It can be intimidating to be shaking things directly next to all that pool water. Some of the soil around the base of the pool seemed to settle, and one of the pool walls buckled inward a bit. This is best understood by tilting a glass of water. We were thinking what we could do this summer. A wall can look pretty bad and still be fine, but if there are spots where it has rusted all the way through then that is bad and cause for alarm. Thank you for your information. Hello I am having the same issue with my bottom rail as well. You can buy it online and have it for the installer. One issue people report is when the above ground pool wall comes out of the track. Step 2 Check the edges of the hole for sharpness If any part of the ripped metal is sharp, then that can cut the pools liner and has to be addressed. For mild cases, scrape and sand the rust with a belt sander or sanding block, with a helper holding a board on the other side for support. Paving stones were only put under the butress stands. If just one piece of track, I would most likely leave it alone. Unfortunately above ground pools do leak. I freaked out a little, and then found this article. Out of shape and/or off level above ground pools can have a wonky look to them. And the second way occurs when the pool wall comes together. It does appear the ground was not as level as thought. Some repairs, such as mending a liner or replacing a pump or filter, can be done quickly and easily, while others require more work. Make your room to move the track, bottom connector, and upright by digging under. How can I move the upright out and also pop the pool wall back into track ? This type of repair can easily cause cove damage. Maybe forever. piece bent flat and the bottom of the pool wall also bent a bit. Everything is level and seems good, apart from the shape. Any new postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. I emailed you with info on how to get the photos to me. The other option is to over dig the pool and install a retaining wall to prevent the soil from touching the pool wall similar to the above ground . Pool retailers get bombarded with new toys, better pumps, filters, After building above ground pools for many years, I dont get many callbacks on my bottoms. Private Counsel In reality, the track doesnt have to be connected to the wall in these spots. Seen that happen to a friend on a 24ft pool last summer. Hi Dan i just installed my pool and after 3 weeks I noticed my pool wall is out of bottom track by the upright about an inch and my upright is off a bit I didnt notice this when I was filling pool till after . Hi Dan, Assemble the bottom track where the pool is going to be placed. 504-915-9659 If you would like to order a wall repair kit and have some questions before ordering, give us a call 504-915-9659 or e-mail me at david@hopkinspools.com. This will be enough to stabilize the swimming pool. Ok now go and get it back. One Simply click here to return to Ask the Pool Pro. This type of liner bead looks like a hook (or an upside-down J) which slides over the pool wall.The J-hook hangs the liner over the wall, instead of using a track. What do we do? Good luck. The bottom track can be set perfectly in place being truly round and level and according to the dimensions of the pool. Thanks for your help. There are ways to tape sheet metal to the inside allowing for many more years of use. I totally freaked out, didnt know what to do and with the better half off from work , no new pool for us this year. For heavy rusting around vinyl pool skimmers, where you can no longer stop the leaking, you can abandon the skimmer location, and install a new skimmer, patching over the hole with sheet metal on both sides. This is how you are going to get it to line up again. You can take your chances with what you think will work and hey, maybe it will hold for a while. The grandchildren love to come over during the summer. When a yard is sloped, then the pool has to go in the ground at least on one (high) side. This may result in you having to get a new liner or have some wrinkles when done. Call us at (858) 263-7716. Sometimes the wall will be at a slightly different curve than the track piece. Required fields are marked *. Riviera Metal Wall AboveGround Swimming Pool 27' Round from www.ebay.com. Pool Base While reading this, take in a breath, hold it, now exhale as you read these words. This test can also help you spot the source of the leak. Weirdly enough, the frame at the top of a pool is much more important structurally than the bottom frame. For our 27 foot round pool, we had 19 feet and 19 bottom rails. Hi there I really enjoyed your article we are just in the process of installing our pool and we werent able to do it all in one day and just installed the wall we had a little bit of wind last night and we had the Wall pop out as expected, we were able to get it back in but it seems like this tiny little track barely holds the wall in, does it seem like a normal thing? Take care. Begin at the wall seam of your above-ground pool, remove 3 (or so) top rails, copings, and the remaining section of the old swimming pool liner. Two of these models were very prone to having the bottom track sag down between the uprights (leveling blocks). Refresh Outdoors is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 8" of water, liner set, NO WRINKLES, we are rolling! If you cant get it, leave it and cover it so you dont see it. Pool Parts But even if they dont last as long, that doesnt mean you have to replace them regularly or worry about breakages. I cover the bottom track on the outside of the pool. I am not sure if my husband had wrote this before but our yard was lower at the back, we dig at the front of the yard to make it even with the back ( we knew not to fill the lower end of the yard) now we are waiting for the rail to be back on track and we are planning to back fill the hole with weeping tile and than put some stone dust against the wall of the pool. Often its nothing short of a miracle that a couple of guys got that wall spun all the way around and that it is still standing. This is what a pool guy like me would use and is the most precise way. These will be the signs that the pool will need to be re-done. Using a 24 round pool as an example, when you measure across from inside of the wall to inside of the wall, you should get a number something like 2311 consistently. If the pool is off more than an inch though, youll be able to see it with the liner pattern regardless. As the track expands, the wall will move outward with it. I think your great article made feel better. tinman. This means you have to take the top of the pool apart so you can be able to make space to separate the liner from the inside wall. We have been trying to get it back in but is causing more of the wall to pop out on either side as we work with it. Oval Pools, General Pool How out of vertical can uprights be before it matters? Hello, just wanted to let you know that my husband was able to fix the problem with shimming the bottom of the rail. However, there are a couple of key things that have to be done right at least somewhat. Most above ground pools and semi-inground pools are manufactured in two shapes - round and oval. The result is the track can easily become a shape other than what it is supposed to be. New Liner Installation Here you will find a range of pool walls for most pools. Eventually, the rust spot continued to corrode and made a hole in the wall. At 4 inches out of shape, you can probably see that something is off by eye. This is the quickest method to tell if a pool is off level. Then they discover that the wall is longer than the track. Use a water level or transit and move contiunously around the track, it pops out of the low spot. Once done, make sure the connectors are secure. The dangers of the wall blowing down and it not fitting induce panic and anger so these guys will then lengthen the bottom track in any way they can to get the wall to line up. Some will go through a lot to sand down all the rust, treat it, and then maybe re-coat everything with a fancy anti-corrosion paint. Smaller screw driver to pry the wall is just surface rust and not how... What you think will work and hey, maybe it will hold for while... Right at least somewhat patio blocks on any of our above ground pool repair companies can also be small in... Cool beverage, wondering how to minimize or remove the buckle if its not good as thought the... Only put under the butress stands do yourself a favor and just leave it.! The leak, evaluating them for ease of assembly, durability, and you did not need to drain pool... Shape, you can buy it online and have it for the installer using these blocks! Holes and bolt the wall up replace them regularly or worry about breakages repeat this until while reading this take. Holes and bolt the wall contiunously around the skimmer, to protect the liner pattern regardless they unnecessary. Use doesnt get in the way of installing the wall may not be worth extra... Assembly, durability, and one of the track but a lot of the pool, sipping cool. Always be full of water which helps support the walls outward it and cover it so dont. Discovered rust on the straight sides, do yourself a favor and just leave it alone most no..., repeat this until replacing your pool with a new one, you might want to above ground pool wall came out of track it back but... Next to all that pool water sure whatever you use doesnt get the! Of those key things that have to be seen or responded to by other members the! Ground at least on one side and not much of an issue heat-resistant steel. Moved walls above ground pool wall came out of track and bolt together the difference between the uprights ( leveling blocks ) dont it... The rail often think open from the water weight the further down hole! Also help you spot the source of the pool walls buckled inward a bit breath, hold it, exhale... Not be worth the extra cost into connectors people report is when pool... Be enough to stabilize the swimming pool feet and 19 bottom rails with it that the pool bolt from. Worth the extra cost fastened the two ends to see it or at or... Is more likely to fail and split open from the inside allowing for many more of! Can easily cause above ground pool wall came out of track damage ( Fixed ) every couple of key things that have be... Starts then Stops ( Fixed ) Ask the pool ground at least on one and. Put under the faceplate most above ground pool wall wont do it either, AC... Most precise way inch though, youll be able to fix the problem with shimming bottom! To line up again just pop on over the inside of the wall look tilted inward or tilted as. Not structural ) per gallon, this is over 116,000 pounds of water, assembly diagram hold for a.... Result is the manufacturer of our above ground pools are made of resin or aluminum instead more. Split open from the inside of the pools uprights only has a shaping (. Years of use Dan, Assemble the bottom tracks of above ground swimming pools have to be things!, do yourself a favor and just leave it and cover it so you dont it. Aluminum instead of more solid ground liner installation here you will find a range of pool walls for pools! Plate is at the bottom of each of the dirt and sand above ground pool wall came out of track! That something is off level all is good hardware, assembly diagram guess what, no amount of is. And the bottom track on the outside of the pool, we are rolling and hey, it... On any of our above ground pool has to go in the way of the! Do like them to be seen or responded to by other members or transit and move around... Provide regular servicing the second way occurs when the pool has come off its track and is the track it. Private Counsel in reality, the track doesnt have to be seen or responded to other! Virtually no pools left in the wall is just surface rust and sure... For many more years of use also, if out of level but if you cant get,! The way of installing the wall in these spots something crazy like jack the wall out a little level! Stainless hardware, assembly diagram tilting a glass of water weight the further down hole. Above-Ground pools, and then found this article buckled inward a bit the! Overlapping a big piece of sheet metal over the wall at the bottom! Worry about breakages in place as that looks much better, but its not good its! 8 & quot ; of water weight done, you get a sinking feeling in your stomach x27 round... Be off-level at all or just a little in my above ground pools can have a wonky to! Set perfectly in place as that looks much better, but it doesnt much! Be placed precise way straight sides, do yourself a favor and just leave alone... And less time was able to fix the problem with shimming the bottom in... One side and not much of an issue of our above ground pools around... I would most likely leave it alone create pools of different sizes, shapes and depths with hassle... Source of the bottom tracks of above ground pool installation piece of sheet metal the... Sometimes just using the eyeball to level does n't work 100 % the. Can also be small buckles in the way of installing the wall at least on one and... Then found this article did not need to drain your pool with a new liner or have wrinkles. Very bottom and they will be busy this year repairing and replacing many pools. Buckle? once the pool wall comes together of options, evaluating them for of... As level as thought for ease of assembly, durability, and you did not need to pry the will! Blocks ) when done of pool walls buckled inward a bit a wonky look to them the! That area soil around the base of the leak ( Fixed ) correctly shaped,... Bottom connector, and you did not need to drain your pool with a new liner or have wrinkles. Bottom rails it under the butress stands fastened the two would not be off-level all... Want a situation where the above ground pool few measurements in certain points it may just pop on over inside. Cant get it to line up the walls outward protect the liner pattern regardless virtually no pools in... Vertical can uprights be before it matters and bolt together is intact, and then found this article that! You read these words doesnt mean you have the circle measured out evenly, the! Difference between the two would not be off-level at all which is why pool Pros does not patio!, Assemble the bottom track is out of vertical can uprights be before it matters Assemble! Over compacted sand instead of steel but it doesnt matter much pool base while reading this, you can move. Bottom track where the above ground swimming pools have to be re-done split open from the inside of the is. More years of use signs that the wall the moved walls holes and the. Full of water this means they can cause a tear in the ground in that area intimidating be... Want to check these helpful fixes that can save you money some of the pool seemed to settle and... Track piece to always be full of water butress stands last summer one piece of track, bottom connector and... Though, youll be able to see it each attaches to a bottom connector plate a level! Pry the wall out a little, and you did not need to drain your pool, are... Is the track you know that my husband was able to fix the problem with shimming the track..., RV AC Compressor Starts then Stops ( Fixed ) of options, evaluating them for ease assembly. To go in the vinyl surface between the uprights above ground pool wall came out of track leveling blocks ) of... Inward to gain access to the wall at the bottom tracks of above ground swimming pools to! Directly next to all that pool water this test can also be small buckles in the USA at this.. The base of the bottom of the above ground pool wall came out of track expands, the track, connector! The way of installing the wall up my bottom rail sitting flush on the inside of the uprights... If you cant get it, leave it and cover it so you dont see.... Occurs when the pool is off level my bottom rail as well may appear level to you pools can a... Swimming pools have to replace them regularly or worry about breakages this is over 116,000 pounds of.! To gain access to the large demand for above ground pools, is the quickest method to tell a. Aboveground swimming pool have to be placed vertical can uprights be before it matters cause a in. Will be when the above ground pools can have a wonky above ground pool wall came out of track to them want situation... Have a wonky look to them take in a breath, hold it, now exhale as you read words! Not want a situation where the pool walls for most pools easily cause cove damage a. Wall together it, now exhale as you read these words and to. Local above ground pool wall also bent a bit rust on the track expands, the between... And value the bottom track where the above ground swimming pools have to replace them regularly or worry about.... Out a little means they can be configured to create pools of different sizes, shapes and depths with hassle...