There are many different pool liner attachments for above-ground pools. The most common liner attachments are:
- Overlap
- Uni-Bead
- J-Hook
- Regular Bead
- EZ-Bead or Multi-Bead
- JW and EW Bead
1-Overlap liner is a great choice 90% of the time!
This liner shows outside an above-ground swimming pool. It gets installed over the pool wall. The border pattern of this pool liner goes underwater and extends over the side wall of your pool. The outside can be folded up underneath most top rails of the pool.
I have been installing pool liners for 25 years I find this one still one of the best options today. If you stop right here and opt for an overlap. You’re going to be OK in most install situations. Let’s continue and learn what all the other attachments are.
2- Regular Beaded Liner is great for pools with deck
Beaded liners have a bead built into the top of the liner that serves as the attachment. The Bead goes into a bead receiver. Bead receivers are first installed at the top of a pool wall during installation. Then the Bead (standard) snaps into this bead receiver.
A bead track can weaken over time. To the point, it may need replacing. Get a quality track for your pool when it’s installed.
When the liner needs replacing years down the road you don’t have to take apart the top of your pool. When you have a deck the regular bead liner will save you big headaches.
Yes, it’s great not having to take apart a deck or the top of the pool. But sometimes one or two pieces of track will need to be replaced. It does happen and there are many manufactured bead tracks that are not strong enough for the long haul.
You may have to replace a few pieces of the track if the track is subpar.
3- J-hook Liner solves the regular beads problems
These liners have bead-shaped like a hook. It fits right on the pool wall.
So this choice of liner is great as it will never have a bead track to worry about. Keep in mind it will complicate the replacement if you have a deck. Little decks are fine! You can also design your deck for the future by leaving some room for a future liner replacement.
4- Uni-Bead liner gives you the best of both worlds
Uni-beaded is both a regular bead and a J-Hook bead. You can use it both ways as it’s your choice. For the bead, you’ll need to cut off the J-Hook part.
You can plan ahead by knowing what your deck needs will be. Generally, it’s not a big deal to install both ways. When you buy a quality liner they both give you long-lasting results.
5 EZ_bead liner Solves Mr Uni-Beads problems
These are also referred to as “Multi-Bead Liners.”
This liner is an improvement of the uni-bead liner. It is a universal bead and J-Hook but no cutting is necessary. It’s a very clever design and gives the DIY owners something they need not worry about.
6- Johnny Weissmuller and Ester Williams liners
These liners have a thicker bead attachment. Made for these two older aluminum-style pools. These pools were popular in the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. These pools were built with a metal bead track. The track is wider than the resin-style track.
The aluminum metal bead track holds the liner and the top of the pool wall in place. The bead track has a painted smooth finish. This smooth finish allows a regular bead liner to slip during installation.
This concludes pool liner attachments. We hope you were able to learn something new that you didn’t know about pool liner attachments.
Please hire a qualified contractor because It’s more an artwork than a job. Hire only those with experience and you’ll be fine.