Vinyl Liner Pool Renovation or Replacement of Coping and/Or Liner Track

Vinyl Liner Swimming Pool Coping

Coping on a vinyl liner pool has also come a long way. Aluminum bull nose coping was the industry norm for a number of years, and included the “coping” as well as the liner track. In Michigan, a lot of pools have the popular CP2 coping by Cinderella.

When it is time to renovate a vinyl liner pool, there are levels of involvement to the project. Taking out one liner and installing another is the simplest way to renovate a vinyl liner pool.

What if the liner is falling out of the track? It is also possible to renovate and replace only the liner. Over time the liner track may fatigue, causing the opening to become larger (not my much) but by just enough the liner can slip out or is not held tightly in place. There’s a standard trick for this situation – pennies.

How do I renovate my pool if I have coping and a liner track all in one and if I need to fix my patio.

Here is an example of what Al is explaining in the video above. Coping with Concrete patio poured into it:

This is CP2 Coping, installed similar to the photo above with a rounded profile

The Coping and Liner Track on a vinyl liner pool is something that a homeowner may want to renovate while doing a vinyl liner replacement.

Great choices can include using alternative materials as the coping (decorative top edge surrounding the pool) including one of the Pool Guy’s favorites, tumbled bluestone. Cantilever patio decks where the concrete comes over the top edge of the pool are also fairly popular, and in that case the liner track would be installed at the top of the steel pool wall for the liner to connect into.

Pool Coping Defined

Standard Pool Coping for Vinyl Liner Pools comes in many different styles. Here are a few of the commonly used choices. Note: The coping and track are commonly referred to as the “coping”, though they can come built into one piece, or they can be installed separately.

cp2d
CP2 Coping – Cinderella

Example of a pool with standard coping/liner track all as one piece and a piece of liner lock waiting to go back in after the new liner is installed.
Example of a retrofit of New Coping Stones/ TruTile and Ceramic Tile/ with a Vinyl Liner Track Underneath

When it is time for a renovation, the coping/liner track combination could be replaced by a new coping/liner track combo, but only if the liner and the concrete patio are both being replaced.

Other options include removing the existing coping and installing new coping in a variety of materials including stone, bluestone, pavers, or cantilever pool deck, and also installing a surface mount “coping” also known as “liner track” for the pool liner to track into.

Liner Track to be used with alternative coping options

Cantilever Patio with Liner Track that is Screwed to the top of the steel wall panel

Best time of year to perform renovations

Many homeowners ask what is the best time of year to perform a swimming pool renovation. The answer to this question has many variables. Anytime that it needs it is a great time to perform a swimming pool renovation project. You may want to take into consideration the climate, as most renovations are best done in favorable weather conditions, where it is warm enough that materials used are not so cold they are freezing and brittle, and not too hot that they are melting and sagging.

Another consideration will be the schedule of the contractor. Based on when they are available to perform the work is always a great determining factor.

Late fall versus early spring is also a good time to think about a renovation. Once the summer is winding down and the pool has been enjoyed, it’s much less stressful on the homeowner and the contractor if the renovation doesn’t have to be rushed so the pool can be used. The weather conditions are often favorable, warm and dry, this time of year as well.