Above Ground Pool Installation Accessories

This is a list of common above ground pool accessories to consider before installing your new above ground pool or pool liner. Each item below has a brief description of what they are and what they do. Along with this we mention how important they may be for a California pool installation. As you already know our intense sunshine, long swim season, soft soil conditions and mother nature can play havoc on any above ground pool. Hopefully with some basic pool knowledge you can make the most of your new pool while protecting your investment.

If you have questions about anything you’ve read here please drop us a line, I’ll be glad to answer. Lastly, I know the items listed below all link to one website, I chose to link them somewhere for convenience and this website illustrates well the cost of each item for different size pools. I’m a fan of these guys for many reasons and this is where I shop, but please shop where you feel comfortable.

• Pool Liner – Southern California sun is really tough on pool liners. Spend a little extra money and get a 25ga. liner. The thicker material will outlast the 20ga. liners by several years. When liner shopping you may notice that there are several different types of liner, overlap, expandable, uni-bead and other names. If you are unsure of exactly what you have or wish to read more about the different pool liners available click here. 
• Pool Floor Padding – This is another worthwhile investment. Soft soil is home to many burrowing rodents and insects like moles, ground hogs, beetles and more. These critters often dig under above ground pools and come up right under them causing leaks and holes in your expensive new pool liner. The best way to stop this from happening is Armor Shield Pool Floor Pad. This is a super tough material that moles cannot bite through and it and it still allows the pool liner to breathe. Use this item or nothing at all. Armor shield comes ready to use, no cutting or taping necessary. Foam. plastic sheeting weed barrier etc are no good for stopping critters and causes the pool to pre-maturely rust out by trapping in condensation from the pool liner. To view pool floor padding image and details click here.
• Pool Cove – You must have a cove for your pool. It’s there to protect your liner from coming in contact with the pool frame and getting damaged by puncture. You can make one from sand or dirt for free or you can purchase them ready to go. They have sticky tape on the backside and are very easy to install. They make for a very uniform and finished look to the floor of your above ground pool when used. Not a necessity but no down side other than cost. To view pool cove image and details click here.
• Pool Wall Foam – I would not use this product on any new pool or pool wall in good condition as moisture tends to get caught in the foam and cause pool rust out. It’s only real use in my opinion is on already rusty pool walls. It’s there to prevent the liner from getting holes in it from the rough rusty surface. This pool is on it’s last leg and using wall foam here is only trying to buy a few more years of use from it before a new pool is needed. View pool wall foam image and details click here.
• Nutgrass Weed Killer – An absolute must in California or any above ground pool location. Nut-grass is an incredibly tough and persistent weed that will grow right through your pool liner. You will literally have grass growing in the bottom of your pool. It may be only one blade or hundreds and nothing will stop it. You may be able to patch over the holes but it usually comes right back. So take the time to treat the ground before installing your pool liner. Buy the commercial nut-grass killer if possible. It can be nearly impossible to find but often available online here. Nothing come close in quality. If you cannot find it use a product called IMAGE from Home Depot, Lowes etc. It’s not as good but still effective. Available in the garden section. I would never install a pool or liner without treating the ground first. It’s simply not worth the risk of ruining your new pool liner, not to mention the cost of installation and water. To view nutgrass weed killer image and details click here.
• Main Drain – This is probably the number one best upgrade you can make to any above ground pool. This is not a product that can be purchased from a store. It is a feature that involves mostly labor and must be built into your pool by you or your installer at the time of the liner change. You can purchase the main drain unit and piping from a pool retailer and install it yourself or have your professional pool pro do it for you. This addition does nothing to protect your pool liner from damage nor does it stop nut-grass or critters. What a main drain or pool floor drain does is drastically improve water circulation and filtration. This is done by drawing in pool water from the floor and sending it to the filter system by way of piping that has been buried prior to the liner installation. By adding a main drain pool maintenance is cut in half as the pool stays much cleaner and requires far less vacuuming of debris. An above ground pool with a main drain is easy to spot as it has a grate in the middle of the floor like a bathtub or any in-ground pool you’ve seen.

• PVC Hard Pipe – This upgrade replaces the factory thin and flimsy plastic flex hoses that connect the pool filter system to the swimming pool. These factory hoses only last a few years before becoming brittle and leaking or bursting. This can allow water to drain out of your pool and burn up your expensive pool pump. The hard pipe upgrade replaces these hoses with strong everlasting hard or flexible thick wall PVC pipe. Much like the main drain this too is an feature that’s added to your pool and does not come in a kit.  This upgrade can be DIY project for those with basic plumbing skills. The good news is PVC piping never needs replacing and all items required are available at your favorite local home improvement store.