Good quality standard gauge (20ga or mil) above ground pool liners will realistically last an average of 3-5 years. Heavy gauge liners (25ga or mil) will average 5-8 years before needing to be replaced.
Many professional builders actually prefer 20mil liners because they have more elasticity which helps them fit better in some cases. Thicker liners tend to be less pliable and much heavier which can make the installation more difficult. A proper fitting 20 mil liner will outlast an improper fitting thicker liner.
Ultimately, the decision on the thickness of vinyl liner to buy is a matter of preference, but it will stay with you for up to 10 years (and as little as 5) so it's good to consider all the factors. A thicker inground pool vinyl liner will be able to withstand more impact and is more resistant to punctures.
A 20 gauge vinyl swimming pool liner typically comes with a 15-year warranty. A 25 gauge -- 0.57 millimeters -- vinyl liner, on the other hand, is most often offered with a 25-year warranty, depending on the liner manufacturer.
25 units - A 25 Gauge liner is 0.0223 inches thick. A 25 MIL liner is 0.0250 inches thick or approximately 12% thicker than a 20 Gauge liner. By comparison a dime is 0.0490 inches thick or just under twice the thickness of a 25 MIL liner.
A typical vinyl liner lasts between 10 and 15 years, though there are many factors that can affect its lifespan. Living in an area susceptible to ground water problems can reduce your liner's life, as can not keeping the water in your pool balanced.
20 mil pool liners: The Good
Minimising opportunity for punctures or drying out. They are also strong enough to withstand the weight of the water.
The best above-ground pool liners use vinyl that ranges from 20-30 gauge, such as seen with the Smartline Boulder Liner.
The typical lifespan of a vinyl liner is anywhere from 15-20 years and where your liner falls in that range depends, most crucially, upon your proper maintenance of the pool's chemistry.
Dark-colored liners, like our Blue Raleigh liner for in-ground pools, provide a bold look, which makes them a favorite among pool owners. Darker liners naturally help keep your pool warmer by absorbing sunlight. They also hide dirt and debris more easily than some lighter-colored liners.
As you might expect, dark liners — especially if they are patterned — are good at hiding dirt and debris. A darker pool liner also hides imperfections, like scratches and stains and making them less noticeable.
A vinyl liner pool itself takes about two weeks to install. But the accompanying patio can take from one week to a year, depending on the construction process. A gunite concrete pool takes six to eight weeks from excavation to your first swim.
Deep Blue- A darker liner is more likely to absorb sunlight, and therefore can help to warm your pool water. Darker liners will also make it more difficult to see debris and dirt in your pool.
If the calcium levels are too high, you see the white spots, which is the calcium hardening on the liner. Chemicals that are added can raise or lower the calcium levels. When levels reach above the 400-PPM level, you will see cloudiness in the water, making the pool appear dirty and the scaling will begin.
How Long Do Pool Liners Normally Last? Most in-ground pool liners today have a lifespan of 10-15 years. There are several factors that can increase or decrease that lifespan however.
The best way that I can answer this is that the higher the number means the heavier or thicker the liner. This is almost 100 percent true when comparing a 20 vs a 25 liner. The 20 usually represents a standard gauge liner and the 25 represents a heavy gauge liner.
A 20 Mil liner is . 020 of an inch thick, and a 25 Mil liner is a little thicker at . 025 of an inch thick.
Particularly for an amateur, that makes overlap liners much easier to install. You can even change the pool's bottom, cove size, and bottom thickness, and still the liner can be made to fit. Beaded liners have no room for adjustment. You either built the pool right, or you didn't.
The safest and most popular color for liners is blue.
A deep blue water color is what people associate most with swimming pools. It is a attractive and durable. The patterns that fall into this deep blue category are Port Royal, Georgetown, Navarre, Ocean Wave, Malibu and Hampton.
A lighter color shows more imperfections in a pool liner than a darker color, making dirt, scratches and marring on the liner more easily noticed. Water also can magnify this effect. A darker pool liner does a better job of hiding such imperfections, and so they are less easily noticed by guests.