How To Measure A Swimming Pool Liner

How To Measure A Swimming Pool Liner

How To Measure A Pool Liner From Pool Warehouse

What Do All The Letters Mean?

When learning how to measure a swimming pool liner you really need to under stand what all the letters mean. Before we begin print off a liner measurement form or scroll down to familiarize yourself with the pool layout. You will quickly notice a bunch of different letters located on different points of the pool.  These letters directly relate to the different dimensions needed to make a replacement liner. All off the dimension will be needed to properly make a new liner that will fit your pool. Scroll down to see how each letter corresponds to certain length, width and depth points on your pool.


  • A – Overall Width
  • B – Overall Length
  • D – Shallow End Depth
  • E – From Bottom Of Panel To Floor
  • F – Overall Depth

  • J – Back Slope/End Slope
  • K – Hopper Bottom Length
  • L – Slope/Transition Slope
  • M – Shallow End/Wader
  • – Hopper Width
  • H – Side Slope
  • I – Side Slope


How To Measure A Swimming Pool Liner
Click For Digital Online Measurement Form

Click For Printable PDF Measurement Form

Important Measurement Terms To Know

FINISHED DEPTH: The finished depth refers to the actual finished depth of your pool. Unless you have a flat bottom pool you will have a finished deep end and shallow end pool depth. The finished depth is typically measure from the liner track/bead receiver to the swimming pool floor. Click HERE to see examples of common swimming pool bottoms.

BREAK LINE: (BREAK POINT) – The break line refers to any place on the swimming pool floor where the angle changes.

POOL COPING: Your pool coping is typically the finished edge of your deck and is made of powder coated aluminum. Your pool coping also has the liner track (Bead Receiver) built into it, the liner track holds the liner bead in place. The coping sits on top of your pool wall panels, if the finished edge of your deck is exposed concrete or stone pavers then you probably have cantilever coping. Click HERE to learn more about coping and see what style your pool has.

COPING TRACK/BEAD RECEIVER: The swimming pool liner coping track or bead receiver is a small opening that runs all around the pool right underneath the coping, the liner bead snaps into the coping track. ALL SWIMMING POOL FINAL DEPTH MEASUREMENTS ARE TAKEN FROM YOUR BEAD RECEIVER/COPING TRACK.

POOL LINER BEAD: The pool liner bead is wedge shaped strip on the top of the wall to hold the liner in the receiver. There are a few different types of liner beads, feel free to send us a picture or sample if you are not sure what type of liner bead your pool has.

Two of the most common swimming pool liner beads are Hydra Pools & Ester Williams. Hydra is one of the oldest and premier in-ground pool liner manufactures in the country. Their liners use a “Standard” bead which is the most common type of bead used on vinyl inground swimming pool liners. Click the links below to see liner bead samples.

Swimming Pool Liner Bead

  • Hydra Pools Liner Bead, Click HERE
  • Ester Williams Liner Bead, Click HERE

Inground Swimming Pool Liner Installation

How To Measure A Swimming Pool Liner

Tools Required For Measuring An Inground Swimming Pool Liner:

  • 2 – 100ft fiberglass tape measures (preferable different colors)
  • 2- stakes (12” nails, pieces of ½ re-bar or similar)
  • Telescopic pole with measuring markings (used to measure the slopes and depths)
  • Plumb bob and String
  • Pool Warehouse measuring sheets and pen
  • Utility knife
  • Chalk
  • Level

When learning how to measure a swimming pool liner First we will cover the basics of measuring DEPTHS AND SLOPES. When measuring any slope, the measurement is of the horizontal distance of the slope, NOT the actual length of the slope on the pool floor. When measuring the side and back (end) slopes of any pool DO NOT ASSUME that any of the slopes are the same. Even if they look the same, measure them all. **Be sure to DOUBLE CHECK that your dimensions along the length of the pool add up to equal the total length of the pool and that your width dimensions equal the total width.

To measure the SLOPES of an EMPTY pool, simply hold a measuring stick or tape measure horizontally from the top of the slope, and drop a plumb bob from the ruler to where the slope meets the hopper pad and record this measurement.

To measure the SLOPES of a FULL pool, take a long pole and feel where the slope meets the hopper pad or where the long slope meets the shallow end. At that point, bring the pole to the coping at a 90 degree angle and make a chalk mark. This should be done for all break points first, both length and width, then measure the distance between the marks. For the first mark from the edge of the pool, measure from the inside of the wall, not from the coping.

To measure the DEPTH of an EMPTY pool, hold a measuring pole vertically from the CORNER of the hopper pad and run a string across the top of the pool. Record this height. NOW SUBTRACT the distance from the top of the coping to the bead receiver. Do not measure from the center of the pad as it may be deeper and consequently cause wrinkles.

To measure the DEPTH of a FULL pool, hold a measuring stick vertically at the corner of the hopper pad and note the depth of the water, then measure the distance from the water line to the bead receiver. Add these to get the finished depth.
When measuring the LENGTH AND WIDTH of a pool, measure INSIDE the pool from wall to wall BELOW the coping.
NOTE: On symmetric pools (with no left or right bend) if you are requested to measure both walls, all four corners, measure diagonals, or several wall heights, PLEASE DO, although they need not be recorded unless there is a difference in any of them that might affect liner fit. Let us know if you have questions on how to measure a swimming pool liner.

PRO TIP – Correct Way To Measure Pool Length

Pool-Liner-Measurement

PRO TIP – How To Measure Your Pool Hopper

How To Measure A Rectangle Inground Pool Liner

PRO TIP – Understanding The Shallow End Pool Floor

In ground Pool Liner Measurements

All Images & Content © PoolWarehouse.com

Pool Warehouse

Americas #1 online retailer of replacement vinyl inground pool liners! Call us with questions on How To Measure A Swimming Pool Liner!
Open:
Phone: 800-515-1747
[email protected]

Pool Warehouse, We Know In-ground Swimming Pool Kits!