“Once your crews know how to install weld-in-place membranes, they will find they are always busy and always in demand.”
Offering weld-in-place membrane installation also separates trained professionals from other companies by having this added finishing skill.
As pool builders desperately look at how to retain their best workers through the winter, learning how to install membrane liners is the perfect way to keep them busy.
Solmundson’s crews spend all winter installing membranes on indoor pools.
“We try to save all of our indoor jobs for the winter, so we keep our crews busy year-round doing indoor installations at hotels, athletic clubs, and HOAs (homeowner associations),” he says.
“Weld-in-place membranes really smooth out the seasonality of pool building and renovation.”
Understanding PVC membrane installation
The installation process of a PVC membrane is straightforward. Before lining the pool with the PVC membrane, installers need to repair the surface of the pool first. Most pools require a day or less for preparation.
Once the pool surface is prepared, a felt lining is installed along the floor and walls. The lining is adhered and acts like a pad under a rug. It protects the surface before installing the reinforced PVC lining and later gives it a soft, slightly cushioned feel, making it a favourite among families.
The felt lining also makes the floor more comfortable to stand on, which is beneficial for older bathers using the pool for water conditioning, therapy, or aerobics.
After the felt lining is installed, 1.8-m (6-ft) wide strips of PVC membrane are rolled out and heat welded together on site to ensure a smooth fit. Steps, beach entries, safety ledges, and the like are also cut, fitted, and welded. Some membranes are available with slip-resistant, embossed surfaces, which are used on steps. Black material is also available to create racing lanes, transitions, and depth markers. Some PVC membrane materials are not only textured, but also printed to look like marble, stone, or sand.
“This has been extremely popular with hotels, country clubs, HOAs, and community pools because it’s not just plain white or blue, and the product is also slip-resistant, making it a terrific product for pool pros to offer and stand out from competitors because it’s different and gives pools a high-end finish,” explains Solmundson.
Pool professionals are embracing the weld-in-place membrane solution. The material is readily available, so it is much easier to schedule an installation, rather than waiting on traditional custom liners.
“The installation provides a lot of flexibility for design,” says Rintoul. “It works on any pool design, including beach entry, vanishing edge pools, tanning ledges, and large steps.”
Selling and installing PVC membranes
