Ultimate Makeover
The 2011 Tara Liners Ultimate Makeover Contest marks the third year of its annual quest to find unique and professional pool vinyl makeovers. This year, Tri Cities Pools & Spas of Johnson City, Tenn., was named the winner with 57 percent of the vote. Tri Cities Pools & Spas will receive one free Tara Liner as itsgrand prize.
"This year featured some of the most unique and challenging makeovers that have ever been entered," says Thomas Kennedy, Tara Liners' marketing director.
Pool & Spas Express' entry wasn't even being used as a pool when they started working on it. It had been filled in with dirt and was being used as a garden before it was transformed into a beautiful swimming pool again.
To find out more about the Tara Liners Ultimate Makeover contest and how to enter, visit www.taraliners.com/makeover. — M.A.
As the industry awaits the eventual resurgence of the new residential construction market, renovation continues to draw the attention of builders nationwide. The BuildFax Remodeling Index reports that residential remodeling, including projects such as remodeling backyard pools, is up to 34 percent.
Dan Lenz, service manager at All Seasons Pools in Orland Park, Ill., says that despite the ongoing economic struggles, more and more people have been looking to renew their backyards in the past couple of years.
"When the housing market dropped people didn't want to invest in remodeling when they might sell in a couple of years, "Lenz says. "Now they're thinking they might as well since they won't be selling for another 10 or 12 years."
Vinyl liners typically last about nine to 10 years, so reconstructing those is an easy first step in recreating the backyard.
Lenz says he uses an online tool for vinyl liner replacements that is capable of showing clients how the liner will look in their pool. So whether they want a bright teal or a deep blue, he says, the client will get exactly what they're looking for.
With vinyl liner replacement remaining a solid revenue stream in an uncertain economy, it might not be a bad idea to check out a few of this year's new liner products.
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Rejuvenate your own pool in 2012 with this large selection of vibrant vinyl liners
GLI says its Designer Series of vinyl liners was created through extensive market research directed towards consumers of the 21st century. Custom-designed to complement customers' decks, coping or water feature, the Designer Series provides contemporary, detailed and elegant patterns specifically created to enhance backyard oases. GLI says its designers worked to create two new patterns, Rimini (shown) and Black Granite, to address an industry trend toward darker gunite pools. These new patterns are rich in color and contrast beautifully with the outdoor environment, while the tile adds unique detail to the pool, according to the company.
The strikingly flowing mosaics in this new pattern mimic waves in a flowing river. Like the name suggests, the Danube River was the inspiration for this pattern. The Danube is Europe's second longest river. It is known in history as one of the long-standing frontiers of the Roman Empire and is a border to 10 countries. Using sparkling gold accents and rich blue hues, the continuous tile border design is sure to be a winner in 2012, the company says.
For 2012, Dover Vinyl Products is offering two new aboveground liner patterns and nine inground liner patterns. All of the company's liners are made from superior virgin vinyl material that is treated with climate stabilizers, UV inhibitors and biocides to prevent mold, mildew and fungus, the company says.
The Wavestone (with Sea Blue Bottom) is the newest elegant pattern of LOOP-LOC Luxury Liners, the first designer inground pool liners built with legendary LOOP-LOC quality, beauty and fit, the company says. One of 12 patterns exclusive to LOOP-LOC, it's available in durable 20 and 28 mil thicknesses.
With almost three dozen pattern choices, Merlin has a liner that will enhance any new pool project or revitalize your customer's existing poolscape. Merlin offers liner printed on white, blue, light blue, tan and even black vinyl, and offers Aqua-Max liners, truly a more pool-owner-friendly vinyl liner, the company says.
A popular new pattern Bohemia, is a top seller for Pegasus Products. It features a realistic-looking tile border and is made from virgin vinyl with inhibitors for mildew, mold and algae. These and other additives are designed to increase the life of the liner by increasing resistance to chemicals, decreasing brittleness and improving resistance to punctures.
The new Brownstone tile is a unique border design that imitates the look of carved stone tiles. In a palette of blues with brown and tan accents, the tiles look to be hand laid in an intricate, continuous border design. Within several of the tiles lie a delicate and subtle floral which is sure to attract pool owners choosing a new pool liner, the company says. Paired with new Ice Blue floor, the design will make pool water sparkle.
Plastimayd's new Crown Mosaic offers a vinyl liner pattern that imitates the high-end look of a French Riviera swimming pool. Using warm gold, cream and taupe colors with accents of rich blue, this new pattern is designed to recreate the old-world feel of European fountains and pools, with a mosaic tile border and floor that appear to be made of tiny pebbles from the nearby ocean. It offers pool professionals a design that will truly distinguish their work from their competitors, says Plastimayd.
For 2012 Tara will be offering six new liner patterns: Charleston, Cheyenne, Nassau, Phoenix, Shenandoah and Rome. Cheyenne will be available in 27 mil wall and 20 mil floor. Cheyenne, Nassau, Phoenix, Shenandoah and Rome will be available in 20 mil wall and 20 mil floor. Nassau and Rome are exclusive patterns, the company says.
VynAll is pleased to offer new Parthenia — a tile border pattern for swimming pool liners that is sure to become a classic, the company says. The large, square tile design is accented by an interwoven vine detail flanking the top and bottom of the border, with an additional Celtic-like design centered within each four-tile configuration. The subtle blue and taupe colors used in this pattern re-create the appearance of hand-glazed tiles. Parthenia is paired with the company's Travertine floor which imitates the look of gunite pool.
