If you are an owner of above-ground pool, you probably know that it can be easily dismantled and it doesn’t take long to install or construct.
However, you can’t just put the liner down, setup the walls, fill it with water, and pray for the best. To install it correctly and keep your pool looking and functioning its best, there are a few more steps to take. One of these steps is placing a quality pool pad between the ground and the liner.
A pool pad is the most important part of your pool performs two fundamental tasks that you cannot ignore. The first task is that it protects your feet from injuries. Secondly, it also prevents the pool from puncturing by stones through the liner.
In this buying guide, we’ll walk you through the 5 best pool pads in the market:
1. Oval Armor Shield Floor Pad
Protect Your Swimming Pool Liner with the Armor Shield. The unique material provides an important protective layer between a vinyl swimming pool liner and its sand or soil base. Unlike traditional foam padding, Armor Shield is a Polypropylene Geotextile material that prevents cuts and punctures to the vinyl liner caused by rocks, roots, grass and even glass.
The liner guard is made from a resilient fabric that permits moisture to safely pass through while also being mold and mildew resistant. Armor Shield reduces convective heat loss and provides a comfortable floor pad for tired feet. Simply place the Armor Shield under your new vinyl swimming pool liner during installation
FEATURES:
- This armor shield floor pad provides an important protective layer between a vinyl swimming pool liner and it's sand or soil base
- Cushions the floor of your pool creating a soft pool bottom for your feet to enjoy
- Armor shield also reduces convective heat loss and provides a comfortable floor pad for tired feet
- Durable as it resists damage from acids, alkalis, salts, oils and mildew
- Easily installs on top of soil or sand bed beneath a vinyl liner
2. Rhino Guard 21-Foot Round Pool Liner Pad
This above ground pool pad is manufactured by Rhino Guard, a company that’s well-known in the swimming pool industry. That’s because this company is known for manufactured liner shields that really do a good job at protecting the bottom of pools, all while remaining comfortable to work on bare feet. This pad can be installed either on the bare ground or can be placed on top of a bed of sand for stability. It’s made of a geotextile fabric that allows moisture to move through it and is resistant to mildew and mold. And of course, it defends the bottom of the liner from rock or glass punctures or from plants growing up through it.
FEATURES:
- Easy To Install - Pre-measured to fit your pool. May Eliminate The Need For Sand
- Extends Liner Life and Helps Protect Pool Liners From Punctures
- High Density/Low Compression. Makes Bottom Cleaning Easier. Reduces Heat Loss
- Great For Pool Set Up On Concrete
- Minimizes Corrosion Of Metal Components
3. Liner Life GP18R Liner Pad
Extremely durable and thick, this liner pad from Liner Life is manufactured from polyester geotextile, and impervious to most kinds of sharp objects. It adds a special layer of cushioning to your pool insides and improves your swimming experience.
You can be absolutely sure of no type of leaks when it comes to liner life GP18R pool pad liners, as the material is strong enough to withstand anything. It will protect the bottom of your pool so that anything on the ground, be it grass, sticks, stones, roots, rocks or anything sharp. Your feet will be safe and cushioned from everything under the pool even when you are standing on the floor, and the pool itself will be safe from puncture or damage.
Pool pads from Liner Life comes in a number of sizes: 12 daim feet, 15 daim feet, 18 daim feet, 21 daim feet, 24 daim feet, 27 daim feet, 28 daim feet and 30 daim feet. All you need to do is to order the right size for your swimming pool, and there won’t be any need to cut or resize the material.
FEATURES:
- Polyester geotextile material is impervious to almost any sharp object
- Improves swimmer comfort by adding a layer of cushioning
- Prevents "footprints" from forming in the sand base beneath the pool liner
- Eliminates vinyl liner leaks
- Precut and sized to perfectly fit your 18' x 33' oval pool
4. Gorilla 18-Foot Round Pool Floor Padding
Gorilla Floor Pads from Blue Wave Pool Products is lightyears ahead of old foam floor padding. Unlike traditional pool floor foam, which is difficult to work with and easily cut by roots, rocks, and grass underneath pool liners, Gorilla Pad for above ground pool is impervious to all of the above and almost any sharp object.
They also do a lot more, such as add a cushioned layer to make the bottom of a pool more comfortable to walk on. Speaking of comfortable to walk on, these above ground pool pads also help eliminate the formation of footprints, which can be uncomfortable and downright awkward to deal with.
This top-notch floor padding is also cut to size to effortlessly fit under a number of above ground pools of all different sizes. Plus, it’s seamed around the edges for added durability. That’s right; no more having to cut, tape, and deal with foam!
To top it all off, Gorilla Floor Pads are breathable and designed to allow condensation to escape and absorb into the ground. Without this breathability, your above ground pool could begin to rust in no time at all.
FEATURES:
- Gorilla Floor Padding Cut and Sized to Fit 18ft Round Above Ground Swimming Pool
- Sits Underneath Your Pool Liner for Added Cushioning and Extra Liner Protection - Extends the Lifetime and Safety of Your Liner and Pool / Cushioning Eliminates Footprints from Forming
- Extremely Hard to Penetrate - Specially Designed Geotextile / Strong Felt-Like Material Approximately 1/8in Thick
- Impervious to Cuts from Sharp Objects, such as Glass, Roots and Rocks, Virtually Eliminating Vinyl Liner Bottom Leaks!
- Padding is Cut to Size and Seamed to Your Above Ground Pool- No More Cutting and Taping as with Foam!
5. Elephant Guard Armor Shield
If you’ve ever put up an above ground pool before, then you know it can be quite a process. Despite advancements in pool design over the years, which have drastically improved the installation process, it still takes hours and there are several steps to take, like adding sand, leveling it, and placing a pool pad between it and the liner. The Elephant Guard Armor Shield was designed to make the latter easy as 1-2-3.
Like every other above ground pool pad, the Elephant Guard helps protect against punctures to pool liners from roots, rocks, nut grass, and anything else that may be lying underneath them. Aside from its breathable design, it also features built-in mildew and mold inhibitors to keep the bottom of your pool dry and corrosion-free.
All that being said, the real selling point of the Elephant Guard Armor Shield is its easy installation. Forget foam or other pool pads that require cutting and taping. The Elephant Guard makes them a thing of the past.
FEATURES:
- Elephant Pad is made of durable, tear-guard weave
- Liner Pad Helps To Protect and Prevent Rocks, Roots, & Nut Grass from punctures that would damage your liner.
- Elephant pad comes pre-cut to fit your swimming pool size
- Just place under your vinyl liner using a sand base
- Built-in mold and mildew resistant inhibitors
- Elephant pad is for undergrowth protection, not for cushioning. You will not be able to tell (or feel it) once it’s installed; it is working from the bottom up to protect your liner.
- One piece construction with no cutting, taping, or measuring.
If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!