Liner beads are features of a liner that allow you to attach your liner to your pool wall. Depending on what hardware you currently have installed, you may need a specific type of liner bead. There are some bead types that can work with multiple pool installations, but having your hardware checked first is important when choosing a liner bead.
Things you should know about your pool before you choose a bead are:
If a liner is beaded, the top edge of the liner will have an obvious thick bonded vinyl material that would allow the liner to fasten into a track (bead receiver) on the pool wall. This thick vinyl edge is your liner's bead. Alternatively, you may have a bead in the shape of a thick hook that slips over the wall itself. Some beaded liners may have both these features such as Unibead, Duobead, or EZ bead liners.
NOTE: When ordering ANY beaded liner, you MUST know your pool's wall height.
The Standard Bead is designed to slip into a standard liner bead track, which lines the top of your pool wall.
Alternatives:
Similar to the Standard Bead, the Kayak® bead is designed for Kayak® pools only, and will only fit into the standard Kayak® bead reciever.
Alternatives: none
J-Hook (also known as J-Bead and U-Bead) is a liner bead that can be used as is, with no bead receiver. To install, simply hang over your pool wall's edge, and it will hold up with no extra equipment necessary.
Alternatives:
The EZ-Bead bead type is two beads in one; it can be used as either a standard bead that fastens into a bead receiver on the pool wall or as a J-hook used 'as it is' - hanging on the pool wall. There is no need to modify the bead to utilize either of these installation methods.
Hook Alternatives:
Bead Alternatives:
The DuoBead liner bead has two different methods by which it can be used: Folded or Unfolded.
Folded: This way, a DouBead serves a standard bead that fastens into a bead receiver on the pool wall.
Unfolded: The DuoBead serves as a J-hook / U-bead liner that hangs on wall itself, requiring no additional materials for installation.
Folded Alternatives:
Unfolded Alternatives:
The Unibead bead is actually both a J-hook & standard bead. To use as a J-hook simply slip bead over pool wall. To use as a standard bead the hook portion is removed at the score mark (groove) leaving only the standard bead which clips into the groove on the bead receiver.
Hook Alternatives:
The Wilkes Bead is a specific bead intended only for Wilkes® brand pools. Notice that it resembles a J-hook, just much smaller.
Alternatives: none
The Esther Williams Bead is a very specific bead only to be used for Esther Williams® or Johnny Weismeuller® pools. This is a larger, thicker beads that will not fit into standard bead receiver tracks.
Alternatives: none
