How to Install a Winter Pool Cover

On this page (9 sections)

1. How do you install a winter pool cover step by step?
2. How do you measure for a winter cover before installing it?
3. How do you prepare the pool and water before the cover goes on?
4. How do you center a winter pool cover so the overlap is even?
5. How do you secure the cover's edge?
6. How do you handle water and snow on a winter cover?
7. What mistakes should you avoid when installing a winter pool cover?
8. How do you check the cover after installation?
9. What is the easiest way to install a winter pool cover?

To install a winter pool cover, spread it over the pool so the overlap is even all around, then fix the edge with the cover's own winch and cable or its rope kit. A calm day and a second pair of hands turn a frustrating job into a 20 minute one.

The order matters more than the strength you bring. Measure first, protect the waterline, center the cover before you tighten anything, and only then lock the edge down.

How do you install a winter pool cover step by step?

Measure the pool, spread the cover, center the overlap, then secure the edge and pump off standing water. That five step order works for a solid cover on an above ground pool and for a mesh cover on an inground pool, with only the fastening method changing.

1. Measure the pool across the water, not the deck, so the cover size is right.
2. Clear the pool, lower the water, and set up a helper on the far side.
3. Unfold the cover loosely from the far edge toward you.
4. Slide it until the overhang matches on all sides.
5. Thread the cable or tie the ropes and tighten the edge in stages.
6. Set the cover pump and check the fit a day later.

This is also the point where most people find the cover is the wrong size, so measure before you buy anything.

How do you measure for a winter cover before installing it?

Measure the pool's widest point and add the overlap the cover style needs. For a round above ground pool, that is the wall diameter; for a rectangle, it's length and width at the widest spots.

Solid covers need the most overhang because that material hangs over the top rail or lies on the deck. The Robelle 24 ft Super Winter Pool Cover shows the math: order for a 24 ft round pool and you get a 28 ft cover, so 4 ft of overlap sits beyond the pool wall.

Check the top rail width too. Robelle says the cover should float loosely on the water, so a very wide top rail can mean going up one pool size.

For help picking the cover first, see types of pool covers.

How do you prepare the pool and water before the cover goes on?

Close the pool and lower the water before the cover comes out of the bag. Skim debris, balance the water, and run the pump through its normal closing routine so the cover goes onto a clean pool.

Lower the water to the closing level your pool maker recommends. That leaves room for rain and snow melt without the cover pressing on the top rail or the skimmer.

Set up your tools where you can reach them without walking on the cover: the winch, cable, cover clips if you use them, and an inflatable pillow or water bags if your plan calls for them. Doing this first means you aren't hunting for a cable while the wind takes the cover.

How do you center a winter pool cover so the overlap is even?

Unfold from the far side and pull, don't push, until the overhang looks the same all the way around. Standing on opposite sides with a helper, you can slide the material a few inches at a time.

Start by laying the cover loosely on the water with its long edge lined up first. Then walk the edge and compare the overhang at the four compass points before tightening anything.

For a rectangular pool, get the corners even first and the sides follow. On a round pool, set the cover so its center sits over the pool center, then adjust the edge in small steps.

A cover that is 4 ft too far one way has almost no material to grip on the opposite side. Fixing the position now is easier than pulling a tight edge loose later.

How do you secure the cover's edge?

Use the winch and cable for a solid above ground cover, or the cover's own rope and anchors for a mesh or safety cover. The fastening type decides the whole last step.

Securing a solid cover with a winch and cable

Thread the cable through the grommets around the perimeter, fit the winch, and tighten in stages rather than all at once. The Robelle cover includes a winch and cable for this, and it's designed for high wind areas.

For a pool with a full deck, Robelle says to install the cover on top of the deck and hold it with vinyl water weights placed on top of the cover. For a partial deck, use water weights on the deck and run the cable around the rest, under the deck where possible.

Pull the cable until the cover sits snug against the pool but the material still floats on the water. Over-tightening strains the grommets and pulls the cover off center.

Tying down a mesh or rope-kit cover

A cover with reflective strips or a drawstring uses its own kit instead of a winch. The UIRWAY 18 ft Round Winter Pool Cover comes with 8 windproof ropes and ground nails, and a full circle of webbing with a drawstring at the bottom.

The 18 inch distance to the edge is longer than most covers get, and that extra material helps stop wind from lifting the cover. Its reflective strips and glowing ground nails also make the pool easier to spot at night.

Tie the ropes to the nails at even spacing around the pool and tighten the drawstring last. Keep the edge flat so the wind can't catch a fold.

Choosing between the two for your pool

The solid Robelle cover is the right pick for a traditional above ground pool that needs a watertight barrier and a cable grip. The UIRWAY cover suits a round pool where you want ropes and ground nails and a fabric cover that keeps water from passing through, so water must be pumped or managed on top.

How do you handle water and snow on a winter cover?

Pump water off before it gets deep and leave light snow alone. Standing water adds weight, and deep water can stretch or tear a cover.

The Little Giant APCP-1700 starts pumping when water reaches about 2 inches and shuts off when the level falls to about 1 inch. That automatic cycle is what makes it useful through fall rain.

It has a 1 inch discharge with a 3/4 inch garden hose adapter, so it connects to a standard hose. The 25 ft cord reaches most outlets near a pool.

Little Giant says to bring the pump indoors when temperatures drop below 32 °F, because water freezing in the hose can strain the motor. Snow is lighter than water and usually needs no action, though a soft broom can clear a heavy load.

What mistakes should you avoid when installing a winter pool cover?

The costly mistakes are a wrong size, a cover dragged across sharp edges, and an edge tightened before the cover is centered. Each one is easy to avoid with a little care.

Don't install on a windy day, since a loose cover acts like a sail. Don't pull the cover across concrete, deck boards or a rough top rail, because the underside can snag and tear.

Don't skip the waterline check. A cover resting on fittings or a skimmer face can wear through in one season.

For a pool with a deck and a safety cover plan, read safety cover vs winter cover before you drill any anchors.

If your cover uses a pillow or inflatable under it, put that in place before the cover goes on. Adding it later means lifting a secured cover.

How do you check the cover after installation?

Look for even overhang, a snug but not tight edge, and no water pooling in one spot. Then check again after the first rain or wind.

Walk the perimeter and confirm the cable or ropes sit in the grommets or webbing without twists. Pull gently on a few points to feel that the edge holds evenly.

Check that no sharp object, ladder bracket or fence corner touches the cover. If your pool has a wide top rail, confirm the cover still rests loosely on the water rather than bridging.

For an above ground pool with a different rail setup, how to install an above ground pool cover covers the rail and clip details. If you're still shopping for a solid cover, our guide to inground pool covers for winter helps with size and material choices.

What is the easiest way to install a winter pool cover?

The easiest way to install a winter pool cover is to measure the pool and add the right overlap, center the cover with a helper, then tighten the edge slowly. A Robelle solid cover with its winch and cable, or a UIRWAY rope kit for a round pool, both follow that same order.

Install on a calm, dry day and pump off water as it collects. A Little Giant APCP-1700 does that job automatically, which matters most in fall rain.

Once the edge is even and snug, the cover is ready for the season.

Frequently asked questions

How much overlap should a winter pool cover have?

Plan on about 4 feet of overlap beyond the pool size on a solid cover, since the Robelle 24 ft cover reaches 28 feet across with its overlap. A cover that only just reaches the pool edge leaves no material to spread on the top rail or deck.

Can you install a winter pool cover alone?

You can install a small round cover alone, but a large solid cover goes on faster and straighter with a second person. Two people can hold opposite sides and walk the cover across the pool instead of dragging one edge into the water.

Should a winter pool cover sit on top of the water or above it?

A solid cover should float loosely on the water with the edge secured around the pool. A safety cover is the type that sits tight above the water.

A floating cover rests on the surface, so a pillow or inflatable under it helps stop water from pooling.

What do you do with water that collects on the cover?

Pump it off before it gets deep. A cover pump that starts in about 2 inches of water and shuts off when the level falls does this job without you standing over it in the cold.