How to Secure an Above Ground Pool Cover

On this page (9 sections)

1. What do you need before you start?
2. How do you fit the cover so the hem sits right?
3. How do you use the cable and winch to secure a winter cover?
4. How do edge clips and straps add a second line of defense?
5. How many water tubes or sandbags do you need?
6. How do you secure a cover on a deck or top rail setup?
7. How do you keep a solar cover from blowing off?
8. How do you secure the cover for winter and storm season?
9. How do you check the cover is secure before you walk away?

To secure an above ground pool cover, thread the cable through the hem and tighten the winch until the cover edge can't slip over the top rail, then hold the edge down with clips and water tubes. A cover stays put when the hem is snug all the way around, not just tight at one point.

Most covers lift off in wind because one side sits loose and catches air like a sail. The steps below walk through that fix, plus the right move for winter covers and solar bubble covers.

Once you know how to secure an above ground pool cover properly, a generic storm warning is no longer a panic event.

What do you need before you start?

You need the cover's cable and winch, edge clips or straps, water tubes or sandbags, and two people for a large pool. Gather it all before you climb the ladder so nobody balances on the rail hunting for a missing part.

Read the cover's directions for how its hem is built. Some use a drawstring, like the Shop Square winter cover with its drawstring closure, and others use a cable with a metal winch.

Two adults can pull a 24 ft cover straight across and keep the hem aligned while a third person cranks. Do the job on a calm day, because a breeze turns even a tight cover into a kite.

How do you fit the cover so the hem sits right?

Fit the cover level and centred, with the hem resting just inside the top rail. A cover that hangs low on one side leaves slack where wind gets in.

Unroll from one end and walk it over the pool, rather than dragging it across the water. Pull the low side up until the edge line is even on all sides.

Leave the overlap hanging evenly if your cover has extra material. Trimming one side short makes the hem impossible to tighten later.

If the cover is new to you, our guide on how to install an above ground pool cover covers the full layout, including the overlap and drain panel. Get this part right and securing is quick.

How do you use the cable and winch to secure a winter cover?

Run the cable through the whole hem, feed it into the winch drum, and crank until the hem hugs the rail with no loose loops, then lock the winch. The cable is what keeps the cover from lifting over the wall.

Work around the pool as you tighten, checking that the hem stays inside the rail and doesn't ride up. Small turns on the crank are better than one big pull.

Stop when the cable is firm under your fingers. Going tighter risks cracking a plastic rail or stretching the hem, and a cracked rail leaks for the next season.

Lock the winch and tuck the loose cable end under the cover edge. That keeps the tail from whipping loose in a gust.

Why choose a winter cover with a cable hem?

A cable hem gives a winter cover one continuous anchor instead of a scatter of straps. The Shop Square 25 x 45 ft cover is made for rectangle inground pools and uses heat sealed seams with reinforced grommets and loops for securing.

The same cable-and-grommet logic is what holds an above ground winter cover down. Its 7 x 7 scrim count and extra sealing seams are built for cold, down to -10°F.

Measure your pool first, because this model is sized for 25 x 45 ft with a 4 ft overlap. For above ground sizes, compare our picks for a winter pool cover for above ground pool before ordering.

How do edge clips and straps add a second line of defense?

Clips and straps hold the hem down between the cable and the wind, so a small gap can't grow into a flap. They are the cheapest insurance after the winch.

Place a clip every 4 to 6 ft around the pool, on the outside of the hem, pushing the fabric against the rail. Avoid spacing them all at the compass points; wind finds the long gaps.

If your cover uses long straps instead of clips, pull each one through its grommet and tie it to the rail or a rail fitting. Leave a finger's worth of slack so the cover can flex without tearing.

Check the clips after the first windy night. A clip that popped off a rail is a sign the cable needs one more small turn.

How many water tubes or sandbags do you need?

Aim for one water tube in each section of rail, or a tube roughly every 6 to 8 ft, sitting just inside the hem on top of the cover. Tubes break the airflow that tries to slide under the edge.

Fill tubes about half to two thirds, not stiff full, so they settle into the rail shape. Lay them end to end and overlap the gaps rather than leaving openings for wind.

Sandbags work in the same spots if you can't fill tubes, but they are heavier to move and harder on the cover fabric. Keep bags off the middle of the cover where the sag collects leaves.

On a windy site, add a second row near corners. Corners catch the most air, and a doubled-up tube there stops the flap from spreading down the long sides.

How do you secure a cover on a deck or top rail setup?

For a pool with a wide top rail or a surrounding deck, anchor to the rail fittings and deck edge rather than overhanging the wall. Attachment points close to the pool spread the load evenly.

Use rail clips, the cover's own straps, or ties around a rail fitting that won't crush the rail. Spread the points so no single tie carries the whole corner.

Keep ties short, because a long loose run lets the cover billow upward first. Zip ties wear out in sun, so check them when you check the tubes.

If your pool has no rail ledge to hook over, run a cable inside the hem and stake the ends of the cable to ground anchors set a few feet back. Pull the cable level and tight so it doesn't lift the hem.

How do you keep a solar cover from blowing off?

A floating solar bubble cover stays put with the cover spread flat across the whole water surface and its edges tucked inside the wall. A crinkled or half-unrolled cover catches air instantly.

Spread it bubble side down and smooth out wrinkles from the middle outward. Then hold the edge with a few strap clips or a water tube on each long side, not a full perimeter, since you lift it off often for swimming.

If the cover is reeled, lay the first foot over the rail and weight that edge. A solar cover left half on a reel in a gust rips at the straps.

Reels make daily handling far easier, and a solar cover reel keeps the roll near the pool so the cover goes back on straight. Pair that setup with a solar cover for above ground pool that's cut to your water shape.

Who should choose the VINGLI 18 ft reel?

Pick the VINGLI 18 ft reel for a 9 to 14 ft wide pool where you roll the solar cover up often. The aluminum tube won't rust, the legs are stainless, and the crank locks so the cover stays rolled.

The straps attach at different points because they are long, so they suit odd shapes as well as rectangles. A mechanical lock holds the roller once it's wound.

Set sandbags on the reel legs when it's in use, as VINGLI advises. For a wider pool, the VINGLI 21 ft model fits 14 to 18 ft widths with a three-section pipe that holds level under the cover's weight.

How do you secure the cover for winter and storm season?

Before a storm, tighten the cable, add clips where the hem moves, and fill any empty water tube slots. Wind lifts loose material first, so removing slack is the whole job.

Lower the pool's water level to where the cover maker wants it if a winter cover is going on, then fit the cover so the middle sags slightly rather than tenting up. A high middle catches gusts.

Never drain a pool fully for winter; the walls need water support. If your pool is closing for the season, our best cordless pool vacuum for above ground helps clear the winter cover of leaves before they freeze on it.

After a heavy snow, don't chop at the surface. Use a soft broom to pull snow off the top or let the cover sag handle it, depending on the maker's guidance.

How do you check the cover is secure before you walk away?

Give the cover a firm tug at each quarter and at each clip, and look for space between the hem and the rail. Any gap means one more turn on the winch.

Walk the pool once at eye level along the rail and once from a few steps back. Problems that are invisible up close, like a low corner, show up from distance.

Push the edge that worries you most, whichever side faces open ground and the usual wind direction. If that side holds, the rest usually will too.

Do the tug test after every big weather day for the first month. One quick lap is the difference between a cover that lasts several winters and one that shreds in the first gale.

Frequently asked questions

Can I secure an above ground pool cover while someone is still in the pool?

No. Get everyone out first, because a tightening cable or collapsing cover edge can trap someone under the material.

How tight should the winch cable be?

Tight enough that the hem can't lift over the top rail when you tug it, and no tighter. Overtightening can crack a rail or wear the hem.

What do I do if the cover keeps blowing off in one corner?

That corner is usually scooped low and catching wind. Pull it up so the cover sits level, add a clip there, and set a water tube just inside the hem.

Can I use bungee cords instead of the cable?

Only for a light solar bubble cover in calm weather. A winter cover needs its cable and winch, because bungee cords stretch and let the hem lift.

Should the cover float on the water or sit above it?

A winter cover sits above the water and sags slightly in the middle. A solar bubble cover floats.

Both get their edges anchored the same way.

When should I check the cover again?

After the first windy night, then every couple of weeks. Tighten straps and reset water tubes before a storm, not during one.