Steel Wall Vinyl Liner Pools Explained

At Goodlin we specialize in steel wall vinyl liner pools. If you are in Butler, Cranberry, Wexford or anywhere else we serve and you are starting to look at inground pools, the vocabulary can feel like a lot. This is a plain guide to what a steel wall pool is, what you get to decide, and what the process looks like.

What a steel wall vinyl liner pool is

The pool has two main parts that you will hear about. The structure is a wall made of steel panels that is built to hold the shape of the pool and the earth around it. Inside that structure goes a vinyl liner, a custom-fit sheet that holds the water and gives the pool its color and pattern. The steel does the structural work, and the liner is the surface you see and swim in.

A vinyl liner pool is truly customizable. It gives you the freedom to create a backyard retreat that fits your family and your lifestyle. Our line is, if you can dream it, we can build it. The actual shape and features of your pool come out of a conversation about your yard and what you want from it.

Steps, benches and sun ledges

One of the best things about this kind of pool is the stairs. We use customizable vinyl covered steel stairs, which offer strength and durability along with an uninterrupted look. The stairs are not an add-on bolted to the edge of the pool. They are part of the same finished surface as the rest.

We can design any combination of steps, benches and sun ledges to complement the shape of your pool and give you a comfortable, functional place to lounge. Think about how your family will use the water:

• Steps for easy entry and exit.
• Benches for sitting and talking in the water.
• Sun ledges, shallow spots where you can lie back or let the kids splash.

It is worth thinking about this before you fall in love with a shape. A pool with a bench and a ledge may get used more than a bigger pool without them.

Layout and excavation

Layout and excavation are listed among our services, and they are the first physical step. Layout is where the pool is marked out on your property so you can see the shape and position before any digging starts. Excavation is the digging. Where the pool sits in the yard affects how you get to it, where the equipment goes, and how the finished backyard feels, so we would rather you stand in the yard and look at the layout than discover a problem later.

Our customers often mention how fast the installation went. One customer wrote on our site, "Best thing we ever did! They installed our pool and had it up and running in two days." That is how one customer described their own pool, not a guarantee. Your timeline depends on your yard, your design and the schedule, and we will talk it through with you honestly when we plan your project.

Choosing a liner pattern

Choosing a liner can be a difficult decision, so we offer a variety of designer patterns to suit any backyard and your own style. For 2026, we have brochures for the Michelangelo Vinyl Liner Collection and the OAPP Signature Liner collection, so you can look at the patterns at home before you come in.

A few things help when you are choosing:

• Look at the pattern against your deck or patio material, since they will be seen together all summer.
• Think about the color the water will take on. A liner looks different with the pool full than it does flat on a table.
• Look at how the pattern wraps onto the steps and benches, not just the main floor of the pool.
• Ask us for the brochures so you can compare more than one collection side by side.

Liners are also not forever, and we do liner replacements. When the time comes, a new liner is a chance to refresh the look of the pool without rebuilding it. Water chemistry plays a part in how long a liner looks good, since an out-of-balance pool can cause wrinkles in the vinyl.

Where to start

The contact page on our site asks for your name, address, what you are interested in, and how you heard about us. If you want a quote, include the approximate size of the pool you are considering. You can also simply call 724-352-7549 or stop by the store on North Pike Road and talk to us in person.