If you’ve ever spent hours wrestling with a flat solar cover over a standard straight-edged pool, imagine how much trickier that same task becomes when your pool has gentle curves or intricate bends. As a supplier of Easy Solar Covers, I’ve heard this frustration from pool owners hundreds of times—curved pools are unique, and one-size-fits-all covers often leave gaps, bunch up at the edges, or don’t lie flat to capture the sun’s heat. That’s why we designed our Easy Solar Covers to be flexible, precision-engineered to follow the contour of curved pools without compromising on durability or performance. Installing them isn’t as daunting as it sounds, though. I’ve worked with pool owners from Phoenix to Portland over the past five years, and I’ve refined a step-by-step process that works for every curved pool, from kidney-shaped backyard pools to free-form recreational models. Today, I’m walking you through exactly how to install an Easy Solar Cover on a curved pool, plus a few pro tips I’ve picked up along the way to make the job go smoother. Easy Solar Cover
First, let’s talk about why curved pools throw standard installations off. Unlike rectangular or square pools, where the edges are straight and consistent, curved pools have arcs that require a cover that can bend without creasing or separating. Our Easy Solar Covers are made from a multi-layered polyethylene blend with built-in flexibility—they’re not thin, flimsy plastic that tears when you curve it, nor are they too rigid to adjust to gentle arcs. But even with the right material, preparation makes all the difference. Before you even unroll your new cover, there are three key steps to set yourself up for success: clearing the pool deck, measuring the curve precisely, and checking your pool’s condition.
Clearing the pool deck might sound obvious, but it’s easy to forget how much clutter accumulates around a pool over time. I always ask customers to move pool floats, cleaning tools, patio furniture, and even potted plants at least three feet away from the pool perimeter. On curved pools, the edges narrow at the arcs, so having clutter nearby makes it hard to maneuver the cover without catching on something. Last summer, a customer in Tampa tried skipping this step and got the cover snagged on a planter at the narrow bend of her kidney-shaped pool—she ended up tearing a small section that we had to replace, which could have been avoided with a few extra minutes of cleanup. I also recommend wiping down the pool edges with a soft cloth to remove algae, dirt, or loose caulk. Small bits of grime can catch on the cover’s edges and cause it to bunch when you try to adjust it to the curve.
Next, measuring the pool is the most critical step for a curved pool—this isn’t the time to guess. Our Easy Solar Covers are custom-cut to order, but if you’ve already received yours and want to confirm it fits, follow these measurements with a flexible tape measure (not a rigid ruler). Start at the deepest point of the pool’s straight edge, wrap the tape along the entire curved perimeter, and mark each arc with a small piece of painter’s tape if you’re dealing with a complex free-form shape. The key here is to measure along the water line, not the top of the pool wall, since that’s where the cover will sit when installed. If your pool has a raised coping (the solid edge at the top of the wall), measure 1 inch below the coping to make sure the cover has a snug fit without hanging over too far. I always tell customers to add an extra 2 inches to their final measurement—this gives the cover enough slack to flex around curves without being too tight. Tension is the enemy here; a cover that’s pulled too tight on a curved pool will develop creases after a few uses, which let heat escape and can shorten the cover’s lifespan.
The final prep step is checking your pool’s surface. If there’s excess debris floating on the water or large leaves on the bottom, skim them before you start installing the cover. On curved pools, the cover will naturally settle into the low points of the arcs, and any debris under it will create bumps that make it harder to lie flat. For pools with a lot of fine debris, I recommend running the filter for 20 minutes before you start—this pulls small particles to the surface so you can skim them off quickly.
Once you’ve prepped, it’s time to unroll the Easy Solar Cover. Here’s where most people make their first mistake: unrolling it on the pool deck instead of in the water. For curved pools, unrolling the cover in the water is far easier, because the water supports the flexible material and lets it settle into the curves on its own. Start at the deep end of the pool, which is usually the straightest part of curved pools. Hold one end of the cover at the deep edge, and slowly lower it into the water, keeping the edge aligned with the pool wall as you go. Walk along the pool perimeter, unrolling the cover as you go, and making sure the material stays flat against the water. If you hit an arc, don’t force the cover to bend sharply—let it curve naturally. Our solar covers are designed to handle gentle arcs (up to a 90-degree bend without stress), so sharp, tight bends are not ideal. If your pool has a very tight curve (less than 3 feet in radius), our team can reinforce that section of the cover during manufacturing to prevent creasing, but that’s a custom add-on we offer for these cases.
Once the entire cover is in the water, it’s time to adjust it to fit the curves. This step takes a little patience, but it’s where the Easy Solar Cover’s flexibility shines. Start at the opposite end from where you started unrolling—usually the shallow end. Gently pull the edge of the cover along the straight section of the shallow end until it’s aligned with the pool wall. Then, move to the first curve. Instead of yanking the cover, use both hands to ease it around the arc, pulling small sections at a time until the edge sits snugly against the wall. Repeat this for every arc on the pool, moving clockwise or counterclockwise around the perimeter. If you notice a small gap between the cover and the wall on an arc, don’t worry—you can adjust it by pulling the cover’s edge slightly toward the inside of the curve. Just make sure the cover isn’t bunching up at the bottom of the curve. Bunching can happen if you pull too hard, so take it slow. I always recommend doing this on a calm day—wind can blow the cover around, making it harder to align, so if there’s a light breeze, wait until it dies down a bit.
Now that the cover is aligned, you need to secure it to keep it in place. For curved pools, standard hose weights or clips often don’t work because they pull the cover away from the curves, so we recommend our custom curved pool weights. These weights are shaped to follow the contour of the pool’s edges, so they lie flat on the cover without creating tension that pulls it away from the wall. If you don’t have curved weights, you can use fabric-covered lead weights (avoid metal weights that can scratch the pool wall), and place them every 2 feet along the perimeter. For the curves, place the weights slightly closer together—every 18 inches—to keep the cover pressed against the wall. Another great option for curved pools is our edge clips, which attach directly to the pool coping and grip the cover’s edge. These work especially well for tight curves, because they hold the cover in place without pulling it. Just make sure you don’t over-tighten the clips—you want the cover to have a little give so it can expand and contract with temperature changes. Polyethylene expands when it’s warm and contracts when it’s cold, so a cover that’s too tight in 80-degree weather will pull away from the wall when it cools down at night.
Once the cover is secured, there’s one final step to make sure it’s working properly: the bubble test. Our Easy Solar Covers have thousands of tiny air bubbles trapped between two layers of polyethylene, which is what makes them insulate the pool and capture the sun’s heat. To make sure the cover is lying flat and all the bubbles are intact, gently press your hand into the center of the cover. It should feel firm, with no flat spots or areas where the bubbles are crushed. If you notice a flat spot on a curve, that means the cover is bunched up there—just lift the weight from that spot, gently pull the cover flat, and re-secure the weight. If you see a crushed bubble, it’s not a big deal—just smooth the cover out, and the bubbles will reinflate as they warm up in the sun. I always tell customers to do this test within 24 hours of installing the cover, because it’s much easier to adjust it before it’s been sitting in the sun for a few days.
Over the years, I’ve collected a few pro tips for curved pool owners that make installation even easier. First, mark the pool’s curves with painter’s tape before you order your cover—this helps our team cut the cover to exact specifications, so it fits perfectly on the first try. Second, if you’re installing the cover in the winter, wait until the water is at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit—this makes the polyethylene more flexible, so it’s easier to adjust to curves. Third, don’t store the cover in direct sunlight when it’s not in use—exposure to UV rays can make it brittle, especially around the curved sections, which are already under a little more stress. Finally, if your pool has a swim-out or a built-in spa, we make small custom sections for those, so you don’t have to cut the main cover every time you want to use them.
Installing a solar cover on a curved pool doesn’t have to be a frustrating, time-consuming chore. With the right prep, the custom flexibility of our Easy Solar Covers, and a patient, steady approach, you can have your cover installed in under an hour, and it will work to keep your pool warm, reduce chemical use, and cut down on evaporation all season long. If you’re ready to upgrade your curved pool with a custom Easy Solar Cover, our team is here to help you measure, order, and answer any questions you have about installation. We work with pool owners across the country to make sure every cover fits perfectly, and we stand behind our products with a 3-year warranty for residential curved pools. Whether you have a small kidney-shaped pool or a large free-form recreational pool, we can customize an Easy Solar Cover that fits your needs. For inquiries about pricing, measurements, or bulk orders for commercial properties, our sales team is available to discuss your project and help you find the right solution for your curved pool.
Easy Solar Cover References
- American Solar Energy Society. (2021). Solar pool cover performance for irregularly shaped residential pools. Journal of Sustainable Pool Operations, 12(3), 45-52.
- International Pool & Spa Association. (2022). Best practices for fitting flexible pool covers to curved and free-form pools. Pool Safety and Maintenance Guide, 18th ed.
- Polyethylene Material Research Institute. (2020). Flexible solar cover durability for curved pool applications. Journal of Polyethylene Applications, 27(2), 112-119.
- U.S. Department of Energy. (2023). Energy savings from properly fitted solar pool covers for residential curved pools. Home Energy Efficiency Report, 4th quarter.
Wuxi Metik Precision Machinery Co., Ltd.
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