Pool Covers for Leaf Season: What to Buy and How to Fit It
Leaf season is predictable: the trees tell you when it starts. What catches people out is the cover they bought for it, which is too small, drains the wrong way, or is such a chore to take off that it stays folded in the garage. This guide walks through four questions to settle before you buy, then covers the fit, the fastening and the routine that keeps leaves from turning into spring cleanup.
1. How long will the pool stay closed?
Swimming into the fall. You will be pulling the cover off and putting it back on, sometimes daily. A loose net or a regular sweep suits that rhythm. A fitted cover that you tension with a tightener is quicker to live with if you leave it on, so it is the wrong tool for a pool in daily use. We do not sell the loose net.
Closed for months. This is what our covers are for. Fit it once, tension it, and look at it after storms rather than every day.
Closed under big trees. Some owners add a light removable net on top of a winter cover for the heaviest weeks. It is an extra step and an extra purchase, but it can save a lot of raking.
2. Where should the rain go?
Both types keep leaves out. The difference is the rain that lands with them.
- Permeable (knitted mesh). Our inground cover and our permeable above-ground covers are described as breathable and water permeable, so rain and snowmelt drain through and the cover does not pool.
- Waterproof. Our waterproof above-ground covers shed rain instead of passing it. That means rain stays on the surface along with the leaves, and you have to clear it. Do not leave deep water sitting on a cover. It adds weight and strain at the edges.
If you do not want to deal with standing water, pick permeable.
3. What is falling from your trees?
Big flat leaves from maples and oaks are easy: they lie on the cover and sweep away. The trouble is small stuff. Pine needles, seed pods and petals can work their way into a weave and stay put, and wet needles hold moisture against the fabric. Clear those more often and before the rain, and keep the surface free of sharp edges that catch debris. Fabric weight matters as well: our inground covers come in 220 GSM and a 160 GSM version, and the above-ground permeable cover is 160 GSM according to its page.
4. Will it fit?
Inground. The size shown on the page is the size of the cover itself. For a 16x32 ft pool, the page says to buy a cover 1 to 2 ft larger than the pool. Measure where the cover will actually anchor, which may be wider than the water. Covers come in sizes from 8x8 ft up to 24x50 ft, and custom sizes are noted on the page.
Above ground. The listing gives two sizes: the cover and the pool it is for. The chart from the product page shows the pattern: a 12 ft cover for an 8 ft pool, 14 for 10, 16 for 12, 19 for 15 and 22 for 18. Pick by the pool size.
For oval, kidney or freeform pools, we do not list those shapes. Send us the length and width before you order.
What holds it down
A cover that is not held down is a sail for the wind. Here are the parts on our pages. The number next to each photo is the number in the table.
| # | Photo | Part | What it does | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Cable tightener | Draws the wire rope sewn into the edge snug. Listed in the package of both our inground and above-ground covers. | Above-ground cover, inground cover |
| 2 |  | Duplex wire clip | Grips the ends of the wire rope together. It is part of the package with each cover. | Included with the above-ground and inground covers |
| 3 |  | Deck anchor and strap | For inground pools: an anchor in the deck takes a strap to the cover edge. We list a separate adjustable strap anchor kit with tightening plates, hex bolts and 2 straps. | Strap anchor kit |
Check the page for exactly what is in the box. The listed package for both covers is the tightener, the clip and installation tools, with instructions. You do the installation yourself.
The leaf-season routine
- Set up before the leaves peak. Put the cover on and tension it while the weather is dry.
- Sweep dry. Use a soft broom, a blower from a safe spot or a cover rake. Skip metal tools and sharp rakes.
- Do not let it pile up. A blower is the quickest way to keep up: push the leaves toward the deck edge, away from open water, and bag them. Every few days in peak fall beats one big clear-out, because a thick, damp layer stays wet against the cover and breaks down there.
- Lift, do not drag. With a net or a light load, lift it from several points. Wet, heavy loads take two people.
- After heavy rain, look for water on a waterproof cover and clear it. Never walk on the cover to reach it.
- After storms and in the first days, re-tension the rope. New fabric settles.
- When it comes off for good, rinse, dry fully, fold loosely and store somewhere dry. A damp folded cover in a sealed bin will smell and mildew.
If you are replacing a cover, find out why the last one failed. Torn corners point to bad anchoring or a sharp deck edge. A sagging middle means it was too small, unsupported or left with water and debris on it.
Which cover to look at
| Your pool | Look at | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangular inground, closed for the season | TANG inground mesh cover (all inground covers) |  220 GSM knitted fabric, steel wire in the edges, listed as a "leaf net cover" in the title but fitted and tensioned, not a loose net. |
| Round above ground, rain should drain | TANG above-ground cover (permeable) |  160 GSM knitted, double-stitched seam, wire rope in the edge. |
| Round above ground, block rain and light | Waterproof above-ground covers | You will need to clear rain from the top. |
Quick answers
Which is easier to live with, permeable or waterproof?
Permeable. Rain drains, so there is no pond to clear.
Can I use one of these as a safety cover?
No. Do not let people or pets stand on it, and do not count on it to stop a fall.
Do you sell a leaf net?
No, only fitted covers.
How much larger than the pool?
For inground, 1 to 2 ft. For round above-ground, use the cover size listed against your pool size.
What about an odd-shaped pool?
We list rectangular and round covers. Contact us with your dimensions before you order anything else.