The Truth About Doughboy Liners

Premium Doughboy Liners are Heavier!

There are 3 major reasons to purchase a Doughboy liner over a low-cost commodity liner:

1. Liner Thickness

• Doughboy liners are typically 40%-80% heavier in both weight and thickness.
• Doughboy liners have the same weight and thickness on both the sidewall and the bottom. Commodity liners typically have thicker, heavier sidewall than bottoms. Commodity liner manufacturers do this to reduce the price of the liner, but only advertise the sidewall thickness which can be misleading.
• Doughboy liners are manufactured with heavier vinyl material and will last 50% to 90% longer than commodity liners.
• Doughboy liners protect the sidewall and bottom of the liner from tears, rips, punctures, and holes caused by foreign objects in the soil, objects on clothing, windblown objects, lawn care debris, and entry system (ladders & step) contact on the bottoms and sidewalls.

2. Raw Material Make-Up

• There are 3 major ingredients in the chemical makeup of a vinyl liner:
  1. PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) is the main building block that goes into creating vinyl liners. PVC makes up 50%-60% of the total raw ingredients.
  2. Plasticizer (petroleum-based oil) is another key ingredient that makes up 35%-40% of the total raw ingredients. This ingredient determines the flexibility of the liner and increases its chemical resistance and life span.
  3. Inert Materials (calcium carbonate – a.k.a. clay) and Stabilizers make up 11%-30% of the total raw material ingredients.
• Doughboy liners have increased levels of plasticizer and low levels of calcium carbonate. Typically raw material plasticizer costs are 4-5 times more per pound than calcium carbonate. Doughboy liners, with increased levels of plasticizer, will remain flexible during the life of the liner providing a wrinkle-free installation and minimizing UV fading. Commodity liners use a lower level of plasticizer (to save money) therefore compromising the quality of the liner.

3. Liner Life Span:

• When comparing the purchase of Doughboy liners to commodity liners (calculated over the life span of the liner), Doughboy liners usually last 10-15 years. Commodity liners typically last 2-5 years. Both incur the same cost for installation, water and labor.

Why buy a Doughboy liner instead of a low-cost commodity liner?

• 40%-80% heavier in both weight and thickness
• Same weight and thickness on both the sidewall and the bottom
• Made of a heavier vinyl material and will last 50%-90% longer
• Protect the sidewall and bottom of the liner from tears, rips, punctures and holes
• With higher levels of plasticizer, will remain flexible throughout the life of the liner, providing wrinkle-free installation and minimizing UV fading
• Typically last 10-15 years

Doughboy liners are measured in mil, a true measurement. Don’t be confused by the liner gauge “games” played with most commodity liners. Some will call their liner 20 gauge when they only measure 10 mil.