Installing a Flexible Liner
First thing you do if you want to make your pond liner last long is to make sure that the hole you’ve dug for it is free of sharp rocks and roots that may puncture your liner. This is true for both flexible and pre-formed liners, although the latter is typically more resilient.
Be prepared to purchase specialized underlayment if the pond site cannot be entirely cleared of debris. The next steps for liner installation will be determined by the type of liner you are using.
Pre-formed Liner
If you are using a pre-formed liner, your greatest challenge during your pond building’s installation period is keeping the pond level.
After placing the liner in the hole, you need to slowly fill it up with water, back-filling the hole with soil or sand as you go. Periodic stops should be taken to check if the liner is still in proper shape and level.
Once the liner is filled, you can move on to add the edging to your backyard pond.
Flexible Liner
When using a flexible liner, it’s best if your liner is a single sheet that is large enough for the entire pond. Liners composed of sealed sheets are more likely to break. The size of your liner should match the dimensions of your pond with a foot or two of overlap. Place the appropriately sized liner over the pond, add weights around the rim and you can begin to fill it up with water.
During the filling, take it slow as you’ll need to smooth out the liner, fitting it to the excavated shape. Constant checking for creases, stretched areas and small folds is crucial, so be ready to climb into your pond and get wet. Carelessness could result in a punctured liner and ruin your pond building project.
More often than not, your flexible liner will have a lot of excess, especially in irregularly shaped ponds. Heavy scissors or a utility knife can be used to trim away the overlapping liner. Make sure to leve enough liner around the rim where the coping will be placed, weighing it down and keeping the liner in place. That done, you can move on to the next step; edging your pond.
Check the video below for the full process of installing a flexible pond liner:
Following are some other articles related to outdoor ponds that you may find interesting:
- Eco Backyard » Tips for Building a Wildlife Pond, Part 1 – If you’re interested in attracting wildlife to your yard, there is no better way to do it than with a wildlife pond. A natural water feature will attract native and migratory birds, beneficial bats, and a variety of reptiles and amphibians. A properly built pond should also keep your yard largely free of mosquitoes.
- » The Barrel Water Garden, Zen Style @ Green Gardenista – Spring and fall are great times to establish a water feature in your yard. The barrel water garden is a quick way to incorporate a water garden in a small space. A pre-formed 30 gallon pond liner (from Depot or Lowes) can be substituted in place of the Pond Armor, and should fit inside your barrel as your waterproofer.
- Building a cheap water garden. – How can I build a water garden cheap? I’ve been asked this question on several occasions, usually when I’ve presented a price for what a customer had asked me to build. Clients are usually surprised how expensive it can be to construct …
- Pond And Water Gardens – When most people think of pond or water gardens, they think of Goldfish and Koi. Gardeners can add beauty and appeal to any backyard or patio with or without stocking the pond garden with fish. Although, the current popularity of fish ponds brings with it an increased interest for gardening with exotic plants.
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