Pond Liner Installation: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Pond liners are impermeable geo membranes designed to retain water while providing some resistance to sharp objects. Pond liners need to be further protected by layers of sand or concrete or even fiber matting. Pond liners are normally available in rolls of standard widths. The strips can be welded or joined together to make the size of the liner adequate for the pond. The edges of the pond liner have to be taken over the edges of the pond and secured in a trench or in wood or concrete. To get the most use of your pond liner you must select it correctly, install it properly and provide proper maintenance over its lifetime.

Avoid the following common mistakes.

Mistake 1: Choosing a liner based on cost alone


Pick a liner that is strong enough to do the job over time. It's well worth it to spend a little more upfront to avoid problems later. Avoid liners that are 20 to 30 mils thick and are made of plastic. Such liners puncture easily and the plastic will deteriorate when exposed to sunlight. The best choice would be 45mil thick EPDM rubber.

Mistake 2: Failure to buy a large enough liner


Decide on the correct size of liner before you dig up your yard. If you have already dug the pool hole, measure it correctly in both directions before placing your order for the liner. Remember to factor in extra lengths needed to anchor or fix the liner, at least 2 feet more around the entire rim of the pond. Try to get a factory welded or joined liner. If not, you can do the joining yourself with special adhesives, but this is a job that has to be meticulously done to avoid leakages in the future.

Mistake 3: Failure to protect the liner

Properly attention to the protection of the liner after it is laid. This can be done with sand, concrete or some sort of matting. If the protection is not adequate, you may end up with a torn liner that could allow all the water to seep away. You are going to enter the pond at some point or the other in order to clean it or maintain it. Make sure the liner can bear your weight.

Mistake 4: Failure to aerate the pond


Make some provision for aeration such as adding a waterfall to prevent the pond from freezing over. Freezing can damage the pond liner and ice can cause rips and tears.

Mistake 5: Failure to secure the edges of the liner


Carry the pond liner sufficiently over the edges of your pond to create a complete seal for the water. Generously overlap the edges and watch carefully the first time you fill up the pond as the weight of the water may cause the liner to stretch. If the overlap is insufficient, the sides of the pond may become exposed.

Avoid these mistakes and your pond liner will perform perfectly, retaining water while keeping the pond looking great at all times.