How to Select the Best Pond Liner for Your Backyard Pond

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After you decide to construct a patio pond you need to select the pond liner. There is a multitude of materials that you can use for your backyard pond, and they are all effective. What type of pond liner you use depends in large part on the size of your pond.

A farm pond will be lined with heavy clay to keep it from leaking, and it is possible to use clay for your backyard pond as well. However, most people do not want a clay lined pond for their patio. If your pond is large, you could line it with cement mortar, like a swimming pool, but most people will use either a preformed plastic liner or will construct the pond with a plastic sheet material.

A small pond can use a preformed liner. If you want a bigger pond, you can link several smaller preformed liners together to form pools that drain into each other. Depending on elevation changes between the pond liners , you can either develop a small flowing stream or a waterfall splashing into the next level.

To use the preformed pond liners you need to dig a hole that is roughly the same shape as the liner itself. Line the hole with sand to prevent rocks from poking a hole through the liner. Once the liners are in place, you can place aquatic plants in the pool or use rocks and other plants to decorate your pond.

If you elect to construct your patio pond with a plastic sheet, you have a lot more flexibility as to the design of your water garden. You can dig a hole to form the main pond, and include several different levels to your pond.

Pond Liners

The first alternative is performed ponds, which are available in different shapes and sizes and cost a fraction of concrete ponds . Using these materials, the amateur gardener can install a pond in less than a day and have it stocked with fish, plants, and fountain by the next day.

The simplest pond is the aboveground preformed pond. A bottomless box can be placed above a flat surface, and a cushion material can be placed at the bottom. The Pond Liner can be set around the base and spread all over the pond surface, after which it can be filled up with water. Later, any extra liner can be cut off.

The second type is the in-ground pond. Most people choose the flexibility of a liner because they can build of any shape, size and depth. First, a plastic hose can be used to indicate the shape of the pond on the ground, after which you can start digging. Once the pond is excavated, the Pond Liner can be placed inside and fixed with stones and bricks. Care should be taken to protect the liner from sunlight.

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