Liner for Pond

When you build a pond in your yard, it is a very good thing to line it properly. A good pond liner will help keep your pond in optimum condition for a long time and make your maintenance much easier.

What is a pond liner?

According to Wikipedia, a pond liner is “an impermeable geotextile used for water retention, including the lining of lakes, garden ponds and artificial streams.” In plain English, pond liners are sheets of polyethylene, PVC, EPDM or other form of plastic compound that holds water. Some are better than others depending on your climate or whether you wish to put fish in your pond. Liners for fish ponds are puncture resistant; UV stabilized, and are safe for potable water.

Benefits of a pond liner

Besides the obvious benefit of water retention, lined ponds will not be choked by grasses or cattails. They won’t crack like a cement pond and they are flexible to cover any shape of terrain. They withstand weather extremes of heat and cold with no damage. A good EPDM rubber liner can last 30 years or more.

Disadvantages of a pond without a liner

Building a pond without a liner is possible, but in most cases, not desirable. Water may tend to drain away, so you are constantly refilling your pond, or local vegetation may try to take over. If you are making a small pond out of a half barrel, without proper conditioning or the use of a liner, you may experience contamination from chemicals or residues left on the inside of the barrel.

How much pond liner do I need?

To figure out how large of a liner you need, you will need to do a few measurements.  If you are trying to figure your liner size before you dig, you will need to figure your measurements for the longest and widest portions of the pond with the pond depth at the deepest point. Next, take these measurements and apply them to the following equations: Length of liner = pond length + (depth x 2) + (overlap x 2)  and Width of liner = pond width + (depth x 2) + (overlap x 2). Overlap should be a minimum of 1 foot, but may be longer depending on how you plan to anchor the pond. Most backyard ponds do well with 2 feet of overlap. If your pond will be very large, you may need up to 5 feet of overlap. If you fall short on your overlap, your liner may pull away and you’ll end up with a quickly draining pond. Be sure you order enough.

Cost of pond liners

Many liners come in precut sizes. If your calculations fall within a smaller range, your liner will be much less expensive. The materials used for the liner will also make a difference in cost. 45mil EPDM will last a long time, and will cost between $20 and $40 for a small pond, or upwards of $200 for a large pond. Liner on a roll will cost more, because a roll can be 5.5 feet by 50 feet, for example, or larger. Rolls can cost from $125 to over $1000 depending on the size you need. Polyethylene is a less expensive choice, although it is thinner and may not last as long. Costs for polyethylene run from 45 cents a square foot to 93 cents per square foot.

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