Before Pond Construction begins a little
forethought and planning needs to take place.
BEFORE POND CONSTRUCTION
WHAT SIZE LINER DO YOU NEED? Calculating your liner size is easy. Work out the overall
maximum length and overall maximum width of your pond. Measure the depth
of your pond. Add twice the depth to both the length and width dimensions.
That is the size liner you require.
If for instance your excavation is 3m x 2.4m x .6m
deep (10ft x 8ft x 2ft deep) you would add 1.2m (4ft) to both
the length and width.
e.g.
m = (3+1.2)
x (2.4+1.2) = 4.2m x 3.6m liner required
ft = (10+4)
x (8+4) = 14' x 12' liner required
POND
LINERS
The PVC Pond liners we sell are
available in 2 different materials with 20 year and Lifetime guarantees.
They are both UV stabilized, puncture resistant, environmentally friendly
and are flexible and easy to contour.
The Aqualast Firestone Rubber liner has a
Lifetime guarantee and it is well known as the best material for lining
ponds, due to its thickness (1.00mm), flexibility and its long (lifetime)
guarantee.
The Butyl Rubber Pond Liner is similar to
the Aqualast liner above but is 0.75mm thick and because we have the Aqualast on
special offer at the moment , the Butyl is more expensive.
To work out what size liner you will
need simply take the largest measurements of the hole you have dug
for your pond and add double the deepest depth to
each dimension, or use
the handy liner calculator below.
Just enter the longest measurements in
each case
Width of pond in
feet
Length of pond in
feet
Depth of pond in
feet
You will need a liner that is
Ft.
POND CONSTRUCTION BEGINS WITH
POOL INSTALLATION .
POND CONSTRUCTION
STEP 1 Decide on a general shape and depth
to your pond. A
garden hose is ideal for this purpose. Simply lay the hose to the
shape desired, mark your layout with sand and then remove the
turf.
When deciding the shape avoid sharp angles and narrow
sections which can create 'dead' areas of water in your
pond.
.
POND CONSTRUCTION
STEP 2 Excavate
the pool to desired shape, incorporating a marginal shelf at a depth
of 20cm for plants that enjoy shallow water. Ensure the walls are at
a slight angle of 10 or 20 degrees. Continue digging until you have
the desired depth, normally between 20 - 24 inches (50
-60cm). Check that the hole is level using a plank and a
spirit level.
.
POND CONSTRUCTION
STEP 3 Lay strips
of underlay to provide cushioning for the liner. Drape the liner
loosely into the hole so that it just touches the bottom of the hole
in the middle, making sure that there is an overhang all round of at
least 25cm (8"). Anchor the edges of the liner with stones.
.
POND CONSTRUCTION
STEP 4
Start to fill the pond -
the weight of the water will form the liner into the excavated
shape. As the pond fills, begin to fold excess liner and allow the
water to mould it to the sides. Keep moving the anchor stones to
allow the liner to feed into the hole. It is a good idea as you
begin to fill the pond to establish an accurate measure of the
pond's volume. The easiest way to achieve this is to time how long
it takes to fill, say, a two gallon watering can. Then time how long
it takes to fill your pond. If for example it takes one minute to
fill the watering can and one hour thirty minutes to fill the pond
then your pond volume will be 2 x 90 = 180 gallons.
POND CONSTRUCTION
STEP 5 When the pond is full, add the appropriate quantity of Trident
Dechlorinator to remove chlorine and flouride. The hard work is now
complete, it's time to create your own individual water garden.
Finish the pond with the edging of your choice. There are three
typical ways to finish your pond edges. The first and most popular
is slab edging as shown in the diagram. This method requires you to
trim excess liner and cement selected paving slabs into place making
sure there is a slight overhang to protect your liner from harmful
sunlight. Loose rocks can also be placed around the pond's edge to
create a more natural effect. Becoming more popular is the creation
of a marsh area at the edge of the pond; this can be achieved by
leaving the excess liner in place and digging a shallow trench 4 - 5
ins (12cm) deep underneath it. Fill the lined trench with loam and
plant with suitable marsh plants. You can, of course, use a
combination of any of the suggested edging
suggestions.
Design your pond with sweeping curves to allow maximum water
circulation.
Choose a site that is in an open position
away from overhanging trees which will get only 4 - 5 hours of full
sunlight.
Lay your
the liner in the sunshine for
about thirty minutes prior to installation. This will make the
material supple and easier to mould during installation.
Why not use the soil from your excavated pond to create a
rockery waterfall at one end of the pond?