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Garden Ponds Construction

POND CONSTRUCTION.

POND CONSTRUCTION

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 

Pond Liner                           Assorted sizes in 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
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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. 

 

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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. 

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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.

 

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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.

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WHAT'S NEXT?

AQUATICS WAREHOUSE QUICK TIPS
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?