Use EPDM pond liners for larger in ground or above ground ponds

Most professionals who create ponds are in fact not all that well equipped to provide the ideal and best advice ... perhaps they can landscape gardens, choose and place plants well but pond keeping is far more than that. Have you decided to go for an unusual shape or larger pond ... then EPDM pond liner is your perfect choice

Liner Ponds

For larger ponds use black plastic liner designed for pond building. You have the choice between PVC, Polyethylene, Butyl rubber or EPDM rubber. EPDM rubber is probably the best .

The ideal liner thickness for most ponds is 500 micron (0.5mm) but go thicker if you think you need to; it just gets more difficult to handle the liner and of course more expensive. In virtually all aspects of pond keeping bigger is better.

Do NOT use a liner if your animals like to swim in the pond. They will damage it in a short space of time with their sharp claws and your pond will leak and you will tear your hair out.

However do not be scared of using liner - many smaller dams are made with this material. An important point with liner is to ensure that the exposed liner above the pond surface is protected from continuous direct sunlight by creating an edging that will shade the exposed liner surface. Plastics and rubbers tend to suffer from UV attack especially under strong sunlight conditions.

Shapes and sizes for diy ponds

In deciding the shape of the pond take a hosepipe as above. View it from a distance; can you see it from your house? Can you sit close to it? Are there no sharp corner or edges? Is the ground level? No large trees nearby?

EPDM rubber is probably the best

This web page is an extract from Tony Roocroft's "The Complete Pond Solver" ... you can read more about it at http://www.really-useful-books.com