Types of Pond Liners

There are three common materialsused in pond liners, each with its advantages and disadvantages. Preformed Pond liners provide the easiestmethod to quickly create an ornamental fish pond. They are generally limited in size and shape, but if madeproperly, can last a long time. PondLiners are usually made from PVC or EPDM, with EPDM being the stronger and moreexpensive material. Concrete liners mayprovide the best material for larger ponds. They are initially very labor intensive, but are easily the sturdiest ofthe three.

Preformed Pond Liners are the mostpopular and most common of the three. They provide an easy and quick Koi Pond. They are available in many different in varying thickness, frominexpensive to very expensive. The thinwalled variety needs to be buried or encased in a sturdy enclosure, while thethick-walled variety can be free standing. They can be used to create a very simple Fish Pond. A submersible pump and filter can be addedwith a decorative fountain, and the Preformed Pond Liner will be complete. The downfall of the preformed liner is itsinflexibility. They provide very littlein the way of customization, but can still be well utilized with some carefulplanning.

Flexible Pond Liners provide aplethora of choices for the do-it-yourself pond owner. Available in most sizes, they can besuccessfully used in almost every application. They can be sculpted to fit any shape, and are fairly easy to install. They are available in several differentmaterials, with EPDM being the most popular. As with most things, you get what you pay for with pond liners. The more expensive ones are generallythicker or made of a more durable material. Keep in mind that liners are the most likely to rip or tear. Be wary of birds, as they can puncture thinliners with their sharp beaks, and also rocks and stones. If the area underneath is not properlyprepared, the weight of the water can eventually unearth sharp rocks andstones.

Concrete liners are the sturdiest,but most labor intensive material to work with. Initially thought of as rough and unsuitable for pond fish,concrete can now be coated with fish-safe epoxy for a smooth finish. Best left to the professionals, once theconcrete fish pond is created it will have worry-free maintenance foryears. Although they are prone tocracks, especially in colder climates, concrete makes a good medium for a fishpond. The cracks can be resealed, manytimes in an easier fashion than pond liners.

Success can be attained with any ofthese popular pond lining choices. Thechoice is mostly personal preference, as your future goals will indicate theproper choice. Concrete is generallythe most permanent, as it can be very difficult to remove or restructure.Preformed can be the quickest and easiest install, and even though they canlast for years, they can also be moved and relocated with minimum issues. Pond Liners offer the most flexible choice,as they can easily be reshaped and reset for future use. If properly designed, any of these FishPonds can be a successful endeavor.