Tips for Choosing the Right Pond Liner

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The pond liner is the foundation of your pond, allowing it to retain water effectively by preventing it from soaking into the ground. It also prevents plants and weeds from taking up residence at the bottom of the pond, leaving the appearance of your water relatively pristine.

If you want to create your own slice of nature that should withstand the test of time, then it's important to understand how to pick the best pond liner for your project and its budget.

Plastic or Rubber?

There are several types of pond liners to choose from, each one offering its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The type of pond liner you choose will depend on a variety of factors, including your budget, the overall size of your pond and the types of aquatic wildlife that will inhabit the pond upon completion. The following offers a description of the three most common types of pond liners currently on the market:

• Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC)—PVC is the standard go-to when it comes to affordable pond liners. PVC liners are typically the thinnest of pond liner materials. This makes it less expensive to purchase and easier to mold around curves and corners, but they're more susceptible to accidental rips and tearing.
• High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)—HDPE is a heavy-duty synthetic plastic with similar properties to PVC, but with greater durability. It's a good compromise material if you have a large pond that needs adequate retention, but can't afford to use EPDM on a large scale.
• Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM)—EPDM is a dense rubber compound that offers superior performance while offering exceptional levels of flexibility, making it ideal for use in larger ponds. However, it is also the most expensive option for most pond installations.

It's also good idea to purchase a pond liner that also includes protection against UV rays. Constant exposure to UV rays through direct sunlight can cause your pond liner to deteriorate in just a few short years.

The Thicker, the Better

It's not just the material that plays a role in the overall quality and longevity of your new pond liner. Thickness also plays an important role in determining how well it'll work for your pond. It's important to keep the thickness of the liner in mind as you plan your pond installation.

Thin pond liners are easier to mold around curves and corners, but they're more susceptible to accidental rips and tearing. Thicker liners offer greater protection against punctures, rips and tears, but at the expense of flexibility during installation.

Pond liner thickness is usually measured in mils, with 1 mil equivalent to a thousandth of an inch (0.001 inches). Most liners come in thicknesses ranging from 20 to 40 mil, with some heavy-duty liners (such as EPDM) clocking in at 45 mil or more.

Don't Forget about the Underlay

For further protection against sharp stones and other objects that could cause punctures, it's always a good idea to include a pond liner underlay beneath the actual liner. An underlay can easily extend the life of your pond liner by offering a buffer against tree roots and other sharp objects that could push through the liner.

In previous times, underlays were often made from old carpeting, newspapers, felt and even old shopping bags. Nowadays, most underlays are made from EPDM, giving them the durability and softness required to serve as an effective puncture-proof barrier.

Choosing a good pond liner can mean the difference between enjoying your pond for years or even decades to come and a pond that leaves you dissatisfied due to constant rework. For more tips or assistance, visit resources like http://billboardtarps.com/.

5 August 2015