Lining a pond is relatively simple when using the various types of rubber and plastic pond liners that have become prevalent recently. The factors involved when choosing a pond liner are the dimensions of the pond, the material the liner is made from, and the thickness.

Your initial task when choosing a pond liner will be to determine the minimum size. To determine the size of your liner, you will need to measure the width and length of the pond, as well as double the maximum depth. Also throw in an additional foot or two of overlap around your pond. A liner that is too large is better than one which is too little.

Several materials (plastic and fiberglass) are used to construct the liners and each one is offered in various thicknesses (the thickness is measured in mils, usually abbreviated ml, where 1/000 of an inch equals 1 ml). When constructing smaller ponds, especially when they will be free form, a 30 ml liner is a safe selection. In case the pond is larger you will want to think about a more long-lasting pond liner, made using 40 ml or 45 ml rubber, which should give you many years of dependable leak prevention.

Pond liners can be made from an assortment of materials. Probably the best material is an industrial grade rubber compound called EPDM (Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer). An EPDM pond liner can be ideal for larger jobs because of its substantially tougher qualities, plus it can be joined in place using a portable hot bonding machine. The biggest drawback of EPDM will be its high price, nevertheless many homeowners feel the stuff is so straightforward to install and so resilient that the extra cost is worth it.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is an alternative material that is used quite often because of its lower cost per square foot. It is a synthetic plastic liner which is reasonably strong and offered in 20 – 40 ml thicknesses. HDPE is less expensive than the rubber pond liner and ordinarily flexible enough to shape nicely into tight corners.

A third option would be a pond liner made from PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). Pond liners made from PVC are usually not as long-lasting as either EPDM or HDPE liners, but they tend to be less expensive. It is also possible to find preformed liners in either fiberglass or hard plastic. Pond liners made of fiberglass will be more pricey, however they are undoubtedly much more heavy-duty.

Whatever type of pond liner material you select, make sure that it is made utilizing a UV stabilizer. Using this shields your liner from destructive UV rays that could make it disintegrate in a relatively short time. Pond liner resilience and upkeep rely on the type of material selected, and that will dictate what must be done to keep the pond healthy.