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Building a pond requires some work to get going, but if you select and use the right materials, you will achieve much better success. Before you start, you have to pick an appropriate pond liner to keep the water in and at a stable level.
It can be exhausting to check out all of the pond liner reviews and try to find out which ones are suitable but there’s no need to fret.
We have scoured the market and narrowed it down to the best pond liners for you. Hence, you can save your time and effort, coming up with the right option with ease.
Before exploring the list, let’s learn some knowledge about pond liners.
What Does a Pond Liner Do?
The most vital function of a pond liner is to ensure water does not leak out of your pond. If you don’t dig your pond in very clay-rich soil, water will slowly run out of your pond and into the surrounding ground without a pond liner.
In turn, you have to refill your pond more frequently, which would be time-wasting and lead to a major disturbance for your fish and plants.
Even if you have clay-rich soil, you had better use a pond liner. Although clay can absorb water, you’ll still see a slow leak of water out of your pond.
In addition to sealing in water, pond liners also benefit your plants. They can act as substrates for plants to anchor onto or as a base onto which you can layer another substrate.
Pond Liners: Flexible vs. Preformed vs. Concrete Floor
First and foremost, you need to decide if you want a flexible, preformed liner or a concrete floor for your pond.
Flexible Liners
Flexible liners are the simplest and most affordable types of pond liners. Typically, they are a piece of liner material that can be customized to your pond dimensions and fit any shape you have.
That’s a significant advantage if you’re establishing a pond that integrates with the landscape of your yard or has a strange shape. Besides, flexible liners can be adjusted later if you want to widen or contract your pond in the future.
Nevertheless, these liners require the most work to get right. You have to be careful about gauging and cutting your liner so that it covers your whole pond with no additional material. If you cut it too short, you have to fill in some of your ponds or start again.
Preformed Liners
Preformed liners are great for lining your pond. They are usually made of a hardened plastic or rubber material, so the shape of the line is your pond’s shape.
When creating the hole for your pond, you don’t need to get the dimensions accurately right – provided that your preformed liner fits, you can fill around the liner later to complete the installation.
Moreover, although preformed liners are more pricey per square foot than flexible ones, they’re still cost-effective. Given that and their simplicity, these liners are ideal for beginner pond owners.
The major drawback to preformed liners is that you will be limited to the shapes on the market.
Concrete Floor
A concrete floor will be a perfect choice for those who want their pond liner to last for decades without replacement. Both flexible and preformed liners have to be replaced every few years, while concrete floors can last a lifetime without leaking water or cracking.
However, concrete liners have mostly fallen out of favor due to their high price. Pouring concrete requires much time and effort to get right.
Different Materials of Pond Liners
EPDM Liner
EPDM (Ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a widely-used material used for flexible liners as it is cheap and effective.
It is a rubber-like material that can fold easily around corners, allowing you to form creative pond shapes.
Besides, sheets of EPDM can be attached to each other with liner tape, helping you cut different sheets during the installation process. That means you measure cuts with ease and you can widen your pond later by including another EPDM sheet to your current liner.
The biggest drawback to EPDM is that the material is comparatively heavy and not that resistant to punctures compared to other materials. Therefore, ponds with EPDM liners often need an underlay.
PVC Liner
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) liners are not as heavy as EPDM oners and provide more resistance to punctures. Additionally, PVC liners are pretty flexible and you can use liner tape to attach different sheets to fit the shape of your pond.
Nonetheless, there are some cons of PVC pond liners that make them scarce in ponds. Firstly, these liners often consist of trace amounts of arsenic and other chemicals that can harm your fish during the manufacturing process.
Secondly, PVC tends to crack if it is exposed to direct sunlight or cold weather, so you need to cover it with a foot of soil. If the liner cracks, water will leak from your pond into the surrounding soil.
HDPE Liner
HDPE (High-density polyethylene) liners, also called reinforced polyethylene liners, are good options for flexible liners.
They provide better puncture resistance than EPDM or PVC liners while weighing about one-third as much as being half as thick. That makes it easier to ship, install, and conform them to your pond without regard to the shape you’re creating.
Besides, it is possible to weld HDPE sheets with a heat gun, which allows for a more consistent joining than liner tape. Plus, these liners are strong enough that they don’t need an underlay for your pond. You also won’t need to replace your liner when your pond is complete. HDPE liners are said to last up to 40 years with good care.
The downside to these liners is that their high price. Nevertheless, if you’re an experienced pond owner who wants to move up from preformed liner or intend to keep their decades to come, the high price is worth it.
Rubber Liner
Rubber, also known as butyl rubber, can be used in both flexible and preformed liners as sheets can be welded together easily with heat.
Butyl rubber liners provide greater resistance to puncture than EPDM ones and tend to be less pricey than HDPE liners if you’re searching for flexible sheets. Butyl rubber might not stretch well, but you can weld small sheets together to fit any pond shape.
Bear in mind that preformed rubber liners often come in a simple shape. If you know how to heat and weld rubber, you can put flexible sheets onto a preformed line to create a unique liner design.
Fiberglass Liner
Fiberglass is often used in preformed pond liners thanks to its incredible strength. You don’t need to support the liner with surrounding soil when using a preformed fiberglass liner.
You can also put the fiberglass liner above the ground and surround it with dirt and rocks to build a raised pond..
Fiberglass will not leak or crack when exposed to low or high temperatures or direct sunlight. Plus, it will flex if your pond covers with ice in the water.
Concrete
Concrete has been the most sturdy liner material and has been applied in pond construction since ancient times. It will not crack under roughly any weather conditions and is essentially resistant to being punctured. Thus, concrete is often used to build deep or large ponds.
7 Selected Pond Liners With High-Quality Material
1. Algreen Avonlea Pond Kit
With the Algreen Avonlea Rigid Preformed Pond Liner, it takes only five steps to install the pond and enjoy new tranquil water feature attraction.
This durable preformed pond is constructed from UV stabilized non-toxic and eco-friendly recycled plastic that is extremely resistant to year-round cracking, chipping, and fading. Its smooth surface allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. Hence, you can spend less time cleansing the pond and more time watching your aquatic art.
Moreover, the Avonlea pond liner comes with integrated shelves that you can leverage to show a number of aquatic plants. Its flat base enables for consistent plant placement and you can include a small water pump to ensure the water stays clear and safe for your fish and plants.
Even though the Algreen pond liner is suggested for in-ground installation, you can install it above the ground or on a deck, just provided that you stabilize it with river rocks or stone blocks.
2. Aquascape 85009 EPDM Rubber Liner
This high-quality EPDM rubber pond liner is available in multiple sizes, including 8 x 10, 10 x 12, and 20 x 25.
The EPDM rubber is proven to be safe for your fish and plants. It is easy to install the liner without using any tools.
The pond liner is thick and durable, allowing for strength. Therefore you can get the liner width just right for pond underlayment. In addition, this line is built to last against water pressure and sun exposure excellently.
3. Aquascape DIY Backyard Pond Kit
An all-in-one kit, the Aquascape Pond Kit provides you with everything necessary to build your own breathtaking 500-gallon water feature.
It is a durable 6 x 8-feet EPDM rubber liner with a Geotextile underlayment that offers protection against sharp objects. The kit also consists of a New Signature Series 200 Pond Skimmer, AquaSurge 2000 GPH pump, a BioFalls 1000-gallon filter with bio-balls and rock tray, 25-feet of 1.25-inch kink-free hose, PVC glue, a flexible PVC pipe sealer, and all the plumbing attachments.
Buyers can forget about the hassle of getting each item separately. Every component included in the kit is well designed and fits together.
When you have unboxed all the items, you just need to unleash your creativity and build your pond with a cascading waterfall.
The skimmer helps maintain the pond’s surface sparkling clean and the AquaSurge pump offers amazing biological filtration so the plants and your fish in your pond will grow and thrive.
Moreover, you can get a comprehensive industry-leading step-by-step installation guide and support resources. If you have any problems, you can reach out to a pond building expert.
4. Aquascape Aquatic Patio Pond Planter
Another pond liner option from Aquascape is the Aquatic Patio Pond Planter.
This square container is made from a lightweight but sturdy fiberglass-resin/concrete composite that will never chip or fade. Its flat-bottomed design also creates a stable platform, an integrated shelf providing room for plants. Plus, there are plumbing ports for a small water pump.
You can freely express your creativity with the Aquascape pond container. You can fill it with brilliant Goldfish or Koi, a decent waterfall, water lilies, or a stylish fountain.
Being a versatile pond liner, this item can be used on a patio, outdoors, or even inside your house. It can be an incredible addition to a stunning outdoor aquatic attraction or an indoor garden sanctuary. Remarkably, the liner is provided with a 10-year limited warranty.
5. TotalPond Pond Skins Pond Liner
If you want to begin constructing a small to medium-sized fish pond, you can consider using the TotalPond pond liner. This high-grade liner is made from PVC that is reinforced with a tight polyester weave in between the PVC’s layers. That makes the pond liner UV-resistant and puncture-resistant, withstanding water up to 1,200 gallons in capacity.
This pond liner is lightweight, weighing 30% less than normal 20-mil PVC liners. Given that with its flexibility make it simple to handle during installation. In addition to its high-grade design, the black liner contributes to the aesthetics of your pond. It merges into the pond’s environment to generate a more natural look.
Moreover, the liner’s textured surface is made to promote beneficial bacterial growth in the water. This is important for a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
The manufacture offers a range of pond liner sizes. Nevertheless, if you get a slightly larger liner than the hold you have dug for your pond, you can trim the liner down to fit the hold. Plus, if the liner is too small, you can attach together different pond liners to make a larger pond liner.
6. Firestone PondGard Rubber Pond Liner
Firestone is considered among the most highly rated manufacturers of aquatic products. Its dedication to producing excellent quality liners makes this Firestone pond liner perfect for a variety of water features, including fish ponds, swimming ponds, decorative ponds, streams, fountains, and waterfalls.
Since water features, and particularly those that include fish, can degrade or suffer from the effect of fierce weather and detrimental bacteria, a sturdy and durable liner is a necessary option to maintain the delicate environment of the pond.
The Firestone pond liner is constructed to resist the severe effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Besides, it is made from thick EPDM rubber that includes no detrimental carcinogens, the liner is great for keeping fish and plants.
What’s more, the pond liner is flexible, letting you shape it according to your creativity, a curved design, around the pond, or a pond that has steep sides. Or if you want to build a stunning, natural-looking waterfall to improve your backyard’s look, the liner can accommodate any sort of water feature.
Beyond showing an impressive, consistent resistance to harsh temperatures and being able to protect your pond from detrimental bacteria, the PondGard pond liner comprises no migrating plasticizers, so there will be no splitting or cracking of the material.
7. AQUANIQUE Pond Skins Pond Liner
The Aquanique Pond Skins Pond Liner is specially made for residential medium-sized Koi ponds up to 500 gallons in capacity. However, this pond line will conform to unique corners and contours, no matter what shape of the pond you want to build.
The Aquanique liner is constructed from durable PVC, reinforced with a great polyester weave. It is put between the layers of PVC, which is resistant to puncture and can handle high water pressure. In addition, it has incredible flexibility and can be adhered to skimmers, pipes, hoses, and waterfall filters.
This pond liner is also UV-resistant, blocking any deterioration from the sun. While offering a safe and healthy environment where your fish and plants will grow, the liner includes a standard 20-year warranty.
Our Suggested Picks For Best Pond Liners
| # | Product Name | Image | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algreen Avonlea Pond Kit |
| $$ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 2 | Aquascape 85009 EPDM Rubber Liner |
| $$ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 3 | Aquascape DIY Backyard Pond Kit |
| $$$$ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 4 | Aquascape Aquatic Patio Pond Planter |
| $$$ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 5 | TotalPond Pond Skins Pond Liner |
| $ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 6 | Firestone PondGard Rubber Pond Liner |
| $$ | Buy on Amazon! |
| 7 | AQUANIQUE Pond Skins Pond Liner |
| $ | Buy on Amazon! |
Any of those pond liners are proper for establishing a nice pond or water garden. As mentioned earlier, PVC is lightweight and simple to handle but has a short lifespan.
EPDM is the favorite choice of professionals, particularly for larger ponds.
If you’re building a small water garden or pond (around 200 to 400 gallons) and stay on a tight budget, you should go for an economical PVC liner,
EPDM is the go-to option for bigger ponds, particularly in locations with rock and root puncture potential. The additional weight and cost will be outweighed by the more prolonged guarantee and peace of mind knowing you have used the best pond liner on the market.
