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Seven Important Facts To
Know About EPDM Pond Liners

About EPDM Fish Friendly Pond Liners

Do you have a particular pond design in mind and preformed ponds do not have the shape you're looking for? Don't worry. You can actually build your dream pond using flexible liners such as the ever durable EPDM liners.

EPDM DEFINED: EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer. See why it goes by EPDM? Just think of it as a kind of rubber specifically designed to withstand wet and underwater surroundings and you'll be fine.

Now EPDM pond liners typically come in large rolled sheets.

They are also built to be thick and durable so they are sure to last a long time. If installed properly, they can last for over a decade or two making for a long lasting foundation for your pond.

This type of liner is very resistant to UV rays. So it's a good choice if your site will be in full sun. It also holds up to the cold well. Giving you excellent year round performance.

Given the flexibility, this type of liner can adapt to any design, shape or size of pond. And it's the one that can result in the most natural looking finished product.

Here's How to Have the Fish Pond or Water Garden You've Always Dreamed of!

Pond Tip: Generally you'll want to use pavers or flat stones of some sort to edge the pond anyway naturally. And when this is done right, the liner will be next to impossible to detect.

Another advantage of EPDM liners is that you can design your pond according to how you want it to look. Thus, your pond design is not limited to some manufacturer's design as those using preformed pond liners might be. They are also generally easy to install.

And I said generally easy. One of the complaints about the EPDM material is that they may be heavier than PVC or polyethylene liners. They can also be a challenge when it comes to maneuvering the corners of the pond. Nevertheless, they still are a popular choice among waterscaping professionals in the United States because of the flexibility and resilience provided.

Another drawback is this is likely one of your most expensive pond lining materials. So again some might complain that it's expensive compared to some of your other options. In a sense this is a quality/price decision. Do you want the best pond liner you can get or do you want to cut corners on what is likely the most important piece of the pond building puzzle?

Once you've settled on installing an EPDM liner in your pond, one factor that you should keep in mind is the pond size. If you are building a pond smaller than 8 feet in diameter and less deep than 1.5 feet, you may go for those liners in pre-measured lengths. If your pond size is larger, then you need to purchase your EPDM liner by the square foot.

EPDM pond liners can be purchased in various stores including home improvement stores, swimming pool retailers, and various pond suppliers. They can also be purchased online. You will likely find the the 45 mil EPDM liner to be tough, flexible and very reliable.

Pond Tip: It's still wise to protect even a tough liner like EPDM from rocks and roots. To achieve that you want to layer a couple of inches of loosely tamped builder's sand along the bottom of your excavation. For best results it should be smooth and even. To take that a step further, you can put down some old carpeting or buy underlayment designed specifically for ponds. This can be found in water gardening catalogs or online.

EPDM liners have revolutionized pond building putting backyard ponds within reach of even homeowners who last name isn't Gates. Such liners have cut the time between conception to installation to enjoyment fairly significantly. Anymore you can come up with your design one day and be laying liner almost the next day. Pond installation can almost go that fast anymore.

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