backyard ponds

Backyard Ponds > Preformed Pond Liners

Know When Preformed
Pond Liners Make Sense?

Check Out the Pros and Cons of Pre-formed Pond Liners

Creating a pond right in your own backyard is a good decision indeed. Not only does it enhance the aesthetics of your garden, but it also is a brilliant place for de-stressing yourself. If you want an easy way of building your pond, preformed pond liners may be your best option.

Preformed Pond Liners Defined: A molded piece of fiberglass or rigid polyethylene plastic that has been formed into some pond like shape. These fish friendly liners may remind you of black wading pools.

Preformed liners come in a variety of sizes, depths, and shapes. They have been preformed which means that they have already been molded into different shapes. Before you break out the shovels certain things must be considered in choosing among preformed pond liners.

Location and Pond Use
Before gathering all materials necessary for building your pond, you first need to consider the location of your pond. Once you've chosen the perfect location, measure the spot. How large you want the pond to be depends on how you want it or how you use it for. Is it plainly a garden pond? Do you intend to place fish into your pond?

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

Pond Size
Preformed pond liners come in different sizes and depths. The liner you need to choose must match the measurement of the pond you intend to create. Knowing the pond use will allow you to determine how large and deep your pond should be. Fish pond especially koi ponds would usually require a bigger and deeper liner. Of course, you also need to consider how much space your yard can accommodate for installing a pond.

Pond Shape
One advantage of preformed pond liners is you've got various pond shapes ready. If you want to achieve a more natural setting, go for a pond liner that is kidney-shaped or irregularly-shaped. On the other hand, a round or rectangular-shaped liner would be ideal for a formal setting.

Preformed Pros and Cons

Pros:
Easy to install. With a standard pre-formed water garden pond liner you already know the size and shape of the hole to dig. Some consider this to be a plus. Just make it about six inches wider than the pre-formed pond and you're set. Then back fill the space around your pond with builders sand. You can even get interlocking plastic pieces that you can form into a streambed if you wish.

Preformed ponds are less likely to develop a leak.

Often sold as part of a pond in a box, you can get these as part of a kit that contains everything you need including the shell, underlayment and pumps. Think of it a as a one stop shopping solution for pond construction.

Pond Tip: Some say fiberglass preformed ponds may be easier to install, patch, and perhaps will hold up best over time. Not sure that's correct. But you may hear that during visits to local water garden supply stores.

Easier to clean at the end of the season. Just dump it out, wipe away the algae and you're set for another season.

Cons:
Too limiting when it comes to shape and size. The biggest you might find will still be under 350 gallons which may make them too small for most aquatic plant and koi or goldfish.

The edges are harder to conceal to get a naturalized look. In many applications it always looks like you've got a preformed pond in place.

Pond Tip: Whatever type of stone you use, be sure to have most of the weight resting on the ground around the liner instead of the lip of the liner itself.

They also don't take freezing all that well making it unlikely you'll be able to safely over winter your fish in such a pond if you live in a northern part of the country.

In your quest for the perfect liner, you should consider the pros and cons of rigid liners so that you end up with a pond that will perform to your expectations. Yes this is a simpler way to get started. But does that make it better or not?

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A basic requirement for any water feature is ability to hold water. Which is why picking the right koi pond liners are an important consideration in the pond construction phase of the project.

Those looking for a tough yet flexible pond lining material that still offers ease of installation should definitely consider EPDM pond liners. Find out why.