Installing a Flexible/Stretchable Backyard Pond skin Liner
Flexible pond liners is your best choice for when you are building a pond that is too large for any prefabricated(rigid liner) or you may find that the styles that are available with the more rigid style do not accommodate what you want to incorporate into your backyard decor.
The flexible liners give you a wider choice for your overall size and shape of the pond, the only downside of a flexible liner is that you may have some folds and wrinkles that are in the pond or in the edges. Once water is added you will not visually be able to see them. With this technique you are only limited to your imagination of what you want to create.
Measuring for the Proper Pond Liner Size
To be able to find out how much actual liner that you will need for your design you need to calculate the overall liner width by measure across your pond and adding another 2 feet for the overhang. You then have to calculate and added into the equation twice the maximum depth of the pool. This will give you an overall measurement for how much material you would need.
As an easy calculation you have a pond that is 2 feet deep, 9 feet wide and roughly about 12 feet long. To calculate this measurement you would add 4 feet plus the 9 feet plus the 2 feet providing (15 feet). Now to calculate the length that you would need for this size of pond would be to add 2 feet for each side (4 feet) plus the 12 foot length plus the 2 foot depth providing you with (18 feet).
Types of Flexible Pond skin Liners
- Polyethylene: This is typically only a very short live type of a pool liner because it will easily crack and tear after an extended use from the weather and sun. A lot of other liners can last up to 2 to 3 years if you are installing two layers that are 500 gauge sheeting. An extended lifecycle can be found with the more expensive liners.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): This is a very strong and flexible type of liner that can be stretched and not worry about tears or structural damage. You will get a life span of typically around 10 to 15 years providing you with a stronger more durable choice for your pool liner.
- Synthetic Rubber Sheeting: This is a new technology and evolution of flexible pond liners. There are two types on the market (EPDM) and butyl rubber. These are the most flexible materials and are both very durable and highly recommended for aquatic life. Because of the elasticity of the material is not typically prone to fail under ice pressure or any other type of earth movement. It is a very stretchable material that still has a thickness of (EPDM) 45 mil and butyl rubber 30 mil. Both have a tremendously long life span of 20 years and are considered a very reasonable and affordable because of the lifespan for a pool liner.
Installing a Flexible Pond skin Liner Step-By-Step
- Adding a Base Cushion: This is a very important step as you want to try to protect the liner from any kind of punctures from the weight of the water. Make sure you have taken out any rocks or finish off any sharp edges that might be protruding inside of your pond that you have dug. To add a cushion between your pond liner and the rigid dirt is typically recommended that you can use moist sand or and old carpet underlayment that you can use on the walls. There is also a commercial grade underlayment that is particularly made for water garden's that allow you to cover both the sides and the bottom of your pond to help protect it. Because sand may not build up to the level you want and using old carpet may be a pain to cut all the angles and corners, it is recommended that you purchase the commercial pond underlayment that makes it easy to help you protect the corners and curves of your pond. Typically you want to have the underlayment for your pond a minimum of a half-inch up to 2 inches thick.
- Positioning the Liner in Pool: It is recommended that you lay the liner out in the warm sun to make it a lot easier to work with as the material can get very heavy and harder to work with when it is first opened up. You then want to take the liner and pull it over top of the main hole letting it draped down into the pond area and loosely fitting over top of your extended shelf. Lift and flap the liner like a sheet allowing you to use air flow to help you lay down the liner properly into place. You then want to make sure that it is anchored in place properly by putting stones along the edges of the liner itself. It is very important that you do not stretch the liner as it supposed to sit relaxed with no pressure on the inside of the pool.
- Adjusting the Liner for Fit: The best way to help you fit the liner up against your underlayment is to add a few inches of water to the inside of the pool which helps to put pressure and lay down the liner. This is where you go around and tuck and pull and push allowing you to complete the liner install so that it fits the contour and shape of the inside of the pool properly without any stress. Allowing for a little bit of soil movement after you have filled your pond is to leave a little bit of extra liner on the bottom of the pond. This helps with the overall movement of the ground afterwards.
- Preparing the Pond for Edging: Add some more water to the liner and adjust by moving the liner around a bit more allowing it to sit naturally where it's going to. Fill it up with more water just below the edge of the shelf that you are working on. By leaving as much extra material hanging over the edges trim the liner where necessary.
- Decorative Edging/Finishing Touch: This is where your overall theme and design will come into play. You can finish off the edge of your pond using a decorative boulder stones or a very popular choice would be to surround it with flagstone or a nice complemented type of tumbled bricks. Whatever you choose this will be your finishing touch that will hide the excess of liner that is left over. Make sure that you dig your shelf level on the outside edge enough to have at least two layers of this rock or whatever you are using for your finished edges. After you put the first layer of rocks on top of the liner pull the liner over top of those rocks and lay another shelf of rocks on top. This will allow you to fill the pond up to the first layer of stone that you applied. Finishing off your liner edge would be to do a final trim and Pat it down out of sight.
Building your backyard pond process:
- Building a backyard pond
- Digging out your pond
- Build your pond with a rigid pond liner
- Selecting a Pump for Your Water Garden
- Backyard pond maintenance tips
The Flexible Pond skin Liner Has Many Benefits
As you can see it is very straightforward in how you should install your flexible pond liner and how much of a greater choice it can actually give you for the size and shape of the pond that you would love to create. By installing a pump you will be able to have a top sprayer such as a bell fountain or you could incorporate a beautiful small water fall flowing into your pond.
Whatever design or style that you want to add you will discover that it is one of the best features that you will be able to install in your yard that will not only attract birds and other wildlife into your backyard. This will also provide you with a feng shui element of water that will give you an overall sense of relaxation, stress relief and calming.
Wall Water Fountains Can Add a Special Pond Feature
Wall Water Fountains are a unique centerpiece for your home that will add a touch of class and elegance.Wall water fountains are also a beautiful piece of unique artwork.
Bird Baths Are a Great Way to Attract Birds with Water
Adding a Bird Bath to your garden decor is not only a beautiful garden decoration with sound but it also provides so much to the wildlife of your backyard.Many of the fountains that you will find are both for aesthetics and providing resources for your birding environment.
