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Gardening Tips & Advice
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Pond Liners
Choosing the right
pond liner will ensure that your garden pond gives a beautiful looking
result and years of enjoyment to you and your family. Pond liners
are widely available but knowing which type of liner you need is
essential in achieving a satisfactory result.
Four of the most common Pond
Liner materials
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EPDM (Ethylene
Propylene Diene Monomer) liners are a synthetic rubber material and
make an excellent choice for ponds. EPDM is highly flexible, U.V.
stable, resistant to air pollution, has a lifespan of 20 years, is
non-toxic to plants and fish and it performs well in colder
climates. EPDM is one of the least expensive of all pond lining
materials.
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PVC (Polyvinyl
chloride) liners are a highly flexible, easy to work with synthetic
vinyl. Pond liners from PVC are U.V. stable as long as not exposed
to direct sunlight, long lasting and safe for plants and fish. PVC
liners have a lifespan of 10 years or more. One drawback with PVC
liners is they are slightly less resistant to freezing temperatures
and have been known to crack along the folds during winter.
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HDPE (High
Density Polyethylene) liners are a thermoplastic material that is
tough and resistant to chemicals. HDPE liners are fish and plant
safe, inexpensive and can last for 20 years. It is the least
flexible of pond lining materials and can be difficult to work with
in colder climates but is still quite popular in pond construction.
HDPE liners are very stable and have the same life expectancy as
PVC but are generally less expensive. HDPE liners are
sometimes less readily available.
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Butyl rubber pond
liners are UV resistant and generally have a 20 year lifespan.
However, some types of these liners may contain toxic ingredients
that can leach into the water. These liners are not readily
available, very expensive, do not come in many sizes and are
difficult to patch. Butyl rubber liners are flexible, but are thick
and can be hard to fold at corners and curves. |
Use a good pond liner underlay
Whichever type of
pond liner you choose, it is absolutely essential that before you lay
it, you use a good pond underlay material. Some pond builders have
used regular carpet underlay or even old carpet or burlap, but beware of these
choices as they will break down over time and expose your pond liner
to sharp rocks. With the effort involved in constructing your own
garden pond, it isn't wise to skimp on the pond underlay.
Thoughtful choices of high quality liner materials will ensure that
your pond turns out to be as spectacular as you plan. For a closer look
at pond liners and underlay, check these
suppliers of
pond liners we have reviewed.
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