When you are ready to put a pond into your yard, there are things to consider before that first shovelful of dirt comes out. We will take a look at one aspect of planning for a pond: Liner or concrete?
Here at Colorado Pond Pros, we receive calls about all sorts of ponds. One of the typical calls I get is a call for help with a leaky pond. Often someone has a beautiful pond that they have loved for years but it is now leaking and it’s concrete.
One of our most common jobs is to remove a concrete pond and rebuild it using liner, rocks and gravel. We actually specialize in building ponds that have a natural look – like one that you may walk up to on a Colorado mountain hike. We help these man-made ponds become balanced ecosystems. Why work against Mother Nature? Let’s work with her!
There are certainly concrete ponds that exist that people have enjoyed for a long time. However, they do not lend themselves to being a low maintenance ecosystem pond. The freeze and thaw cycle here in Colorado is really hard on concrete. We have strong sun in the summer, dry weather and then freezing cold! The earth settles and the support under a concrete pond can change. These factors lead to eventual leaks.
Ponds that have a 40 mil epdm liner aren’t as susceptible to these type of issues. When a liner pond is losing water, low liner can be found and pulled up. Even if there is a small tear in liner, it can be patched. Often the liner just needs to be pulled up and supported. When liner is protected from the elements by rocks and gravel, it can last for decades.
The word on concrete
A very nice customer called the other day about a cleanout. She and her husband had built their own pond and had used liner. A few minutes later she mentioned that they were the owners of a local concrete company. I asked her why they had chosen not to build a concrete pond. She told me that while concrete is great for a variety of things, that over time it will crack in a pond situation. I asked her about some type of sealant to repair a concrete pond and she said that while sealant is great in many cases, it is not a good solution in a pond.
Natural looking ponds
It was really great to hear her thoughts on concrete. We know that using boulders to create a natural look is really difficult in a concrete situation. Rocks not only give a natural look, but when we add 3/4″ gravel in the bottom (not too deep) then we are giving beneficial bacteria a place to colonize. Read more about beneficial bacteria HERE (spoiler alert: it helps keep a pond looking good!)
Building a new pond with 40 mil epdm liner can avoid issues with cracking concrete. Want to save thousands of dollars and frustration? Have a professional build your pond! Just give us a call! 303-775-0224
