If the preform is not fiberglass or polypropylene odds are it is going to fail much sooner than all your hard work will want to spend remaking the pond.
New molded pond project
- Thread starter gerryman
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I feel like people always assume the preform ponds will be easier than a liner. Liner is so forgiving, adapts to any shape, needs no support, will never crack or shift. All it needs is a hole free from sharp objects. We had a preform pond kit for years - MIL bought it from a garage sale - it never left the garage until we sold it to someone else. Just not worth the effort.
My neighbor had a preform in a big raised bed garden - like the absolute most perfect dirt and opportunity to level the base possible. Just two years in, the thing cracked. I gave him a piece of leftover liner. He dropped that in the hole he already had dug, filled it with water, and it's been there for almost 10 years without any issue.
Sorry for hijacking @gerryman - I hope you have all the luck in the world. But I do like to warn people off these preform ponds when there's an easier way that is nearly fool proof.
My neighbor had a preform in a big raised bed garden - like the absolute most perfect dirt and opportunity to level the base possible. Just two years in, the thing cracked. I gave him a piece of leftover liner. He dropped that in the hole he already had dug, filled it with water, and it's been there for almost 10 years without any issue.
Sorry for hijacking @gerryman - I hope you have all the luck in the world. But I do like to warn people off these preform ponds when there's an easier way that is nearly fool proof.
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I do appreciate your advice but I am were I am half way thru ...pond is on site.as we speak it is 7mm tick...bottom and middle sections will be in ground with BACKFILL and top section will be support all round...I'll keep all informed as I go along..much appreciated
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This is what we are using
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Not sure what your showing with the specs but from the look of the preform it's fiberglass. Still critical to get a good packing under everything but also very hard to do and even harder to maintain. Just remember to step in lightly and you should be fine. Jacuzzi are made from fiberglass with only a spray foam to give it a little reinforcing
j.w
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Wonder if it would help under those preforms to put a layer of foam rubber to make it more cushioned to walk on or does it need to be hard solid totally?
j.w
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I learned never to say never,lol!
I wasn't suggesting you change course at this point. I just always think of the next potential pond owner who will read this forum and be thinking about how they should go about their project. The preform pond seems like the dummy proof way to go when it reality it takes some real skill to install properly. And even with all the preparation done correctly, the ground can still settle, the earth can shift, frost heaving can happen... the earth is always changing. A liner pond can simply shift and move with the earth. You won't read about a preform pond that's been in the ground for 20 or 30 years like you will a liner pond.
i have pulled out an old fiberglass preform years ago and it was pretty obvious it had been in its location a good many years as tree roots that were rather thick were grown right up against the tub. but everything has a shelf life and whee fiberglass can flex a little and is much stronger than the lowes preforms they too can fail over time.