starting from the beginning

[tom213]

some do, was looking for one with a couple levels, so may have to make a stage for some of it to rest on.

 

[CeeJayH]

When I built mine, I put concrete footings in to support the block walls, then laid concrete blocks flat. Then on the sides I put the top layer on edge so as to form a shelf.

We then installed the liner and the timber rails clamped the liner in place. See my showcase for photos during construction.

 

[mgmine]

thanks for all the replies, it will definatley help whichever way i go,

maybe a daft question, but do i need to put a concrete foundation down to stop sinking or subsidence? thanks

Yes you need a footing to put the blocks on. Without a level footing you will be able to stack the blocks straight. As far as the rebar yes again this is what is needed to tie the blocks into the footing and hold everything together. Depending on how cold it gets you may have to go down to the frost line. Check with your building code department to see if they consider this a permanent installation and if so what do they require.

 

[tom213]

When I built mine, I put concrete footings in to support the block walls, then laid concrete blocks flat. Then on the sides I put the top layer on edge so as to form a shelf.

We then installed the liner and the timber rails clamped the liner in place. See my showcase for photos during construction.
View attachment 85248 View attachment 85249

cee jay did you use rebar or brick up from your foundations?

im on to a winner today, found a liner to fit a 10ft by 15ft by 3ft pond for £40

its 1mm thick, will this be enough?

 

[tbendl]

Nope! I think the recommended is 45 mil. 1 mil won't hold up for long.

 

[tbendl]

I put in a recycled tarp last year which I think was like 17 mil and it's starting to bubble in places. I wish I'd listened and bought a better liner to start since I will eventually have to completely redo the pond.

 

[addy1]

I put in a recycled tarp last year which I think was like 17 mil and it's starting to bubble in places. I wish I'd listened and bought a better liner to start since I will eventually have to completely redo the pond.

lol we tried to make you listen, ms tbendl!

 

[tbendl]

Whaaaat???

 

[Mmathis]

Why not check out You Tube for videos on pond building. There you might find answers to your questions about wall thickness, support, foundations, etc.

And you probably will want to have the dimensions completely figured out before you buy the liner, since sometimes we do change our minds during the construction phase, and it would be a shame to buy liner, then decide you want to go deeper or wider. Then you're stuck. There is an easy way to figure liner size (well, other than Googling it) -- it's "depth x 2 + width = width / depth x 2 + length = length" then add a couple more feet on either end. And agree with Tbendl that 1mil isn't very thick for a pond liner. Is it rubber? For most of us I think the cost of the liner was a major chunk of the pond budget, so you don't want to cut too many corners.

 

[EricV]

Nope! I think the recommended is 45 mil. 1 mil won't hold up for long.

One mm is 39 mil (39/1000 of an inch). This 1mm liner could actually be 45 mil by a different name

 

[tbendl]

Ahhh thank you EricV, I kept thinking that was really really thin. Thanks for the clarity check, I had no idea the 1mm=39 mil.

 

[EricV]

Yeah. I bet saran wrap is more than one *mil* thick.

 

[tom213]

isnt the mil your on about imperial so thousands of an inch whereas the one im thinking of is 1mm metric so 40thou or mil?

 

[CeeJayH]

cee jay did you use rebar or brick up from your foundations?

im on to a winner today, found a liner to fit a 10ft by 15ft by 3ft pond for £40

its 1mm thick, will this be enough?

I just bricked them up, but they were laid flat, so 18" x 9" surface area.
I'd go for much thicker than 1mm. The volume of water presses the liner hard against blockwork, so that you can feel the rough surface through the liner. A thin liner will puncture easily.
Chris

 

[Meyer Jordan]

One mm is 39 mil (39/1000 of an inch). This 1mm liner could actually be 45 mil by a different name

Good catch, Eric.
This does beg the question: If this is sold as 1mm liner, what is its composition? EPDM, PVC, vinyl, polyethylene, some other?