How to Choose a Pond Liner
When you decide to make a pond for your garden you will have to decide whether to use a flexible or pre-formed liner. Flexible liners are available in a number of qualities and sizes. The quality of the liner is usually indicated by the length of guarantee that the manufacturer allocates to it. Pre-formed liners are usually made out of HDP, a type of plastic, or fibreglass. Whilst pre-formed liners offer a quick, ready made shape for installation, they do limit the amount of landscaping features which can be incorporated into the design of the pond. We always prefer to work with flexible liners which we feel enable the creation of the best overall design benefiting the plants and fish it will contain.

Step 1
Sizing the Liner. A simple calculation is used to determine what size of liner you require to line the excavation adequately. (More details are available on information page ''Information Helping You to Make a Lined Pond''.) To calculate the required liner size measure the maximum length, the maximum width and the maximum depth of the excavation. Double the maximum depth and add this value on to both the length and the width which gives you the maximum sheet size required. It is prudent to add between six to twelve inches on to the size calculated to allow for overlap, flag or stonework securing, etc.

Example: Your final excavation measures: length 6 ft x width 4 ft x depth 2 ft. Double the depth is 2 x 2 = 4. Add this on to the length and width and they become 6 + 4 = 10 and 4 + 4 = 8. This then (10 x 8) is the exact sheet size required. Don't forget you may wish to add as explained above a little extra to allow for overlap.

Step 2
Choosing the Liner Grade. Decide which grade of liner you feel comfortable with. On this website you will find a number of flexible lining materials which are guaranteed for various periods. Obviously, the longer the guarantee period the more expensive the liner. Our starting grade liner comes with a fifteen year manufacturer's warranty. The warranty covers failure of the liner during the guarantee period from manufacturing defects, frost and ultra violet (sunlight) damage. Cheaper liners are often a little stiffer and less malleable to work with but this is only a marginal consideration. The fifteen year material is actually better suited to stream and waterfall construction because of its slightly thicker fabrication than are the more expensive grades.

Step 3
Picking the Liner. You now know which size and grade of liner you would like. From the Lifeforce detailed product pages choose the liner which is the nearest in size to the one you have calculated is required. If the exact size is not available always choose the next size larger as a smaller one will not adequately line the excavation.

Other Notes
You will hear or read about a whole variety of flexible liner types, often with conflicting comments and advice. Our experience tells us that the liners provided by the major manufacturers are all of good quality and there is often very little to choose between them. Contrary to popular (and now outdated) opinion butyl liners are probably not the best available. Modern stabilised PVCs are every bit as good. We have worked, on real landscaping projects, with all the materials we sell and are happy to recommend them.