Does a pond hole have to be perfect before underlay and liner installation?

[addy1]

Yep raise the low side . I built on a major slope it was a real pain getting all level.

 

[Bluerooster]

Just lift the liner, and shovel some dirt under it until it's at the proper level. Leave the stones in place while you do this.

 

[mgmine]

Look for some old carpet at the curb or a carpet store. Make sure all the staples are out then line the pond with that. If you could find a swimming pool liner that would be a big help and would be put in before the carpet. The condition of the hole wouldn't make much difference because there would be so much padding.

 

[Heruga]

So I’m near done but when I fill the edges with soil to hide the liner(already folded under stones) how do I prevent it from washing in the pond? Do I use foam sealer or something?

 

[Jhn]

So I’m near done but when I fill the edges with soil to hide the liner(already folded under stones) how do I prevent it from washing in the pond? Do I use foam sealer or something?
View attachment 135519

Fold the liner up off the ground against the stone, then place soil/mulch up against it hiding the liner. This also builds the ground next to the pond up higher than the surrounding ground, so went it rains runoff will always go away from the pond.

 

[Lisak1]

Yup - like @Jhn said... make a "liner sandwich" with rock on the inside and dirt or mulch on the outside. The liner should be standing up against the back of the rock, so you may need to fold it a few more times to keep the top edge of the liner just below the top of the rock.

 

[Heruga]

So that would mean I would have to invest in quite a bit of topsoil or mulch. If I do mulch, will it be strong enough to hold the liner in place? I’m a bit worried it might just flop back down on the ground.

 

[Lisak1]

So that would mean I would have to invest in quite a bit of topsoil or mulch. If I do mulch, will it be strong enough to hold the liner in place? I’m a bit worried it might just flop back down on the ground.

Yes, mulch may not hold it, especially if you have a lot of extra liner. I wouldn't even worry about using good topsoil. We packed ours in with good hard clay. You can also use cobble stones or even put another big rock behind your edging rock - create a small pocket between them and fill that with dirt for planting something. Plants will help a lot - you end up hiding a whole lot of that rock with plantings, which helps make everything look more natural. And you can also use plants behind your rocks on the outside to help hold and conceal that liner. Ground covers work great to help hold your edge in place, keep things from blowing or washing into the pond and just look pretty!

But you may have way more liner than you need - if it's more than you can manage to conceal, don't be afraid to trim it back. I know - everyone says don't cut your liner, but you won't need two or three extra feet.

 

[addy1]

So that would mean I would have to invest in quite a bit of topsoil or mulch. If I do mulch, will it be strong enough to hold the liner in place? I’m a bit worried it might just flop back down on the ground.

I would move the rocks (I know a lot of work) put some more dirt below them until they are above the surrounding ground level. Place the liner and the rocks on top of that dirt. Run off problem fixed. You could then trim back and or fold under the extra liner so it is all below the rocks.

 

[GBBUDD]

You have all you need, You just have to re- work a few things . you have two rows of larger rocks on the left side of the pond thats perfect. you want the row that is closest to the open water to be sitting on a shelf that is only a inch or so deep so that the rock looks like it is coming out of the water. make this level a couple inches below the outside grade level of the surrounding soil outside the pond. you might need to roll back the rubber to take soil out or even add some soil. then fold the rubber over a t a spot along this rock close to the highest point of the rock but not so close you can't hide it with rocks to be placed aside of the first rock or some soil on top or grael or river rock . maybe some moss or even a log anything and everything to hide the rubber heck if you want a thick rope running around the pond to hide the rubber it all works its your pond

 

[GBBUDD]

by the way click on the notes in the post above it shows a little sketch of what i am talking about.
i should also add t5hat anywhere the rubber is folded as is shown in the photo water can wick in between the folds in folds that are only a inch or two high thus leaking and that is often a nightmare to track down where you are loosing water from

 

[addy1]

my green fish rendition of a rock edge and liner

 

[Heruga]

Thanks everyone, I will see what I can do and keep you updated. Addy, do those green stripings on the edges represent soil and plants?

 

[addy1]

yep a green fish and green dirt and green plants lol. The black is the liner. But the water is BLue! lol

 

[Lisak1]

It's @addy1 's classic green fish rendering!