Rebuilding an old concrete pond

[Lexx]

We have an irregularly shaped approx 20x20 concrete pond at the front of the house. It's old and the concrete is flaking off and cracked in many areas. I would like to redo this thing, but I really don't know how. All the electrical was destroyed by the contractor when we redid the house. Fortunately solar pumps are now available.

I'm not sure if this concrete can even be patched. I thought about using a rubber coating over it all, but I'm not sure the rubber will work ok over the areas where the concrete is flaked.

Alternatively I could use an EPDM liner. The problem with the liner is, how would I finish it where the waterfall rocks are? Normally folks hide the edge of the liner with various types of rocks. That's not possible unless I pull the entire liner over the waterfall rocks, and that would be unsightly as that part of the rocks will always remain exposed.

I'd love to hear thoughts on the proper way to fix this thing.

Here you can see some of the flaking concrete:

You can see the waterfall rocks. How would one terminate an EPDM liner in this situation? The water is supposed to flow down between the rocks. The liner would need to terminate where the concrete changes to the "rocks". By what method could that be accomplished?

View from the top.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

 

[j.w]

@Lexx
Liner would work well on the pond but I'm not sure how to deal w/the rocks. There's gotta be a way and hopefully someone else will know what to do. It's a nice looking pond!

 

[Laaf]

I would talk with a concrete company and pool company to see if they could refinish the concrete and repair the damaged areas. That would be more durable than painting and easier for you than adding a liner.

If it is too much $$, look at you patching the concrete, then painting with waterproofing over all of it. It would have to be well cleaned and treated for the waterproofing material to stick.

You even have an ideal upper area for a bog.

It is a sweet setup!

Laaf

 

[Mmathis]

@Laaf Hi there! I see you’re new here! Welcome!

 

[Lexx]

I think a pool company would charge too much $$$ to redo this. I doubt this thing has the proper rebar underneath of it all. I suppose they could still shotcrete it, but at the end of the day it'll probably leak again.

I was thinking of getting some epoxy concrete patch to seal up the damaged areas, and then roll a bunch of liquid rubber type material over it. The polymer should make it waterproof I would think.

I would talk with a concrete company and pool company to see if they could refinish the concrete and repair the damaged areas. That would be more durable than painting and easier for you than adding a liner.

If it is too much $$, look at you patching the concrete, then painting with waterproofing over all of it. It would have to be well cleaned and treated for the waterproofing material to stick.

You even have an ideal upper area for a bog.

It is a sweet setup!

Laaf

 

[j.w]

@Laaf

 

[j.w]

@Lexx not sure if PL roofing glue will work on concrete but some here use it for stuff. I have never used it tho. Maybe it would hold the liner in place under water on the rocks? There is a concrete version I found online called https://www.lepage.ca/en/lepage-pro...polyurethane_concretecrackmasonrysealant.html

 

[Mmathis]

@j.w That looks pretty good! Have you used it much?

 

[addy1]

I would patch the concrete. I bet with a bit a work you could make it waterproof.

Welcome to our forum!

 

[GBBUDD]

From what I can see it looks like the water proofing is what is failing. It appears there is a two part system to your pond now if you have loose or cracks in the lower level the dark gray thats the structural part of your pond the areas you have shown are a skim coat of probably plaster just like a swimiming pool. Once it starts flaking as you called it that will all need to be removed. The easiest way is with a demo hammer " small jack hammer like a cordless drill. You don't need a 90 pound jack hammer . Again if its only the top coat. You just need to remove all the loose and flaking concrete and the patch with plaster or another skim coating water proofing material. . Once that is done you can go even further and add a liquid based sealer as well for any alagatering that would leach water out slowly. So those who recomened a pool company are right they would be the most experienced at this task but its definitely not so technical involved that you can't do it your self. Try you tube for patching a plaster wall in a pool. . The epm I would only consider if you reduce the waterfall area.

 

[j.w]

@j.w That looks pretty good! Have you used it much?

I've never used it like I said in the post but I have heard others here say the PL stuff is good for sealing.

 

[GBBUDD]

Sorry that was not reduce but re-due

 

[Lexx]

This makes sense. At first I thought the stuff under the flaking layer was just dirt, but that can't be. It it were, this stuff would have flaked off and cracked many ages ago. Removing all of the flaking plaster looks like it's a pretty big job. I can actually feel it peeling as I walk on it, due due to the separation of the layers.

I'm worried that a jackhammer would actually damage the material underneath. This stuff is very fragile. Maybe I can just try scraping it off with a shovel. It seems to be that loose in many areas.

Applying a new skim coat though, sounds like something best left to a pool plastering company. I will look at some youtube videos though.

Thank you!

From what I can see it looks like the water proofing is what is failing. It appears there is a two part system to your pond now if you have loose or cracks in the lower level the dark gray thats the structural part of your pond the areas you have shown are a skim coat of probably plaster just like a swimiming pool. Once it starts flaking as you called it that will all need to be removed. The easiest way is with a demo hammer " small jack hammer like a cordless drill. You don't need a 90 pound jack hammer . Again if its only the top coat. You just need to remove all the loose and flaking concrete and the patch with plaster or another skim coating water proofing material. . Once that is done you can go even further and add a liquid based sealer as well for any alagatering that would leach water out slowly. So those who recomened a pool company are right they would be the most experienced at this task but its definitely not so technical involved that you can't do it your self. Try you tube for patching a plaster wall in a pool. . The epm I would only consider if you reduce the waterfall area.

 

[GBBUDD]

I was saying you don't need a jack hammer. But what is called a demo hammer or a hammer drill that you can shift to hammer only and no drill they are light weight comparatively . Youtube removeing plaster with a demo hammer its going to probably show it on walls but its the same idea and as far as applying new plaster yes I would hire a pro if the consistency is to dry it wont stick if its too wet it will be brittle when it dries and won't last " sound familiar" but if you get most of the plaster off it will save you a lot of money a skilled plaster guy / Mason can skim coat your pond in a half day i would estimate .