Happy Trails Photography by CJMcKendry / Getty Images
A pond is ayard landscaping ideathat everyone loves.
A water feature always attracts attention, and it quickly becomes the center of social activities.
Learn how to make apond that’s both easy to maintainand a major enhancement for your home.
Happy Trails Photography by CJMcKendry / Getty Images
The sun will soften the material.
Permits and Codes
Check with your city permit office about permits for building residential garden ponds.
Ponds under a certain depth and volume may notrequire a permit.
Installing anoutdoor GFCI outletfor a pond pump or filter will require an electrical permit.
Step back and view the pond from all angles.
Add one more foot on all sides to allow enough liner to extend beyond the pond rim.
Excavate the Dirt
Dig the pond perimeter by following the inside of the garden hose shape.
Use the flat shovel to dig.
Sculpt the Pond Shape
Sculpt the inside of the hole to the intended pond shape.
Aim for smooth slopes and curves.
Terrace upward for tall walls, each step about five to seven inches high.
Add the Liner Underlayment
Start at the bottom of the pond and open up the liner underlayment.
The underlayment should fit the pond’s contours and extend another foot or two past the rim.
What Is Pond Underlayment?
Tip
Gently fold the liner into the tight curves.
The water pressure will eventually press the liner flat against the sides of the pond.
Add Decorative Stonework
Spread small, smooth stones on the bottom of the pond.
Add flat stones like flagstones on the rim to cover up the pond liner.
fire off the electrical cord up the side of the pond.
Plug it into a GFCI outlet.
Fill the Pond
With a goodgarden hose, fill the pond with water.
Stop filling at two to three inches from the rim of the pond.
A cheap, budget-friendly way to make a pond is to build it without a traditional liner.
Garden ponds tend to be from 18 inches to 36 inches deep.
Fish and other wildlife dependent on the pond may require greater depths.
Shallow ponds experience temperature spikes, which can cause excessive algae growth.
Deeper ponds have less of a problem with algae but are more challenging to build and require more water.
Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Practice Standard Arizona Pond Sealing Or Lining Bentonite Treatment (No.)
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
