A foil pond offers some great advantages compared to concrete or prefabricated oaks. A film pond can be created in any desired size and shape and even larger water depths can be easily realized. Another important advantage is the much lower workload. Pond foils are made of different materials and there are also different models in terms of film thickness.

Pond liner made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

A pond liner PVC is still the most commonly used product, not least because it has been available commercially for the longest time and has thus established itself as a standard film. Pond foils made of PVC can be laid very well, are particularly supple and very resilient. Even complicated pond shapes can be designed well with PVC film. Ideally, the film should be laid out on warm days, because when it is cold, the material quickly becomes stiff. They are available in different colors (black, brown, green) and the individual tracks can be easily joined, so that even a layman should hardly have problems with the creation of the pond. If the pond becomes leaky after a few years, the foil can also be easily repaired with special glue. PVC pond liners are also available in different thicknesses (0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1mm, 1.2mm and 2mm).

Pond liner made of polyethylene (PE)

PE films are generally relatively inexpensive and also protect the environment. However, this would have exhausted the list of advantages of PE film. PE is biodegradable and so the film is especially fish and plant compatible. However, this material is very stiff and can therefore be difficult to lay. PE is substantially more UV-resistant than PVC, which can be particularly beneficial at the edge of the pond, which is always exposed to the sun. Pond foils made of PE are best for small pond sizes, because they should be laid in one piece. Gluing the individual webs is not possible here and a repair is almost impossible. Also, they are only offered in two different thicknesses (0.5 and 1mm).

Pond foils of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM)

Also, the synthetic rubber EPDM has been used for some time for the production of pond liners. Its high tear resistance and ductility make it easy to lay, even on cold days, and are thus durable. The material is also considered to be very UV resistant and the film is particularly suitable when a swimming or Koi pond is to be created. Also, the material’s plum and fish-friendliness characterizes the film and small holes can be quickly repaired with simple patches of EPDM and a special nuthatch.

Buy pond liners – what must be respected?

The material should not contain any levels of toxins, which is usually the case with recycled film. The UV resistance is often achieved in various models by toxic cadmium, which is absolutely harmful to the fish and plant world.
Depending on the water depth of the pond should, especially the strength of the film should be considered. For deep pondsIt is better to use only thicknesses of at least 1 mm to withstand the high water pressure. Small, shallow ponds, on the other hand, only need a correspondingly lower film thickness. Regardless of the material of the pond liner This should not be laid directly on the ground. Ideally, the pond is first lined with fleece or sand, so that bumps are better compensated and the film is not so quickly ripped or overstretched by stones or roots.