Longevity is one of the most important questions to consider when choosing a pond liner. 10 years might sound like a long period of time before replacing the liner, but it’s surprisingly short when you’re considering the work of draining and tearing out the material. Installing a liner material that lasts multiple decades will save you a surprising amount of work over time. It’s not always easy to find out exactly how long a particular liner is warrantied or projected to last. The installation details also determine how much life you’ll get out of a particular liner. Learn what you need to know about pond liner longevity and how preformed liners compare to flexible materials.
Preformed Pond Liner Lifespan
If you purchase an inexpensive rigid liner from your local hardware store that doesn’t come with any kind of warranty, you’ll likely find it cracking or leaking within five to 10 years. Even warrantied preformed liners are only covered for 10 years at the most. Rigid pond liners are rarely expected to last much beyond 15 years, leading you to replace the material more often than you might have planned. With stone generally mortared permanently in place over and around the liner edges, it’s hard to reuse the same decorative materials after tearing the liner out for replacement. Consider the cost of redesigning your pond every 10 to 15 years as you renew your preformed liner.
Flexible Liner Longevity
On the flip side, flexible liner materials are often guaranteed to last for 20 years or more. Some reinforced products, in particular, can last 30 to 40 years with covered installation and proper maintenance. The liner will stay intact and resist tearing as intended for those decades at least. Draining the pond for a small patch or repair is still far less work than removing a liner and replacing it entirely. The seams used to seal together sections of the flexible liner should last just as long as the material if installed correctly. Heat welded seams tend to last the longest without developing small leaks, so make sure to choose a material compatible with this method for a durable pond.
Exposed vs Covered Installation
You might think of covering your pond liner as tucking rocks around the edge to disguise the material. While that’s definitely part of the covering process, what matters most is whether you’re spreading sand and rocks over the bottom and sides of the pond or not. When covered with a thick enough layer of material, pond liners last longer thanks to the protection from UV rays. Exposed liners, regardless of whether they’re preformed or flexible, break down faster and get brittle in response to sunlight. Most preformed liners are installed so the sides and base are exposed under the water, leading the material to get even more brittle than it is to begin with. Flexible liners are generally covered with soil and sand when used at the base of a pond, but BTL Liners carries multi-layered RPE liners that are highly UV resistant and capable of withstanding exposed installation for decades.
Extending the Lifespan of a Liner
Installing a layer of light blocking cover over the liner is not the only way to extend its potential lifespan. Cutting down trees that are located close to the edge of the pond can also help by reducing wear and tear from growing roots. This isn’t necessary if you’re working with a flexible liner since it can move with the shifting roots. Avoid driving vehicles around the edges of the pond or across the bottom of it while it’s drained. When dredging and removing sludge from the pond, be careful not to scrape the bottom and leave a few inches of muck as a cushion.
Plan out your budget and labor contributions for liner replacement with the next few decades in mind. If you’re 30 and you’re planning to replace the liner again in 30 years, you’ll definitely want help rather than trying to handle it all DIY. Reduce the hard work of maintaining a pond by using a BTL Liners product with a long lifespan.
