Like ponds built anywhere in the country, California ponds need reliable and flexible liners that conform to their every curve and bump. Trying to build a pond around a rigid liner is more work than it is worth in most cases. Larger ponds, built for fish, recreation, or irrigation, definitely need a flexible liner that prevents seepage as much as possible. Without the right liner, California ponds steadily lose water through the ground. Yet, not all flexible membranes offer the right kind of protection for ponds in this state; especially those built for raising fish for commercial purposes. Use these hints to select the right liner for any type of pond and then find what you need right here at BTL Liners.
Why Flexible Geomembranes?
Flexible geomembranes are sheets of plastic or polymers that serve as practically impervious barriers to stop water loss. They make the best pond liners, regardless of the pond’s purpose, because of benefits like:
- Affordability, especially when compared to the routine need to recoat other liner materials or concrete or bentonite clay
- Conforming to the space, allowing for a custom fit that isn’t possible with rigid liners and other inflexible materials
- Lighter and easier to install than concrete and even materials like clay, which require thousands of pounds of material to completely cover the bottom and sides of a pond
- Low permeability, which makes them practically impervious to water loss over time
- Fish safe, as long as the right polymer or plastic formula is selected to ensure there are no issues with chemical leaching or heavy metals
- Weathering resistance, due to the elasticity and flexibility of the material that allows it to shift with changing conditions
- Low maintenance, especially compared to both clay and concrete lining options.
Choosing a Material for the Liner
Flexible liners can vary quite a bit while looking nearly identical to each other. Understanding what the various acronyms mean, that refer to the materials used for manufacturing pond liners, is essential to choosing the right one. There is one material that rises above the rest for California ponds in particular, and that is reinforced polyethylene (RPE).
Reinforced Polyethylene
RPE is the single, best option for lining ponds in California; not to mention across the country. This material is manufactured in thinner and lighter sheets than other materials like HDPE and PVC. Due to its reinforced design, RPE does not have to be manufactured as thickly just to resist tearing and puncturing. The thinner profile makes it less expensive to ship and easier to install than other geomembranes. In addition to being tough and tear resistant, RPE is available in fish-safe formulations that pass California’s health and safety regulations. Finally, it is the most affordable option for lining a pond if you consider the fact that its extended longevity reduces the costs of maintenance and replacement over the lifespan of the pond.
High Density Polyethylene
High density polyethylene, or HDPE, is acceptable for some types of ponds, but it is far from an ideal general liner for California water features. It has good UV resistance for exposed installation and can handle some chemical exposure as well. Yet, the material must be kept stiffer and thicker than RPE to prevent punctures and tears. This stiffness makes it harder to install and heavier, increasing the shipping costs to transport it to the site. HDPE can have good chemical resistance, but it is an unnecessary feature for most ponds built in California.
Low Density Polyethylene
LDPE is a more flexible option than HDPE, but it still can’t beat RPE. The material does not offer the same chemical and UV damage resistance as RPE or even HDPE. It will conform well to curved and oddly shaped pond excavations, but it will not offer as much durability and puncture resistance as most ponds will require. California ponds in particular tend to be exposed to too much direct sunlight due to the state’s sunny climate to rely on LDPE as the primary liner.
EPDM
EPDM is a type of sheet rubber that is significantly different from other types of pond liners. It was originally intended for use as a roofing product, not a pond liner. While it was once the only geomembrane material widely available for lining a pond, there are simply too many other options available today. EPDM is thick and heavy, making it awkward to spread out over the pond and difficult to fold around curves and corners. It’s not always fish safe either, creating the potential for the loss of valuable species and profits.
Polyvinyl Chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is one of the most commonly used pond liners today. However, for homeowners and business owners alike, it is simply not the best choice. First, it is far less tear and puncture resistant than RPE or even any of the other polyethylene materials. It is also the least fish safe of all materials, leaching chemicals into the water that can stunt their growth or cause ponds to fail inspection. PVC isn’t durable enough, even for small backyard ponds, since it costs hundreds of dollars to replace even just a few hundred square feet of it. Choose RPE over PVC no matter the type of California pond you plan to build.
Proposition 65 for Pond Liner Materials
Proposition 65 is California’s regulation regarding the disclosure of chemicals and other ingredients in a product that may have a chance of causing cancer. Any product sold in California must carry a label disclosing any number of hundreds of chemical ingredients. While this law was initially assumed not to apply to materials like pond liners, a handful of lawsuits in the state have proven that consumers can assume they will receive Proposition 65 warnings on these materials as well. To comply with all relevant regulations and laws, make sure any pond liners you use in California are carrying the appropriate labeling relevant to this regulation.
Why Not Concrete or Asphalt?
Many people new to the design and installation of ponds assume that hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt are somehow more impervious to leakage than flexible geomembranes. However, the opposite is true. This is primarily due to the porosity of the material. While asphalt or concert may look like a solid and non-porous surface, there are plenty of tiny openings to allow moisture to seep through over time. Even if a particular pond needs armoring on the banks with concrete or other materials to prevent erosion issues, the material must be paired with an appropriate geomembrane liner.
California ponds, whether they are decorative or built with a purpose in mind, all benefit from a layer of RPE liner. You don’t have to search high and low to find a good source for this material. BTL Liners is ready to deliver our best RPE pond liner products to customers all over California. No matter where you are building a pond or what you plan to use it for, we can help line it.
