You’ll find EPDM widely used in the pond industry, but reinforced polyethylene (RPE) is a far better choice for both backyard and commercial projects. EPDM comes in thick sheets that are heavy, relatively stiff, and hard to handle. Even if you’re experienced with using it on pond projects in the past, you’ll be surprised at how much easier RPE is to work with. The flexibility and durability of RPE makes it easy to install even with little to no experience. As the name suggests, this material is reinforced as a part of manufacturing to increase its tear and rip resistance.
Watch out for pond liners made from PVC as well. It’s a less than ideal material for ponds with fish in them in particular. While it’s thinner and more flexible than EPDM liner, PVC is full of chemicals known as plasticizers that slowly leach out over time. This makes it less likely that a PVC pond liner will really qualify as a fish or plant safe material. A good alternative to PVC is reinforced polypropylene (RPP), another material we use in addition to RPE here at BTL Liners. RPP is chemical resistant, fish safe, and easy to install just like RPE liners.
