Preformed Pond Liner  
Preformed Garden Ponds  
Small Garden Ponds  

A preformed pond liner is big news in garden pond circles.

They're easy on the wallet. You have tons of built-in waterfall options.

And an unending variety of shapes, sizes and styles.

And installation is straight forward, because when you use preformed pond liners, much of the work is already done for you.

This is even truer with garden pond kits.

The Guide shows you how to install a liner in just 4 easy steps.

Follow them sequentially or use them as a launching pad for your own pond creations.

It's not as hard as you might think.

Just take time to dream, to plan, to shop, to build and landscape your pond and you'll be on your way to a water feature with instant impact.

Most preformed garden ponds are made of hard plastic resin or fiberglass.

They're perfect for small garden ponds.

They're easier to install than flexible liners and they make above ground pond installations easier, too.

Step 1: Mark The Layout

Choose a flat, open area. You may also want to pick a location that can be seen easily through a window from inside the house.

Once you've picked the spot, remove all the grass and plants. Then turn the pond liner upside down on that spot.

Using a garden hose, a rope, pegs, or lime outline the pond liner's shape in the dirt. 

I like using spray paint, because the mark stays put.

Step 2: Dig The Hole

Dig the hole 2 inches deeper and 2 inches wider than the pond liner. Remove any roots or rocks you come across.

Use a carpenter's level to judge if the bottom of the excavated area is flat.

From time to time, drop the liner in the hole to test that the hole's shape fits the pond liner's shape.

When you're through, pour 2 inches of sand into the in the bottom of the hole, then set the pond liner down in the hole.

Step 3: Fill & Backfill

You want the lip of the pond liner flush at ground level.

Pull the liner from the hole if you need to make adjustments. Sometimes, rocking the pond liner back and forth slightly can help to settle the pond liner shape in hole.

Now slowly add water to your pond. At the same time, use sand to back fill the area between the pond liner and the excavation.

When you're done back filling, pack dirt underneath the pond liner's lip for support.

Step 4: Add the Edging

Hide the garden pond liner lip with stones.

Place the stones so most of the weight sits on the dirt instead of on the liner edge.