Add a raised pond to your patio or decking.

To build a raised pond you will need to construct a level concrete base.

Tools and materials you will need for the raised pond base:-

• Wooden stakes.
• Builders string line.
• Spirit level and straight edge
• Spade and shovel.
• 12” (30cm) wide shuttering ply.
• Hardcore.
• Sand and gravel or ballast.
• Cement.
• Tamper (a length of scaffold plank is ideal).
• Polythene sheet.

To construct the base, mark out the shape and size using wooden stakes and a string line.

Excavate the site to a depth of 12” (30cm).

Fit a levelled shuttering around the sides of the excavation with 12” (15cm) wide lengths of shuttering ply secured with stakes.

Lay 6” (15cm) of well compacted hard core.

Finish the base by laying concrete to the top of the levelled shuttering and tamping well down.

Cover with polythene sheet and leave for two or three days, then uncover and leave to dry.

Building a raised pond, using a fibreglass preformed liner.

Construct a wooden frame to support the preformed liner. This is to hold the liner level during the installation.

Lay 4” (10cm) of sand on the base to act as a cushion between the preformed liner base and the concrete.

Position the liner and frame on the sand cushion and ensure the liner is level and well supported by the wooden frame.

Build a box around the liner, leaving enough space between the box and the top of the liner to allow it to be filled with soil. Brickwork, stone, rendered concrete block or timber cladding are all suitable materials to use for this construction.

When the boxing is dry, fill the pond with water to a depth of 6” (15cm). Fill the box around the liner with sieved soil and tamp down carefully taking care not damage the liner.

When the soil and water are about the same level, add a further 6” (15cm) of water to the pond, followed by more tamped down soil in the box. Repeat this process until the pond is full and the soil is just below the lip of the pond.

The pond can be finished by adding a coping around the top of the box that overlaps and hides the edge of the preformed liner.

Building a raised pond using bricks or blocks.

On the level base, build the sides of the pond to the required pond depth. Use a double row of brick or block work, so that the walls are 9” (22.5cm) thick.

When the sides of the pond have dried, using 4 parts sand to 1 part cement, with water proofer added, apply a 0.5” (1.5cm) thick render coat to the internal and external sides of the pond. Leave to dry.

Finish the pond by bedding copping stones to the top of the walls, and applying a sealer or pond paint to all internal surfaces.

A word of caution on this raised pond design. The greatest pressure in any pond design is where the sides meet the bottom of the pond.

This raised pond design is not for deep ponds. If your pond is more than 18” (45cm) deep we recommend reinforcing the joint between the sides and the base.






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