Choosing the Best Material for Your DIY Pond Build

If you’re considering building a pond or planning one for the future, you might be wondering what materials are best for a long-lasting, healthy pond. With so many options—each with pros and cons—it can be tricky to choose the right one.

Today, we’ll go over a few choices for pond construction materials and why I think EPDM rubber liners stand out as a top pick for DIYers. If you prefer video content you can watch this video I made on the topic.

My Goal: Helping You Build and Maintain Ponds Without Breaking the Bank

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Small Ponds: Using Recycled and Simple Materials

For small ponds, nearly anything that holds water can be transformed into a pond. Around my garden, I’ve got a variety of mini ponds made from old wine barrels, decorative pots, and even an old stock trough. Each one has its quirks:

• Wine/Whiskey Barrels: These don’t require any liners; the wood naturally swells when it’s wet, creating a watertight seal.
• Decorative Pots: Just plug the drainage hole, and you’re set!
• Stock Troughs: These are built to hold water, so they work perfectly as is.

Some people worry about concrete materials affecting aquatic life, but in my experience, it doesn’t cause issues for most pond setups.

If you want to see how these small ponds were created here’s a a few videos:

Bigger, Unique Ponds: The Best Liner Choices

When it comes to building larger or more customized ponds, you might be tempted by options like concrete, builder’s plastic, or clay. Each has its challenges:

• Concrete: While durable, it’s labor-intensive to mix, pour, and seal. If you hire professionals, the cost can skyrocket, and over time, concrete is prone to cracking—especially in areas with temperature fluctuations.
• Builder’s Plastic: Some use cheap, thin liners designed as moisture barriers. However, these aren’t made for holding water long-term, so they often fail or degrade over time.
• Clay: This works well for natural ponds, especially in catchment areas where fresh water continually enters. In Australia, we call these “dams.” But clay is less effective for ornamental or fish ponds, where clear water quality is a priority.

Why EPDM Rubber is the Best Liner for DIY Pond Builders

If you want a versatile, reliable material, EPDM rubber liner is an outstanding choice. I recommend it every time because of its many benefits:

• Durability: EPDM rubber is resistant to heat, cold, ozone, UV, and weathering. This liner has been proven to last over 40 years in ponds, and some brands offer extensive warranties.
• Flexibility: It’s stretchy, which makes it easier to shape around rocks or other pond features. Even though it’s thick and heavy, with a little help, you can maneuver it into place on large projects.
• Repairable: If you need to join sheets of EPDM or fix a puncture, it’s no harder than patching a bike tire. Finding the puncture can be tricky, but the actual repair is simple.

EPDM is also incredibly versatile; it’s ideal for building streams, waterfalls, formal ponds, swim ponds, and more. You can also use it for underground reservoirs or large filters.

Can You Use Roofing EPDM for a Pond?

While I personally use EPDM made specifically for ponds, I know others who have successfully used roofing EPDM without issues.

Where I live (in Australia), roofing EPDM isn’t commonly used in residential buildings, and the price difference is minimal, so I stick with pond-specific EPDM. But if roofing EPDM is cheaper or more readily available in your area, it’s an option to consider.

Cheaper Liner Options

Another option with considering is different polyethylene blends. Most commonly LLDPE and HDPE. These are also very strong and durable. However, they are not stretchy, much more rigid.

I like to create ponds that look natural, I use rock and pebble and have unique shapes and tiers in my ponds, the manoeuvrability of EPDM I find to be superior.

If you want to check out polyethylene options here’s a link.

I recently made a video where I tried to puncture both EPDM and HDPE:

I hope this quick article was helpful, thanks for reading.