Pond construction

Building a pond? You can do it yourself!

Planning to build a pond? We're happy to explain how to do it correctly. It all starts with proper preparation, of course. First, consider the size and shape of your pond. You can do a lot of things yourself, but what exactly does pond construction involve? Building a pond isn't something you can just do; it's a job. The foundation is a well-thought-out and clearly drawn pond design.

Create your dream pond step by step

When building a pond, you always start with a good design. First, you create a plan of your garden and draw your new pond within it.Read more about pond construction . Would you like personalized advice about pond construction? Feel free to contact us.

Building a pond? The best time

Spring, in March/April, is the best time to build a pond. This gives the pond the best chance to establish a biological balance. You can also do it in the fall, preferably September/October. The downside is that you can't plant the plants until the following spring.

The preparation of pond construction

Below is a step-by-step explanation of the preparations you need to make when constructing the pond. We've assumed a liner pond , but we'll also briefly consider a pre-formed pond .

Preparation: order of work

Consider all the work that needs to be done before construction can begin on the pond. For example, do trees need to be cleared or plants moved? Does part of the paving need to be removed? Do electrical cables need to be moved? Try to carry out the pond construction work in as logical an order as possible.

Preparation: earthmoving

Building a pond involves a lot of earthmoving. Sometimes the excavated soil can be incorporated into the garden itself, but usually this isn't possible and the soil must be removed. You can rent a skip for this. Keep in mind that excavated sand has a larger volume than sand in the ground, so you'll always be excavating more than the pond's volume.

For example: for a pond with a volume of five cubic meters, approximately seven cubic meters of soil must be removed. Rent the container well in advance and have it placed as close to the pond as possible.

The bottom of the excavated pond will soon be filled with white sand (10 centimeters). If additional white sand is needed for paving, it can be ordered at once.
Only start digging the pond pit after thorough preparation. Consider the following:

- sequence of different activities
- removal of the sand
- checking the groundwater level
- laying out the pond shape in the ground
- weather forecast

Preparation: checking the groundwater level

To properly dig the pond, no groundwater must enter the hole. Therefore, measure the groundwater level before digging or request it (this can be done online for many locations). If the groundwater level is too high, you can keep the hole dry with a sewage pump or a wellpoint dewatering system. These pump systems are available for rent (Boels, Bo-Rent). The groundwater level is usually lower in autumn than in spring. In wet areas, this can be a reason to build the pond in autumn.

Preparation: place stakes

Using the drawing, you can mark the location and perimeter of the pond in the garden with stakes. Be very precise and double-check the measurements several times.

Preparation: check the weather forecast

Before you start digging, check the weather forecast. A little rain while digging isn't a problem, but downpours can flood the pond and damage the platforms installed in the pond.

Constructing a pond: implementation

Digging the pond pit

Then the moment finally arrives: the shovel goes into the ground. Dig out the pond platform by platform, again based on a drawing (the cross-section from the design).

An example:
Suppose the pond has three different depths: a shallow zone of 20 cm, a medium depth zone of 50 cm and a deep part of 80 cm.
Because you will be placing 10 cm of white sand on the bottom everywhere, you will have to dig out to a depth of 30, 60 and 90 cm.

Start by digging out the entire pond surface to a depth of 30 cm (yellow part on the drawing)
Once that's done, dig out everything except the shallow zone to a depth of 60cm (blue part)
Finally, dig out the remainder of the deep part to a depth of 90 cm (red part).

While digging, pay close attention to roots and other sharp protrusions. Remove all of these, especially from the sides of the pond. White sand won't protect them there.

Don't leave the pond hole exposed for too long after digging. The straight edges of your pond can easily crumble, especially after rain. This erosion is nearly impossible to repair.

Applying bottom protection to the pond

After you have dug the pond hole, you can Apply ground protection . A 10 cm layer of white sand will be placed on all horizontal surfaces. This not only provides a soft and safe base for the liner but is also useful in the event of high groundwater levels. If the pond liner is laid directly on clay soil, rising groundwater can push the liner upwards. The coarse white sand base distributes this pressure and directs the groundwater away to the sides.

Firmly press the white sand down and finally cover it with a special protective blanket, available from shops where you can also buy plastic sheeting. Do not use old newspapers; they rot within a few weeks. This photo clearly shows that the pond has been dug in a plateau-like shape. The plateau depths have been adjusted to accommodate the various types of aquatic plants that will be planted in the pond. To ensure the To protect the pond liner , a layer of white sand can be applied to the platforms. This not only prevents pond leakage but also helps drain groundwater to the sides. A pond pit without liner is very vulnerable. Rain can damage the platform shape, making it difficult to repair. Therefore, don't leave the pond pit exposed for too long.