If you buy pond liner, the manufacturer will usually already cut it to the finished size - so you no longer have to glue individual strips. There may be exceptions if you want to create streams with foil, or if courses have to be joined together in individual places. Read here what you have to pay attention to.
How can you connect pond liner correctly?
To connect pond liner, first determine the type of liner (PVC, EPDM, PE) and, depending on the type, use special adhesives, solvent welding agents or adhesive tapes. Make sure the surface is clean, dry and then weigh down the glued area well.
Adhesive and welded connections
Foil strips can be glued or welded together. If a pond liner is “assembled” by the manufacturer, individual sheets are also used there.
They are then cut to length during the manufacturing process and welded together tightly and seam-tight using automatic methods during operation. This requires large machines and special techniques - you can't do it this way at home on the edge of the pond.
In most cases, gluing will be the method of choice - but you can also weld individual types of film yourself.
First determine what type of slide you have in front of you:
- PVC pond liner
- EPDM film
- PE film
- other foils (e.g. special geotextiles)
Connecting PVC films
Here you can choose between special PVC adhesives and the use of solvent welding agents. Welding agents liquefy the foil at the weld seam and when it is weighed down, these liquid parts run into each other and thus harden. This creates a permanently strong connection.
When gluing, the two overlaps (at least 15 cm!) are simply firmly connected to each other. You then have to seal the seams separately.
Important:
- work very carefully (especially with solvent welding agent)
- the film mustbe absolutely clean and completely dry
- be very careful when roughening the film
- Weigh down the film sufficiently after connecting (e.g. with sandbags)
Connecting PE films
You usually cannot use solvent welding agents here - all that remains is sticking. Be aware, however, that the adhesion of most adhesives to PE films is significantly limited, and therefore work more carefully.
Connect EPDM film
Special adhesives (€23.00 on Amazon) are used here, for which you also have to roughen up and let the adhesive absorb first. Alternatively, there are also special adhesive tapes instead of liquid glue.
The foil must be particularly clean and also completely dry. To seal the seam, you can easily useliquid pond liner, which you spread over the seam in several thin layers. Don't forget to complain here too.
Tip
For streams, sealing the subsurface using pond liner is the most cost-effective but also the worst option. If possible, use stream bowls or concrete the stream.
