How I built a 500 gallon above ground pond
The Goal:
Create a small water feature that costs very little to make, looks good, runs wells, and is simple to construct.
The pond will be made from landscape timbers, rebar, plywood, and a flexible pond liner. It will measure 4 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 30 inches deep. The filter will be a homemade filter of my own design.
I bought landscape timbers, rebar, and drill bit needed to start the project.
Purchases:
4 @ 1/2" x 4' rebar $1.87ea. Total $7.48
15 @ 4' x 8' landscape timbers $1.97ea. Total $29.55
5/8" x 6" paddle drill bit $3.63
2 @ 1/2" x 4' x 8' sheets of plywood $14.59ea. Total $29.18
Total for today: $69.84
Here is the basic construction:
I cut 5 of the landscape timbers in half, to 4 foot, on my table saw. Next I measured, marked, and drilled the holes in all 20 timbers. Next I trial fit the timbers, laying them in a Lincoln log fashion:
Continue adding the timbers until it reaches the height you want. I wanted a sitting ledge around mine so this dictated the height.
Next step is to dig out the inside the depth to corespond to how deep you want the pond. I dug down about 12 inches, then smoothed out the bottom. Back to the saw and rip the plywood to fit from the bottom of the pond to the middle or fatest part ot the top landscape timber. Note that the two narrow ends of the timbers must to doubled up on the top row.
Next I screwed the plywood to the timbers very securely. Then I filled the bottom of the pond with leveling sand and smoothed this out evenly.
I ran the 3-1/2 In. x 50 Ft. Foam Sill Sealer in strips into all the corners and up and down where a screwed into the plywood. This was down to help eliminate any pinching of the liner or splinters making a hole...probably an overly cautious step but is was only $3.88.
Next is adding the liner. I bought the liner from Lowes. It's a 10' x 13' x 22 mil PVC liner. Price $59.95 plus tax. The liner was laid and we filled making sure to tuck and pull out as much of the wrinkles as possible and fold the corners. when the water was to the top, we then stapled the liner to the top row of landscape timbers.
The last step was to add a seating ledge that we also serve to sit plants and decorations on. I used 2" x 10"'s to cap the timbers, these were screwed on from the top. Note I also added a small "block" of timber in the center of of the long sides between the top two timbers. It needed this extra support to keep from bowing when someone sat in the center of the ledge.
Cost for the seating ledge:
2 @ 2" x 10" x 12' Pressure Treated Lumber $16.97ea. $33.94 Total
Here is the finished pond a few weeks later:
Total Cost for the Pond excluding plants and Filter:
4 @ 1/2" x 4' rebar $1.87ea. Total $7.48
15 @ 4' x 8' landscape timbers $1.97ea. Total $29.55
5/8" x 6" paddle drill bit $3.63
2 @ 1/2" x 4' x 8' sheets of plywood $14.59ea. Total $29.18
3-1/2 In. x 50 Ft. Foam Sill Sealer $3.88
8 @ 50 lb bags of sand $2.97ea. Total $23.76
10' x 13' x 22 mil PVC liner. Price $59.95
2 @ 2" x 10" x 12' Pressure Treated Lumber $16.97ea. $33.94 Total
Grand Total: $194.13
Create a small water feature that costs very little to make, looks good, runs wells, and is simple to construct.
The pond will be made from landscape timbers, rebar, plywood, and a flexible pond liner. It will measure 4 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 30 inches deep. The filter will be a homemade filter of my own design.
I bought landscape timbers, rebar, and drill bit needed to start the project.
Purchases:
4 @ 1/2" x 4' rebar $1.87ea. Total $7.48
15 @ 4' x 8' landscape timbers $1.97ea. Total $29.55
5/8" x 6" paddle drill bit $3.63
2 @ 1/2" x 4' x 8' sheets of plywood $14.59ea. Total $29.18
Total for today: $69.84
Here is the basic construction:
I cut 5 of the landscape timbers in half, to 4 foot, on my table saw. Next I measured, marked, and drilled the holes in all 20 timbers. Next I trial fit the timbers, laying them in a Lincoln log fashion:
Continue adding the timbers until it reaches the height you want. I wanted a sitting ledge around mine so this dictated the height.
Next step is to dig out the inside the depth to corespond to how deep you want the pond. I dug down about 12 inches, then smoothed out the bottom. Back to the saw and rip the plywood to fit from the bottom of the pond to the middle or fatest part ot the top landscape timber. Note that the two narrow ends of the timbers must to doubled up on the top row.
Next I screwed the plywood to the timbers very securely. Then I filled the bottom of the pond with leveling sand and smoothed this out evenly.
I ran the 3-1/2 In. x 50 Ft. Foam Sill Sealer in strips into all the corners and up and down where a screwed into the plywood. This was down to help eliminate any pinching of the liner or splinters making a hole...probably an overly cautious step but is was only $3.88.
Next is adding the liner. I bought the liner from Lowes. It's a 10' x 13' x 22 mil PVC liner. Price $59.95 plus tax. The liner was laid and we filled making sure to tuck and pull out as much of the wrinkles as possible and fold the corners. when the water was to the top, we then stapled the liner to the top row of landscape timbers.
The last step was to add a seating ledge that we also serve to sit plants and decorations on. I used 2" x 10"'s to cap the timbers, these were screwed on from the top. Note I also added a small "block" of timber in the center of of the long sides between the top two timbers. It needed this extra support to keep from bowing when someone sat in the center of the ledge.
Cost for the seating ledge:
2 @ 2" x 10" x 12' Pressure Treated Lumber $16.97ea. $33.94 Total
Here is the finished pond a few weeks later:
Total Cost for the Pond excluding plants and Filter:
4 @ 1/2" x 4' rebar $1.87ea. Total $7.48
15 @ 4' x 8' landscape timbers $1.97ea. Total $29.55
5/8" x 6" paddle drill bit $3.63
2 @ 1/2" x 4' x 8' sheets of plywood $14.59ea. Total $29.18
3-1/2 In. x 50 Ft. Foam Sill Sealer $3.88
8 @ 50 lb bags of sand $2.97ea. Total $23.76
10' x 13' x 22 mil PVC liner. Price $59.95
2 @ 2" x 10" x 12' Pressure Treated Lumber $16.97ea. $33.94 Total
Grand Total: $194.13
