Home » Pond

What To Use Instead Of Pond Liner? Top 7 Alternatives

Aaron Boyd June 1, 2023

More often than not, people who wish to establish a private pond think about what to use instead of pond liner.

The primary reason behind this common query is that the original pond liner can be excessively expensive.

Plus, depending on where you live, it can be hard to find and even trickier to install.

So, today, I bring you seven different pond liner alternatives that are cheaper, more durable, and highly recommended by experts around the world!

Are you ready? Let’s get into it!

Why You Should Use Alternatives To Pond Liner

Before I start talking about the alternatives and various options that you have, let’s take a quick look at why you need all these substitute materials in the first place.

Traditional pond liners are expensive

In general, pond liners are not accessible to everyone in terms of price.

Does it mean that you should give up your dream of creating your own pond?

Absolutely not!

Thankfully, several other alternatives are much cheaper than the traditional pond liners.

Traditional pond liners are hard to repair

Unlike bentonite clay and other substitute materials, traditional pond liners can’t heal itself.

They don’t expand, and any puncture holes or tears remain unresolved unless you replace or fix it yourself.

Since they’re costly and hard to get your hands on, traditional pond liners are hard to repair and replace.

Even if the substitute material cannot heal itself, it is still relatively less costly to replace it compared to the traditional liners.

Alternatives To Pond Liner

Now that you have understood why you need a substitute for the traditional pond liners let’s talk about what to use instead of pond liner.

The following are seven of the most popular, effective, and affordable options to replace a traditional pond liner.

Each comes with its pros and cons, so make sure you give it a thorough read to the end!

[amazon box=”B01HSFQR1K”]

Bentonite clay is a standard solution to fix leaking ponds.

Since the clay has swelling properties, it comes in contact with water and expands to seal and heal tiny punctures, tears, and holes.

Apart from being so practical and useful, [amazon link=”B01HSFQR1K” title=”Bentonite clay” link_icon=”amazon” /] is also cheaper and more accessible than traditional pond liners.

Water bed liners are very similar to traditional pond liners.

In fact, these substitutes are comparatively more durable and withhold more strength.

However, they are not as cheap as you would think.

The price difference between water bed liners and traditional liners is much smaller than the rest of the list options.

[amazon box=”B005JSYEZ0″]

A [amazon link=”B005JSYEZ0″ title=”Tarpaulin” link_icon=”amazon” /] is commonly popular to make tents.

Since it is polyester reinforced, you can also use it to line your pond. Also, tarp incorporates polyester that has leakage-free properties.

This particular factor makes it an even better option for expensive pond liner replacement.

[amazon box=”B0886572JW”]

Polyethylene is the cheapest substitute for the tradition of pond liners.

They are readily available in the market, and they retain water to the fullest.

However, the drawback of using [amazon link=”B0886572JW” title=”Polyethylene” link_icon=”amazon” /] is that these are thin and lightweight, which makes them easy to tear or puncture.

As a result, they have compromised durability and are more prone to early water leakage issues.

[amazon box=”B07WNZXSKY”]

PVC is a popular option to line pools, thanks to its high strength and resistance to punctures.

Moreover, it is also quite resistant to damage and abrasion.

So, even if you add stones to the pond, the [amazon link=”B07WNZXSKY” title=”PVC Liner” link_icon=”amazon” /] will resist wear and will not require frequent repairing.

Another affordable option to line your pond is using [amazon link=”B00MHQ0IHA” title=”Clay” link_icon=”amazon” /] and [amazon link=”B07GHS3SSW” title=”Lime” link_icon=”amazon” /].

You will spot this substitute very frequently in agricultural and rural areas.

The clay particles effectively retain water, and adding a quicklime layer under the clay cover improves the strength level even more.

Along with being relatively cheaper, polypropylene liners are also more durable and much stronger than the average ones.

The only significant drawback of this substitute is that it is not a flexible material.

Thus, it has a lesser power to expand and adjust.

In Conclusion

So, you see, if you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on pond liners, there are other affordable options as well.

Surprisingly enough, these substitutes are equally, sometimes even more reliable and durable compared to traditional liners.

So, using the list above and the information given, you can pick the one that fits your preferences and requirements the best!

Just make sure you’ve thought about everything back and forth, from the budget to your pond space and all other necessary aspects.

Regardless of how cheap the liners are, it can always be a hassle to replace them frequently.

So, choose after careful thought and research.