Make a pond surrounded by pavers

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A pond or water feature adds a sense of calm and tranquility to a landscape design. The location and all the decorative aspects need to be carefully planned. A project like this requires several days' work, depending on the size of your pond.

This project provides instructions on building a pond with a waterproof membrane. This method leaves plenty of room for creativity due to the various possible shapes and sizes. The surrounding pavers overlap the water’s edge by approximately 1" to 4". They need to be firmly cemented in place.
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Before you begin
1. Plan the location of the pond
2. Excavate the whole area
3. Prepare the foundation for the pavers
4. Prepare the pond foundation
5. Install the waterproof membrane and the pumps
6. Lay the paving slabs
7. Fill the joints and lay the grass

Before you begin

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  • Plan your design according to sun exposure.
  • Make a sketch of the pond and the patio.
  • If you are going to stock your pond with plants and fish, it needs to be at least 36" deep for the fish to survive the winter; if you do not plan to have fish or plants, a depth of 18" is sufficient.
  • The edge of the pond must be higher than the surrounding grass, to prevent surface water running off into it from the ground and pavers.
  • The pond must be built before laying the paving slabs.
  • Include an electrical connection for the pumps.
  • Before excavating, check for the possible presence of underground wires or cables, natural gas lines or other pipes. If you are not sure, contact the utility companies concerned or your municipality.
  • Check that the concrete and the waterproof membrane are compatible.

    NOTE ON PAVING SLABS AND PAVERS
    We recommend you keep a few spare paving slabs and pavers of each style or pattern in order to replace any damaged ones in the future. Store them outside, if possible, so that they age at the same rate as the patio.

1. Plan the location of the pond

1.1 

With pickets and string, mark the boundaries of the area to be excavated. This area is the total surface area of the patio and pond, plus an additional 12" to 18" on all sides, to ensure the stability of the paving.

1.2 

Check the corners are square using the 3-4-5 rule: Starting from one corner, measure 36" along one side and make a mark. Then, measure 48" along the adjacent side and make a mark at that point. Now measure diagonally between the two marks: this distance will measure 60" if the corner is square. Repeat this procedure for the three other corners and make adjustments if necessary.

1.3 

Cut a strip of sod between 12" and 18" wide (depending on the width you added previously) around the area to be excavated, following the string line. Roll up the sod and keep it aside.

1.4 

Remove the rest of the grass.

2. Excavate the whole area

Paved area: For sandy soil, you will need to excavate to at least 8 7/8" deep for a foundation of at least 6" thick (0-¾" crushed stone). For clay soil, you will need to excavate to at least 11" deep for a foundation of at least 8" thick. In both cases, the levelling bed (stone dust) should be between 5/8" and 1" thick. To ensure proper drainage, the ground should slope away from the pond at a gradient of at least 2%, i.e. ¼" per linear foot.

Pond: Excavate the entire pond area to a depth of 18" to 20" (36" to 40" if the pond is going to be stocked with fish and plants).

2.1 

Excavate the entire paved and pond area to the required depths.

2.2 

Level the bottom of the excavated area with a rake. If the soil is sandy or granular, compact it with a vibrating plate or roller. Do not compact clay soil.

2.3 

Mark out the corners and boundary of the final pond area with pickets and string.

3. Prepare the foundation for the pavers

3.1 

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Lay a sheet of geotextile fabric on top of the bare soil to prevent the soil from mixing with the gravel foundation and to ensure greater stability.

3.2 

Spread a layer of 0-¾" gravel about 4" deep across the entire paved and pond area, and tamp it with a vibrating plate compactor or roller. To make this task easier, lightly water the gravel to moisten it.

3.3 

Spread gravel in 4" layers across the area to be paved and around the pond. Do not fill inside the pond boundary marked by the string. Compact, and repeat this operation several times to obtain an adequate foundation.

3.4 

Spread between 5/8" and 1" of stone dust over the paver foundation. Flatten it out by laying two 1" pipes parallel to each other and sliding a straight plank along the top of them. This will ensure that your levelling bed is a constant thickness, to avoid irregularities in the paved surface. Remember, however, that the paved surface needs to slope away from the pond at a 2% gradient. Do not compact the stone dust. Fill in the empty space left by the levelling pipes as you go.

4. Prepare the pond foundation

4.1 

In a wheelbarrow, make up a mixture of dry ready-mix concrete or Portland cement and sand. On top of the 0-¾" gravel that has already been compacted in the bottom and rounded at the corners of the pond, spread the concrete mixture over the entire surface with a spatula, giving it a rounded shape on the bottom and the walls.

4.2 

Moisten the inside surfaces of the pond by spraying them lightly with water (like fine mist) while smoothing the surface with the spatula, then leave to dry.

5. Install the waterproof membrane and the pumps

5.1 

Lay the waterproof membrane in the pond, without pulling it taught, and hold it in place temporarily with a few stones. Extend the edges of the membrane up the sides of the pond and onto the ground around it.

5.2 

Fill the pond with water. As you fill, smooth out as many folds and creases in the membrane as possible. Remove the stones gradually so as not to pull too much on the fabric.

5.3 

Keep about 6" to 12" of membrane on the ground around the pond and cut off the excess.

5.4 

Secure the membrane using wide-head nails with washers, one every 12" around the perimeter of the pond.

5.5 

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Install the pumps in the bottom of the pond and connect them to the electricity supply already in place.

6. Lay the paving slabs

6.1 

Carefully spread a layer of concrete ¾" to 1 1/8" thick and 12" to 20" wide around the edges of the pond. The concrete will cover the width of the waterproof membrane you left around the edge of the pond, as well as part of the surface to be paved. The layer of concrete is 1/8" thicker than the levelling bed of stone dust, to provide a good strong bed for the paving slabs and to make sure the concrete penetrates the joints between them.

6.2 

Lay the paving slabs so that they overlap the edge of the water by 1" around the pond’s perimeter. Check that they are level and press down on them so that they adhere firmly to the concrete. Incline them slightly so that they slope away from the pond, to prevent surface water running into the pond.

6.3 

Lay the remaining slabs directly on top of the layer of stone dust covering the rest of the patio area, starting next to the pond and working away from it, row by row, treading on the slabs as you go.

6.4 

Check the alignment of the slabs every five rows and adjust as needed.

6.5 

Continue laying slabs until you have covered the entire patio area.

6.6 

Install plastic edging around the perimeter of the paved area to ensure that the pavers remain straight and tightly placed. Secure the edging with anchor stakes, one every linear foot.

7. Fill the joints and lay the grass

7.1 

Spread polymeric sand over the slabs and work it into the joints by brushing in all directions. Remove the excess sand, then water the joints.

7.2 

Fill the space between the patio and the paved border with sod.

7.3 

Around the outside border, replace the strip of sod cut away earlier. Add soil as needed, then water the grass.
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