Build a Wooden Fish Pond
- 1). Select the site where you will place the pond. Ideally, it should be a flat, smooth surface, preferably a concrete slab or wooden deck. The surface should be strong enough to support the weight of the water of the pond.
- 2). Cut the plywood sheet to size to form the base of the pond. The shape of the plywood base will determine the shape of the pond.
- 3). Cut the 4- by 4-inch lumber posts to size and lay the four sides on the plywood base to form a rectangular or square frame. Drill the corners of the posts at a diagonal angle to accommodate the 10-inch bolts. Join the four corners of the frame by sliding the bolts through the drilled holes at each corner. Tighten the nuts securely.
- 4). Tack the bolted frame onto the plywood base with nails. The first layer of the wood pond is now complete. Drill three evenly-spaced holes at the top of each side of the frame, 2 inches deep, to accommodate the 1/2-inch wood dowels. Cut the dowels to 4 inches in length, place wood glue on the ends and tap the glued ends into the drilled holes on the frame. The dowels should protrude 2 inches above the top surface of the frame.
- 5). Build the next framed layer by bolting another four posts together as before. Measure and drill 2-inch holes at the bottom of the second frame to accommodate the dowels protruding from the first layer. Place wood glue into the holes and tap the second frame layer down firmly onto the first frame until they meet flush and are secure. Repeat this process, layer-by-layer, joining each bolted layer to the previous layer with glued dowels until you reach the desired height of the pond.
- 6). Place the PVC liner inside the wooden structure and smooth it out so that it fits snugly against the walls of the wood structure with as few creases as possible. Tack the liner onto the top ledge of the frame and neatly trim the overhanging edges. Cut the 4-by-1 planks to form a frame and nail them onto the top ledge of the structure to finish the pond. Fill the wood pond with water.
