Sheet foam was used for these ponds, as they are a uniform shape it involves less time, as no sanding is necessary. The only down side of this sheet foam is that it is less dense, so will mark if not treated carefully.

Once the foaming of the sides was complete the glass fibre was applied. This type of sheet foam is not as dense as the sprayed PU foam used on my home pond, so the foam was left out of the bottom until the sides were complete, this saved any unnecessary compression of the bottom foam.

Although I normally do all my own glass fibre work, time is running out with preparations for the forthcoming breeding season, so I had to employ a couple of mates from the GRP company I used to subcontract to, to give me a hand. Mike and Les Jones making a start laying-up in one of the ponds.

Once the sides were complete, the base foam was then added, a sheet of hardboard or thin ply is used to work on top of the foam without marking, or denting the soft foam. Once the glass fibre is applied, the surface is  strong enough to walk on without any deformation. 

The foam around the bottom drain was sanded to form a 25mm wide rebate 7mm deep, the glass fibre was then applied over this down onto the cone of the bottom drain. This rebate will form the location for the stainless steel grid which will stop koi going down the drain. I will have a series of grids made, with different size slots to suit the size of koi kept in the ponds, as they could be anything from 25mm to 50 or 60cm. These will be changeable without lowering the pond water level.

Three of four ponds glassed ready for the top flow coat.

I'll continue during this process.

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