Classic RPE Pond Liner
Important update: Classic RPE liner has been renamed and updated.
- Classic 24 mil is now Utility RPE Pond Liner.
- Classic 30 mil has been discontinued and replaced by Premium Tough 36 mil (same class of liner, now slightly thicker and stronger). If you specifically want a 30 mil option, see Premium UV 30 mil, which has a UV coating for improved UV resistance.
- Classic 40 mil is now Premium Extreme 40 mil.
If you need max-performance EIA, see Premium Max EIA Pond Liner.
Product Line Update: Classic RPE Has Been Renamed
The former Classic RPE lineup has been updated with new product names. This page is kept for reference, but these are the current products:
- Classic 24 mil is now Utility RPE Pond Liner.
- Classic 30 mil has been discontinued and replaced by Premium Tough 36 mil (same class of liner, now slightly thicker and stronger).
- If you specifically want a 30 mil option, see Premium UV 30 mil, which includes a UV coating for improved UV resistance.
- Classic 40 mil is now Premium Extreme 40 mil.
For maximum puncture resistance and performance, see Premium Max EIA Pond Liner.
Strong & Reliable
Ships FREE*
North American Made
Won't Leach Chemicals
*Free shipping on orders over $99 within the lower 48 states
The 30 mil is most popular and is our 'goto' thickness. The 24 mil is available for situations where budget concerns exist. The 40 mil is our extra-strength option, it is much more puncture/tear-resistant and UV resistant. The 40 mil liner is also a little stiffer to work with because of the added thickness.
Sun Exposure
Will your liner be exposed to the sun above water level? If so, you will want to consider choosing the RPE 30mil Laminated product as it has a 20-year warranty in direct sunlight. The laminated version has higher hydrostatic resistance and is more resistant to heavy creasing or folding in the case of above-ground boxes or tanks.
Features
-
NSF-61 Certified! Suitable for organic farming and holding human drinking water!
-
Available in any size you need - enter your custom length and width above to see a price!
-
Available in 3 thicknesses! 30 mil is most popular, but keep in mind as liner gets thicker, it also gets a little stiffer.
-
RPE has a high puncture and tear resistance ( 2 to 3x stronger than EPDM)
-
Highly resistant to chemical degradation and UV
-
Fish and plant safe: does not contain harmful plasticizers (NSF-61 Certified)
-
Available in very large sized panels - up to approx. 60,000 square feet per panel.
-
Very Lightweight while keeping high strength - 1/3 of the weight of EPDM
-
Can be used in conjunction with our Pond Liner Underlayment
-
Off the roll discount: there is a slight saving for 12' wide liners of any length.
-
Order a sample of this liner here
Product Description
Our Classic RPE (reinforced polyethylene) pond liner boasts high puncture and tear resistance - approximately 2 to 3 times stronger than EPDM, PVC, and HDPE liners. Additionally, RPE offers high UV resistance and doesn't degrade when exposed to chemicals such as fertilizer nitrates and hydrocarbons. One of the most significant advantages of our RPE liner is the variety of sizes available, and due to its lighter weight, single panels up to approximately 60,000 square feet can be produced. In terms of weight, RPE is roughly 1/3 the weight of Firestone's PondGuard EPDM rubber liner. This weight difference makes it substantially easier to handle and install, especially for larger panels.
Our RPE liners are 100% made in North America using only the finest raw materials. As a result, Everything Ponds Classic RPE liner is one of the first RPE liners in the industry to feature an NSF-61 rating! This is the highest rating a liner can receive, making it suitable for holding human drinking water and use in organic farming situations. It's guaranteed that no harmful chemicals will leach from the liner into the water, unlike some cheaper RPE liners made in India or China. If you're looking for the best for your fish and plants, this liner is the ideal choice. For even better performance, reliability and UV resistance, please check out our Premium Liner.
RPE is a little less "bendable" than EPDM rubber, but it is still more than flexible enough to bend around corners, bends, and shelves in a pond. However, because RPE is lighter, the folds are not as 'weighted' as EPDM. For a visual comparison between RPE and EPDM rubber, please watch the video below. Even though RPE is slightly less flexible than EPDM, it's about 3 times stronger, which significantly contributes to a more reliable liner installation that is less likely to tear or puncture. If you want the best of the best, have a look at our Premium PLUS liner, which combines the strength and durability of RPE with the easier folding of EPDM!
Calculating Liner Size
Post-Excavation
The most accurate way to determine a pond liner size is to measure exactly where the liner will sit - following the contours of the pond. Using a tape measure or wheel, begin measuring at the edge of the anchor trench, measure down the slope, across the bottom and back up to the edge of the anchor trench. Repeat this method on the width of the pond.
Pre-Excavation
If your pond has yet to be excated you must determine the maximum length, width and depth of the pond. Once that has been determined input your numbers into the follow equation to determine liner length and width:
Estimated Liner Length
1-2' for Anchoring + Max Depth + Max Length + Max Depth + 1-2' for Anchoring
Estimated Liner Width
1-2' for Anchoring + Max Depth + Max Length + Max Width + 1-2' for Anchoring
Premium RPE vs EPDM Rubber
WHICH THICKNESS IS BEST?
As for Classic RPE, the 30 mil thickness is our most popular liner option for most ponds, providing a good mix of strength and ease of installation. The 24 mil RPE is more flexible, but its coatings are thinner, making it better suited for temporary or less critical applications. As liner strength increases, so does stiffness. The 30 mil liner is more popular due to its higher durability and puncture resistance, despite being slightly stiffer than the 24 mil liner. The 40 mil is even tougher but stiffer still, featuring two layers of reinforcement compared to one in the 30 mil. Stiffness matters when a pond has multiple shelves, corners, and bends requiring folding and pleating. In these cases, the 30 mil is easier to work with, but the 40 mil can be used if necessary. For larger applications such as ponds, small lakes, or golf course water hazards, the 30 and 40 mil options are the best choices, as they are easier to install and have a longer lifespan than PVC or HDPE liners. For superior performance and flexibility, we recommend our Premium Liners instead, which feature special coating.
UV Resistance
As long as Classic RPE liner is covered with water or some kind of fill or protective layer, we guarantee a life of at least 20 years. If the liner is treated well, it could easily last 30, or even 40 years. If the liner is directly exposed to the sun and not covered with water, soil, or another material, it should still last around 10 years before succumbing to UV damage and requiring replacement. To obtain a full 20-year warranty when left exposed to the sun, please consider our Premium Liners, which offer enhanced performance and superior UV stability.
Packaging
Our RPE liners are initially manufactured in long rolls that are 12' wide. To create a specific liner size, we heat-weld two or more liner sheets together, forming high-quality heat-welded seams in the liner. Liners weighing less than 150 lbs. are packaged into a box and shipped via UPS Ground, which takes between 2 and 6 business days, depending on your location in the USA. Anything larger is shipped via freight truck on a pallet.
Liners under 150 lbs. ship UPS Ground within 3 to 5 days, while those over 150 lbs. go freight within 4 to 7 days. Liners can be shipped to Canada, Alaska and Hawaii as well; please contact us for a shipping quote.
Pond Liner Installation
The liner comes packaged in a roll. The first step to installation is to place the liner in one corner of the pond so that you'll be unrolling it in the long direction of the pond. For example, for a 60' x 30' pond, the long direction will be the 60' edge. After unrolling, the liner is now accordion-stacked, which means you can grab the top edge of the liner and pull it across the width of the pond. For every 12' of liner, it helps to have one person helping to pull. So, for a 48' long liner, you'd want to have at least 4 or 5 people to help pull the liner across the width. If you're dealing with a very large liner that is very heavy, such as a liner that is over 150', you may want to unroll the liner down the middle of the pond instead of the edge. This way, you have less material to pull across the width since you would only have to pull the liner across half the width at a time. We have installed liners up to 250' x 250' using this method.
Once the liner is loosely laid over the pond excavation, you can begin smoothing the liner down to get it lying as flat as possible. This may involve folding and pleating the liner here and there. Try to leave at least 2 feet around the entire edge so that you can anchor the liner down by either digging an anchor trench or covering it with fill (see pictures below).
Covering the Liner
After the liner is laid down and conformed to the bottom of the pond, it's a good idea to cover the liner to make the pond look more natural and to help protect the liner from long-term UV exposure. For a pond with vertical walls, we like to stack rocks to create an underwater rock wall around the edge. The top of the wall can then extend slightly above the water level to provide a nice rim around the pond. If building a larger pond or lake where the bottom gradually slopes down towards the deepest area in the middle, we typically like to lay down a strip of geotextile fabric around the entire perimeter of the pond. The fabric provides some grip and protection when putting down a fill layer next. The fill can be anything, really - sand, clean gravel, or nice rocks, etc. The basic idea is to put down some fill to hide the liner and make the pond look more natural. If the slope of the pond is steeper than 6 to 1, then the geotextile is fairly important for keeping the fill material from sliding down the slippery liner.
Covering the Liner in Natural Ponds with Sloping Walls
Covering the Liner in Ponds with Vertical Walls
Liner Frequently Asked Questions
Warranty Information
Everything Ponds RPE liner is warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship for 20 years from the day of purchase. This includes the ability of the liner to withstand normal weathering and environmental degradation when used as a primary containment membrane holding water. There are a few limitations however for the warranty to be valid: The liner must be covered at all times by soil or water, the warranty is not covered against damage resulting from acts of god, or catastrophic events such as earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes. The liner is also not covered against punctures or damage resulting from improper installation, or use. Examples of improper installation or use include damage by machinery or other equipment, people, animals, ice, or sharp/rough objects in the soil or substrate.
R.Hernandez, Rancho la Mission, RPE Pond Liner, 30mil Laminated
This dog pond/ dog pool was created using a RPE 40mil liner with a layer of Underlayment overtop to protect the liner. Everything Ponds helped her create a full filtration system using a skimmer, pump, filter, waterfall spillway and all the neccessary pipes and fittings. Visit our Pond Kit page for more info.
- S.Mathews, Texas
"The project seems to have gone well! I'm still working on it and haven't taken pictures of it in the latest stage (need to!) but I'm happy with the results so far."
- P.Bennett, Mississippi, RPE 30
The Pond liner installation “Went beautifully! Great products by you folks.
- C.Hanson, Maryland, RPE 40
- R.Blickenderfer, Ohio, RPE 30
- C.Varner, Iowa, RPE 40
- J.McCarthy, North Carolina, RPE 24
“The pond liner is fantastic.
- F.Gray, Ohio, RPE 24
D.Lippert, Ontario, quietnature.ca, RPE Pond Liner, 30mil Laminated
"The liner holds up well to the moose traffic. It's a great place for birds and other wildlife to get water during the summer. It's amazing what a person can build with a shovel and some plumbing and a good pump (and lots of rocks!)."
- Lyle.G, Idaho, RPE 24
“The 30mil liner RPE went very well.
- J. Dabbert, California, RPE 30
"The project went great. The liner was good to work with: light and easy to bend around the shelves” -
- E.Norris, Nova Scotia, RPE 24
- T. Keller, Indianapolis, RPE 30
“My project was simple. I needed a dry riverbed in my backyard. It holds water when we have a good rain (New Mexico ? lol ). I can recycle it with a small pump to water plants and shrubs or put the pump in and looks like a running steam.”
- N.Kelly, Idaho, RPE 30mil Laminated
- O.Riddle, Ohio, RPE 30
“It took a little finagling but the liner material was pliable enough to fold into those sharp corners with much extra bulk.
| Technical Information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 mil Single-Ply | 30 mil Single-Ply | 40 mil Double-Ply | Test Method | |
| Warranty | 15 years exposed warranty 20 years covered | 20 years exposed warranty 25 years covered | ||
| Description | BLACK 12 X 12 COUNT/IN | BLACK 12 X 12 COUNT/IN | BLACK 16 X 16 COUNT/IN | |
| Weight | 0.085 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | 0.095 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | 0.132 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | ASTM D 751 |
| Thickness | 24 MILS (+/-10%) | 30 MILS (+/-10%) | 40 MILS (+/-10%) | ASTM D 5199 |
| Coating Thickness | 3.5 Mils Each (+/-5%) | 5.5 Mils Each (+/-5%) | 2.5Mils Each (+/-10%) | |
| Tensile Strength (Grab Method) | MD 350 lbs TD 335 lbs | MD 345 lbs TD 420 lbs | MD 680 lbs TD 650 lbs | ASTM D7004 |
| Bursting Strength (Mullen) | 645 psi | 700 psi | 1250 psi | ASTM D 3786 |
| Puncture Resistance | 182 lbs | 202 lbs | 347 lbs | ASTM D4833 |
| Permeability | 1.40 x 10-12 CM/SEC | <1.07 x 10-12 CM/SEC | <2.65 x 10-12 CM/SEC | ASTM E 96 B |
| Low Temperature Cold Crack | -85F | -85F | -85F | ASTM D 2136 |
| Carbon Black Content | 3.9% | 7.5% | 3% | ASTM D 4218 |
| Carbon Black Dispersion | A-1 | A-1 | A-1 | ASTM G-151 |
| UV Resistance | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | |
| Chlorine Tolerance | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | |
| Technical Information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 mil Single-Ply | 30 mil Single-Ply | 40 mil Double-Ply | Test Method | |||
| Description | BLACK 12 X 12 COUNT/IN | BLACK 12 X 12 COUNT/IN | BLACK 16 X 16 COUNT/IN | |||
| Weight | 0.085 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | 0.095 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | 0.132 lbs/sqft (+/-5%) | ASTM D 751 | ||
| Thickness | 24 MILS (+/-10%) | 30 MILS (+/-10%) | 40 MILS (+/-10%) | ASTM D 5199 | ||
| Coating Thickness | 3.5 Mils Each (+/-5%) | 5.5 Mils Each (+/-5%) | 2.5Mils Each (+/-10%) | |||
| Tensile Strength (Grab Method) | MD 350 lbs TD 335 lbs | MD 345 lbs TD 420 lbs | MD 680 lbs TD 650 lbs | ASTM D7004 | ||
| Bursting Strength (Mullen) | 645 psi | 700 psi | 1250 psi | ASTM D 3786 | ||
| Puncture Resistance | 182 lbs | 202 lbs | 347 lbs | ASTM D4833 | ||
| Permeability | 1.40 x 10-12 CM/SEC | <1.07 x 10-12 CM/SEC | <2.65 x 10-12 CM/SEC | ASTM E 96 B | ||
| Low Temperature Cold Crack | -85F | -85F | -85F | ASTM D 2136 | ||
| Carbon Black Content | 3.9% | 7.5% | 3% | ASTM D 4218 | ||
| Carbon Black Dispersion | A-1 | A-1 | A-1 | ASTM G-151 | ||
| UV Resistance | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | 90% Strength Retained after 2000 hrs. | |||
| Chlorine Tolerance | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | Up to 2ppm (parts per million) | |||
| SKU | RPE-24 |
|---|---|
| Testimonials | Premium RPE |