Filling a Pond

DampCat · 2 Aug 2013 at 17:12

Hola

I need to fill a pond in. I've removed all of the linings and paving slabs, and now i've just got a big hole in the ground. I dropped in a bunch of layabout hardcore that was up in the "hell hole" (the corner of the garden to which nobody ventures) but now i'm not really sure how to proceed.

I dont want to plant over it, i'm probably going to shingle that portion of the garden, maybe make a small patio.

What do i fill the remainder of the pond with? Soil? How do i estimate how much i will need, and should i get more to account for subsidence?

I assume then having filled it i need to lay a membrane before laying some more soil and then finally applying shingle. Is this correct?

I'm doing man jobs for my Mum while im visiting, but i'm really not experienced at this

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 11:09

Cor. I dont know. It's pretty big.

Maybe i ought to get someone to actually tell me how much i need. I'll also need to find some more hardcore.

Do i just google for shingle and soil? Crikey ive never even considered where one would buy dirt.

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 11:26

It's actually not that big. It's averag epond size. A rough tape measurement just now guestimates about 3mx3m wide and about 1m deep. So what's that, 9m3?

About 15 tonnes of crushed concrete, according to that handy calculator. Crikey.

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 11:32

Well that's more than i was expecting.

I can fill about half of it myself, so about 7 tonnes. Then i want to shingle a much larger area, so another couple of tonnes. Maybe 10 in total then.

Jeez.

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 11:49

Christ. i might make a hardcore wanted freecycle post or something.

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 12:34

i wish i was more manly.

DampCat · 3 Aug 2013 at 15:35

Christ if it saves me a couple of tons im in.

DampCat · 8 Aug 2013 at 21:57

So i thought 15 was going to be too much, and I had kinda half filled the pond with random crap anyway, so I went for 5 tons. I still needed to get sand and top layer gravel so if i needed more hardcore i could just get some in the second order.

Anyway. This is how my day went today.

5 tons.

4.9 tons.

No tons.

No pond!

Turns out 5 tons is perfect. I've watered it, hoping its going to settle over night. Then i can level it off and start membraning it.

DampCat · 8 Aug 2013 at 23:14

5 tons was £140 delivered same day. They weren't the cheapest but they did deliver that afternoon and they were a pleasure to deal with on the phone so it was worth the extra £20 or so.

That's fine, i'm in no rush to cover it. I just wanted it filled at least. I'm also replacing gates, fence panels and laying paving so i can just leave the pond until last.

DampCat · 9 Aug 2013 at 15:35

More today. Dug a hole for the fenceposts to make a new gate. Got to 1.5 feet and hit a sewer! So that'll have to do

Th eold gate was right at the end of the house. The new one is bigger and more secure so i've brought it further back into the garden to give it more space.

Then dug up all the old gravel, rocks and membrane that you can see if the first pic

This guy caused some trouble. It's an outdoor socket, but the black line runs up the garden to the shed, which handled all the electrics for the pond pumps etc. I didnt have two spanners big enough to take it out (all my dad's tools are locked up in storage until ive made this place safe), so i dealt with it the only way i could think of. See the next pic

(yes im aware of the terrible paint job. 17 year old me didnt care, and Dad left it knowing one day it would annoy me. It annoys me.)

Started laying the new paving. You can also see how i dealt with that powerline. I turned it all off first

OCD beware the next pic

I have no way of cutting these slabs sadly. I tried chiselling but it would take months to get tham all. So i'm just going to let them sit out of line. This isnt the main part of the garden so its not essential for it to be perfect. If i wanted a perfect job id have paid someone to do it

Just a shot overlooking the area ive filled with hardcore into the nice part. Shoudl tie together nicely. That crappy fence will come out of course.

DampCat · 13 Aug 2013 at 16:30

I dont think anyone is reading this but I quite fancy keeping a log for myself so thbthtbhbthbt!

So from this:

To this:

Not bad at all eh? Gonna reinforce and straighten that one fence post on the left but otherwise dead happy. The panels next to the gate are actually the old gate chopped up. Love recycling!

DampCat · 13 Aug 2013 at 21:54

Thanks guys!

It's been hard work, i broke my collarbone 6 weeks back so i can only shovel half-barrows etc plus sorting out my car etc so it's kept me busy

Still got to finish the main part, i've filled the pond a la thread title but not done anything else yet. Going to shift some sand in, membrane it, then get another 3 tons of gravel onto it! Another week or so i think

Mum's house anyway, and she's happy. Good enough for me

DampCat · 19 Aug 2013 at 23:48

Done!

i think these pics are a bit small actually but the others were too big. Need a happy medium.

From This:

To This!

So all those plants by the fence will grow in, and there will be a rockery covered in ferns on the right side. Will take a season or so

Groo Approved!

DampCat · 20 Aug 2013 at 00:36

Yeah now she has proper access in and out of the garden for the first time. Will make a huge difference come spring when she's gardening

In spring im going to put lawn on the front garden too, we dont need a 4 car drive now that she's the only person there.

ThankS!

DampCat · 20 Aug 2013 at 10:28

She doesnt mind mowing, and at the moment it's pretty untidy. It's got huge gravel on (60mm+) and doesnt match the rest of the drive that has pea shingle. She'll plant it too.

Although you just gave me a thought. I picked out a Twisted Hazel years ago that's growing out back and it's awesome. Maybe i'll push for one out front.

Tree thieves? The swines :l