Waterproof cement for pond

Are you looking for a way to make your pond waterproof? Good news: you’re in the right place. In this article, you will learn how to make your garden pond waterproof. And this probably is a lot easier than you think. Curious? Read more below.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why should you make a concrete pond waterproof?

2 What kind of concrete pond sealer to use?

2.1 How does Permacon work?

2.2 How to use liquid rubber waterproof sealant like Permacon?

3 Using cementmix instead of Permacon

4 The difference between Oppercon and Permacon

5 Things to keep in mind when constructing a swimming pond

6 One more thing

7 Permacon

Why should you make a concrete pond waterproof?

Let’s start this article by explaining why you should make a concrete pond waterproof. What’s the use for it? When you’re swimming in a pool the water is kept clean with chemicals. It’s filtered and clean at all times. That’s very different from a concrete pond.

Use Permacon, to waterproof your pond — Waterproof your pond

I’ll guess most people who are curious know a lot more about that than I will ever hope to share. But it does help. So, let’s dive into this a bit deeper, shall we? What makes a good pond? A good, well-maintained pond has these qualities:

Healthy fish (like a koi pond as example)
Clear water
Thriving plants
Minimal pests such as algae

If there is any concrete in the pond it’s of high importance that this is maintained well. It’s essential because, at below-grades areas, water intrusion can cause serious, structural damage. The primary reason to use concrete pond sealer (or something else) is to keep moisture from intruding into the facility. But that’s not the only reason for a pond owner to make sure concrete ponds are waterproof.

Another reason is to protect the structural content from water infiltration that can cause structural damage to the concrete or corrosion to the imbedded steel. As you might now concrete is a porous material. That menas water can pass through it by hydrostatic pressure, water vapor gradient or capillary action. If there are any cracks in the concrete the water can also cause structural defects or at improperly designed or installed joints. Lastly waterproofing is also wise because it eliminates the deterioration to the concrete that can occur from exterior and interior chemicals that are present at the building site.

What kind of concrete pond sealer to use?

So: you want to make your concrete pond waterproof. That’s great and also very wise. But what kind of sealer do you use that fully cure the problems of water features in concrete? Well, our Permacon is the perfect solution for waterproofing your pond. Let us explain why.

Permacon waterproofing makes concrete permanently waterproof. How? Well, it hardens the surface. This prevents dust forming. You could also coat it with a finish of your choice, but that aspect is merely for easthetic reasons. The surface will be well protected against water damage. Besides that, Permacon also saves you money. Here’s why:

Protect building materials: it hardens the surface and makes it 100% waterproof
Saves renovation costs: protects against algae, moss and fungal. The quality of your concrete will remain intact, even over the course of many years
Prevents structural damage: the life of concrete will be greatly extended because it prevents the rising of damp

How does Permacon work?

So, we already explained the advantages of using Permacon. But how exactly does it work? We”ll happily explain. First, Permacon will ensure that the intere surface area of the concrete pond is saturated with the gel. This gel will then fill the entire capillary pore system, like a liquid rubber waterproof sealant does. All the free particles will be stabilized, including water. Once the water has evaporated, a crystallized core remains. This core is immobile and a permanent part of the concrete. It also is impervious to liquid. So, as result of all this, Permacon will strenghten the pores of the concrete and stops rising damp and concrete pond permanently. This way, you don’t have to worry about your concrete anymore as a pond owner.

As a result of this, Permacon completely stops the process of water migration in concrete. This also applies to harmful substances of any kind present in the concrete itself. Per example: chlorides, sulphates and other contaminants of various kinds. Crystals cannot diffuse or otherwise move to the concrete anymore. This is also a very important reason to use pond sealer. Due to the complete integration of the crystal-pore- filling in the concrete high hydrostatic pressure will be held back and won’t be able to bring any movement to the material. And of course all this with the vapour-permeability maintained.

The surface is created with complete protection against any liquids. There will be some kind of a waterproof membrane to protect the concrete. Permacon is a mixture of a very unique formulae that gives concrete permanent protection. So you have nothing to worry about anymore, except enjoying your beautiful pond. Permacon is human and environmental friendly since there are no harmful chemicals used since it’s water based. Don’t like it anymore? No worries, you can paint over the Permacon if you like.

How to use liquid rubber waterproof sealant like Permacon?

So, we already explained the advantages of Permacon. To make your life a little bit easies we’ll also explain how to use Permacon. This way, you’re all set to start with waterproofing ponds.

Before you start waterproofing the pond you need to make sure the whole surface is completely stripped of organic debris and/or pore sealing layers like paint or other chemicals. Some organic debris or sealing layers can cause the Permacon to not penetrate into the surface. When that happens the Permacon won’t be able to

For sealing ponds you’ll need more than one coat. Apply the first layer of Permacon with a low pressure sprayer on ponds. Wait between 4-18 hours before applying the second sealer layer. How long to wait depends on the wetness of the surface. Apply the second layer with a roller if you like. Looking forward to painting with hot weather? Then we suggest you add water before applying the pond armor Permacon. Wait until it’s dry before appyling the seal. When finished painting, always check if you haven’t missed a spot.

Maybe you’re wondering about how much Permacon you should use. We can safely say 1 litre of Permacon is sufficient for an average of 44 ft2. When in doubt, we suggest to buy a bit more. It’s better to have some sealant left instead of not having enough, right?

Using cementmix instead of Permacon

Yes, it’s also possible to use cementmix for concrete fish pond waterproofing. The mix replaces water and makes all kinds of cement and concrete water- and liquid proof. Not only the surface, but also the underlying layers will be protected against water. However, any finish like paint, cement or any other kind is not possible. This treatment is permanent. Something to keep in the back of your mind when deciding what sealers to use for your ponds.

The difference between Oppercon and Permacon

We’ve already explained what Permacon does and how you can use it to your advantage. It’s the perfect cure for your pond. However, you can also choose Oppercon. What’s the difference?

For curing water problems you can also use Oppercon. It’s a surface treatment that makes the surface not only waterproof, but also water repellent and uv stable. This without leaving any trace of it’s presence, unlike permacon. It basically is the best untraceacble cure. However you must keep in mind that a finish like paint or any kind of finish at all is not possible. The Oppercon treatment lasts for about 15 years. After that, a new layer of paint is needed.

Oppercon also protects against moisture, algae, mold and moss. It’s non-toxic and completly harmless. That also means you won’t need special gear when applying it to the surface. It’s also environmental friendly and made of all natural ingredients. Just like Permacon. You can apply Oppercon the same way as Permacon: with a low pressure sprayer. This makes it very little time consuming and very easy to do. You don’t need to be a pro to use sealers like Oppercon. One litre is sufficient for about 88 ft2.

Some of the advantages of Oppercon:

Protects building material against waterdamage since it can no longer penetrate the surface
Prevents structural damage like concrete cracks
Saves you a lot of renovation costs since there will be a long-lasting, protective layer against algae and fungal

Things to keep in mind when constructing a swimming pond

Lastly, we want to give you a few tips to keep in mind when constructing a swimming pond. This way you’ll enjoy your pond even longer. A swimming pond might be bigger and deeper than a average pond, but in terms of design and technology there isn’t much of a difference. But: a relatively large part of the water needs to be kept free of plants for safe swimming.

If you want to sufficiently and naturally filter the water, a shallow zone of about 6080 cm deep has to be made with oxygen plants. This is very important for the water quality and provides a natural shelter for fish. And lastly it’s important to use a waterproof sealant like Permacon or Oppercon.

One more thing

Moisture problems in ponds, houses and other buildings, are part of our climate. If we don’t do anything to prevent this, these problems can cause damage to the house and furniture. Fortunately, you can easily prevent moisture damage with Permacon. Permacon waterproofs concrete and stone, and prevents rising damps. Permacon is environmentally friendly, easy to apply and protects your home, cottage or shed against moisture absorption.