Last Updated: 12 October 2024
Table of Contents
What is a Pond Sealer
A pond sealer is used to fill any small holes or emerging cracks that appear on the inside of the pond liner. A crack in the pond liner will typically only get worse, with natural elements such as ice in winter, when the pond begins to freeze over expanding the cracks further.
Side-Note – If you’re looking to connect or seal two pond liners together, you’ll want to buy pond seam tape – here’s our recommended product for this – Pond Liner Seem Tape
Now, back to repairing your pond leak.
If you suspect that you have a leak, you can be sure of it by using a fluorescent dye, we’ve linked to a high-rated product on Amazon here: Green Water Tracing & Leak Detection Fluorescent Dye. However, despite these dye’s being 100% biodegradable, non-staining and perfectly safe for wildlife and aquatic life, we would still take the fish out of the pond… But we’ve read multiple accounts where pond owners have left their fish in and they were perfectly fine. None-the-less, the dye will take around 4-5 days to finally vanish from the pond altogether… Unless you have a large leak that is!
Ok, so once you’ve determined that you’ve got a leak, and where exactly it is on the pond liner, it’s now time to inspect this further, preferably without draining the water.
You need more information here, because the size and location of this hole will ultimately determine how you go about fixing the leak, by what type of pond sealer you choose to buy.
What if the crack/hole in the liner is too large?
If the hole or crack is too large to repair, and is causing a major leak, it may be better to replace the liner itself.
Since most brands provide a 5-10 year warranty, you can simply contact the brand, explain the situation and see if they will provide a replacement, free of charge. Alternatively, if your warranty has expired and you’re looking for a replacement liner, we have a pond liners buyer’s guide here.
Ok, back to talking about pond sealers
The type of pond sealant that you choose will determine whether or not you need to drain the pond or not… And therefore many factors other than the actual liner will come into your decision-making process, such as your personal preferences, time constraints, if you have another place to safely house the fish/plants, etc.
Below we’ve explained the different kinds of available pond sealant as well as the advantages and disadvantages to using each type.
Types of Pond Sealant
As previously touched upon, there are several types of pond sealer that you can use for the hole or crack in your pond, and explained reasons why you may want to choose one over another type.
Liquid Pond Sealer (In dry environments)
Liquid Pond Sealers are the most popular type of pond sealant, and as you can probably tell, they are applied in a liquid form, preferably with a brush, roller or sprayer. Multiple coats will be required for this method to be effective, and be sure to follow the application instructions that are supplied with the pond sealer itself.
As with most of the other types of sealant, liquid pond sealers require that the applied area is dry, and therefore you’ll need to drain the pond and transfer fish, plants and any other aesthetics to a temporary location.
High Strength bonding (Uses water as a curing agent)
For those who want a minimal amount of hassle, this will be the most popular solution. This kind of product is a bonding sealer, with very high strength and minimal cure/drying time, and it uses the moisture (water) as a curing agent, so the best part is that you won’t have to drain the water. Not only that, but the specific product we’re promoting is suitable for rubber/PVC, EPDM/plastic and even glass, and because it doesn’t contain any harmful solvents or Isocyanates, it can be used without the fish needing to be removed from the pond.
For concrete/tiled ponds
These are pond sealers that are specifically designed for use with concrete and tiled ponds. These kinds of sealers are generally applied through using a brush, roller or a sprayer.
Tape (In dry environments)
These are pond sealers that are essentially made from a strong tape material, with adhesive on one side which sticks to the area where there is a hole or tear in the liner. This method does not require for you to get out a painting brush, but the surface needs to be dry and clean for this solution to be effective.
Where to find high-quality pond sealer brands
We have provided recommendations on the best pond sealers, based on a combination of our own research and the combined reviews and ratings from other websites. The most affordable place to find high-quality pond sealers is Amazon.
With that being said, let’s go ahead and get specific about the 10 best pond sealers:
Best Pond Sealers – Top 10
Liquid Pond Sealers (In dry environments)
Liquid Rubber Color Waterproof Sealant/Coating for Ponds – Buy on Amazon
Liquid Rubber Waterproof Sealant/Coating for Ponds – Buy on Amazon
Herco Pond Coating Kit – Quart Size – Black – Buy on Amazon
High-Strength Bonding Sealants
Clear Underwater Sealant For Use in Water (no need to drain) – Buy on Amazon
Atlantic Water Gardens Black Silicone Pond Sealer – Buy on Amazon
Gorilla 100 Percent Silicone Sealant – Buy on Amazon
For concrete/tiled ponds
Stamped Concrete Sealer – Buy on Amazon
Tape (In dry environments)
Gorilla 4612502 Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape – Buy on Amazon
Liquid Rubber Pond Repair Tape – Buy on Amazon
Cofair Tite Seal Liner Patch Repair Kit – Buy on Amazon
Liquid Pond Sealer (In dry environments)
Liquid Rubber Color Waterproof Sealant/Coating – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $50 per gallon
- Colour: Green, Beige, White, Dark Grey, Light Grey, Medium Brown & Medium Grey
- Type: Water-based sealant
- How to apply: Brush, Roller or Spray Gun
- Time until dry: 24-48 hours
- Positives: Versatile use (not just for ponds), a lot of sealants provided for the cost
- Negatives: Requires multiple coats (put more on than directed, as reviews suggest that this is important, to help maintain the structure of the adhesive), wouldn’t be ideal to fix large holes and tears
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
The Liquid Rubber Colour is an extremely versatile waterproof sealant. The brand explains that the product can be used for a number of different functions, including being used as a coating membrane for both preparation and repair purposes and provides a waterproof seal for ponds, roofs and almost any material for that matter.
All that is required for effective use of this product is that the surface is dry, clean and applied when the temperature is above 50 dFahrenheitrenheit (10 degrees Celcius).
Upon reading several reviews of the product, it’s clear that those who have been successful in using it, emphasize the importance of using multiple coats of the sealant. 3-4 coats will allow you to achieve roughly a 1-1.5 mm membrane thickness.
Although, you will need to leave 24-48 hours before applying more coats, which may be unsuitable for some, from both a time and practical perspective.
This product is available in a variety of colors to suit your pond’s foundation material, and is able to treat scuffs, abrasions and very small tears/holes.
In Conclusion,
The Liquid Rubber Colour waterproof sealant is ideal for someone who is looking to prime and protect and treat their liner from any current or future abrasion.
However, due to the number of coats needed to produce 1-1.5mm of membrane thickness, this product would not be able to fix/treat large tears and holes in a pond foundation/liner.
Liquid Rubber Original Black Waterproof Sealant/Coating – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $50 per gallon
- Colour: Black
- Type: Water-based sealant
- How to apply: Brush, Roller or Spray Gun
- Time until dry: 24-48 hours
- Positives: Versatile use (not just for ponds), a lot of sealants provided for the cost
- Negatives: Requires multiple coats (put more on than directed, as reviews suggest that this is important, to help maintain the structure of the adhesive), wouldn’t be ideal to fix large holes and tears
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
The Liquid Rubber Original Black, is the same as the ‘Liquid Rubber Colour’ sealant, with the only difference being that it’s only available in black.
It too is an extremely versatile waterproof sealant. The brand explains that the product can be used for a number of different functions, including being used as a coating membrane for both preparation and repair purposes and provides a waterproof seal for ponds, roofs and almost any material for that matter.
All that is required for effective use of this product is that the surface is dry, clean and applied when the temperature is above 50 dFahrenheitrenheit (10 degrees celcius).
Upon reading several reviews of the product, it’s clear that those who have been successful in using it, emphasize the importance of using multiple coats of the sealant. 3-4 coats will allow you to achieve roughly a 1-1.5 mm membrane thickness.
Although, you will need to leave 24-48 hours before applying more coats, which may be unsuitable for some, from both a time and practical perspective.
As mentioned, this product is only available in black, and is able to treat scuffs, abrasions and very small tears/holes.
In Conclusion,
The Liquid Rubber Original Black waterproof sealant is ideal for someone who is looking to prime and protect and treat their liner from any current or future abrasion.
However, due to the number of coats needed to produce 1-1.5mm of membrane thickness, this product would not be able to fix/treat large tears and holes in a pond foundation/liner.
High-Strength Bonding Sealants
Clear Underwater Sealant For Use in Water (no need to drain) – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $25 per 75ml
- Colour: Clear
- Type: No drain required, Suitable for all pond types
- How to apply: Self-applied
- Time until dry: 24-48 hours
- Positives: Versatile use – Rubber, PVC, EPDM & Glass, Uses water as a curing agent, therefore no need to drain water
- Negatives: Mixed reviews, relatively expensive for a small bottle
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
The Clear Underwater Sealant by Silver Label is a unique pond sealant, with the main USP of the product being its ability to be used to treat almost any pond liner material, from Rubber, PVC, EPDM, Plastic & Glass without needing for water to be drained. This is a huge time-saver.
The product uses water as a curing agent and therefore it can be applied underwater, and drys underwater… Although the brand doesn’t specify how long it takes to dry, it shouldn’t be too long!
Although this pond sealant can be left unpainted, if you would prefer to have it blend in with the rest of your pond, it can be painted with water-based paint.
Additionally, the product does not contain any harmful solvents or isocyanates, so you can rest assured that it’s 100% fish-friendly.
As always, be sure that the location where you’re using this pond sealer is clean and free from any kind of oil or grease, as this will only impair the effectiveness of the sealer itself.
In Conclusion,
The Clear Underwater Sealant is perfect for someone who wants to fix a hole or tear in their pond without having to drain the pond water.
It’s the ultimate time-saver if you’re looking for a quick, effective solution.
Atlantic Water Gardens Black Silicone Pond Sealer – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $25 per 75ml
- Colour: Clear
- Type: 100% Silicone
- How to apply: Self-applied
- Time until dry: “Quickly”
- Positives: Cures quickly on dry surface, inexpensive to order a small bottle to test
- Negatives: Not recommended that it be painted
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
The Atlantic Water Gardens Black Silicone Pond Sealer is a permanent sealant used for your pond, which is flexible in its use, being able to repair tears and holes, whilst also being quick to cure.
The sealant is 100% silicone (acetoxy) and therefore fish-friendly, being a very effective, permanent repair solution for your pond.
Additionally, this particular pond sealant comes in two different sizes, which are 2.8 ounces (squeezable bottle) and 10.3 ounces (cartridge), so you can choose the ideal size for your requirements. Both of which will provide a watertight seal.
Be aware, the 10.3-ounce version is a cartridge and therefore does not have a lid like the 2.9-ounce bottle… And therefore reviews of the 10.3-ounce product provide criticism on the fact that it can only be used once, when initially opened and the sealant is fresh.
The product must be applied to a dry, clean surface, and reviews overall show that it seals great!
In Conclusion,
The Atlantic Water Gardens Black Silicone Pond Sealer is a high-quality sealer, and with it being available in different sizes, it’s ideal for almost every need/requirement.
Gorilla 100 Percent Silicone Sealant – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $7 for 2.8 ounces
- Colour: Clear
- Type: 100% Silicone
- How to apply: Self-applied
- Time until dry: Less than 30 minutes until completely dry
- Positives: Multi-purpose, waterproof and mold/mildew resistant, available in a range of different sizes & multi-packs (discounted)
- Negatives: Nothing
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
We couldn’t talk about sealant without mentioning one of the most popular and most reputable brands within the industry; Gorilla.
Gorilla’s 100 percent silicone caulk is a multi-purpose sealant that drys within 30 minutes. The brand state that it works well being used for marine purposes, and when looking at the product’s reviews, it’s clear that this sealant does its job well.
The sealant itself drys translucent clear, and is immune to mold accumulation and is crack-resistant. Not only this, but it comes in a 2.8 oz squeezy bottle for easy application.
Additionally, if you’re looking to get a larger amount and don’t want to purchase multiple bottles, they have larger cartridges available such as the 10 oz cartridge (Gorilla 10 oz silicone sealant – Buy on Amazon)
As always, the product must be applied to a dry, clean surface, and reviews overall show that it seals great!
In Conclusion,
Overall, the Gorilla silicone clear sealant is a quick-drying, mold & mildew resistant, waterproof solution for sealing your pond cracks and tears. Reviews suggest that it’s a product that lives up to its expectations and is ideal for the job!
For concrete/tiled ponds
Stamped Concrete Sealer – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – N/A
- Colour: Clear
- Type: Semi-Gloss Concrete Sealant
- How to apply: Brush, Roller, and Sprayer
- Time until dry: Rapid dry time
- Positives: Specifically to be used on concrete ponds, protects against color fade, eco-friendly
- Negatives: Need to condition the concrete before use, using concrete cleaner.
Product Reviews
See all of the product reviews here: Customer Reviews
Description
The Stamped Concrete Sealer by Maisonry Defender can be used as a concrete pond sealer and despite the somewhat low amount of customer reviews it has, all of which provide glowing recommendations on the product.
The sealant itself is derived from a water-based formula, and is environmentally-friendly, which is extremely important when being used in your pond. Although no specific drying time is provided, reviews suggest that it drys within 1 hour in a well-ventilated area, after being used, and it provides a nice clean, clear finish.
Additionally, it can be applied over previous coatings, so this will save you time and energy, without you having to go about removing previous coatings.
However, before being applied to concrete, you must use some kind of concrete cleaner, to provide the best chance of effectiveness.
In Conclusion,
Overall, this concrete pond sealer by Maisonry Defender is easy to apply, quick to dry sealant which does a great job. Although there are a limited number of reviews, all of which suggest that the product is of high-quality.
Herco Pond Coating Kit – Quart Size – Black – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $125+ for the kit
- Colour: Black, Clear, Grey, White
- Type: Concrete, Brick & Block Pond treatment kit
- How to apply: Brush, Roller or Spray Gun
- Time until dry: N/A
- Positives: Includes several different items including cleaner, primer, crack filler & coating
- Negatives: A little more expensive than other solutions
Description
The Herco Pond treatment/coating kit is another versatile solution for using as an effective pond sealant. This product is commonly used for concrete, brick and block ponds.
It comes with multiple products which means that if you have this kit, you’re simply well-prepared!
The kit itself includes cleaner, white caulk/crack filler, primer, and pond coating, all of which is easy-to-apply and environmentally friendly, whilst being 100% fish-safe.
As far as customer feedback on this product is concerned, despite the limited number of product reviews, it has incredibly positive feedback.
Additionally, the company has also stated that the kit works well as a wooden pond adhesive.
In Conclusion,
A solid option if you’re looking to repair a concrete, brick or block pond.
Although minimal information is provided on the drying time of the products, the positive reviews suggest it is a worthy product to purchase.
Tape (In dry environments)
Gorilla 4612502 Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $18 per tape
- Colour: Black tape
- Type: Tape sealant for pond & underwater use
- How to apply: Self-application
- Time until dry: Instantly
- Positives: Works underwater, easy to apply, instantly repairs holes, cracks, gaps and tears, UV resistant
- Negatives: It is not recommended that the tape be painted once in place, not unless you use a specific paint formulated for painting plastics
Description
This waterproof patch and seal tape by Gorilla is a fantastic solution for repairing your pond holes, cracks, gaps and tears in an extremely convenient, instantaneous way.
The tape itself measures 4″ by 10″ and is black, although as we pointed out, the company does not recommend painting the tape, unless you use special paint which is formulated to stick to plastic.
However, in regards to the tape’s ability to repair your pond, from looking at customer reviews it’s clear that it’s well-revered, and it is able to fix ponds very well.
It is important to note, that we highly advise that you apply this tape to a dry surface, and wait for it to dry, as some reviews have pointed out that the tape struggles to be initially stuck to damp surfaces, but once stuck is very strong.
In Conclusion,
We like this product, although we would advise using this tape in conjunction with another sealer. For example, if you don’t want to drain the pond, use this tape with the Clear Underwater Sealant For Use in Water (no need to drain).
Although if you’re open to draining the pond, we think that the best solution for long-term sealant success is to use this tape in conjunction with Gorilla 100 Percent Silicone Sealant.
Liquid Rubber Pond Repair Tape – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $18 per tape
- Colour: Black tape
- Type: Tape sealant for pond & underwater use
- How to apply: Self-application
- Time until dry: Instantly
- Positives: Waterproof, easy to apply, many different sizes available, immediate sticking
- Negatives: Advised to use a coating in conjunction (Liquid Rubber Original Black Waterproof Sealant/Coating) to ensure long-term success
Description
This waterproof sealant tape by Liquid Rubber is another great solution for helping repair your pond holes, cracks, gaps and tears in an extremely convenient, instantaneous way.
The tape is available in different sizes, making it great for those with specific size requirements.
Additionally, due to the superior nano-adhesion formula used for this tape, it adheres to the target surface almost immediately, for instantaneous waterproofing success.
However, to ensure long-term success and structural integrity of the tape, it’s recommended that a pond coating agent be used in conjunction, such as the Liquid Rubber Original Black Waterproof Sealant/Coating/Liquid Rubber Colour Waterproof Sealant/Coating that we’ve mentioned above.
The reviews of this particular tape suggest that it is effective at sealing leaks. Although it’s clear that it is not recommended to use for sealing two pond liners together, it looks to be effective at repairing holes, cracks, tears and small leaks.
In Conclusion,
Overall, we think that this is a solid product for anyone who is looking for a tape to repair their pond leak, especially because it comes in a range of different sizes, so there should be an ideal size for your requirements.
However, we highly recommend that you use this in conjunction with a pond coating (previously mentioned above) to ensure long-term success.
Cofair Tite Seal Liner Patch Repair Kit – Buy on Amazon
Item Specs
- Price: ($) – Around $16 per tape
- Colour: Black tape
- Type: EPDM Tape sealant for pond holes/tears and rips
- How to apply: Self-application
- Time until dry: Instantly
- Positives: Waterproof, easy to apply, many different sizes available, immediate sticking
- Negatives: Advised to use a coating in conjunction (Liquid Rubber Original Black Waterproof Sealant/Coating) to ensure long-term success
Description
This is the last pond sealing tape that we’ve featured upon our list of pond sealants. It’s manufactured by Tite Seal, and is made from EPDM material.
The product itself is a pond liner patch kit with self-adhesive allowing it to repair any kind of pond liner material such as EPDM, PVC Polyethylene & Polypropylene.
It’s available in one size which measures 11″ by 4″ by 4″ and can be purchased for a price or around 15/16 USD.
As far as the product reviews look, they suggest that the patch kit is effective as a pond sealer if, and only if certain prerequisites are met, which include making sure that the target area is clean, dry and free from any grease that would reduce the adhesives ability to stick to the surface.
Additionally, one review pointed out that the adhesive needs at least 24-hours worth of time in which it is left, without any contact with water, for long-term success.
In Conclusion
From our research, tape pond sealers are best utilized in conjunction with pond coating, which is used afterwards to give the area a final coat of protective membrane. Therefore we highly advise that you use a coating if you want to ensure that pond crack/hole or tear is fully repaired, for long-term success.
In Conclusion,
Overall, we think that this is a solid product for anyone who is looking for a tape to repair their pond leak, especially because it comes in a range of different sizes, so there should be an ideal size for your requirements.
However, we highly recommend that you use this in conjunction with a pond coating (previously mentioned above) to ensure long-term success.
Therefore, to summarize
It’s clear that there are many options available to seal or repair your pond holes, tears & cracks.
However, from the research that we have done, looking at all of the products and the customer reviews/ratings, it’s apparent that using a combination of products is more effective in the long-run.
Therefore, we advise using a pond tape such as the Gorilla 4612502 Waterproof Patch & Seal Tape (Buy on Amazon), which is available in several different sizes and provides an easy to use, strong adhesive tape to patch/repair your pond…. We recommend using this whilst the pond is dry, as it’s clear from reviews that people have had more success from this product when applied on a dry surface, although the tape is waterproof (when fully dried). This tape is also UV resistant, which means that the sunlight will not damage or jeopardise its ability to work.
Finally, to make sure that the repair is effective in the long-term, we recommend using a coating membrane such as Liquid Rubber Original Black Waterproof Sealant/Coating (Buy on Amazon) which will not only smooth over the surface but provide an extra layer of protection to the sealant.
Overall, we hope that you’ve found this article on the best pond sealers, incredibly helpful. If you have any further questions, then feel free to email us at theoutdoorpond (@) gmail.com.