POND SHIELD EPOXY FAQ

POND SHIELD-FSP FAQ

What can Pond Shield be applied to?
Pond Shield can be applied to concrete, cement, shotcrete, gunnite, stone, tile wood, steel, aluminum, rock, some plastics, old coatings (as long as they are prepared properly first) fiberglass, and many more surfaces.

Can I coat my pond liner with Pond Shield?
No. Pond Shield is designed to be applied to any constructed surface like those listed above.  Pond Shield-FSP would be more suited to that.

Is Pond Shield fish and plant safe?
Absolutely! We actually send Pond Shield samples out to be tested in the mixed, uncured state to be sure no harm will come to your aquatic life.

Where can I purchase Pond Shield in my local area?
Just click the Find a Retailer or Installer link above and enter in your zip code and the amount of miles you are willing to travel to any given retailer.

What do I do if my retailer doesn't carry Pond Shield yet?
You can ask them to contact us at 800-716-1545 and we'll speak with them. In the mean time, if you need Pond Shield, you can order from us either by phone or through our secure online store.

How long before I can put water an fish in my pond?
The instructions will tell you to wait for 72 hours. However, if you inspect every bit of your coating the next day and are sure that it is dry and there are no tacky spots anywhere, you can add water and fish.

I'm a retailer. How do I purchase your product?
You can either purchase through any of our distributors listed, by following the Find a Retailer or Installer link above or you can contact us. We do offer trade discounts for retailers.

I'm a contractor/installer. How do I purchase your product?
You can either purchase through any of our distributors listed, by following the Find a Retailer or Installer link above or you can contact us. We do offer trade discounts for contractors/installers.

How does Pond Shield compare to other products available to me?
Pond Shield was specifically designed around the flaws of virtually every other coating available in the pond industry. It is competitively priced and costs not much more than a rubber liner per square foot but offers much more stability. Pond Shield can be applied by you, the home owner and does not require a specialized crew for installation. Pond Shield has been referred to as "bullet proof", "tough as nails" and "strongest coating ever used" to quote a few. While these are figurative forms of speech, Pond Shield has been designed strong and flexible to provide you with many years of virtually maintenance free service.

Can Pond Shield be applied over other old coatings?
Yes. However, you should take care to properly prepare the surface prior to applying Pond Shield. Be sure to remove any old coating that is coming off, but the best case scenario is to remove all of the old coating prior to application. It's best not to rely on the failing bond of the old coating. If you find that some of the old coating is still bonding sufficiently, then you should sand the remainder with at least 60-grit sandpaper to give the material tooth.

How many coats do I have to apply?
Well that depends on whether you use a pigmented version of Pond Shield or the clear Pond Shield. The pigmented versions of Pond Shield are thick like grease and can be applied in one 10mil coat. Pond Shield clear is only as thick as syrup and should be applied in three 3-4mil coats for a total of 10mils finished thickness.

Can I apply a second coat of Pond Shield over the first?
Yes, but it is not necessary unless you are trying to correct the first coat application. Pond Shield is designed to perform properly at a finished thickness of 10mils. Applying it thicker will not hurt, but will cost more in regards to materials. If you have to touch up and area you can apply Pond Shield over the top of itself with no extra surface preparation within 24 hours of the original application. After that 24 hour period, you should scuff the area being coating to give the material tooth.

I applied Pond Shield and my pond still leaks. What is wrong?
Simply put, you missed something. After your initial coating is applied, you need to go back and inspect the entire surface are for flaws in your application. Ares like cracks, crevices, voids, concrete showing through and any similar areas need to be corrected before you call the job finished. Once you have successfully applied a 100% coating to the interior of your pond, it will not leak.

Can I use Pond Shield to waterproof my water garden planters?
Yes. Pond Shield has been designed specifically for ponds and water gardens, but does have a great deal of other uses as well.

Can I get Pond Shield in a color other than the ones you currently have?
Yes. We can match any solid color you choose. Just send us a paint chip with the color you'd like and we'll match it. Because of the way the components that make up Pond Shield are mixed, you have to order a minimum of 10 quart and a half kits when ordering a custom color.

Do I have to acid etch my concrete before I apply Pond Shield?
Absolutely. There are two very important reasons for acid etching. First, the muriatic acid will remove and calcium deposits that form as concrete cures. These calcium deposits will fall over time anyway and you do not want to have your coating bonded to them. Finally, acid etching will neutralize the alkaline properties in the surface of the concrete, creating a much better bond.

Can I just spot coat a crack in my pond?
That is not advisable. If you give Pond Shield the very best circumstances in which to work, you'll end up with a coating that will give you years and years of service. You should apply a complete coating so that it will work the way it was meant to work.

Do you have a catalog that can be sent to me?
No. We do not have a catalog. All of our products are here on the web site along with just about any information you will need to successfully coat your pond.

What's the difference between Pond Shield Epoxy and Pond Shield-FSP?
Pond Shield Epoxy, is just that; an epoxy.  Pond Shield-FSP is a fish safe Polyurea.  It would be best suited as a material that would take the place of a conventional pond liner.

Can I roll or brush Pond Shield-FSP on?
No.  Pond Shield-FSP is a two component material that actually cures to the touch within about thirty seconds.  It takes a special cartridge applicator gun or a dual component spray rig like those we have available in our online store.

Can I spray Pond Shield-FSP right onto the dirt?
It's not advisable.  Our tag line "Dig a hole, Spray it in" is essentially true though.  You simply lay down a geotextile fabric to spray Pond Shield-FSP onto.  This way the dirt that would bounce back up into your job doesn't make a mess of things.

Can I patch my old liner with Pond Shield-FSP?
Yes it is possible, but it's probably easier to just cut the only liner out, leaving all of your stone work in place and placing your geotextile sections in and spraying Pond Shield-FSP over them to create a new coating.  You'll find that the elongation strength and tear resistance far exceed any typical rubber or plastic liner.

Can Pond Shield-FSP be applied to concrete?
Yes, by all means.  However, you should consider which product is correct for your application.  Pond Shield Epoxy is specifically designed for structured surfaces like concrete and consideration should be given there first.  Pond Shield-FSP can be applied to concrete, but it is recommended on those concrete structures where the construction may not be solid anymore.  This usually occurs on very neglected concrete ponds where the cost to replacing the severely failing concrete out-weighs the cost of coating it.

What other materials can you coat with Pond Shield-FSP?
Just about anything, really.  You have to keep in mind that the best surface is one that you can apply to that has tooth or an abraded surface.  These types of surfaces aid in the bonding process.  If you can abrade the surface so that it resembles 60-grit sandpaper, your coating will adhere.  There are a few types of material that Pond Shield-FSP will not readily stick to, but there are ways to correct them.  Ask us how.

If I'm cutting my geotextile fabric in panels to fit my pond, will that mean Pond Shield-FSP will then have a bunch of seams?
No, the geotextile fabric is there just to give you a medium to spray onto.  This is so the dirt in your pond hole does not bounce back into your new coating and make a mess.  Once Pond Shield-FSP has been applied to all of the panels, it will be on cohesive unit without seams.

What if I need to make changes to my pond later?
The neat thing about Pond Shield-FSP is that if next season for instance, you wish to expand your pond, you just dig out where the expansion would be and cut into your existing Pond Shield-FSP liner.  Using the same method you did to lay in geotextile panels, you'd just overlap them to the original coating.  Once complete, your Pond Shield-FSP liner will once again, be one cohesive unit.

Can I just use my own spray gun to apply Pond Shield-FSP?
No, you can't Pond Shield-FSP is a plural component material that take specialized equipment to spray.  We do, however, offer varying kinds of equipment for you that will get the job done.  Some of it is meant for the homeowner and is very easy to learn how to use.

What if my pond leaks afterwards?
If your pond leaks afterwards, it generally means you missed something while coating.  Before you fill your pond, you should do a thorough inspection of the coating to make sure that all cracks, crevices, and pinholes have been filled.  If, however, you did miss something and it leaks, you can drain down to the leak area and prep the area and recoat that spot.

Can I rent the applicator gun?
No, the equipment is for sale and cannot be rented.  You can check with any of our retailers to see if they are renting guns though.

Why shouldn't I just use a regular pond liner?
You are free to do that.  However, with Pond Shield-FSP comes a superiority in materials.  Pond Shield-FSP has an elongation of 200% and a tear resistance that far exceeds normal rubber or plastic liners.  You also have the ability to form fit your Pond Shield-FSP liner because you are spraying it in.  There will be no folds or creases or wadded up bunches of extra liner material to contend with.

Will Pond Shield-FSP work on a wood pond or tank?
Of course.  Since it is a stand alone product and very flexible, you wont need to worry about your container flexing and causing damage to your coating.

I'm an installer and I do not know which plural component machine would be right for me.  How do I choose one?
Well the machines vary in regards to being heated or non heated, and how they apply the material.  If you're new spraying coatings then out basic machine would be perfect for you.  We would recommend a heated version if you currently reside anywhere where the climate is colder as Pond Shield-FSP is best applied when it's core temperature is at least 75° F.

What's the cost per square foot for Pond Shield-FSP?
Well that really depends upon how thick you spray it on.  For a stand alone coating in a dirt hole, so to speak, you can get away with a 50 mil thick coating which would equate to about $3.15 per square foot.  If you're coating a structured material, then it could be sprayed at a thickness of 30 mils and would cost about $1.89 per square foot.  These are, of course suggested retail prices.

Is Pond Shield-FSP suitable for really large ponds?
Absolutely!  With our plural component spray rigs, you could easily spray ponds the size of mini lakes like those you might find at golf courses.  You can even spray water containment fields for agricultural purposes as well.  Our dual component spray machines vary in size from dual 1o gallon to dual 30 gallon; still a compact machine.