On 25 Jun 2005 18:59:07 -0700, wrote:

I want to build a pond on my deck and am wondering if anyone has any
ideas. I'm aiming for a 3' x 6' footprint, about 2.5' deep.

It will weigh 3,000 pounds full. Take care in your engineering here.

steel, or a strong plywood frame with standard pond liner inside it.

The liner makes it waterproof, although I recommend you epoxy /under/
the liner to be sure. Wood and water are not friends.

As for the structural material around it, I believe that you have
great flexibility. You don't have to get into steel at all. I just
checked Greg Bickal's "Do It Yourself Pond CD", and he built his
indoor holding tanks in his basement with 2x8s (screwed, not
nailed!) and 1/2 ply on the inside.

One thing you want to do in advance is be sure how you want to plumb
and filter this thing.

If it were me, I might build it according to above spec, but then do
something like lay overlapping cedar or redwood siding down the
outside, to match your deck.

As an aside, I think this is a fine idea, with the potential of
nicely contemplating your deck if done right. Lots of options for
doing something pretty here.

C//