Rutland County Garden Furniture Rutland Pond Range User manual

Assembly Instructions
Rutland Pond Range
Before you commence the assembly process, we strongly recommend that you read these instructions
thoroughly beforehand to familiarise yourself with the assembly process and to also check that you have
the correct components. If for any reason you need assistance or you believe anything is missing, you
can find our contact details on the final page of these instructions.
As with all DIY projects ensure that all necessary health and safety precautions are taken such as, but
not limited to, the wearing of gloves, goggles, masks and appropriate footwear –particularly if you
intend to use power tools.
If for any reason you don’t feel confident in completing this project, we would recommend consulting a
qualified professional to undertake the work.
The Rutland Pond Range
Tools required:
No2 Pozidriv screwdriver (or electric driver), Measuring tape,
Scissors, Hammer and block or Mallet, Spirit level or Laser, Craft
knife, Caulking gun (optional).

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
2
Component List
The quantity of components in your kit will depend on the particular model you have purchased.
Octagonal models will have wall planks with ends and slots at 45°.
50mm woodscrews
70mm woodscrews
Capping
Liner stay
Full plank - Top
Full plank - Main
Half plank - Bottom
Half plank - Top
Half post
Underlay
Liner
Filter plank and fittings
(optional)

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
3
Preparation 1
Preparation
Before commencing assembly of your pond kit it is essential that the base for your pond is properly
prepared - flat, smooth and strong enough to support the pond and its contents. It is critical that the
area is absolutely level as any discrepancy here will result in a pond where the water level is higher on
one side or end.
When choosing the final location for your pond there are a few important factors to consider…
Ideally a pond shouldn’t be too far from the house - that way you can also enjoy it from indoors and
keep an eye out for any issues that may develop such as leaks, predators etc. Being close to the house
may also help with getting an electricity supply to the pond for filtration, pumps, lighting etc.
The right balance of sunlight and shade is also worth considering, especially if you are intending to
place plants in your pond and it is also worth considering the effect of any trees or shrubs in the
vicinity. Leaves and other vegetable matter falling into the pond can be a real nuisance in the autumn
and the roots of a nearby tree will grow over time, potentially under the pond.
There are 3 possible base options and the details of each are outlined below.
•PREPARED GROUND –This method involves the removal of any debris, vegetation, roots,
stones etc from the area where the pond is to be located leaving only the flat, solid subsoil
layer.
•CONCRETE PAD –A concrete pad of at least 100mm thick should be created, preferably with
steel reinforcement. The concrete should be finished as smoothly as possible to minimise the

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
4
Preparation 2
Choose a base type
•Prepared ground –Remove any vegetation, tree roots, rock, stones, debris etc leaving an area
of flat, level subsoil that is at least as big as the footprint of your pond. Use a long, straight
piece of timber with a sprit level (or a laser) to ensure that the area is as level as possible.
•Concrete pad –Create a concrete pad on undisturbed, sound subsoil at make it at least
100mm thick, preferably with a steel reinforcement grid. The base should be at least 300mm
larger than the overall footprint of your pond and the finished pad should be absolutely level,
flat and smooth. Let the concrete completely cure before commencing any pond assembly.
•Existing patio or paving –A large enough area of flat, good condition patio or paving that has a
concrete or compacted stone/sand sub-base can also make a suitable base. Ensure that there
are no areas of weed, moss etc between the slabs or pavers and that none of them are loose
or displaced in any way. Any missing grout should also be replaced or filled with sand.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
5
Preparation 3
Wall planks
The pond construction employs 4 basic types of wall plank which are shown above.
A square or rectangular pond kit will have 2each of the Half plank –Top, Full plank –Top and Half
plank –Bottom components. The rest of the kit being made up of Full plank –Main sections.
The octagonal pond kits will have 4each of the Half plank –Top, Full plank –Top and Half plank –
Bottom components. The rest of the kit being made up of Full plank –Main sections.
When to build
We would always advise commencing your build as soon as you can after receiving your kit to prevent
any warping of the timbers which can happen if they are stored for too long. Try to start early and pick
a warm day –this helps when installing the liner and also gives the best chance of completing the
project in a single day.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
6
Build Step 1
Begin the build process by laying out the bottom layer which will consist of Half plank –Bottom and
Full plank –Main sections. The “tongues” of each piece will always be uppermost. Slot the pieces
together then check the finished layer is level. If any vertical adjustment is necessary to get the layer
level use thin wooden shims to pack the gap.
It is important to also check that this layer is square by measuring across the various diagonals as
shown above and ensuring these measurements are the same both ways by adjusting the position of
the joints by pushing/pulling at the diagonals.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
7
Build Step 2
Once you are happy that the bottom layer is level and square start adding more layers by adding the
remaining Full plank –Main pieces. If a piece doesn’t fit easily then try swapping for another. If a joint
is slightly snug, you may gently tap the piece into place using a wooden/rubber mallet or a hammer
and piece of scrap timber.
Build Step 3
If you have also purchased a filtration plank for your pond skip forward to page 16 now to check
how to install it correctly then return to this step. Add the top planks (and the filtration plank if
necessary) to complete the walls of the pond.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
8
Build Step 4
On larger models a half post is supplied for each of the longer sides. The top face of the longer Top
plank sections is marked at its half-way point to aid you in lining up the post in the centre of the longer
wall.
Build Step 5
Once you are satisfied that the post is centred, fix it in place with a 70mm screw driven through the
top section of wall into the rear of the post. Check that the post is vertical with a spirit level before
adding further screws into the remaining wall planks.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
9
Build Step 6
Take the supplied underlay sheet and lay it out on the floor of the pond, removing any creases, folds
etc as you go. Once you are satisfied that the underlay is as flat as you can get it tuck it as neatly as
possible into any corners and then trim with scissors so that that there is around 50 –75mm covering
the bottom of each wall.
Build Step 7
Remove your footwear for the next step but keep your socks on! Get in the pond with the liner,
unwrap it and manoeuvre it into position so that the floor and walls line up in the correct positions.
You can help slide the liner into position with your feet, gently pushing it across the underlay and
gradually perfecting the fit and removing as many wrinkles as creases as you go.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
10
Build Step 9
Fixing the liner in place
The Square and Octagonal ponds have slightly different methods for securing the liner in place.
Square corners
When you are happy that the liner is in position and as wrinkle free as possible you can start securing it
in place by folding the flaps over the edge of the wall as shown. Don’t pull so hard that you are lifting
the liner up the wall, just enough so the joins in the corners of the liner sit flush with the top edge of
the wall.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
11
Build Step 10
Now secure each flap in place with a liner stay of the correct length.
Build Step 11
Line the top edge of the stay with the top edge of the wall and fix each liner stay in place with 50mm
screws into the pre-drilled holes.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
12
Build Step 12
Octagonal corners
The flaps on the octagonal versions will require trimming to fit so they fold neatly into place. At each
end of the flap find where the flap meets the outer edge of the wall. At this point cut in from the edge of
the flap around 45mm using scissors or a craft knife and then make another cut parallel to the edge of
the flap as shown above (around 45mm from the edge), This will allow the flap to tuck in behind
protruding wall ends as shown in the next step.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
13
Build Step 13
The trimmed flap will now fold down neatly between the protruding wall ends.
Build Step 14
Also remember to trim around the Half post if installed.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
14
Build Step 15
The liner stay can now drop down vertically over the flap into the gap between the protruding wall
ends as shown here. Line up the top edge of the stay with the wall and fix in place with 50mm screws
into the pre-drilled holes.
Build Step 16
Any excess liner visible beneath the liner stays can now be removed by trimming with a sharp craft
knife.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
15
Build Step 17
Now place all of the capping pieces in place on top of the pond wall and adjusting their position until
all of the corners line up correctly and it is aligned so that the overhang is consistent around the whole
perimeter. Fix each section into place using 70mm screws into the pre-drilled holes. Note: There will
be one capping piece that has routered channels in the underside. This is to allow cables to enter the
pond without being draped over the side. Bear this in mind when positioning your capping.
Build Step 17
Your Rutland pond is now complete. If you are fitting a filtration plank return now to Step 5 of the
Filtration plank instructions on page 18.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
16
Filtration Plank Kit
Step 1
The kits consists of the filtration plank itself, 2 back fittings, 2 faceplates and 8 fixing screws.
Step 2
The Filtration plank should be placed near to the top of the pond wall unless otherwise specified in the
filter instructions. Ensure the four screw recesses around each of the fitting holes are positioned on
the inner side of the pond wall.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
17
Step 3
Start by applying a bead of fish safe silicone sealant around each fitting hole as shown above. A Google
search for “aquarium silicone” should enable you to find a suitable sealant such as Bond It HA6.
Step 4
Insert a Back fitting into each hole, inserting the lugs on the back of the fitting into the recesses on the
filtration plank and pushing firmly into place to ensure a good seal. Now insert 2 of the supplied screws
into the fixing holes of both fittings, diagonally opposite each other as shown and screw in until there
is 2-3mm of the shank left showing under the heads and the screw head slots face North/South and
East/West.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
18
Step 5
Add a bead of silicone around the outer end of the back fittings and smooth as shown here.
Step 5
Go back to the main instructions and complete the pond build (Step 17). Now fill the pond to about
50mm below the lower screw of the previously fitted Back fittings. The liner will now be nice and
taught and you will be able to make out the screw heads for the 2 fittings.

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
19
Step 6
Using a sharp craft knife (a new blade is always better for this) very carefully cut through the liner into
the each of the screw head slots with the tip of the blade.
Step 7
You will now be able to carefully stretch the liner over all of the screw heads and through the incisions
you have made. Now remove the screws…

Rutland Pond Range
Rutland County Garden Furniture Ltd, Ashbourne House, 2 Dovecote Meadows,
Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0HZ.
Company No: 7670072 VAT No: 151744027
20
Step 8
…so you can fit the faceplates. Apply a circular bead to the rear face (totally flat) of the faceplate, place
a screw through the faceplate and use it to locate the faceplate in the correct position by locating it in
the correct screw hole and then tighten by a few turns. Support the faceplate in position and add the
second screw diagonally opposite the first one and screw into place. Still supporting the faceplate, add
the remaining 2 screws and tighten all screws fully. Repeat for the second faceplate.
Step 9
Using the craft knife carefully trim around the liner where it meets the inner edge of the face plate on
both fittings.