epdm vs pvc vs concret/cement how long?

[shadowspar]

which is better? reasons? and also how long will they last? i read that they are very well made to withstand alot of conditions BUT i also heard they get really hard during the cold and they may crack?
now cement on the other hand, is harder to repair and may be more expensive but will it be better? is it required to use a epoxy sealer to keep water from leaking out of the cement/concrete pond?

 

[pondkeeper]

I don't have any experience with the longevity of the liner types.
But my last concrete pond went 20 years before I had to restore it. Plus it was not particularly well made. I thought I had 4" of concrete all around, but found (the hard way) that in some places it was only 1" thick. But it still held.
Not only that but it held with some severe soil compression, errosion and rodent mining.

The original concrete had a thin coating of a cheap acrylic cement sealer. Most of that was still in good shape. I had to sandblast it off to refinish it.
If the concrete is well finished and thick, it will not require any surface agent. Especially if it is hydraulic cement.

In many cases, it can be easier to repair than a liner. In other cases, not so much...see my other thread

 

[Muske]

.45 mil EPDM can last for 40 years provided it is covered w/rocks and gravel to help block UV rays.

 

[shadowspar]

thats good but gravel at the bottom of ponds is really hard to maintain. stuff gets stuck in the gravel and its hard to clean. so how long would it last if you dont use gravel at the bottom, but you cover the liner where water doesnt touch?