How to Pour Concrete for Pond Coping

Drain your pond to 12 inches below the base level of your new coping. The concrete must be able to set fully before it can come in contact with the water.

Dig the ground around the perimeter of your pond, under the site for the coping installation, to your desired width for your coping and to a level 4 inches below the pond's current height. Pour 4 inches of sand mixed with gravel into the cavity and pack it down. This will serve as a firm foundation for your concrete coping.

Place short boards around the outside and inside perimeter of the intended coping, as wide as the planned coping thickness, and set them on edge. These will serve as a frame into which you'll pour the concrete. Brace the boards with stakes driven into the ground or the pond slope.

Mix concrete powder with water, being careful not to over-saturate. The final mixture should be just dry enough so that a cupful of fresh concrete will slump to half its height when dumped out.

Pour the concrete between the boards, stopping when it just reaches the upper edge of the wooden frame. Wait 15 minutes before troweling the upper surface of the concrete smooth.

Sprinkle water on your concrete twice a day for a week if the weather is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, cover it with plastic sheeting for a week, allowing the concrete to set as slowly as possible for maximum strength. Refill the pond to its full height after the week has elapsed.