Born Out of Necessity.
Built on Experience.
Perfected Through Persistence.
It Started With a Dream Pond.
It all began when my business partner asked me to help him build a pond. Before we started planning, I asked him a simple question: “What does your dream pond look like?”
His vision was a beautiful formal koi pond featuring a three-tiered waterfall, constructed from concrete and concrete block.
That's what we decided to build. Not just another backyard pond, but the pond he'd always dreamed of having.
It was an ambitious project, but one we were confident we could accomplish. What we didn't anticipate was that one of the most important components of the entire project—the waterproof coating—would prove to be our biggest challenge.
We needed something durable, safe for aquatic life, easy to apply, and capable of performing reliably underwater for years to come.
When Good Enough Wasn't Good Enough.
At the time, the choices for underwater coatings were surprisingly limited. There were products that might work, products that claimed to work, and products that could potentially be adapted to our needs. But every option seemed to come with its own collection of shortcomings.
Some raised concerns about toxicity. Others were difficult to apply or lacked the durability we wanted. Even the raw materials used to manufacture many of these coatings weren't what I would have chosen for a demanding underwater environment.
My background made these shortcomings particularly difficult to ignore. During my military service, I had gained extensive experience working with coatings and composites.
That experience gave me an understanding of material performance and, perhaps more importantly, an appreciation for what happens when materials are asked to perform under conditions they weren't designed to withstand.
Rather than compromise on an existing product and hope for the best, we decided to develop the coating we wished had already existed.
Building a Better Coating From the Ground Up.
Our approach was straightforward, even if the work itself wasn't.
We began by examining the products and materials that could conceivably be used to waterproof a pond. We wanted to understand what each one did well, where it fell short, and why those shortcomings existed.
Instead of simply modifying an existing coating, we set out to create a new formulation that incorporated the advantages we had identified while eliminating the disadvantages.
Just as importantly, we wanted a product that ordinary pond owners and contractors could use successfully without needing specialized industrial equipment or extensive experience working with coatings.
We weren't interested in creating another product that might work. We wanted to create one specifically designed for the job.
That determination ultimately became the foundation of Pond Shield and, eventually, Pond Armor.
The Pond That Started It All.
Our first official test was the very pond that had inspired the entire project. We applied our newly developed coating to my business partner's dream pond, complete with its concrete construction and three-tiered waterfall.
Everything went exactly as planned. Not only had we successfully developed a coating that met our expectations, but we'd also accomplished what we originally set out to do: build the pond my business partner had envisioned.
Encouraged by those results, we began using the coating on several other water features in our local area. Each installation gave us another opportunity to see how the product performed in an actual working environment.
Those projects were successful as well. It wasn't long before we realized we had developed something that other pond owners and installers needed.
And that's when Pond Armor began to take shape as a business.
Our first official customer was located in Florida. I personally traveled to the project while the coating was being installed. The installation turned out beautifully, and as far as I know, that water feature is still operating today.
What had begun as a solution to our own problem was becoming a solution for people far beyond our original project.
Nearly a Quarter Century Later.
Every once in a while, something happens that reminds you exactly why you started a business in the first place.
Not long ago, I received a phone call from an installer who had worked on one of our original pond projects nearly 25 years earlier. He told me he was finally getting ready to recoat that pond.
Naturally, I wanted to know how the original coating had held up. After all, this was one of our earliest installations, and it had been underwater for almost a quarter of a century.
The homeowner wasn't recoating the pond because the product had failed. They just wanted a different look.
For someone who has spent a substantial portion of his life developing and improving coatings, that's the kind of phone call that makes all the work worthwhile.
Never Standing Still.
One thing we established early on was that developing a successful coating didn't mean our work was finished. In fact, it meant quite the opposite.
The same philosophy that led us to develop Pond Shield in the first place continues to guide how we approach every product we manufacture.
We look at what works. We identify what could work better. We examine new materials, technologies, and manufacturing methods. Then we make improvements wherever we believe those improvements will benefit our customers.
The Original Need
Develop a coating specifically suited to the demands of ponds and underwater environments.
Continuous Improvement
Decades of examining materials, technologies, manufacturing methods and real-world performance.
Pond Shield 2
The next generation of Pond Shield incorporates an entirely new package of UV inhibitors designed to dramatically improve color retention and extend the coating's service life.
Sometimes those changes are relatively small. Other times, the advancements are much more substantial.
One of the most significant examples in our company's history is the development of Pond Shield 2, scheduled for release this coming spring.
If we believe we can make it better, we're going to try.
One Dream Pond.
Countless Projects.
Today, Pond Armor coatings are being used in water features around the world—from backyard koi ponds and decorative fountains to large commercial and institutional installations.
The Project May Change. The Result Still Matters.
When we began developing our original coating, we certainly weren't thinking about building an international business.
We were focused on one project, one pond, and one very specific set of problems that needed to be solved.
Today, Pond Armor coatings are being used in water features around the world. From backyard koi ponds and decorative fountains to large commercial and institutional installations, our products are in service worldwide, helping people create, restore, and maintain the water features they envision.
Although we've been fortunate enough to see our products used in some truly impressive installations, the size or prominence of a project has never been the measure of its importance to us.
Whether it's a professional contractor completing another large installation or a homeowner building their very first backyard pond, the result matters to us.
When a customer tells us they've finally solved a persistent leak, completed a project they've been planning for years, or brought an old water feature back to life, we share in that accomplishment.
Our Business Isn't Glamorous. And That's Just Fine.
Let's face it. Coatings manufacturing isn't exactly a glamorous business.
There aren't many people who grow up dreaming about formulating epoxy coatings or spending their days figuring out how to make waterproofing products perform a little better.
But there's something genuinely satisfying about creating a product that solves a real problem.
We've never felt the need to reinvent our business or change direction simply for the sake of change. Instead, we've remained committed to the principles that brought us this far: continuously improving our products, providing exceptional customer service, and helping people complete their projects successfully.
And that's something worth being proud of.
We're Not Just Here to Sell You a Coating.
If there's one thing I want people to understand about Pond Armor, it's that we're here to help you succeed.
Selling someone a coating is relatively easy. Helping them understand how to prepare their surface properly, choose the right products, avoid costly mistakes, and complete an installation that will perform reliably for years is another matter entirely.
And that's where we believe customer service really begins.
Over the past 25 years, we've learned that sometimes the most important thing we can do for a customer is tell them something they weren't expecting to hear.
Maybe their surface isn't ready to be coated. Maybe they need to address an underlying structural problem before moving forward. Or perhaps the installation method they've chosen isn't appropriate for their particular project.
We understand that nobody wants to hear that their project requires additional preparation, more work, or a change of plans. But we'd much rather have an honest conversation before an installation than try to explain afterward why something went wrong.
That's a commitment we've taken seriously since the beginning, and it's one we have no intention of changing.
It All Started With a Dream.
Looking back over the past quarter century, it's remarkable to think that Pond Armor began with a simple request from my business partner.
He wanted to build a pond, and I asked him what his dream pond would look like. Together, we set out to make that dream a reality.
Along the way, we encountered a problem that ultimately changed the direction of our lives. We couldn't find a coating that met our expectations, so we developed one ourselves.
That original project led to our first local installations, our first paying customer, and ultimately a company whose coatings are now being used in water features around the world.
Along the way, we've continued to improve our products, expand our capabilities, and help customers tackle projects of every imaginable size and complexity.
But the philosophy behind Pond Armor hasn't changed.
We believe in making products that perform as intended. We believe in continually improving those products rather than settling for yesterday's accomplishments. And we believe our responsibility to our customers extends well beyond the moment they purchase something from us.
Most of all, we believe there's something special about helping someone turn an idea into a finished water feature they can enjoy for years to come.
It Started With One Dream Pond.
Now Let's Build Yours.
Twenty-five years ago, I helped my business partner build his dream pond. Today, Pond Armor helps people around the world build theirs. That's how Pond Armor started. And that's what keeps us moving forward.
