Install guide
How to install a hollow plastic ball cover
Armor Ball® installs tool-free — pour it onto the surface and the balls self-arrange. Here is the full process, start to finish.
- 01
Calculate quantity
Measure your surface area and multiply by about 10 balls per ft² (108 per m²). For example, a 1-acre pond (43,560 ft²) needs roughly 435,600 balls. Use the coverage calculator for an exact figure; final quantities are confirmed on quoting to account for pond shape and freeboard.
- 02
Take delivery in bulk
Balls ship in bulk — Armor Ball® AQUA, for example, arrives in roughly 40 lb mesh bags, and a full 53-ft dry van unloads in about 1–2 hours. No special equipment or site preparation is required to receive the shipment.
- 03
Pour onto the liquid surface
Pour the balls directly onto the open liquid surface. There is no draining, anchoring, cabling, or liner penetration — the basin stays in service during install. AQUA balls arrive pre-filled with sealed water ballast, so there is nothing to fill in the field.
- 04
Let the layer self-arrange
The balls float and self-interlock into a dense 91% cover that self-adjusts as the liquid level changes. The cover re-arranges itself after any disturbance and requires no maintenance over a 25+ year design life.
Before you start
Plan these three things
- Surface area & quantity. Measure length × width (or π × radius²) and size the order at ~10 balls/ft². The coverage calculator does the math.
- Wind exposure. Standard Armor Ball® is rated to 35 MPH. For exposed sites with sustained higher winds, specify Armor Ball® AQUA (75 MPH).
- Liquid chemistry. The HDPE is inert across pH 2–13; request material certs and an SDS to confirm compatibility with your specific liquid.
After install
What to expect
- No maintenance. Once poured, the layer self-adjusts to changing levels and is not damaged by ice or snow — nothing to service.
- Equipment access. Balls push aside for equipment and intakes, then re-cover the surface automatically.
- Rain & snow pass through. Precipitation falls through the gaps between balls, so the basin keeps collecting inflow.
- Reusable. Because nothing is anchored, balls can be recovered and redeployed if a basin is decommissioned.
FAQ
Install questions, answered
Do I need to drain the pond to install a ball cover?
No. Armor Ball® is poured directly onto the existing liquid surface, so there is no need to drain the basin or take it offline.
How long does installation take?
Installation is a tool-free pour. A full 53-ft dry van of Armor Ball® AQUA unloads in about 1–2 hours; total time depends on surface area and delivery logistics.
Do I need anchors, cables, or liner penetration?
No. The cover holds position by buoyancy and, for AQUA, pre-filled sealed water ballast — there are no anchors, cables, pumps, or liner penetrations to engineer, install, or maintain.
How do I provide equipment access after install?
The free-floating balls push aside for aerators, intakes, and equipment, then re-cover the surface automatically — no panels to remove or re-fit.
See also: how it works (the physics) · coverage calculator · datasheet
Ready to size and schedule an install?
Tell us about your site — surface area, liquid, and goals — and we'll size a cover and respond within 24 hours.
Manufactured by AWTT · 700+ installations · 25 countries · 10-year warranty