How to build a leakproof waterfall?
 

As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.
Firstly let me explain my concept.
I want to build a natural rock waterfall about 12 feet tall and about
16 feet wide at the top. I'll be using large rocks (grey limestone)
which will be at from about 2 foot long , 2 foot wide and about 10
inches thick upto about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide and also about 10
inches thick. We have a crane and a large telescopic lifter so we'll
be able to move and place them without too much back ache. I was
planning to first build a large mound out of topsoil and have the
digger driver roughly shape out the area for the rocks, essentially
some shelves to hold the rocks on. Then I was going to cover the
entire area with soft sand, cover this with a protective fleece and
then lay a layer of butyl rubber liner, then another layer of
protective fleece on top of the liner. Then before we placed the rocks
I was going to spray the underside with expanding foam, just to make
sure the liner didnt get punctured by the weight of the rocks. Next I
planned to use a cement mix (with some kind of polysomething aditive
to prevent cracking) with a final layer of waterproof paint.
The idea is that all the water from this waterfall will flow into a
large pond which we plan to construct similarly (sand, protective
membrane, butyl rubber liner, protective fleece, concrete, waterfproof
paint).

I know this is an abitious project and a reasonable budget has been
set aside but we want to get it right first time. I discussed the
pumps and filtration systems already and thats solved. My worry is
will this layered construction method work or should I try some other
method. Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.

Truthfully, I don't think there is a method of building a waterfall that is
100% from day one. You sound like you have just about everything covered, but
from experience, I can tell you, things happen. LOL Rocks move and shift over
time, no matter how good your planning is. Hopefully someone else on this
board will have some ideas for you. Good luck!!
Jan
"Our Pond" Page
http://hometown.aol.com/pinkpggy/index.html

Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.

Truthfully, I don't think there is a method of building a waterfall that is
100% from day one. You sound like you have just about everything covered, but
from experience, I can tell you, things happen. LOL Rocks move and shift over
time, no matter how good your planning is. Hopefully someone else on this
board will have some ideas for you. Good luck!!
Jan
"Our Pond" Page
http://hometown.aol.com/pinkpggy/index.html

On 25 Aug 2004 06:36:27 -0700, (he87) wrote:

As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.

Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.

Murphy knows who you are and where your waterfall is.
For better stability I would forget the dirt pile. Dirt will shift
over time as it naturally compacts and especially as it gets wet. You
need a reinforced concrete hill before you add in the rocks.
Use dirt to build up you basic mound if you must. In the big parks and
hotels they build a structural steel frame, but you might not have
that much money.
With the dirt in place weave a network of rebar and then spray
concrete in place. Gunnite(tm) is a system used to build custom
concrete pools. That is what you want to do. Look for local custom
pool installers.
Then you can forget about all the rubber and carpet and set the
boulders right on the concrete using mortar for the big ones and poly
foam for small ones.
If the back side is a structural steel frame leaks will not matter as
you can collect anything that gets through and return it to the sump.
You might think about a collection system even if you doa dirt pile.
Keep us posted.
--
Crashj

On 25 Aug 2004 06:36:27 -0700, (he87) wrote:

As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.

Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.

Murphy knows who you are and where your waterfall is.
For better stability I would forget the dirt pile. Dirt will shift
over time as it naturally compacts and especially as it gets wet. You
need a reinforced concrete hill before you add in the rocks.
Use dirt to build up you basic mound if you must. In the big parks and
hotels they build a structural steel frame, but you might not have
that much money.
With the dirt in place weave a network of rebar and then spray
concrete in place. Gunnite(tm) is a system used to build custom
concrete pools. That is what you want to do. Look for local custom
pool installers.
Then you can forget about all the rubber and carpet and set the
boulders right on the concrete using mortar for the big ones and poly
foam for small ones.
If the back side is a structural steel frame leaks will not matter as
you can collect anything that gets through and return it to the sump.
You might think about a collection system even if you doa dirt pile.
Keep us posted.
--
Crashj

"he87" wrote:

As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.
Firstly let me explain my concept.
I want to build a natural rock waterfall about 12 feet tall and about
16 feet wide at the top. I'll be using large rocks (grey limestone)
which will be at from about 2 foot long , 2 foot wide and about 10
inches thick upto about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide and also about 10
inches thick. We have a crane and a large telescopic lifter so we'll
be able to move and place them without too much back ache. I was
planning to first build a large mound out of topsoil and have the
digger driver roughly shape out the area for the rocks, essentially
some shelves to hold the rocks on. Then I was going to cover the
entire area with soft sand, cover this with a protective fleece and
then lay a layer of butyl rubber liner, then another layer of
protective fleece on top of the liner. Then before we placed the rocks
I was going to spray the underside with expanding foam, just to make
sure the liner didnt get punctured by the weight of the rocks. Next I
planned to use a cement mix (with some kind of polysomething aditive
to prevent cracking) with a final layer of waterproof paint.
The idea is that all the water from this waterfall will flow into a
large pond which we plan to construct similarly (sand, protective
membrane, butyl rubber liner, protective fleece, concrete, waterfproof
paint).

I know this is an abitious project and a reasonable budget has been
set aside but we want to get it right first time. I discussed the
pumps and filtration systems already and thats solved. My worry is
will this layered construction method work or should I try some other
method. Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

That's a pretty large amount of rock to put on dirt and expect it to stay
put. You don't say if it will be built into a hill or is freestanding. If
freestanding, you definitely want a real structure. At a minimum I would say
treated wood, but concrete would be better.

San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.



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"he87" wrote:

As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.
Firstly let me explain my concept.
I want to build a natural rock waterfall about 12 feet tall and about
16 feet wide at the top. I'll be using large rocks (grey limestone)
which will be at from about 2 foot long , 2 foot wide and about 10
inches thick upto about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide and also about 10
inches thick. We have a crane and a large telescopic lifter so we'll
be able to move and place them without too much back ache. I was
planning to first build a large mound out of topsoil and have the
digger driver roughly shape out the area for the rocks, essentially
some shelves to hold the rocks on. Then I was going to cover the
entire area with soft sand, cover this with a protective fleece and
then lay a layer of butyl rubber liner, then another layer of
protective fleece on top of the liner. Then before we placed the rocks
I was going to spray the underside with expanding foam, just to make
sure the liner didnt get punctured by the weight of the rocks. Next I
planned to use a cement mix (with some kind of polysomething aditive
to prevent cracking) with a final layer of waterproof paint.
The idea is that all the water from this waterfall will flow into a
large pond which we plan to construct similarly (sand, protective
membrane, butyl rubber liner, protective fleece, concrete, waterfproof
paint).

I know this is an abitious project and a reasonable budget has been
set aside but we want to get it right first time. I discussed the
pumps and filtration systems already and thats solved. My worry is
will this layered construction method work or should I try some other
method. Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

That's a pretty large amount of rock to put on dirt and expect it to stay
put. You don't say if it will be built into a hill or is freestanding. If
freestanding, you definitely want a real structure. At a minimum I would say
treated wood, but concrete would be better.

San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.



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-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

In addition to the structural considerations (rocks that big on soil
guaranteed to cause shifts), you need to have the ends shaped to form a U
from the top and all the way to the water level to keep the water from
running off the side and help to contain splash.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/index.html

"he87" wrote in message
om...
As you can guess I want to find out how to build a leakproof
waterfall. So if anyone has any tips they would be greatly
appreciated.
Firstly let me explain my concept.
I want to build a natural rock waterfall about 12 feet tall and about
16 feet wide at the top. I'll be using large rocks (grey limestone)
which will be at from about 2 foot long , 2 foot wide and about 10
inches thick upto about 6 feet long and 3 feet wide and also about 10
inches thick. We have a crane and a large telescopic lifter so we'll
be able to move and place them without too much back ache. I was
planning to first build a large mound out of topsoil and have the
digger driver roughly shape out the area for the rocks, essentially
some shelves to hold the rocks on. Then I was going to cover the
entire area with soft sand, cover this with a protective fleece and
then lay a layer of butyl rubber liner, then another layer of
protective fleece on top of the liner. Then before we placed the rocks
I was going to spray the underside with expanding foam, just to make
sure the liner didnt get punctured by the weight of the rocks. Next I
planned to use a cement mix (with some kind of polysomething aditive
to prevent cracking) with a final layer of waterproof paint.
The idea is that all the water from this waterfall will flow into a
large pond which we plan to construct similarly (sand, protective
membrane, butyl rubber liner, protective fleece, concrete, waterfproof
paint).

I know this is an abitious project and a reasonable budget has been
set aside but we want to get it right first time. I discussed the
pumps and filtration systems already and thats solved. My worry is
will this layered construction method work or should I try some other
method. Bottom line is whatever method we choose it has to work 100%
from day one.
Any thoughts greatly appreciated.