Mock Rock Waterfall

Some of you may remember me asking for help on making a water fall out of the styrafoam blocks
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/521482/
well I finally got it done
It still needs some touch ups and I'm waiting to see how the cement holds up to the weather extreams this winter
All in all I'm happy with it
I went simple instead of complicated
I used the Fiberglass re enforced cemet
the stuff with all the fibers in it
Just smeared it on
yes ,when putting it on a lot fell off so I found if I put a thin coat on,let it dry and the add more layers ,it worked great
I used the concrete dyes you add to the water
By mixing some together I got better color combo's
And I used the black to highlight the contours
Also,you cant see in the pictures,but when I started the carving process I dug (or carved,cut)holes in the top in places ,large enough to large put pots of plants in them,so it will look like the plants are growing out of the rocks.I made the hole's big enough to put the whole plant,pot and all ,in it and deep enough so the pot doesent show

here's what it looked like before the cement

I still haven't finished it
I have to get the rocks on the ledge of the pond and secure everything so I can fill it up,make up a new filtering system...etc....
But I think it will be cool when I get it all done
But my whole reason for doing this was to try to keep my ducks out of the pond
I have found the ducks know whats in there so now they just fly up and over the walls of the pond......
Can't win....LOL

Chik, yes, yes yes! That's exactly what I want to do and you are an inspiration. What are your dimensions? Did you glue the styro blocks together first? If so, with what? Oh my, are you sure you don't want to make another one? I would be happy to take your "prototype" off your hands. LOL

Looking awesome!

Chik, Do you know a good source for the styrofoam? That is very cool !
deb

Hiya CC,

Your waterfall looks great.

Hope it holds up against your winter and all the lake effect snow you get.

Stay warm and snuggly ;-)

You're good!!! Great job! Now I want one!
:) Donna

Karyn, that is so absolutely cool!! Tell me again where you got the huge styro? Oh, any chance they'll blow away in a storm? ;)

So Funny 'chele.

Only at DG would we discuss the possibility of a water fall being blown away .

I love dis place.

Thanks everyone!!!
Chele
The blocks of styrofoam are VERY heavy ,I struggled to move them,so I don't think the wind will blow them away
Plus ,right now,they're covered in over 2 feet of snow so they're not going anywhere.And the cement is heavy too.

Katymac
No I didn't attach them before cementing,but the cement is bonded to both both so they are attached now
I also layed a piece of pool liner in the areas I knew the water would be to stop any leaks,cemented right over it
As for how big....
no clue
I'm thinking each block is 6 or 7 foot long x4x3....just guessing

As for where to get it....
I got mine from my neighbor
He was going to use it for the flotation for a raft
He got it from where they were building a new mall
he is a supervisor for the power company here so he has connections

I'm thinking there must be a place to get it cause there are still some floating docks that are made out of styrofoam

He works for the power company and he has connections? ROTFLOL I must not have had enough coffee. I have this vision of him with circuits all over his body. LOL I think I need help.

I will have to check around and see where I can find some huge styro! I think it would look mighty impressive with the new pond. At this stage in the game, I need to draw attention. ;)

ROTF!!!!!
What I meant was he KNOWS who is who and can talk to contractors to get what ever he needs
You know how it works....LOL
Yeah,I can picture him with circuits all over his bod.....
never mind...thats a different story.......

Ah You Girls! I'll bet that guy has SHORT circuits. Flotation styrofoam is readily available here's one link:

http://www.larkdock.com/styrofloat.htm

BTW nice job CC

Thanks
and nice to see you again
are you back in Fl permanently?
I miss that NY address under your name

Hi Karen. we still have the summer place in NY but I change the DG address to indicate where we are at the moment so my posts relate geographically to what I write. This way we only have to evacuate once for the hurricane season lol.
I'm interested to see how your project holds up to the winter because I will do something similar to hide my filter on the little pond in Apalachin if it works, I have some fake boulders that I made from wire covered with mortar mix and painted that are 3 years old and show no effects from the weather so I think your styrofoam rocks will do the same. Merry Christmas and Stay warm

I just discovered this forum. I have for sometime been thinking of building a waterfall down the hill with a big opening at the bottom so that it will drop over my sea wall into the lake. I do not know if I really want to do that. Would have to move some of my hosta around to make it look best and Ido not want to. I do not really need it anyway. Water view is 1/2 mile wide at the end of my yard at the least. A lot of people down here on Lake of the Ozarks build them though. If I do, I hope my son can find some time to come out here and help me. He has a lot of talent with that kind of thing. He is a contractor and builds all kinds of swimming pools, fountains and all types of water features. I know these ponds can be a real pain keeping clean. That is another thing I do not want.

Well how did this waterfall weather the winter. Anyone know?

Wow! Your waterfall turned out great and it looks like you inspired several other people.

crestedchik, Can I come and see your waterfall?

Yup
you're welcome to come over
I'd love to meet you!!!

Great, we're retired so tell us what day and time would be convenient.

I leave for work at 9am and get out at about 10 pm
I have to do barn chores before I go each day
so ...weekends are best
this coming weekend's out
but the weekend after should be good
Saturday....
I have to somehow wash 8 chickens for a show
plus take 20 to an auction(and get there at 5 am)
I may leave the auction early
so I can wash the others

Sunday I have a show up North of Ogdensberg, in Waddington

I want to be a retiree.......Still have 11 years to go

This is such a great thread-I just want to hear how people's projects turned out. I am thinking of making a rather long English garden style rock wall. Nothing like a big starter project . . .

Bump!

I've used the foam in a can that you use to fill pots, plumping holes, etc......the kind that grows and grows as it dries. You can make natural looking rock shapes....

I've seen that done on youtube. Where did you use your rocks and may I see a picture? How are they holding up to the weather?

I have them at my sisters, so when I can get a pic, I will post one. I started with smaller rocks (we don't have them here in Central Florida, so they are a precious and expensive commodity) After making a rock shaped clump (about a foot and a half x a foot and a half) I layered it with some of the leftover cement I was using for another project. Once it dried, I liked it, so I played around more and more. I made a very small water fall "ish" project with 3 cascading bowls, to make a trickle down effect, as each filled. That one was about 3feet high, so even though it was foam core, it was still very heavy by the time I had several layers of cement on it. I also had 2 pieces of re-bar in it for stability. If there was something that I didnt have to move, I think it would do fine if it had support. Perhaps something larger would need a chicken wire wrap, some re-bar, and then a coat of cement.(?)
I think something larger is what my warped little brain is thinking for this summer, lol. I can already hear my hubby yelling at me, and I haven't even presented the idea yet! ;)

I know the feeling. My husband was asking me what all the paypals were on the credit card (unfortunately the minute I use paypal it comes up on his computer linked to our bank accounts . . .). I told him it was a co-op and he said a lot of money (it was nearly $100) and I said "I saved a lot going through co-op" and of course he said, "you would save even more not going to the co-op" (meaning no co-op no spending). Men just don't get it sometimes (unless they are gardeners . . ). I would buy the same amount or less for less impact and beauty and spend a ton anyways. It's a woman, gardening thing. . .

When I start my concrete projects my husband will be going crazy because he wants me to clean out the garage not add to it. i guess I have to throw out all of his and the kids stuff to make room for more of my stuff. . . LOL!

Mothermole, I like the way you think. Yep, THAT's how to get more space AND clean up! Throw out everybody ELSE's stuff! LOL

Yeah, it will make me very popular in our household.

Now, now... you know mommy's are RARELY popular! hehehe (unless we just made chocolate chip cookies!)

Make cookies? Am I supposed to make them? I thought Cosco was there for that? I'm really screwing up this mommy thing!

I just caught this post. Incredibly interesting. The creativeness is extraordinary. But one thing stuck out as much as the unique waterfall. Chicken Washing? You "wash" chickens?

(I had a brown rooster named George as a paper trained house pet for several years. I thought that was special, but I can tell you he never got washed. We just learned to live with those little feathers floating about the house.)

I had to reread some of the posts to see that chicken washing. Doesn't everyone wash their "chickens"? It almost sounds sexual . . .

Spring can't come quick enough-I'm starting to lose my mind. On top of that, I ordered a special large leaf magnolia that I put all over in the comments of both the nursery and paypal that I didn't want it shipped until April and recvd. it today. What the heck am I going to do with a small tree in my home for a few months?

I'm reading this going WHAT????
Who else washes their chickens.......

Now I realize I'm the only one....LOL

The chicken washing is for shows only
and there is nothing worse than a mad wet hen

Funny, crestedchik - That's the same thing my husband said when I fell in the pond last year.


MM - That magnolia must be a mighty temptation to that new pup of yours. Is it in bud or leafed out or dormant or what? The rule of thumb is, if it traveled more than 100 miles north or south, even in the same zone, special care must be taken for the entire following year. Perhaps the goose down duvet?

Mothermole, don't you just HATE that? Sorry they had trouble READING instructions!

Well I am going to contact my visa card and tell them to put it into the records so that if the tree dies I have a claim against them. IT's not like it was very expensive but it's my $20.00 that I could spend on any plant and I chose that guy!

It is dormant, it is about 15 inches high and has a single small bud and no leaves. It travelled from oregon I believe. Ooh, no, I was wrong, it was fromMail-order Natives in Lee, Florida. Funny thing is that someone hand wrote on the packing slip about shipping in April and then half-hardily scratched it out but is clearly readable. It's a shame. The plant is nice and they did a nice job packing it and all. Price was great. Too bad they can't follow directions. What if I wasn't here to recve it and it was left outside for a few days in 18 degree weather. It would be dead. I will have to contact them with my concerns and give them feedback on this site.

Well, the challenge here is to keep it dormant. (Forgive me for stating the obvious, just thinking out loud) Not too warm and not too cold. 40 ish?

I'm glad its not me cuz I have only too hot or too cold!