How to make a waterfall with your hands at the cottage

When you hear the word cottage, many shudder. Just remember the miles of untilled garden beds, tons of fierce mosquitoes, and a weekend spent in a hellish and thankless task.

So what if I do not testify of the slave plantation and the oasis, which will be nice to relax with the whole family?

One solution to Paradise – is a mini waterfall in the country. Someone will say that it is costly and difficult, but actually it is not so. Moreover, it is possible to do without the services of a designer, the main thing is desire and a little free time. How to make a waterfall with their hands and would like to talk.

The choice of location for the waterfall in the country ↑

Surprisingly, the choice of location for the reservoir is one of the most difficult stages of the construction a waterfall on the dacha with his hands. The wrong location can not only spoil the visual perception, but also to create some difficulties.

In addition to the basic amenities of the location, it is necessary to consider several important factors:

1. Decorative waterfall in the country – even though it is small, but the hydraulic structures. Near it should not grow trees and large shrubs. In hot weather, their roots will feel the water and pull him destroying the hydraulic protection. Sometimes it is better to sacrifice a tree than to make a new bowl later.
2. Should not be placed in a decorative waterfall near the country house. Any accidental destruction or overflow, can cause podmazku and break the Foundation, moreover, inevitable for a waterfall splashes, will remain on the walls of country houses and cause the growth of fungus and mold.
3. It is desirable to set the waterfall into the natural landscaped hills. It will be a plus for both visual perception of a country pond, and play a role in the construction. But if such a place at suburban station no, can be positioned on the plain and the hill create, the main thing that it was not nisin. In this case, the wind will drive into the pond and all debris constantly clog the pump.

And of course, the important factor is the overview of a waterfall. Often, it becomes a key element of landscape design garden so the location matters in the open, and with a free approach.

When seat selection is done, you can proceed to the selection of size and material of the bowl of the future country pond.

The choice of a bowl for a waterfall ↑

Today, it is possible to further facilitate their work and to purchase a ready-made container in the store, but their main disadvantage is that they limit the design choice of shapes and sizes of ponds. So we will not dwell on them too much. The main thing you need to know about purchase bowls for reservoirs is the difference between them according to the materials from which they are made. There are two kinds of tanks for a country of waters:

1. Plastic bowl. Is somewhat cheaper than competitors, but the main disadvantage is the possible thermal deformation. Of course, after cooling, the Cup will take its original shape, but this factor should be taken into account in the design of the shoreline of country pond.
   
2. Composite bowl. It is made from durable fiberglass, which does not have thermal deformation and more durable than the plastic structure, but is reflected in the price. Composite reservoirs are more expensive than plastic.
   

If you want to make a decorative waterfall at the dacha with his hands and to give full freedom of creativity and imagination, then the Cup will have to do yourself. The process is somewhat more complicated, but the result is a truly original object country landscape design.

The choice of size of the waterfall ↑

The size of the reservoir in the country is completely dependent on the preferences of the owners and landscape features. But it will affect the pump selection, which will be discussed below. The main thing – it is a functional component, and it is possible to allocate three basic directions:

• Small waterfall that performs a solely decorative function. The surface can be decorated with vegetation or other design elements, so there is no great depth of the reservoir.
  
• The reservoir average depth is considered up to 1 meter. It will be clearly visible bottom and no problems with cleaning. As a rule, in such country, the waters start to fish, which is very nice to watch.
  
• Waterfalls with a depth of over a meter, can not be called just ornamental ponds, they can sit in hot weather, and for children it is sure to become a favorite pastime in the country that will pull out their tablets and smartphones. To make this waterfall a bit more complicated, but the pleasure it will bring much more.
  

Create a waterfall with your hands ↑

To the waterfall in the country has become a real work of art, and the bright element of landscape design that you can brag to friends and acquaintances, you need to follow step by step instructions, paying close attention to every nuance.

The marking of territory ↑

Any construction should begin with drawings and calculations, and the waterfall in the country is no exception. The chosen place, you need to outline, given the thickness of the bowl, that is, to the area of the reservoir will add about 20-30 cm.

Pit ↑

As well as the area, depth of the pit should be 20-30 cm more than the planned depth of the reservoir. We will not describe in detail the process of digging, but highlight a few important points:

• We dig up the earth don’t need to throw dacha. It will serve as a basis for hill, which will drop the water. It is better to make it slide in the place where you plan waterfall.
  
• In the process, the earth may crumble at the edges and walls, to prevent this from happening – the walls must be periodically moisten with water and seal claps plane shovel.

Waterproofing and the bottom of the waterfall ↑

The basis under the waterfall in the country in the form of pits and slides ready, which means that you need to go to isolation. For this you can use a special geotextile or just plastic wrap.

If the size of the pit was larger the film size, it should be laid with an overlap not less than 50 cm in the end, a film has to be the bottom, the walls and the coastline. Later, her unsightly hide behind the decorative elements.

After laying the insulation, the bottom of the future country falls asleep a small layer of gravel, it will be kind of «pillow» and will keep the reservoir in the case of the ground motion.

A layer of gravel is leveled and it is covered with reinforcing mesh with a cell size of not more than 4 cm.

Bottom base of the waterfall country is ready and can pour concrete, then it needs to be completely dry for several days.

The walls of the bowl ↑

After complete solidification of the bottom of the reservoir, to the walls with plastic fasteners that is fixed by the grid and establishes a flexible form, and both can be purchased at any hardware store and is relatively inexpensive.

In the finished formwork concrete is poured a solution, and come even a few days of anxious waiting, after which you can remove the formwork and enjoy the result of their work.

The video shows how just a few minutes, simple and unsightly pit turns into a waterfall

Pump installation ↑

The pump for the waterfall in the country is a topic for another article. The most important thing is to make the calculation of its capacity, which depends on the height of the cascade and the volume of the bowl. For example, for ornamental ponds enough power to 70 watts, you can learn more from the seller in the store, calling him the displacement capacity and height of the waterfall, which is necessary to raise water.

Water pumps are of two types:

1. Submersible. Mounted directly on the bottom, and thus can be used only in reservoirs that will not swim.
2. Surface. They are located near the waterfall and get the water through submerged hoses that you can decorate or immured in the walls when pouring concrete.

Any pump for a waterfall in the country, operates from a household socket 220V, so it does not need additional energy sources, but may have to increase the power cord using extension. In this case, select the extension you need with special waterproofing, which will not close upon exposure to water.

The decoration of the waterfall with their hands ↑

Technical nuances and complexity behind and we can finally give freedom to the imagination. Restrictions on the decoration of the waterfall in the country is not, and can not be. The main thing is to make the pond look natural.

To help decide, consider some of the most popular design solutions for a waterfall in the country:

• Cascading waterfall. In this design, the water descends into the reservoir in several steps, which are mainly made of stones with a characteristic angular shapes. This can be slate or granite, depending on the color preference of the owner. You can play with the slope of steps to the water has created several small waterfalls.
  
• Mountain stream. It is ideally suitable river or sea boulders of different sizes. With their help, creates a slope on which to run water. Experimenting with the placement of the stones, you can own hands to create a variety of forms the bed of the stream and even add a small lake.
  
• Direct waterfall. Then the powerful water stream falls from the top and with a distinctive sound breaks on the pond or stones laid at the bottom. This is the dynamic construction of decorative waterfalls, and it requires a large amount of water, so its construction will require a more powerful pump.
  
• Deliberately artificial waterfall is perfect for some styles of house design. For example, high-tech or loft, I love the geometrically correct lines. This waterfall should look strict and no claims to natural beauty.
  

In addition to stones, to decorate the waterfall in the country with their hands often use plants that can grow both on shore and in the pond. Of course, vegetation can beautify any body of water, but it is important to remember that the item is in country landscape decor will be much more of a problem.

Conclusion ↑

As you can see, to make a waterfall on the dacha with his hands is not so big complexity. It all depends on desire. Even the financial aspect is not so important, because to create is not required to buy any super-expensive materials.

And if the desire is there, then spending a few weekends, then it will be possible for many years to enjoy the sounds of shimmering water views and your own little oasis in the country.

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