Project details
Skill
5 out of 5Hard
Cost
$2,000 and up
Estimated Time
12 hours
In this video, Jenn Nawada, landscape designer for Ask This Old House, helps install a pondless waterfall in a backyard.
Steps for Building a Pondless Waterfall
- Dig a large area for the plastic blocks, and include a deeper area for the pump vault.
- Square up the sides of the basin and level off the bottom.
- Lay down landscape fabric as a first layer.
- Lay down waterproof rubber membrane.
- Place plastic boxes and pump vault in basin and reservoir to serve as a base.
- Fill in the remaining spaces with some river rocks.
- Place pump in basin and connect pipe to spillway.
- Place boulders in area to form the waterfall.
- Fill voids between boulders with black expanding foam that will direct water so that it’s visible over the stone.
- Fill the rest of the bed with river rocks.
- Trim off excess liner around the edges with a utility knife and fold the liner onto itself to create a slight dam.
- Plant in landscaping and cover area with mulch.