DIY waterfall - 100 photos of beautiful and simple DIY ideas

Owners of a small site can also please themselves with an artificial waterfall. In addition to beauty, it also moisturizes the air in a small radius. A great option in hot weather. The murmur of water also has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Fans of landscape design can only be patient and wait for the final result. All the intricacies of creating a waterfall will be discussed in this article.

Summary of the article:

Choose a waterfall scheme

Determine the desired height. The waterfall should be on a hill, if it is absent, then make it artificially. The number of steps will depend on the height. Then we determine how much waterfall is needed. It can be done with upper and lower mirrors, but such a project will require a rather large area.

The easiest way to make a waterfall is like a falling jet. The circulation system will be located inside the stone structure.

Building a bowl of a waterfall

To begin with, we determine the size, shape and depth of the bowl. After that, we tear out the pit. The depth should be at least 20 m. The foundation must be done on the soil, which is pre-compacted.

A significant factor in the effectiveness of the waterfall is waterproofing, which must be of high quality and reliable. It does not blur the coast and bottom of the reservoir.

The most high-quality material is PVC film or butyl rubber, which will help to protect the structure. However, in the winter, these materials will not protect the bowl from frost, so it is imperative to drain the water for the period of cold weather. To avoid such problems, the bowl can be constructed of concrete, previously reinforced pit with plastic wrap.

It is best to make a bowl only to collect the flowing water, but if you decide to take water procedures there, then the depth should be at least half a meter. If the waterfall is used as a decorative element, then 15 cm is enough, but at the same time decorate the bottom so that it is not visible in a small thickness of water.

A pond looks spectacular if you run fish or special aquatic plants into it. In this case, the bowl should be installed from 2 m level of soil freezing, then the flora and fauna will not be disturbed in the winter. Water in such a pond does not drain out of the bowl, but it must be made of concrete.

Waterfall location

It is forbidden to make a decorative waterfall near any buildings. Splashes of water will fall on the walls of the building, and because of the increased vapor content in the air, mold may appear on the house. There should not be trees nearby. Foliage constantly falls, thereby polluting the bowl. As a result, the pump may fail.

Also, the roots of trees grow rapidly in dry weather and can easily damage the bowl. It is better to install a waterfall where, after 12 noon, partial shade sets in. Under the open sun, algae grows rapidly and the water begins to bloom.

Several types of waterfall

You can make a waterfall on the site using the finished form or cascading. In the first case, you do not need to puzzle how to make the desired shape. In specialized stores today, you can choose anything from a classic to a sculptural composition.

For a cascading form of a waterfall, a large amount of stone is required.If it is not possible to purchase sandstone, then ordinary boulders are also suitable, but always with a flat smooth surface. Between themselves the stones need to be fastened by cementing. On uneven stones, the waterfall will flow beautifully in several different tricks.

Recommendations for choosing a pump

The submersible pump is quite large, but with minimal noise. Install it in a bowl of a reservoir with the condition that no one will bathe in it.

If a decorative waterfall serves as a pool, it is better to choose a pump with installation on top of a reservoir to avoid emergency situations. Such pumps operate much louder. The main purpose of the pump is to push water out.

Before proceeding with landscape design, the pump must be checked in action. It requires constant dismantling and maintenance if maintenance is provided for your model.

Waterfall decoration

A nice moment in completing the creation of a waterfall with your own hands is its decoration. The shore can be decorated with beautiful boulders, large shells, river pebbles, flat stones. Near the waterfall, you can plant bush roses or other favorite flowers.

Also a good addition will serve as a gazebo or swing. In the evening, you can originally decorate the waterfall with floating lanterns and luminous stones. Such a vacation will appeal not only to adults, but also to children

Additional waterfall design guidelines

The water in the bowl of the reservoir periodically needs to be changed. You can water the garden by connecting a hose to the source pipe and turn on the pump. Filling with a pond is not difficult - reinstall the hose on the waterfall pipe.

The power cable, lights and other conductive elements do not need concrete. Otherwise, in case of malfunctions, you will have to break the structure.

Simply mask the subject with the same stones on the surface. The only thing left is to put the pump into action and our waterfall is ready for use.

Possible mistakes when building a waterfall do it yourself

If the water flows too slowly and in a thin stream, it means that you have a pump of insufficient power or the pressure of the water is weak.
Water does not flow down over stones, but under them. Most likely, large gaps or joints between the stones are poorly concreted. Another option is to push the plates a little forward.
Water does not flow in a cascade, but in one stream. So your stones are not flat enough and smooth, they have small recesses. This problem can be solved by grinding the stones.

Below is a selection of photos of the waterfall on the site with original design solutions.

In this article, we described in detail how to make a waterfall in the country. Everything depends on the size of the territory, money and, of course, imagination. The waterfall can be made according to individual drawings. All necessary building materials can be purchased in specialized stores, and use available tools for decoration.