How Are Cast Stone Water Fountains Made?
- Assemble the materials necessary for making the cast stone water fountain before you begin your project. Select a mold for the fountain basin; a shallow bowl will work as well as a commercially available mold. One to three bags of builder's sand, depending on the size of the fountain, a flat work surface, one or two bags of concrete topping mix, a release agent and plastic wrap are the basic necessities for casting the stone basin. You'll also need a way to mix concrete; a bucket, water and a shovel will suffice. Plan to seal the concrete basin before making it into a fountain with concrete sealer. A submersible fountain pump and a fountainhead extension are the only other supplies necessary to make the fountain.
- Prepare the work surface for sand casting by piling sand in the center. Press the mold into the center of the pile to make an impression in the sand. The sand should cover the sides of the mold, up to the rim. Remove the mold and firm up the sides of the sand pile impression as needed. The sides should be at least 2 inches thick around the mold, with another 2 inches of sand between the bottom of the impression and the work surface. Cover the mold impression in the sand with plastic wrap and coat the plastic wrap with a release agent.
- Follow the package directions and mix the concrete. Pour or scoop a 1- to 2-inch layer of the mix on top of the plastic wrap to form the bottom of the fountain basin. Cover the outside of the basin mold with plastic and coat it with a release agent. Set the mold on top of the wet concrete. Pour or scoop more concrete between the sides of the mold and the plastic wrap covering the sand mold to shape the sides of the fountain basin. Tamp the concrete down and firm the sand around the sides as you go. Leave the mold in the casting for four days to wet cure and remove the mold and the concrete basin. Wait at least a week for the concrete to completely cure before sealing it.
- Place the concrete basin in the selected location for the fountain. Insert the fountain pump inside the basin, attach the fountainhead and fill the basin with water. Make sure that submersible fountain pumps are covered with water before you start the pump. When the fountain is running, make sure that the water spray from the fountainhead extension falls inside the cast stone basin. Lower or raise the fountainhead as needed.
