Constructing Water Walls - A Guide to Common Mistakes

Author: Danielle Dickinson

Article: Constructing Water Walls - A Guide to Common Mistakes

The water wall plays an important part in the modern landscape. The epitome of a contemporary water feature, water walls are often built incorrectly causing ongoing maintenance issues for the home owner. If not properly constructed initially, repairs can be time consuming and costly.

Here we have prepared a list of common mistakes made with water walls to guide you along:

1. Not using a Water Wall Trough to distribute the water.

It is critical that a Water Wall Trough is used to distribute the water from your wall. These units employ an internal baffling system to allow for the even flow of water across the length of the unit. If a Water Wall Trough is not used it is almost impossible to get the even flow required for the feature to look good and perform in the manner expected.

2. Ordering a Sheet Descent Water Wall Trough when a Projecting Water Wall Trough was required.

Sheet Descent Water Wall Trough

This unit distributes the water from the trough over the spout or lip and down the surface of the wall into a catchment reservoir or pond (can also be used as a ‘free-fall’ unit). This unit brings subtle noise and movement into the garden.

Projecting Water Wall Unit

This unit projects the water out from the wall in a clear and even arc, re-entering the water approximately 200mm away from the wall providing a dramatic, lively effect that is often very noisy.

3. Not installing the Water Wall Trough level.

To allow for the even distribution of water across the lip of the unit it is crucial that Water Wall Troughs are installed absolutely level. When not installed level water will flow unevenly, perhaps out one end of the trough alone.

4. Installing the Water Wall Trough too high above the water’s surface.

The maximum recommended installation height for a Sheet Descent Water Wall Trough is 2 meters above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir. For the Projecting Water Wall Trough this height reduces to 1.2 meters above the surface of the water in the catchment reservoir.

Ignoring these height recommendations will result in the water ‘breaking up’ and looking uneven.

5. Using too small a catchment reservoir (base pond).

The catchment reservoir (base pond) used must be large enough to capture the splash that Water Wall Units can create to avoid water loss of criminal proportions.

When installing a Sheet Descent Water Wall Trough the catchment reservoir must be at least 400mm wider than the width of the trough AND protrude at least 300mm from the wall. When using a stacked stone facia these figures should be adjusted to 600mm wider than the width of the trough AND protrude at least 750mm from the wall.

When installing a Projecting Water Wall Trough the catchment reservoir must be at least 400mm wider than the width of the trough AND protrude at least 500mm from the wall.

6. Installing a Stacked Stone facia onto a blue-board and timber framework.

James Hardie, the makers of Blue Board DO NOT recommend the use of HardiTex® Blue Board for use with water features. The moisture will affect the bond between the facia (stone or render) and cause the facia to eventually fall off. Another factor is the weight of stacked stone which weighs approximately 40kg per m². HardiTex® Blue Board is not capable of supporting this weight, especially where moisture is involved.

To speak with a member of the James Hardie CustomerLink™ Service Centre Team please phone 13 1103.

7. Not factoring in the thickness of the chosen facia (stacked stone or pebbles for example) in relation to the standard spillway lip.

When ordering a Water Wall Trough the depth (thickness) of any facia must be taken into consideration. Sheet Descent Water Wall Troughs have a standard spillway lip of 15mm, while Projecting Water Wall Troughs have a standard spillway lip of 35mm.

If your chosen facia has a depth of 40mm (which is often the case with stacked stone tiles) then you will need to request changes to the spillway lip. This will cost between $50.00 and $72.00.

Since this will require that your Water Wall Trough is custom-made you will need to allow approximately 14 days lead time. Also, double check the depth of your facia BEFORE ordering to avoid costly mistakes.

8. Not Properly Water-Proofing the wall.

We suggest you use Mapei Mapelastic which is a two-component flexible cement mortar used for waterproofing.

Thanks to the high content and quality of the synthetic resins, the hardened layer of Mapelastic remains constantly flexible under all environmental conditions and, what is more, is completely waterproof.

Mapelastic has excellent bonding properties on all concrete, masonry, ceramic and marble surfaces, as long as they are solid and sufficiently clean.

For your nearest stockist please call Mapei Australia Pty Ltd on 1800 652 666.

9. Not adhering stone, ceramic tiles and mosaics to the wall properly.

We suggest you use Mapei Kerabond which is a Cement based powder adhesive mixed with Isolastic which is a latex designed to improve the performance and durability of Kerabond. Isolastic allows you to bond heavy tiles and natural stone.

For your nearest stockist please call Mapei Australia Pty Ltd on 1800 652 666.

10. Not considering power requirements.

Since you will require a pump to run your water feature you will need a power source nearby. Low voltage pumps are not an option with Water Wall Troughs since the volume of water normally exceeds the capability of a low voltage pump.

The need for safety in outdoor electrical installations is apparent, thus, all electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrician.

Before any electrical work commences check that the electrician:

• Is licensed (ask to see the licence) • Will provide you with a Certificate of Compliance

NEVER use makeshift wiring for outdoor installations, it is simply dangerous!

11. Whether a back or bottom water inlet is required.

Water Wall Troughs come with either a bottom (base) inlet or a back (rear) inlet/s. You need to consider where you will run your tubing in order to reach the inlet/s.

Where a bottom inlet is chosen the tubing will run up through the wall and into the Water Wall Trough.

Where a bottom inlet is chosen the tubing will run behind the wall and into the Water Wall Trough.

12. Not considering how to get the tubing from the pond to the Water Wall Trough.

You must first get the tubing through the pond wall with the aid of a Pond Wall Inlet (Tank Fitting). This is a neat and convenient water-tight fitting that is simple to install. This costs approximately $10.00 - $15.00 and is available from the Pond Shop. Of course, once you cut a hole in your pond your warranty is voided but this cannot be helped.

Where a bottom inlet is used you must create a channel in the brickwork for the tubing to rest in. The facia can then be applied over this.

Where a back inlet is it will be necessary to drill a hole in the surrounding brickwork of the pond to take the tubing trough and up to the Water Wall Trough.

13. Projecting Sheet Water Wall Troughs are noisy.

Consider noise carefully before installing a Projecting Water Wall since these units are noisy and can be overpowering in a small courtyard or quiet garden setting. If the sound of gentle running water is what you are trying to achieve then these units are best left to those trying to drown out traffic or urban noise.

Too often people rush to build a water wall only to tear it down again and start over. With a little forethought and planning your water wall should be built without incident saving you the heartache of blowing your budget on expensive repairs, allowing you to do the important things, like sip a glass of wine while sitting and enjoying your impressive creation.

About the author: Danielle Dickinson is an avid water feature enthusiast. She is a regular contributor to Gardening Magazines. Visit her website <a href>http://www.waterfeaturesonline.com.au for more information on building and maintaining any type of Water Feature as well as a huge range of water gardening products.