16 replies to this topic

[D&RW]

Liner's in. Draped over the walls. Filled with water. Been about a week or more. Can I assume the liner has settled as much as it's going to, put on the capstones and trim it? Or am I missing something?

And the other question I have is how do I trim the liner around the skimmer. Last time I tried to cut it so it went around the top, but it didn't work that well. Ideas are welcome.

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[koikeepr]

Oh yes, you can put your captones on. Don't forget to overhang them a few inches toward the inside of the pond so that they hide the liner underneath. Most people forget to do that and then you can see the liner and it looks bad. They overhang the outside of the pond, but not the inside. In your third photo, I see that you already have the capstone overhanging the outside, but not the inside.

Am not clear on your question about trimming around the skimmer. I'm assuming you have an open top skimmer no?

[DrCase]

Every thing should have settled in to place when you filled it with water..
A few pics of the skimmer and where its going would help getting answers

[D&RW]

Capstones: the capstones are an enigma. lots of things would work functionally, none of the commercially available ones look good. some of the fotos show trials of various products. current plan is to cut existing stones in half and put top layer on front side and bottom layer (with holes) in back where they'll be under the deck & walkway. this will still leave a wedge of exposed liner between each stone.

one capstone idea that could promise to be better, albeit much work would be to custom make forms, i.e. shape them to the top of the wall and in manageable lengths, e.g. 3-4 ft. then, away from the pond buy and try to match some cement pigment. then mix up batches and custom make the caps = 3-4 ft, 3 in. thick, 13 in wide crecents.

Skimmer: this is not a big deal. I'd just like to figure out a neat and trim way to cut the liner to fit around the skimmer. It has a fake rock plastic top not shown in the fotos. I thought maybe someone else had encountered this problem and come up with a tidy way to do it.

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[D&RW]

one more skimmer foto from above

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[koikeepr]

those stones that are angled will be a nightmare to work with, especially with all the gaps they will create in between. Have you tried going to a local stone yard with some photos of your pond and ask an expert? These guys are used to having pond builders drop by for this exact issue. They will be able to assist you with your overhang dilemma, and these places will often have stone available at cheaper prices than even home depot and lowes. Don't hesitate to ask for a discount and also ask if they have remnant pieces--you can often find a great deal in remnants.

The capstones I see in the photos are too small and too similar sized to your pond edge width. I think you will regret not getting something deeper so that it will do a better job of hiding that liner. Don't rush this part, as the finishing/detail part is really what is going to make your pond in the end. It's everything that folks will see--your fish and that finish work. They won't see your filters, your skimmer or that sort of thing, but they will see those capstones.

[D&RW]

you are so right. i've been scratching my head for weeks and have scoured the internet + visited three commercial stone makers to view their wares. However, I didn't ask them if they'd make something. I doubt it because these are big companies making huge lots of blocks, pavers, etc. and I only need a maximum of 50.

What do you think of the custom, home made crescent idea? I would need to match the color or find a contrast color, e.g. black. The interesting possibility is a person could decorate the top with inlays or designs of some kind. If I were really creative I could create a mold to lay along the outside to duplicate the rough outside of the current rocks. Otherwise it would be smooth.

I would just need to find some temporary substitute capstones until I could build the others. I guess just about anything would do for that.

[DoDad]

I made my own using sand mix crete.

[koikeepr]

I don't mean a stone maker, I mean a stone yard that sells rocks of all sorts of sizes, shapes, colors, etc. Have you looked at flag stone or slate that is thick and they use for like pool decks or fire place hearths as an example?

Like this place . Not sure how close it is to you...but the kinda place that just has lots of natural stone available that you can cut with a good diamond blade.

Making it is certainly another possibility, but boy that's a whole other mega project.

Edited by koikeepr, 18 December 2009 - 01:20 AM.

[D&RW]

I remembered that the stone places sell 24X24X2 in pavers in the rose color. Now I think it's worth bringing home a dozen of those and lining them up along the top of the wall. There may just be enough extra to use a marker and draw a line where to cut. Boy, that'd be great if it looked good. If so I can cut them with my own circular saw--I have a diamond blade.

One think for which you have been MOST helpful. I am not going to rent the huge block cutter and cut those other stones. I'll just take em back to lowes. With the big V between the rocks they'd have looked funky. I'm really glad we talked this out. I just hadn't really thought it out all the way when faced with no good alternative.

[koikeepr]

Yeah, I just think those V ones will be too hard to deal with.

That's the one thing about ponds that are not rectangular or linear that are above ground--you have to deal with a capstone situation that meanders with the shape of your pond. That's why in my next build I will do a rectangle so I don't have to deal with it. My current pond is a kidney, but it's fully underground, so I was able to stack flag stones on the edges. Above ground do have their own set of challenges to finish for sure.

If you overhang those 24x24x2 pieces properly and cut properly, they may do the trick.You perhaps have to get one of them protractor-y, angle cutting thingees (I'm sorry I don't know the proper name of this, but carpenters use them when they are determining the proper angle to cut when they hang molding, etc.) to deal with cutting your angles when you hit a curve. Or you could likely get creative and draw it out on a piece of newsprint/paper when you the curves....

Just another facet that can complicate pond building. But it's worth slowing down and doing it properly so that that you get that nicely finised top. Do talk to a stone guy for advice at the stone yard...I'm sure their expertise will be invaluable in terms of suggestions.

[ctrgojo]

koikeeper you're talking about a miter saw i think...

D- cutting stone is no easy task, when I built my deck this summer we had to cut some and it was rough. Best advice I can lend is sunbet rentals and get a stone cutting wet saw from them, helps keep the dust down and was cheeper but you may go thorugh blades fast.

good luck

[DrCase]

I cut all my stone, block, brick, or what ever with a diamond blade in my circular saw..
it is messy but a fan will keep the dust blown away..
bought the blade at harbor freight...

i think Koikeeper is talking about the knife like, fold out angle maker...
i call it that angle thing

[koikeepr]

LOL! "That Angle Thing"! That sounds about right! LOL!

[D&RW]

Angle Determination Device. Please. lol.

What I intend to do is buy about 10 of the big flat ones. I will lay them out on top of the wall, first this way, then that, until I can get an idea if they will work, i.e. if there is enough extra to cut a curve that will allow an overhang. If so . If not, back to the drawing board.

As for cutting them, twice now I've rented the 14 inch block saw from United Rentals. And once I cut my own with my circular saw and a diamond blade. Like Doc says, it's very messy with the circular saw, but for less deep cuts, e.g. 2 inches or less, it goes pretty quickly. the only thing I think is it is very hard on the saw. I have a really nice Hitachi that now I'm going to dedicate over to rock and cement cutting.