Help how to waterproof an outdoor water feature.

[Lil_Dee]

Hello, I am a newbie here and would like a little advice. I'm a disabled electric wheelchair user on low income disability benefit. I bought a low-cost Outdoor Water feature https://teamson.co.uk/collections/water ... tain-pump less than a month ago for my garden. I believe that the Water feature is made of a plastic resin painted to give it a real stone effect. The water feature has already become covered in moss & the paint on the water feature started to come away when I tried to wipe away some of the moss with a soft cloth. After a few weeks of the water feature has been running. The paint has become soft & will come off even with a gentle wipe with a tissue.



I don't want it to end up like this one I found online with all the paint stripping & the plain plastic underneath coming thru because I do really like the original look.

Please don't tell me to just get rid of it & buy real a stone one because though I'd really love to, I simply just can't afford it right now on my limited budget. I have cancer & find it really relaxing to go outside in garden & just listen to the water running & the birds signing while having a nice cup of oolong tea. It helps me forget if just for a few moments all my worries & troubles.

I am being sent a replacement, but I want to attempt to protect the replacement from the paint going soft & stripping away by maybe trying to further waterproof the feature before I start using it. I was thinking of trying this Expoxi resin product I found online https://www.buildingdesignindex.co.uk/e ... rotection/ as hopefully I can just spray it on onto the Water feature myself despite my disabilities. Would this work? does anyone know of any more suitable products that I can use that will fit the purpose?

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

Per the instructions it appears the epoxy will coat other surfaces besides concrete. Make sure you clean it well and it is dry.
They have spray paint , here made for plastics, which might work. I have spray painted pvc pipes and the color has managed to stay for years now.

 

[Lisak1]

Very pretty water feature - I can see why you love it.

Maybe just leave the moss alone? It really is part of the charm of a feature - makes it look more natural!

 

[combatwombat]

Welcome. If they’re sending you a replacement, I might toss the new one in the closet for now and just wait for the rest of the paint to come off the first one. Then you can clean it and paint it with a more appropriate coating.

If the original paint is so bad, I’d be concerned that it will still fail underneath any new layers.

 

[GBBUDD]

Maybe just leave the moss alone?

That would be my advice. Moss is definitely an over looked natural wonder in my book. Get a hold of the right moss and it can be down right stunning.

 

[j.w]

@Lil_Dee
You could do the epoxy re-do and then allow the moss to come back if it will. Might make it more durable w/the epoxy. I like the mossy look

 

[Lil_Dee]

Thanks for the replies, agreed the moss does add a little character to the feature but it has also had the unfortunate effect of clogging up the water pump & slowing down the flow of water to a trickle.

Welcome to the forum!

Per the instructions it appears the epoxy will coat other surfaces besides concrete. Make sure you clean it well and it is dry.
They have spray paint , here made for plastics, which might work. I have spray painted pvc pipes and the color has managed to stay for years now.

Do you have a link to the Spray paint you used please?

 

[Lil_Dee]

Welcome. If they’re sending you a replacement, I might toss the new one in the closet for now and just wait for the rest of the paint to come off the first one. Then you can clean it and paint it with a more appropriate coating.

If the original paint is so bad, I’d be concerned that it will still fail underneath any new layers.

Unfortunately, that's not really an option as we have to return the original water feature back to the company.

 

[GBBUDD]

moss does add a little character to the feature but it has also had the unfortunate effect of clogging up the water pump & slowing down the flow of water to a trickle.

algae is probably clogging the pump not moss it would take some time for enough moss to start creating issues

 

[Lisak1]

Agree with @GBBUDD on this one - moss will cling to the surface... algae may be causing the clogging.

 

[addy1]

Thanks for the replies, agreed the moss does add a little character to the feature but it has also had the unfortunate effect of clogging up the water pump & slowing down the flow of water to a trickle.


Do you have a link to the Spray paint you used please?

https://www.lowes.com/search?searchTerm=spray+paint+for+plastic&refinement=4294388944

Lowes

 

[GBBUDD]

If the paint you find doesn't say for marine use it won't last long. Even marine grade will have a time limit on it

 

[addy1]

My pvc lines under water have hung onto the paint better than those exposed to sun and weather.

 

[GBBUDD]

My pvc lines under water have hung onto the paint better than those exposed to sun and weather.

True the water will help block the uv rays.