Pond fountain slab

[Steve2324]

Hi,

I'm new here just signed up looking for some help with my new fish keeping hobby I'm taking up.

I'm building my own pond and so far everything has gone smoothly.

I've hit a brick wall with building the fountain.

So far I've built up the walls of my fountain and it will be lined and I want it to overflow over the side.

I have several granite bricks cemented in place and I want to put a slab sticking out at the very top where it overflows so the water won't trickle down the side of he bricks and instead falls a bit out from the wall.

My issue is i want to make 100% sure the cement mix I use is strong enough as the slab is heavy, the slab is 60cm and the bricks are only 15cm wide.

So I only have 15cm of room to stick the slab to and 45cm sticking out.

Hope I've explained this well enough if anyone can advise I'd appreciate it. I dont want the slab falling into the pond and ripping the liner.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Can you post some pictures? That might help us understand what you are dealing with.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

I can't help with the cement, but make sure the slab is tipped slightly down so the water falls off the end of the stone without flowing back down the underside of the slab.

 

[ShawnInfirmity]

Welcome @Steve2324 , Please do post pictures as @Mmathis mentioned!

 

[GBBUDD]

strong concrete 5,000 psi as the concrete is drying keep it covered with wet burlap or plastic . As the concrete hits 12 hours start watering keep it wet the longer the concrete takes to dry the better the concrete is . and slip in a couple pieces of number 5 re bar horizontally spaced evenly and held off the bottom of the concrete slab at least 2" preferably 3 but that requires at least a 5 inch thick pour.

 

[Steve2324]

Thanks for all the replies.

It doesn't look all that good at the moment but here's the granite blocks ignore all the insulation I have folded it all back as I was initially not going to use a granite slab but I've decided now I want to.

Here's the slab I want to put on aswell

Slab is 60cm long and will fit perfectly in the gap I've made between those two pieces of slabs I've put on the top.

I've glued the liner on to the side of the blocks with plenty of gold label

I just want to make sure i get the concrete mix right so this slab doesn't fall off at a later date.

Thanks

 

[Steve2324]

strong concrete 5,000 psi as the concrete is drying keep it covered with wet burlap or plastic . As the concrete hits 12 hours start watering keep it wet the longer the concrete takes to dry the better the concrete is . and slip in a couple pieces of number 5 re bar horizontally spaced evenly and held off the bottom of the concrete slab at least 2" preferably 3 but that requires at least a 5 inch thick pour.

There won't be any room for rebar I'm afraid but I think I can put a couple of extra pieces of slab overlapping the bigger slab to help seal it down and it will also help direct the water to the end of the slab instead of falling off the sides?

Should I be doing 4 parts sand 1 part cement?

 

[Steve2324]

I've given it a go this morning with 3 parts sand 1 part cement.

There was no way it was going to stay in place on its own so I've had to put some granite blocks on top of now hoping that as it drys it will stick down.

Concrete may be strong but it just doesn't look like it has the ability to stick to me.

It's a very cool day today 11c cloudy so hopefully that will help it dry very slowly

I'm not the best at brick laying so I've got mortar all over the place but hopefully that will brush off later

 

[Steve2324]

Here's the photo of it done, really messy but I hope to god when it drys it holds it in place

There's a bit of the slab sticking in the inside too that I would ideally like to chop off somehow when it's dry. I couldn't get the slab to balance without letting it hang inside a bit

 

[RobAmy]

@Steve2324 Hi. That cement will not stick to that stone once dry. But at least you now will have a nice level spot once dry. Now just use a strong adhesive on the concrete you made and the bottom of the stone. The slab will cut very easy with a masonry blade on a saw or grinder. Sorry I did not see the post earlier, A mortar mix with a good bonding agent may have done the trick. Anyway once the concrete dries just lightly tap the bottom of it and it will separate from the concrete, then cut to size and then use the adhesive .

 

[j.w]

@Steve2324

 

[Steve2324]

@Steve2324 Hi. That cement will not stick to that stone once dry. But at least you now will have a nice level spot once dry. Now just use a strong adhesive on the concrete you made and the bottom of the stone. The slab will cut very easy with a masonry blade on a saw or grinder. Sorry I did not see the post earlier, A mortar mix with a good bonding agent may have done the trick. Anyway once the concrete dries just lightly tap the bottom of it and it will separate from the concrete, then cut to size and then use the adhesive .

I've put those two bits of slab over the top and concreted those in aswell. This won't be enough?


What sort of adhesive can you recommend one?


Thanks

 

[addy1]

@Steve2324 RobAmy is a wonderful stone Mason. He will help guide you on what to do.

 

[Steve2324]

@Steve2324 RobAmy is a wonderful stone Mason. He will help guide you on what to do.

I appreciate all the help.

I'm kind of anxious now and sort of in a rush as I've already lined my pond.

I'm not a very good brick layer so I keep getting mortar all over the pond. Luckily we've had some good weather and I've managed to hoover up all the mortar once dry but if it rains I'm going to struggle to hoover it up.

Dug this pond last year can't wait to have it finished.

I stupidly dug the pond before digging the fountain last year and the fountain is in the corner of the garden so I ended up dropping a brick in the pond and ripping the liner. I want to make sure I get this 100% right don't want to make any stupid mistakes so all the help is really really appreciated

 

[RobAmy]

I've put those two bits of slab over the top and concreted those in aswell. This won't be enough?


What sort of adhesive can you recommend one?


Thanks

I do not think the small pieces on top will work, it may but it is iffy. Your 3 to 1 concrete mix is better for doing thickness work like a footing or formed walls not laying stone like that, you would need to add lime to the concrete which would bond a little better. Any good adhesive would work that bonds to masonry. Here is the US the PL product line is good. Here is a picture of what I would use if you can get it.