Creating natural looks for artificial rock formations by backyard pools
August 31, 2023
Essential tips for building artificial rock formations
When planning for the installation of cast concrete artificial rock waterfalls, there are several important considerations builders should take into account.
Construction
Cast concrete artificial rock waterfalls typically require a steel structure and a bond wire to meet building codes. To ensure proper drainage, the concrete pad should slope toward the pool and have a bond break at the pool shell. It is also recommended to have at least 102 mm (4 in.) of concrete on the pad. Construction of caves and artificial rock formations also necessitates concrete backfill. For added safety and versatility, the cast-concrete rocks can be pre-drilled with 9.5-mm (0.38-in.) threaded eye bolts, allowing the attachment of mesh or solid safety covers for pool closure during colder months.
Placement
When custom constructing these artificial rock projects, best practices suggest the installation’s base components should overhang the pool beam by 25.4 to 50.8 mm (1 to 2 in.) to minimize the risk of water seepage. While the base components and ledgers typically have a dripline, water might still run down the face of a rock. Commonly, the most popular artificial rock size measures
3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 1 m (3.3 ft) in height, with an approximate 2.2-m (7.2-ft) wide “cave area” positioned 0.5 m (1.7 ft) above the pool’s waterline.
Handholds
If the artificial rock formation is placed in an area of the pool with water depth exceeding 1.2 m (4 ft), building codes usually require the installation of a “handhold.” To achieve this, the rock formation can be set back from the beam by about 51 to 76.2 mm (2 to 3 in.), and the beam must slope toward the pool to prevent seepage. In such cases, a 228.6-mm (9-in.) coping is often used to extend the rock into the pool and create the handhold.
Mortar techniques
Modern concrete castings are quite dense and do not readily absorb water, necessitating the use of a rich mortar mix for setting. High-quality mortar mix or cement can be found at most home improvement stores, which can be blended with masonry sand. It is crucial to ensure the mortar is easy to trowel into place, striking the right balance between being too runny or too stiff. Mortar beds should be 25.4 mm (1 in.) or more for base pieces and less for smaller rocks. For optimal bonding, mortar can be scrubbed to the underside of the rock. After application, the mortar should be allowed to set, and once hardened, it can be cut and brushed away. Some installers may use antiquing or rainbow cement for the mortar to achieve a desired aged or consistent colour look.
While the process may be intimidating, there is no need to worry, as there is undoubtedly a natural rock out there that closely resembles the outcome.
Beauty in the details
Creating attractive water features using cast concrete artificial rock is not difficult. By using stains specifically designed for cast concrete and using these techniques, builders can confidently approach the task, realizing it is not as daunting as it may seem. That said, understanding the process requires time, patience, and a touch of artistry is crucial. For those builders who are not up to this task, they may wish to consider the option of using pre-coloured artificial rocks to make the process less intimidating. Many builders, especially those managing high-volume installations, have embraced pre-stained water feature kits to save time and effort when compared to custom staining artificial rock. Either option allows builders to introduce cast concrete water features to their pools to create attractive backyard resorts for their clients.
Author
Zayvian Camacho is part of the design and fabrication team at Rico Rock, developing new climbing wall, water features, and working on commercial aquatic and non-aquatic construction projects. Camacho studied landscape design and has overseen construction for dozens of unique cast concrete artificial rock projects in backyards, hotel resorts, bowling alleys, zoos, and more. Camacho finds his rock construction work meshes perfectly with his passion for rock climbing. He can be reached at zayvian@ricorock.com.
From bare to bold: The magic of staining artificial water feature rocks
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement
1 year
Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent
1 year
Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
PHPSESSID
session
This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
wordpress_test_cookie
session
This cookie is used to check if the cookies are enabled on the users' browser.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Cookie
Duration
Description
__cf_bm
30 minutes
This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_ga
2 years
The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gat
1 minute
This cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites.
_gat_UA-
1 minute
A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to.
_gid
1 day
Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Cookie
Duration
Description
ADV_u_id
3 months 8 days
Unique customer identifier used to track unique ad views and interactions with some ads.
IDE
1 year 24 days
Google DoubleClick IDE cookies are used to store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads and according to the user profile.
loc
never
AddThis sets this geolocation cookie to help understand the location of users who share the information.
test_cookie
15 minutes
The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Cookie
Duration
Description
pvc_visits[0]
299 years 9 months 18 days
This cookie is created by post-views-counter. This cookie is used to count the number of visits to a post. It also helps in preventing repeat views of a post by a visitor.