How do I build a wall waterfall?

Question

I love those $2,000 to $10,000 dollar indoor wall waterfalls, there must be a way to make this yourself, does anyone know? Plus I wonder if the wall waterfall could be lighter in weight, they are listed at 325 lbs and more. I sure would love to know some info. Thank-you.

Answer 1

First plan the scale of your waterfall.

How wide + How high + how deep.

Next Purchase a sheet of 3/4" O.S.B. Cut the size of waterfall out of this 4'x8'sheet of O.S.B.

Now  Coat both sides and edges of O.S.B. with a Good exterior grade polyurethane sealer. 2 coats.

Now attach the base - Leftover from full sheet of O.S.B. and secure it to the back pc. The base is the bottom pc. that allows your back wall panel to stand up in place on it's own.

Also coat it with polyurethane.

Now install Cement Board over the O.S.B. back panel and base. Use 1/2" thick cement board (like what you put down under ceramic tile. Lay the back panel down to install the cement board on it. Put on a layer of thinset mortar to the o.s.b. with a notched trowel- cut your pc. of cement board same size as back panel - lay it down in the wet thinset mortar and now s***w it to the o.s.b with cement board screws. Let this set up-clean off any mortar that squeezes out on edges. When dry stand up and put layer of thinset on base and install base pc. of cement board.

Now according to what your finished water fall is start installing it. You can take rocks or stones to create a bowl on the base for your water resevoir. Place a 5 gallon plastic bucket on the base -remove wire handle and glue down to base. *This is your resevoir. Now take thinset mortar and lay a row of mortar down around the bucket and start embedding your rocks or stones into the mortar. Lay it up around bucket to hide the bucket. When you get to top of bucket let stones come inward a little bit to hide the top of the bucket.-also leave a little hole to run pump cord and water supply tub out.

Now you need to move this waterfall to its final location as it starts to get really heavy.

Now lets start laying the stones/rocks on the back wall panel.

Remember your water needs to be directed so it lands back in the 5 gallon bucket.Purchase a sheet of copper the full width of your back wall plus 6" and long enough to form the catch sheet to direct water into bucket.

Attach this copper at bottom of back panel and form so it directs water into bucket. Lay a long pc. of stone across the top of bucket  up against the back wall panel , don't let it stick out to far over the copper- leave room - you can cover most of bucket top but leave room to get pump out.

Now start laying your rocks/stones up against the back panel- put thinset on the back panel and use it to lay stones/rocks in as you go up. When you get up to top, run your water line from pump and drill hole in back panel and stick water line through back panel - attack with clip on back to hold it in place. Experiment with water pattern as it comes out at top and flows down stones/rocks.After you get your water flow pattern where you like it. Let rocks/stones dry and brush on a clear concrete sealer over all of it. Remember to cover edges of back panel and base with smaller rocks/stones use thinset to attach these trim pcs of stone also.

Have fun.

You can always modify stones on back wall by using a good two part epoxy - let panel dry - epoxy on additional rocks/stones where you want them.