After owning our pool now for a couple of years, I am starting to wish we would have done some type of rock water feature during construction. We definitely have all the room we would ever need but at the time we just didn't have the budget. In online research I've ran across some of the artificial rock waterfall features and were wondering if anyone has any experience. The picutres look pretty close to real rock but I have to assume at a fraction of the cost. I assume plumbing wouldn't be to involved other than changing out the 2 way return valve i have for a 3 way valve. Any thoughts, experiences and especially pictures would be definitely welcome! Thanks in advance!!
artificial rock water featuress
- Thread starter bull jr
- Start date
Well you would have to run the plumbing to the rocks so......
I have seen them added to new pool builds and it really looks like build the features AFTER the main pool has the gunite done so...you should be able to add one to your existing pool.
Kim
I have seen them added to new pool builds and it really looks like build the features AFTER the main pool has the gunite done so...you should be able to add one to your existing pool.
Kim
I assume you are talking about the fiberglass water features correct?
There are some threads on here where people have installed them. You need to understand you have to divert a lot of water too them but I doubt that is a deal killer.
I would wonder how long they last.
There are some threads on here where people have installed them. You need to understand you have to divert a lot of water too them but I doubt that is a deal killer.
I would wonder how long they last.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,381
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Really depends on quality. I have a "bad" data point.
The realtor that sold us our home has a small soaking pool in his backyard. He was on a very tight budget at the time and wanted a rock water feature but could not afford too much. So the PB did a fakey-faux "rock" waterfall which was nothing more than a wire mesh form and stamped cement. It looked good the first year but now, 4 years later, is an eye soar. He can't really scrub it with a brush because the cement will just fall apart and he can't let kids climb on it because it can't carry any load without cracking. It looks terrible from calcium build up and he's planning to rip it out.
So that's a "horror story" example from which the moral is this - check quality. Get references for water features that are currently installed and try to visit them. See if they will last long enough for your needs/wants.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
The realtor that sold us our home has a small soaking pool in his backyard. He was on a very tight budget at the time and wanted a rock water feature but could not afford too much. So the PB did a fakey-faux "rock" waterfall which was nothing more than a wire mesh form and stamped cement. It looked good the first year but now, 4 years later, is an eye soar. He can't really scrub it with a brush because the cement will just fall apart and he can't let kids climb on it because it can't carry any load without cracking. It looks terrible from calcium build up and he's planning to rip it out.
So that's a "horror story" example from which the moral is this - check quality. Get references for water features that are currently installed and try to visit them. See if they will last long enough for your needs/wants.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk,16k gal SWG pool (All Pentair), QuadDE100 Filter, Taylor K-2006
Faux stone is very popular in southern cali. My builder was pushing for it in the beginning but glad I didn't go that route because in the long run it will require more maintenance and will look like shi* if not properly cared for. In my opinion your backyard and landscape will determine if you can pull off the look. I would do real stone/bolders.
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Another reson why builders like the faux stone is that they can save tons of time and make more money. Concrete is cheap and faux rock is often used as coping and brought down to water level to eliminate waterline tile to tie in the rest if the stine look.
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Another reson why builders like the faux stone is that they can save tons of time and make more money. Concrete is cheap and faux rock is often used as coping and brought down to water level to eliminate waterline tile to tie in the rest if the stine look.
Thanks so much for all of your insight, my apologies for not getting back here sooner. I am unsure what all websites I was looking at, but I believe ricorock.com was one of them. I think I will contact a couple of builders to see what the cost would be for real stone before I decide anything. The plumbing would be the same regardless I think, it's just a matter of figuring out which way to go.
