Phil Aynsley
A rock water feature is a great way to add interest to your outdoor area, with natural materials that can catch the eye and the relaxing sound of water bubbling away. While you can buy ready-made kits, you can also create your own, including this gravity-defying stone stack. It looks impressive as a stand-alone piece, but when the water is turned on is when the magic truly happens as it bubbles from the top and trickles down.
Gather your supplies
- 1.5m x 13mm copper pipe (2)
- Half concrete blocks (2)
- 15mm 90° copper elbows (2)
- 100-150mm sandstone stones n 60L black plastic tub
- Low-voltage pond pump (we used Aquapro pond pump kit)
- 3m x 12mm anti-kink tubing
You’ll also need
- Pipe cutter or hacksaw
- Sandpaper
- Builder’s plastic
- Safety glasses and earmuffs
- Hammer drill
- 13mm masonry drill bit
- Quick-set concrete
- Brickie’s trowel
- River sand
- Spirit level
- 13mm barbed poly T
- 13mm in-line barbed tap
- Angle grinder
- Reo mesh
- Flyscreen material or similar
- Cable ties
- Polished black decorative pebbles
Here’s how
Step 1
Using a pipe cutter or hacksaw, cut copper pipe into 1 length each of 900mm and 1m, and 2 lengths of 200mm. If using a hacksaw, sand edges after cutting.
Step 2
Place builder’s plastic on work surface (to protect it) and sit concrete blocks on top. Wearing safety glasses and earmuffs, measure and mark centre of 1 side of block, then drill through. Repeat for remaining block.
Step 3
Turn blocks so cavity faces up and drilled holes face away from each other. Insert 1 short pipe through drilled hole, connect to copper elbow and connect to 1 long pipe.
Step 4
In a wheelbarrow, prepare concrete following pack instructions. Holding pipes still, use brickie’s trowel to carefully fill cavity with concrete, packing it firmly as you go (see note). Smooth top when finished. Repeat for remaining block. Let set.
Note: You can get away without soldering joints, as they aren’t under mains pressure and will be tightly held in place by surrounding concrete.
Step 5
Wet masonry drill bit and drill through centre of 1 stone. If stone is hard, clamp in a vice before drilling. Repeat for all stones. Check fit on pipes and adjust, if necessary. Set stones aside. These will be used to create the stack that makes this rock water feature look so impressive.
Step 6
Dig a hole large and deep enough to accommodate plastic tub. Roughly level base. Fill base with 30-40mm of river sand and tamp down. Position tub in hole, check level and adjust, if necessary. Backfill hole until rim of tub sits at ground level.
Step 7
Sit blocks in tub so both short pipes are facing 1 long side of tub. Cut 2 lengths of 12mm tubing and fit over short pipes, then connect ends of tubing to barbed poly T. Then, cut a long length of tubing and connect barbed poly T to in-line barbed tap. Cut a suitable length of tubing and connect from in-line barbed tap to pond pump. Position pump on 1 side of tub.
Tip: Use Vaseline or similar to lubricate ends of connecting pieces. This will help to attach pipes, tubes and irrigation pieces of slightly different diameters.
Step 8
Wearing safety glasses and earmuffs and using angle grinder, cut reo mesh to fit comfortably over reservoir. Wrap in flyscreen fabric and secure with cable ties. Along 1 side of reo mesh, cut fabric out of 1 square (this will give you access to pump). Cut small holes in fabric where pipes will poke through and place on top of reservoir.
On a separate sheet of reo mesh, cut out 1 square, cover with fabric and secure (this will cover hole).
Step 9
Fill reservoir with water. Plug in pump and turn on, adjusting flow if necessary. Stack stones on pipes and scatter decorative pebbles over grate.
Tip: If too much water spills around grate, reduce water flow so it returns to reservoir instead of draining away.
How do you stack rocks for a water feature?
An easy way to create a stack for your rock water feature is to drill a hole in them and then place them on the water pipe, as demonstrated with this design.
How to drill holes in stones for a rock water feature
Make sure you have a masonry drill bit that’s the right size (13mm in this case) and wet it before you begin drilling. It’s also important to choose stones that will be suitable for drilling, such as standstone or another sedimentary rock that’s not too dense. Otherwise, you may need to invest in a diamond or other specialised drill bit.
If you want to try a different type of water feature, we’ve also got a step-by-step guide for one that uses a stylish container and solar pump.
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