Small tabletop waterfalls can add a whimsical and soothing element to any celebration. Make your own small waterfall decorations to use as centerpieces or to enhance the décor of a buffet table. Create a circular stone mountain for the water to cascade over, or sandwich the pump mechanism between two flat stone walls. The basic elements are the same, no matter how you design the waterfall structure. Coordinate the stones with the waterfall basin and the rest of the party décor to make striking focal points for your next event. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select a colorful ceramic bowl as the basin for the waterfall decoration that's at least 7 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Sealed dish planters work well for this design.
2. Place a small fountain pump in the center of the bowl. Drape the power cord over the back side of the bowl. If the waterfall decoration will sit in the center of a table, you may prefer to use a planter with a center drainage hole as the basin. In this case, feed the power cord through the drainage hole and seal around it with silicone sealant.
3. Cut a length of copper tubing equal to the desired height of the waterfall decoration. Insert one end of the tubing over the spout on top of the fountain pump.
4. Lay the base row of the stone waterfall in a circle around the fountain pump. Use the largest of your slate stones as the base. White quartz rocks also make a lovely waterfall decoration.
5. Run a bead of waterproof construction adhesive on top of the base layer of stones.
6. Press another layer of stones on top of the base layer, all the way around. This layer of stones should be slightly smaller than the base layer of stones, so that the edges are set back from the edges of the base layer. Successively smaller stones placed with set-back edges will create the cascade structure for the waterfall decoration. The stones should have enough of a crease between them that water can seep inside the waterfall structure.
7. Continue to glue layers of stones on top of the existing stones with waterproof construction adhesive until the stones are level with the top of the copper tubing. The end design resembles a volcano. Let the adhesive dry completely.
8. Fill the basin with water. Plug in the pump to turn on the waterfall.
Tags: base layer, layer stones, fountain pump, waterfall decoration, base layer stones, construction adhesive, copper tubing