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Backyard Bonanza, Pt. 2: Installing a Water Feature A backyard gets transformed with an outdoor fireplace and new water feature. Check out more value-enhancing home-improvement projects from Sweat Equity. From "Sweat Equity" episode DSEQ-205

The completed water feature

As part of the backyard transformation, Laura Dickman has her heart set on a water feature. With little kids in the house, she decides a shallow, pond-less water feature is the way to go.

Below is a summary of the basic steps as seen in this Sweat Equity project, as well as a list of materials and tools used and some installation tips.

Materials and tools:

rubber pond liner
pond pump/filter kit
shovel (or skid loader)
rocks of various sizes
water plants

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Before
	After

Safety Alerts:

• Always wear safety glasses when working with power tools.

• Locate any utility lines by calling your local utility company. Do this several days in advance of your project.

Building the Water Feature

Steps:

• Spray paint the area of your pond, and dig a hole to the desired size and about 3 feet deep. You can dig by hand or rent a skid loader for a couple hundred dollars a day (figure A).

• Install a rubber liner into the hole.

• Place large rocks around the rubber to keep it from moving while you work (figure B).

• Secure pump house on outer edge.

• Layer large and small rocks in pond for natural look. For deeper ponds use less rocks, shallow ponds use more (figure C).

• Once the rocks are all in place (figure D), fill the pond with water.

• Plant water plants, trees and flowers around your water feature.

RESOURCES :

Backyard Adventures
Website: www.backyardadv.com