Caring For Your Stone Outdoor Fountain

If you buy an outdoor stone fountain, of course you want to keep it looking as beautiful as the day you buy it. Stone is a very durable, naturally beautiful material that blends well with many outdoor landscapes, and there are just a few things you need to do to keep it looking good.

In general, stone water fountains come in two basic styles, basin or pedestal. For a basin style stone fountain, you'll want a hard surface like a tile or concrete slab. On that slab, you'll spread between a half an inch to an inch of sand on the surface before you put the fountain together. This will help keep stress cracks from forming in the basin, and it will help keep it level, too. If you're going to install it on soil, putting down a base of sand is not absolutely necessary but will help to keep the basin level once it's installed.

For a pedestal style fountain, you want to put a firm foundation in so that it stays level. If you're installing it on dirt, put a concrete stepping stone that's at least 2 feet in diameter underneath the pedestal. Because most pedestals are hollow, splashing of the founding can cause general erosion at the base of the fountain, eventually causing it to fall over. This is why it's important to have an initial foundation poured in concrete, in addition to the dirt or other natural foundation it stands on.

Any place you think is aesthetically good is probably a perfect place for your outdoor fountain. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that direct sunlight tends to make stone fade. Therefore, you may want to keep outdoor fountains out of direct sunlight, especially if they're made of stone.

As with other types of fountains, outdoor fountains need basic care to keep them running properly. In addition, they face some additional challenges with outdoor debris like leaves, grass, dirt, and so on that simply don't occur with indoor fountains. Make sure that the pump you buy has been specifically designed for the outdoors; indoor fountains do not belong indoors because they cannot stand up to the extra wear and tear from the elements that outdoor fountains get.

Take the pump completely out and wipe any debris or build up off with a cloth. Open the cover and wipe down the pump on the inside, too. You can gently scrub hard to reach areas with an old toothbrush. This should help keep your pump running smoothly for a long time.

Empty out the reservoir, brush it with a stiff brush, rinse and add fresh water every day. If the water is going to be sitting because you can't clean it every day, add algae inhibitors so that the water stays clean.

These few tips should help keep your outdoor fountain looking good for a long time to come.