You can create a stream babbling through the garden in various ways. A very simple method is to lay out finished stream shells. On the other hand, a stream bed made of concrete can be designed a little more creatively and therefore more individually, as the shapes are not already predetermined.
How do I create a concrete stream in the garden?
To create a concrete stream in the garden, you must first dig the stream bed and prepare the subsoil. The stream bed is then covered with weed fleece, gravel and waterproof concrete. Finally, natural stones and plants can be integrated for a natural design.
Planning and preparatory activities
Before construction begins, careful planning is carried out so that the stream actually meanders through the garden as desired. Precise planning and execution is particularly important when working with concrete. After all, mistakes cannot be corrected so quickly - the material is difficult to remove or even correct. You should pay particular attention to this when planning and preparing your project:
- Slope of at least two to three percent so that the water flows
- If there is no slope, one must be created.
- This can be done, for example, by excavating a garden pond that is planned at the same time.
- The greater the gradient, the stronger the water flows.
- Then installing barrages or waterfalls makes sense.
- Without a powerful pump, there is no babbling stream.
- Pump performance is calculated according to width, length and water flow.
- So first determine the dimensions of the stream, then buy the right pump!
You should also have sand/gravel as well as natural stones (e.g. pebbles of different sizes) and shore or aquatic plants on hand. The concrete stream bed can then be designed naturally using these materials.
Creating and concreting a stream
Before digging the stream bed, first mark the exact location of the stream. Laying out the course line with the help of a rope or something similar has often proven to be helpful. At best, you have already sketched out the specific dimensions and the route in a plan; if necessary, this can be corrected after a visual inspection.
- Now dig out the stream bed.
- Remove plants, roots and stones.
- The stream bed should be dug about 10 to 15 centimeters deeper.
- Make sure it is evenly deep - the width can vary.
- Tread the surface firmly.
- At the bottom there is a weed fleece, with a layer of gravel on top as a base.
- This is also well attached.
- Only now mix the concrete and pour it into the stream bed.
- Model the stream bed using a trowel and other suitable tools.
Don't forget to waterproof the concrete. This can be done by adding sealing powder or covering the finished work with sealing mud or liquid pond liner. Allow the material to dry thoroughly before flooding the stream bed with water.
Tip
If you press the natural stones into the still wet concrete, they will hold better after hardening.
