Before you repair a crack or leak in a fountain or other yard water feature, look it over carefully. Expansion and contraction of concrete water features frequently contributes to such escapes, but you can normally repair them within a couple of hours and have your water feature operational following the repair has completely dried. You can also repair resin, fiberglass or plastic-type fountains with the appropriate sealers.
Evaluation and Cleaning
Examine the fountain carefully to determine if it is a fiberglass, resin-cast fountain, plastic or concrete. The type of fountain you’ve guides the type of product you want to repair it. As an instance, you may use a concrete stain or epoxy cloth to fix a concrete fountain, however for a leaf, fiberglass or vinyl fountain, then you’re going to require a fluid plastic or resin-type sealant to make the repair.
Unplug the fountain from the electrical source or turn off the breaker in the power supply panel if it is hardwired. Fill the fountain with water to discover where it escapes. Make a note of this leak location and empty the fountain.
Examine the hose water supply lines to guarantee these aren’t leaking. If leaking, replace the hose rather than attempting to repair it.
Wash the marred or cracked area in which the water leaks from the fountain using a stiff-bristled brush using a mixture of mild detergent and water. Add enough squirts of this light detergent to create mild suds in a gallon bucket of water.
Rinse with clean water, and dry the area that requires repair using a soft cloth or rag.
Plastic, Fiberglass or Resin Fountains
Pour the resin or liquid plastic material into one cup, and pour the catalyst into another as the amounts needed for the repair job. Only create small batches at one time, as once you combine the plastic or wax using the catalyst, you must work quickly to prevent the material hardening in the cup.
Combine the two separate ingredients to your third cup. Mix the ingredients thoroughly using a wooden paint stick or a stirrer attached to a drill, in accordance with your preference.
Coat the bottom of the fountain using a thin coat of resin. If needed, tilt the fountain to ensure an even coat of leaf across the base of this fountain. If the crack is along the side, then you may use a paintbrush to coat the crack.
Allow the first coat dry before applying a second coat. Most resin or liquid plastics have quick drying times in warm weather in accordance with the instructions on the label. Wait the recommended time, for example 10 to 20 minutes, prior to applying the next coat.
Spray paint the fountain, inside and out, to create the repair evaporate. Add highlights and shadows using an artist’s paintbrush, let dry and fill with water.
Concrete Fountains
Put on your safety equipment after cleaning the interior of the fountain. Widen hairline cracks the width of the concrete wheel no longer than 1/4 inch heavy with a angle grinder; that allows the sealant to bond completely with the concrete. Only widen cracks that won’t impact the structure of this fountain. As an instance, on across fountains using a crack that runs along the perimeter, do not widen the crack or you could create the fountain to split. On these types of cracks, sand the surface with sandpaper. Use a wet-dry vacuum to remove the debris and dust. Don’t leave any debris or concrete dust in the fountain.
Apply a primer coat to the interior of the fountain for large gardens or fountains. You can skip this step on smaller gardens or fountains.
Allow the primer dry prior to applying a fluid or caulk-like crack filler to all cracks. For larger cracks, use a concrete stain material applied using a putty knife. Confirm the material fills the crack up completely. Some fluid spray fillers can be implemented with a caulking gun, while some may be applied directly from the bottle.
Smooth the surface of the material using a putty knife to ensure that it permeates the crack completely and to even out the top of the crack. Repeat as needed for all cracks in the concrete. You may also coat the whole inside of the pond’s surface in the water-exposed area with a epoxy sealant, mixed in accordance with the instructions in the previous section. Let dry. Wait at least 24 hours before painting for the best outcomes.
Paint on a waterproof concrete paint and sealer in a color of your choice. Apply two layers after letting each coat dry thoroughly as advocated for the humidity and temperature conditions.
Let dry and refill the fountain with water.
