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Starting a garden is a rewarding task. There is a lot involved when you first invest time into gardening but in the end it brings many benefits including fresh and healthier food and it can even bring in the benefit of a little extra cash.

Getting your kids involved in the gardening process is even more rewarding. The kids learn responsibility, patience and the way nature works.

But how can you start the kids on their adventure into gardening? Here are a few ideas.

Give Kids the Choice

Giving kids a voice in design and choice in the garden matters. It will make them feel like the garden is a more personal experience to them.

Even the younger kids can have a choice with parental encouragement. Allow the younger kids to choose which vegetable to plant in their garden this year. Or allow them to help with the seed buying at the plant nursery or home and garden store.

The smallest decision can help a kid grow to love the gardening experience.

Give Kids a Garden of their Own

Give the kids a small garden area of their own even if it is just one small pot. Help them decide what would go best in that small plot.

Don’t make the area too big or the kids may soon get too overwhelmed. The size of the garden depends on the kid. Bigger kids can handle more and thus should have a bigger area but no more than three or four feet wide.

Give Kids Garden Jobs

Assign garden jobs and chores just as you would any chore. Watering, putting away tools, and weeding are just a few chores that most kids could do on their own. Other jobs such as tilling and transplanting could be done by older kids.

Garden Science

Kids seem to have a fascination for science and how things work. Get the kids involved in the garden by showing them the science of plants.

It doesn’t have to be elaborate science either. There are experiments you can do right in the garden or on the back porch. Plant different varieties of plants and see which grow better. Try different soils and see which plant grows faster and healthier. What about saving seeds for next year? There are so many different science activities that could be done in the garden.

Continue the Cycle

Start the kids early in life and they might just grow up to continue the tradition with their own kids. The cycle will continue and perhaps you can garden with your grandkids someday.

Katina Mooneyham is the contributing editor for Little Gardeners (http://www.gardenandhearth.com/LittleGardeners.htm)at Garden and Hearth.com. She has written various articles on gardening mostly about gardening with kids. She maintains a blog on gardening at http://littlegardeners.blogspot.com.

[tags]kids gardening, garden, gardens, garden job, garden science[/tags]

The kitchen sink is definitely the most used item in the kitchen, other than the stove. In additional to being useful, they can add drama and style to any kitchen design. Also since a quality sink will last 30 years or more, an important consideration of your remodel should be selecting a kitchen sink.

The most traditional kitchen sink is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel became popular nearly 100 years ago because of its ability to fight corrosion. About the same time porcelain enamel was used for kitchen sinks. This enamel was fired onto a cast iron sink. People were encouraged to keep the porcelain white to be able to see dirt and debris more clearly on the white surface. Modern kitchen sinks are made of all kinds of materials, such as porcelain and corian.

While you might want to consider the color and style of your new sink, it is also important to think about how you will actually use your kitchen sink, in determining which type of sink will be best for your needs. For instance do you prefer a kitchen sink that has one large basin? This might be fine if you are always using a dishwasher. If you prefer to hand-wash your dishes, you might go with a two-or even a three-basin kitchen sink.

When making the decision on a new kitchen sink, durability and strength are important areas to consider depending on how you plan to use it, what your kitchen priorities are, and where the sink will be located.

There are so many styles of kitchen sinks to choose from today, from contemporary to rustic, in a large range of materials, colors and shapes.

Let us look at several kinds of kitchen sinks.

Alright, so you may be thinking folding chairs verses standard chairs there is no option. Think again. Of course there are so many different styles of chairs available that will look much better being standard compared to folding chairs but think of the convenience and versatility.

How many times do you have people over and do not have enough chairs to accommodate? That’s because most of us do not have the space to keep a lot of chairs. Even if we do have a garage, they take up too much room.

This is where folding chairs are a great choice. They just fold up and get stored away easily and compactly. Then when you have that bbq with family and friends you can seat everyone comfortably. Not only for that bbq but what about Christmas and Thanks Giving. These are times when you want everything to be just right.

You may agree that folding chairs are convenient but you might also think that they are a bit too plain, well then don’t worry because you can dress them up in many ways. Many wedding and party functions use folding chairs and cover them with wonderful covers with ribbons and bows. No one would ever know the difference.

These types of chairs are usually made from very hardy and easy to clean material such as plastic or aluminum and come in varied colors to suit different surroundings. You don’t even have to purchase this type of chair if it is more convenient for you to hire them instead.

You will find many online companies that hire these chairs for very reasonable prices. By searching the web you will also find many online companies that will have great bargains when purchasing them as well.

So before you make any major decisions about adding to your chair collection have a good look around for folding chairs and keep in mind the versatility and convenience that they offer.

Susan Dean is the webmaster and publisher of target=”_New”
http://www.discount-chairs.com Visit her site for a huge range of discount chairs.

[tags]chairs, chair, office chairs, massage chair, chair rental,furniture[/tags]

If you are considering upgrading your bathroom and kitchen sink faucets, you have come to the right place. The following explanation will make your task much easier and will save your time as well.

However, before we start, make sure that you have following materials ready with you.

- New faucet assembly
- Basin wrench
- Adjustable wrenches
- Slip-joint pliers

- Scouring pad

Now follow these simple steps. (Assuming that you are replacing the old two-handled faucet with the more modern single-handled type)

Replacing Kitchen Sink Faucets
1. Before you start, go at the shut-off valves under the sink, and turn off the water.

2. Open the faucet so that it could drain any excess water.

3. The next step is to disconnect the hot and cold water supply lines from the shutoff valves. You can use a small adjustable-wrench to do this.

4. Reach up behind the faucet. You will find the coupling nuts that connect the supply tubes to the faucet. Unscrew the same using a basin wrench.

5. Behind the faucet, you will also find mounting nuts that hold the faucet in place. Remove these nuts using the same basin wrench.

6. Now that you have disconnected the mounting nuts, you can lift out the old faucet. Lifting it out, disconnect the sprayer hose from the assembly using an adjustable wrench.

7. Lift out the sprayer hose, and remove the faucet.

8. Once you have removed the faucet, clean the surface of the sink thoroughly with a scouring pad.

9. Remove the escutcheon cap and replace the same with the one that is included with your new faucet.

10. Now you are ready to make the new connection. Bring your new sprayer hose, and slip it down through the sprayer hole.

11. Feed the sprayer hose up through the center faucet hole, and connect the hose through the sprayer nipple using an adjustable wrench.

12. If the hot and cold supply tubes of the new faucet have a different length, attach flexible connectors to the fittings on the supply tubes. Hold the faucet fitting stationary with one wrench and tighten each connection with another wrench.

13. Insert and feed the supply lines and the connectors into the center hole, and then seat the faucet.

14. Now crawl up under the sink and in order to hold the faucet in place, install a washer and nut to the end bolts.

15. First, tighten the nuts by hand, and then with a basin wrench.

16. Connect the supply lines to the shutoff valves, and turn the water on.

17. Turn on the faucet and check for leaks.

Replacing Bathroom Sink Faucets
1. Go underneath the sink. Turn off the water. Loosen the collar nuts on the drainpipe.

2. Drain any excessive water, and then remove the drainpipe.

3. Loosen the nuts that hold the pop-up assembly in place under the sink using slip-joint pliers.

4. Unscrew the pop-up flange in order to free the assembly underneath the sink.

5. Remove the fittings that join the supply lines of the old faucet to the shutoff valves, using a wrench.

6. Repeat the steps 4-15 as explained above for replacing kitchen faucet.

7. Now, you have to install the pop-up assembly.

8. Push the pop-up rod down through the body of the faucet.

9. Attach the flat bar.

10. At the bottom of the new flange, use a little plumber’s putty to hold the tailpiece so that the whole assembly protrudes up through the drain hole in the sink.

11. Spin the ring to position the same with the tailpiece under the sink.

12. In order to secure pop-up housing in place, tighten the nut on top of the tailpiece.

13. Hook up the pop-up lever onto the flat bar in order to secure it to the pop-up housing.

14. Drop the stopper into the drain hole.

15. Replace the drainpipe.

16. Tighten the collar nuts.

17. Turn on the faucet and check for leaks.

Hence, replacing a kitchen and a bathroom faucet is almost similar except for the work related to the pop-up assembly that is included with the bathroom sink.

Owen Walcher writes for the
Best Plumber Resource which
provides plumbing tips to consumer and helps people
find quality plumbers in Georgia. plumbers.besthomeresource.com

[tags]faucet repair, plumbing tip, plumbers, bathroom sink, kitchen sink[/tags]

During recnt decades collectors, more than ever before, have placed emphasis on quality,interest,rarity and beauty in the purchase of antique furniture.Despite the desire to own examples which are authentic, and whose value will increase, colleectors have given little attention tto certain essential knowledge pertaining to design.

The great schools of furniture design which arose in Europe following the Dark Ages received their stimuli not only from local talent butr from designers and craftsmen attracted from adjoining or even distant areas.Skills thus cultivated and fostered whedre by no means stationary. Craftsmen not only visitedthe large centers to improve their techniques, but they later carried their newly acquired skills to their own or other countrys.Leading craftsmen of these centers also visited or established themselves elsewhre.Consequently, designs and tectonic methods whre intermingled and widely spread. Some maintained continuity with the principles of a particular school, others merged with the designs of various areas,Thus, when the french and English Schools of design rose to preeminence during the 18. Century, and whre followed throughout Europe and America, designs or elements thereof which originated in England and France where copied elsewhere in Europe and in America, as well as in various colonies.

In studying and comparing the furniture of the countries which were themselves centers of influence, and the furniture of other areas which produced work more or less taken from, or paralleling,these centers, complete attention should be accorded to all the smallest details of design. In such a study a numberr of examples, with no particular appeal because of certain pecularities in their designs, may be passed over without due consideration. However, these will often contain valuable clues to help assign other examples to the areas where such design peculiarities were permittet, or even favored.

All too frequently foreig elements are disgarded.Yet anyone who fails to take such elements into consideration shows such a lack of understanding and discernment as to eliminate him as an authority. To possess authoritative knowledge concerning the antique furniture of any country, one must also be anequally informed about related designs produced in all other countries or areas reached by similar design influence.

The numerous pieces of furniture which today are attributed to France, England,America far exceed the possible output of the craftsmen of these countries. Records of the settlement of immigrant craftsman do not indicate enough production to account for the difference.Natively executed work is sometimes verified through the pressence of indigenous materials. However, definite structural derterminatioin, sometimes found in the secondary woods of American pieces, particulary poplar, is seldom as positive in Europe, where native species of timber were widely grown and distributed.Design, therefore, becomes a principal factor in deciding the geographic origin of furniture, with exposed structural features included as pertinent elements, often of greater importance than those concealed.Though pedigrees are also to be considered, flaws in such documentation are frequent, so that they should be weighed carefully.

Foreign furniture was seldom copied exactly,although this did occur. Instead there were adaptions, often rather free, to suit the preferences of a particular Craftsmen or shopp owner, to conform with local tastes,or to make use of such materials as were readily available. Drawings and details made by migratory workers were sometimes used, as well as those of specializing designers. Wealthy patrons, too, sent native architects to study at the principal art centers so that they would be better equipped to design appropriate interiors and furnishing for their benefactors.
As commerce increased, designs might bemore accurately translated in areas seperaterd by sea, than by land, because of the greater obstacles of overland travel.

When furniture design became increasingly influenced by both French and English styles, still greater interrelationship resulted.Pieces were eventually developed with might well be described by hyphenated phrases, such as “Louis XV-Chippendale” or “Directoire-Sheraton” designs.
Principal factors which resulted in the interrelation of designs may be summarized as follows:

When the work of designers or craftsmen of different areas-neighboring or distant-during any particular period contains a few basic elements in common, some generally similar patterns will be produced, no matter how divergent the majority of native designs may be.

When these common basic elements are improved or elaborated on from an outside center of influence, some parallel designs are bound to be produced, not only in the affected area and the center, but also in any other are influenced by the center.

When any area is motivated by the designs of two independent centers of influence at the same time, resulting productions may approximate those of either or both of these centers, or those or other areas influenced by the two centers.

If these rules are considered in studying the evolution of furniture designs, prior to the 16. century, during the renaissance and throughout the later decorative periods when travel and commerce increased more rapidly, it will be found that relationship progressed accordingly.
Recognition of these relationships, particulary in reference to furniture following the French and English styles, is essential today because of widespread delocalization.This resulted from demands of traders and collectors during the past one hundred and twenty years, and also from deliveries to foreign shores at the time that the pieces were originally produced.

Furnitures supplied but a small part of commercial ventures during the 16. and 17. centuries. Its widespread distribution is accounted for in part by emigrations, such as that of William Penn

When you have plumbing problems, and need to get the plumbing fixed, you need DIY plumbing repair. However, if repairing your plumbing is not something that you know how to do yourself, you might be wondering how you can learn this. There are many places that you can learn how to fix your plumbing problems yourself and you will not have to rely on a contractor to come and do this job for you. More and more people everyday are starting to do their own DIY repairs from plumbing to everything else that might need it. But not everyone knows how to go about doing this. There are several places below that will be great for learning how to DIY.

1. Library

Going to your local library and looking for books that show you how to DIY plumbing repair will be a great big resource when you are learning DIY plumbing repair. You will find that there are many books on this subject at your local library, and you will be able to check them out and take them home to study them. When you study them, be sure that you take notes, especially on any problems that the books say you might encounter. This will ensure that you can get your plumbing fixed with little hassles, and you will have running water again in no time.

2. Online

Searching online for DIY plumbing repair will bring you to many places that you will be able to read up on fixing your plumbing problems. You will see that there are many website that explain this job in great detail, and then getting it done will be a breeze for you once you have read over the how tos that you find online. You might even come across an email address so that you can ask questions to the expert that is giving advice as well.

3. Plumber

Asking an experienced plumber about DIY plumbing repair is a great way to find the information that you need for doing this job yourself. Most plumbers are straight up about any problems that you might have, and you might even run a across a plumber that will walk and talk you through the process. If you have a good friend that is a plumber, ask him if he will come over and tell you what you need to do to fix the problem yourself. You will see that any plumber friend that you might have will be more than willing to help you learn the ropes of keeping up your own plumbing.

As you can see, there are many places that you can go to learn how to DIY plumbing repair. You will find that the picturers you find in the library books will make the instructions seem easier, and if you happen to have a plumber friend, well that is the way to go for the easiest DIY job that you can do.

Carl has been a professional plumber in a company he owns for more than 10 years not only is he experience in unclogging just about anything but also an expert in installing plumbing fixtures and installing new water lines. Carl will give you some helpful tips on plumbing installation when you visit http://www.alliedesolutions.com

[tags]Diy Plumbing Repair[/tags]

Plants are just as popular as furniture when one is deciding on furniture and soft furnishings. Aside from the aesthetic value plants provide your home with, there are also health benefits - grade school science class tells us that plants cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen. Here is some important information on how to care for your indoor plants to gain the optimum health and aesthetic benefits.

Lighting

Most indoor plants need good lighting. You can provide this through natural lighting in the room of your choice or there must be electric lighting. Darker leaved plants usually don’t need as much light as others.

Here are the varieties of plants (usually those that only require medium to low light) that are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:

a. Philodendrons
b. Boston ferns
c. African violets
d. Cyclamens
e. Creeping Fig

Watering

A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which may lead to rotting roots. Make sure to research the type of plant you have, because each kind of plant varies on their watering needs.

Potting

Choose good quality and attractive container for your indoor plants. Make sure that the pot is clean before placing your new plant into it to prevent infection and to encourage healthy growth.

Humidity

In indoor gardening, humidity is a big issue. The amount of moisture in the air has effect on the growth of the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much-needed moisture. Make sure the leaves don’t get covered in dust.

Fertilization

Just like watering, fertilizing depends on the type of plant. If you have managed to supply your indoor garden with the right amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention. A good indoor fertilizer can be bought from most home depot or hardware stores. Orchids need the special fertilizer available.

Bill McRea is the publisher of Garden Facts also Garden Decor and Landscape Trees Landscaping and Gardening with information and products.

[tags]article submission, articles, writers, writing, publishing, ezine, email marketing, email newsletter, email[/tags]

Holy crap! My DIY acoustic panels (following Jon Risch’s recipe, my own how to experience coming soon) have improved my listening experience like nothing else. You have got to try these. I wish you could borrow mine. For the price of two sets of Black Diamond Racing Cones you can change your whole music listening experience for the better. This is the most noteworthy upgrade I have ever made.

So, what am I hearing that’s got me so excited? Clarity. Attack. Depth. Smoothness. Scale.

The acoustic panels broke through the “wall of sound” type recordings that have never sounded great on my system. Last night I listened to the Decemberists’ Picaresque. The opening track, “The Infanta,” features massive instrument congestion, I think the whole song is a crescendo. Without the panels the mix of multiple acoustic guitars, constant and heavy bass guitar organ and drums, tom and snare drums, cello, electric guitar, piano, organ, tambourine and male and female voices sounded like a mush of music where I would hear hints of greatness that would then be obscured by all the other instruments. With the acoustic panels in place the song comes alive. The drums congeal into a single kit, pulling the extra wide cymbals back to a realistic size and relative distance. Acoustic rhythm guitars gain body and string strumming textures like I’ve never heard before. I can imagine the Decemberists’ tambourine slapper standing in front of my right speaker keeping my head bobbing.

These improvements are so pronounced because the acoustic panels have absorbed a wide bandwidth of first reflections from behind the speakers and two points on each of the side walls. The first reflections arrive at your ear within a small enough time window that your brain confuses these delayed reflections as part of the direct sound and blurs the two together. So, your stereo imaging suffers. From the blur, it loses back to front depth, singers and drums fight to occupy the same space, guitar and bass stack on top of each other and lose their body and scale. The panels can also help room interactions that can obscure and exaggerate certain frequencies changing the timbre and scale of the instruments. Cymbals crash outside of the stereo image’s stage, distracting you from the musical presentation.

You need the acoustic panels to shape and smooth your music listening experience. The less acoustic anomalies your brain has to track the more it can suspend its disbelief and let you experience the music emotionally.

For under $100 and a little DIY elbow grease you can treat your listening room and fall in love with your music collection again. You will be so involved in discovering your music again that the only reason you’ll stop listening is from your spouse’s reminder that it’s midnight and she needs to go to bed.

Father, Husband and Geek. My geeky interests have not changed since I was a kid. I still love comic books, anime, role-playing games, console video games, indie rock, imported toys and mecha models, bad American and great British sitcoms, and all the tech that let’s me experience these hobbies to their fullest. Now that I’m married with children, I’ve had to strike a balance between supporting and pleasing my family and feeding my geekery hunger. Lucky for me, my wife is very accomodating and even geeks out with me on occasion (the ladies love Joss Whedon’s “Firefly”). My two year old likes anything that moves on the front projection screen and makes noise, so far she is easy to please. Geekwithfamily.com exists to enrich the lives of fellow geeks and the friends and family who put up with them.

[tags]acoustic,treatment,listening room,audiophile,diy,stereo[/tags]

Every interior space has some unique qualities attached to it.
If you have visited a natural outdoor space like a forest, you
will notice thousands of varieties of “textures” in the form of
wooden barks, leaves, ground surfaces, stones, water etc…

All these natural elements create a unique visual effect and
all visual effects have a corresponding effect on human mind.
That’s why when used carefully textures can create wonders in
interior design.

The most commonly used materials in interior design and decoration
are wood for furniture, cloth for linen, rubber/leather for flooring
or upholstery, paper as wallpapers, plastic for accessories like
lampshades and other decorative items, steel for furniture.

Let’s take a closer look at these materials and their textural
qualities.

1) Wood….

Most commonly used for furniture, door frames, shutters. The
main reason behind this is it is easy to work with wood. The
art of carpentry is an age old profession. Because of the
nature of wood like softness and the same time the amount of
strength it can withstand, makes it a popular choice amongst
furniture designers.

A fully polished wood surface gives a very rich finish and
projects user friendliness. Also wood comes in many varieties
and colors, each having its own pros and cons.

2) Cloth….

A very natural choice for linen. Since a cloth finish is a smooth
one it is most suitable in a bedroom where comfort is a very
vital factor. The biggest advantage of various types of cloth
is that most types are washable so maintenance is easy.

Cloth has one more important quality that it can be “painted”
for expressing detailed decorative patterns, that can greatly
add to the beauty of the space.

It is also possible to do “embroidery” on cloth, if painting is
not a good choice or budget doesn’t allow. Depending upon the
weave of the cloth strands the thickness, transparency, etc. can be
easily achieved. This makes the cloth most suitable for various
kinds of uses such as linen, curtains, bed sheets, etc…

3) Rubber/Leather….

Rubber is used in the form of PVC flooring, is easily available
and most importantly is wash proof and durable. It can be printed upon
using design patterns of any style, rich with colors. Comes in the
form of large sheets or even individual tiles.

Unlike tiled flooring the PVC flooring is much less affected by
atmospheric changes. Other types of tiled floorings or even wooden
flooring can have a direct effect on the surface because of the
expansion and contraction of the flooring material. A PVC flooring is
glued to the tiled flooring I hope you have benefited from these
words.

4) Plastic….

There are infinite uses of this great material. The only disadvantage
environmentalist have pointed out that it is not bio-degradable.

Because of its artificial nature it can be “manufactured” in various.
colors, shapes, sizes, strength. The biggest advantage of plastic is
it is waterproof and electrical shockproof. That’s why mainly
used for electrical accessories. It is lightweight as compared to other
material types. Entire furniture pieces such as chairs, tables
can be easily molded out as a seamless model in plastic.

5) Steel/Iron….

Steel is mostly used in interior design where the main purpose is
to give support and carry weight to the floor. That’s why main
use of steel is done to create the structural frame that carries
the weight of the people who are going to use the furniture
piece.

A very common type of steel is the “Stainless Steel”. Because of its
shining nature, it very quickly gives a rich quality to the object
being used on and enhances the overall quality of the interior
space.

Furniture objects that have been designed with a combination
of wood and steel look much balanced from aesthetic point of view.
But doing so requires a careful study of the joiner details,
especially where wood and steel joint together.

The following discussion was only a brief introduction of the
types of material being used in interior design industry. Every
day more and more good quality and cheaper material types are
being presented in the market. I hope this article was informative
to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com. Here you will find some great concept level design tips for bedroom sets.Visit today.

[tags]interior design, bedroom design, home improvement, interior decoration[/tags]

Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many
gardeners begin to think about installing a small pond or
water garden. Ponds don’t need to be weeded or watered, and
they can supply exuberant color in the form of water lilies
and bog plants.

The sound of a splashing fountain or waterfall is more
appealing than weeding a flower bed or mowing that section of
lawn. Best of all, no matter how hot or wet it gets, the pond
just keeps on blooming!

At this point you may start to think about the expense and
labor of installing a concrete pond, and our 95 degree days
are just about enough to stop this pond daydream in its
tracks.

However, with the advent of newer pond liners and pre-formed
pools, the misery associated with concrete mixing and
finishing is a thing of the past. Heavy duty pool liners with
10 year guarantees are now common, and can sell for as little
as $1.00 a square foot.

Preformed ponds in many different shapes and sizes are also an
alternative method to create a quick pond at less cost than
using concrete. Using these materials, the average gardener
can install a decent size pond in less than one day, and have
it stocked with plants, fish and fountain by the following
morning.

The simplest kind of pond to build is an above-the-ground
pond. Since no digging is required, it usually takes much
longer to fill this pond with water than it does to build it!

There are many variations on this theme, but as an example,
one can use treated lumber planks which are at least 2 inches
thick by 12 inches wide, nail them together to form a
rectangular shape of the desired dimensions, and place the
form where the pond is desired.

This bottomless “box” can be placed directly on the grass,
concrete, a deck, etc., and then the bottom is covered with
some kind of padding or cushioning material. Most books say to
use sand, but I think the perfect material is roofing felt. It
is cheap, convenient, lies flat, makes a barrier to weeds, and
provides a good cushion for the pool liner.

Once the roofing felt is in place, the pool liner can be
dropped into the form and you begin filling the pond with
water. A few staples on the outside of the pond form may be
needed to keep the liner from blowing into the pond, but be
sure to use just a few, and place them at the edge of the
liner.

As the pond fills, the weight of the water will do a good job
in smoothing out wrinkles, but if you are a perfectionist, you
can help smooth them out by hand before there is more than one
inch of water in the bottom of the pond. While the pond is
beginning to fill, you can check the level of the form, and if
it needs to be raised a little on one or two sides, this can
be done by carefully inserting some shims to raise the forms
where needed.

If you prefer the pond to overflow on a certain side (like,
into the flower bed, rather than onto the deck!) then you may
want to leave the overflow side a quarter inch lower than the
rest of the pond.

You should wait until the pond is completely filled before
cutting any excess liner or doing any permanent stapling. This
will give the water pressure enough time to pull the liner
into every nook and cranny where it needs to go; some of those
few holding staples which you used to hold the liner in place
may actually tear loose as the pond fills, but if you stapled
the liner on the outside of the form, near the edges, then no
harm is done… you will be trimming some of that excess liner
off, anyway.

It really does take longer to fill this kind of pond than it
does to build it. I once built a twenty-by-thirty foot pond in
two hours but it took all night for it to fill with water.

I think an ideal depth for an above ground pond is about 14
inches, but it can be deeper or more shallow than that,
depending on what materials you are using for the form.
Railroad ties, landscape timbers, concrete blocks, etc. are
all possible materials for pond building.

Remember that any kind of wood must be pressure treated if you
want it to last more than a year! Although I mentioned
rectangular shape, if you have some carpentry skills, you can
also do triangles, pentagons, ponds within ponds, etc.

Ponds built with treated lumber planks do not need any side
support if they are less than 8 feet or 10 feet long; if you
are building larger than that, you will want to drive a stake
into the ground where the planks are to be nailed together, so
the water pressure won’t make the planks bow outward. So, if
you know how to use twelve nails to nail four planks together,
then you can build a pond. If you are feeling lazy, have the
lumber yard cut the planks to size you need. Borrow your
neighbor’s staple gun, find those scissors buried in the
kitchen drawer, and you are in business!

Pond liners can also be used to make an in the ground pond.
The advantage is that you can make any shape pond you want,
and the ground itself supports the sides of the liner.

It is a good idea to use a flexible garden hose to lay out the
pool shape you want. Once everyone agrees that it is a
pleasant shape, and it is large enough, you can dig a trench
along side the hose, and start digging.

Remember, the pool does not have to be more than 12 to 16
inches deep, so don’t get carried away. If you want a
waterfall, some of the excavated soil can be mounded up near
the pond for later waterfall construction. In some cases, it
may be useful to use some of the soil for a berm around the
pond, so that is another way to dispose of excavated soil.

Once the pond is excavated, check the level, decide which side
you want excess rainfall to flow from, and then you are ready
to line the hole with roofing felt, running it across the
pond, up the sides onto the edges of the pond. Drop the liner
in, weigh it down lightly with some rocks around the edges,
and start filling.

Again, do not trim any excess liner until the pond is
completely filled. Some pond books say you should create a
shallow shelf in the pond before putting in the liner, but
they don’t have our river sand and rainfall to deal with. I
think it is better to build the pond to a depth of 14-16
inches, and just use bricks to prop up those bog plants that
don’t want to sit too deep in water. This gives greater
flexibility in rearranging the pond plants as you wish, and
avoids the calamity of a shelf suddenly slumping into the
pool. When using pool liners, whether in the ground or above
the ground, it is important to conceal the edges from
sunlight, since that is what eventually breaks down most
liners.

Using stones or lumber planks to finish off the edge of your
pond will make it more appealing, and enable the liner to live
up to its ten year guarantee. Even the heavier, preformed
plastic ponds should have their edges covered by sod or some
paving material, so the sun can’t reach it. Some final
pointers: if possible, locate your pond away from trees, in a
place that gets at least five hours of direct sun daily. This
will allow you to grow a wide variety of pond plants.

Be sure to use a dechlorinating product when you first fill
the ponds… the new chemicals in our drinking water do not
dissipate quickly and they will kill your fish and damage your
plants, even ten days after you have filled the pond!

Be sure you are pleased with the size and shape of your pond
before you start - so you won’t say “I should have made it
bigger, or longer, or rounder, etc.”, within two hours of
filling it!

Rule number one in pond building is that no matter how big
your pond is, you always want a bigger one.

Last, but not least, if you decide to do an in-the-ground
pond, why not serve refreshments and get some friends to help
. . . friends will have all kinds of useful ideas on how you
should do it … which is fine, as long as they keep
digging…

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Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including
MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He
also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
‘New Pond Owners Guide’ visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
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[tags]ponds,pond building,water gardens,water gardening,koi pond,filter,waterfalls,pond liners[/tags]