How to Create a Bubbling Boulder - the House of Rocksthehouseofrocks.com/howto/bubbling.pdf · You...
Transcript of How to Create a Bubbling Boulder - the House of Rocksthehouseofrocks.com/howto/bubbling.pdf · You...
Whether you are interested in creating a relaxing outdoor atmosphere, a water garden, or a unique accent to an existing landscape, a bubbling boulder is an excellent cost-effective means of doing so. This article will detail a step by step process of transforming a standard limestone boulder into a beautiful flowing water feature. You can buy all of the necessary materials here at House of Rocks for the do-it-yourselfer, or buy the complete finished product from us if you want to save time.
#1) Choosing a Boulder: The top two types of boulders used for bubblers here at House of Rocks are Holey Boulders and Moss Boulders. You need to keep water flow in mind when choosing boulders. More grooves and ridges will make for a more abstract flow.
#2) Cleaning Boulder / Gathering Supplies
We briefly cleaned the boulder with a hose to remove excess dirt and plant matter. Next, we arranged our materials:
� 1 Large Tub (36x18”) (100% recycled and chemically neutral) � 2 Grates (Need a jigsaw to cut) � ¾” Rubber Tubing � 6 cinder blocks � 1 pump � Extension cord � Approximately 1 foot length of steel wire � Large drill with 2’ length masonry drill bit
H ow to C rea te a B u bblin g B ou lder
(913) 432-5990 • 1725 Merriam Lane, Kansas City, KS • thehouseofrocks.com
#3) Prep
First, place grates over tub and connect via interlocking teeth. Next, use wire to tightly secure both
grates together and clip off excess:
With the grate secure, tie a string to the very center of the two grates and use the other end of the
string to tie to a piece of chalk to make a precise outline of where to cut. The mark should be made
about one half inch smaller than diameter of tub. Begin cutting around the outline
Place cinder blocks (two levels) in tub so that the middle empty space has a triangular shape, this is
where the pump will be located. Place grate over the top leaving 2-4 inches of space between grate and
rim of tub
Next, you will create an access gate so that there will be easy access to the pump for any future
maintenance. This will involve the jigsaw and steel wire.
Cut a small hole in center of the grate to feed the rubber tubing through
Next, we will drill the boulder using a ¾” Masonry Drill Bit with a 2’ Length to drill a hole in the top of the
boulder
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Measure length of hose needed by determining overall height of boulder and factoring in the depth of
the tub and trim excess with a knife or box cutter
Place pump inside of tub and attach hose and filter. Add approximately 1.5ft of water.
Place grate over tub and feed electrical wire through access gate and feed tube through center hole.
Then, feed rubber tube through the boulder leaving approximately one inch between tube and outer
edge of boulder
Add decorative rock around boulder
FINISHED. You can either place the tub into a pre-dug hole, or surround the tub with native grasses and
shrubs to start enjoying your new bubbler!