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Anything new going on around your pond this year
Topic Started: May 29 2012, 10:48 AM (640 Views)
tlc
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Any pond additions, planting bed changes, seating areas, new plants or stuff like that?

I'm landscaping an area where our septic tank used to be. I'm not putting a bunch of effort into it other than to spiffy it up a little bit.
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Its Just Don
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I'm building a faux bois bench at the far end of my pond. I dug two 30 inch deep holes, poured concrete and inserted long rebar. Then, I bent the rebar into a shape that will create a back to the bench, added more rebar to make the back support and an extension for the bench seat. That armature was covered with chicken wired and concrete coated the wire. Another layer of chicken wire and concrete was added today. The next layer will be expanded metal and concrete and then a final finish coat to create the faux bois details. I'll make the seat the same way I've made other benches and create a faux bois back support.

Demolition

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Holes dug

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Rebar in concrete

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Rebar bent to shape

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First coat of concrete over chicken wire

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Second coat of concrete over chicken wire. Yours truly posing.

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Now I need to continue.



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43freckleface
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Great idea Don. Can't wait to see the finished bench. :popcornguy:
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tlc
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I had to go back to your "spring pond changes" thread to see what was there before your ripped everything out.
From the looks of the bench a person would crawl up there from the side and face the pond (where else would you face right?). Is that the plan?

Nice pose DP but we want to see more skin next time :cheering: ;)

T
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Its Just Don
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T

The bench is at the end of the pond with the waterfall and directly opposite it. When seated, your feet would be on the top of the eroded sandstone part of the pond.

Quote:
 
Nice pose DP but we want to see more skin next time


Exposing any more of this skin would be considered a crime against nature.



Here are some pix of the progress:

Third coat started -- getting ready to add the back

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Third coat with back added

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Back of the bench. Note the new faux rock added to the wall that was partially removed.

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View of the bench from across the pond

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tlc
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Its Just Don,Jun 3 2012
09:35 PM
Exposing any more of this skin would be considered a crime against nature.

:rolleyes:

I figured you would be busier than a cat in a flowerbed with this project DP.
How in the heck did you get the back to stay attached to the back braces? :noclue: I don't see any studs or other hardware. Come on, give up your secret :batterup:
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frogman3
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I tore down my 25 year old 12 x 22 ft deck to the support post and joist. Replaced all the decking, one warped railing post, added two additional support post and made my own railing with the use of a borrowed table saw. Tons of fun!
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Its Just Don
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Quote:
 
How in the heck did you get the back to stay attached to the back braces? no_clue.gif I don't see any studs or other hardware. Come on, give up your secret batterup.gif



MAGIC !!!!!



It's really quite simple. If you look at the picture of the bench from the back, you will see that the uprights, back brace and the back itself all have wire mesh under the concrete. The back is simply a piece of wire mesh (lath) and was attached to the uprights and the back support with wire ties before the concrete was added. So, when the concrete is put on all the parts, they are permanently bonded to one another. Get it?

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tlc
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Its Just Don,Jun 4 2012
08:45 PM
Get it?

Yep, I do now.
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Its Just Don
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Here are some pictures of the progress on the bench. The seat is still in the garage and has to wait until I finish the area around the bench so I don't have to crawl under the seat to finish things.

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And this one is for Tia. After your question about how the back was attached to the bench frame, I decided that to give it some realism, I should have an indication of how it is connected, so I made some concrete bolt heads on the back of the frame to make it look like the back is attached with lag screws.

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This is one to show the location of the bench in relation to the rest of the pond.

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tlc
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Its Just Don,Jun 10 2012
07:47 AM
And this one is for Tia. After your question about how the back was attached to the bench frame, I decided that to give it some realism, I should have an indication of how it is connected, so I made some concrete bolt heads on the back of the frame to make it look like the back is attached with lag screws.

I'm glad I could help out DP. ;)

The back really does look like a board. I hope you and the Mrs. don't get any splinters while sitting there.

Are you going to wait on the seat until Froggy gets there so he can help pack it out to the pond? :acclaim: :men:
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frogman3
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I know one thing for sure. You won't find me standing around in the garden area too long. I would hate to get wrapped in wire mesh and covered in concrete. :blink:
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43freckleface
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Amazing job again Don. It looks like real wood.

Beautiful :thumbup:
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tlc
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frogman3,Jun 11 2012
01:01 PM
I know one thing for sure. You won't find me standing around in the garden area too long. I would hate to get wrapped in wire mesh and covered in concrete. :blink:

:crackup: :huh: :blink:
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Its Just Don
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Quote:
 
Are you going to wait on the seat until Froggy gets there so he can help pack it out to the pond?


I might. I just put the finish layer on the seat in the garage and I think it must weigh a couple hundred pounds. I'll stain and seal it on Thursday and then see if Marcia and I can lift it. I'd like to have it in place for my special guest, but he might get put to work before he can sit on it. I'd also like to get the area cleaned up before he comes so that I don't look like the utter slob I actually am.
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