Poolside Waterfall, a Trip to Cancun

Materials: Stone; Gravel; Pond Equipment; and Lighting.

Goal: Create a backyard vacation for this Windsor home.

The backyard was already amazing, but we needed it to feel like a resort by the time we were finished. More specifically, we wanted to create Cancun in the middle of Windsor, Virginia.

Our client came to us with a plan for the pool and patio layout already done. They wanted us to add a water feature and tie all the elements together to make it flow seamlessly – pun intended!

Unique Transitions

Because we were brought into the process before the concrete pool construction began, we were able to work directly with the pool company and create a couple of unique transitions to make the water feature fit.

Typically, when we are adding a waterfall to the side of a pool it is after the construction is complete and the space is 100% done. Because it was all still on paper we asked the pool company to create a custom ledge to support our multi-1000 pound boulders, which they did perfectly.

Avoiding a Safety Risk

If you look closely in the pictures you’ll notice we are setting boulders around the hot tub on a ledge. We also have a custom opening for each of the waterfalls where they enter the pool. While it may not seem like a lot, it allowed us to create a waterfall that rises right out of the pool, which fit right in line with the goal of making all the different backyard elements mesh perfectly together.

Going into construction we had several challenges. Adding massive boulders on a ledge and inside of a pool could create a safety risk, so we had to apply some extra steps along the way. We used a concrete saw to cut notches into the boulder and then chiseled them to fit perfectly on the ledge. Once we finished rocking the ledge around the hot tub we mixed up a thin concrete slurry and poured it around the boulders. The concrete wasn’t actually holding the rocks in place, but instead created a permanent shim, ensuring our boulders had zero wiggle. It worked perfectly.

For the start of the waterfall we wanted the water to look like it was just bubbling out of the ground. We used a section of Aquascape Aqua-Blox at the start and ran the plumbing right into the bottom of the Aqua-Blox with a dedicated variable speed pump.

Testing, Testing (the Waterfalls)

Because the pool wasn’t finished by the time we started, we had to use a gas powered transfer pump to test our waterfalls and make sure they flowed the way we planned them.

One interesting twist was that our client wanted the waterfall to be interactive, since it was part of the pool. Through the construction we created multiple seating areas and shallow pooling areas. We used mostly large boulders and set them in a way to make sure no grandkids could ever shift or move them. Again, safety was a top priority!

Cancun Created in Windsor, VA

All of the boulders were set, all of the lights were installed, and we began to put the final touches on the space.

During the construction we oriented and designed the waterfall to have views from everywhere. If the homeowners were sitting in the hot tub, they could hear the sound of water rushing by their heads. When they are sitting beside the pool, the waterfall opens up right in front of them. We also created a few places to swim underneath the waterfalls. We added splash areas inside of the waterfall with seating for both kids and adults and installed a variety of different-sized rocks along the edge to create places to jump and interact with the pool.

During construction we were always aware to make sure the views from the first and second story of the home were oriented around the waterfall and could be enjoyed 24 / 7 / 365.

Finally, we finished the look. Our client can now be on vacation in their own backyard without packing their bags or buying a plane ticket. Even better than that, they can enjoy this Cancun-style resort with the people they love most in a safe and beautiful way. Mission accomplished.