Maintenance of Cast Stone Outdoor Fountains

An outdoor fountain creates a made-to-order landscaping central point for your lawn or garden, while the sights and sounds of flowing water adds a consoling, peaceful ambiance. Outdoor fountains made of cast stone, which is essentially man-made limestone, are most stylish and with a modicum of attention, will last for decades. The following care and maintenance tips are for Henri Studios fountains and statues, but they also apply to any outdoor cast stone product.

Common Maintenance of Cast Stone Fountains

Little or nothing must to be done to protect the finish of cast stone or concrete fountains and statuary. A lot of people discover the inevitable aging and weathering of natural stone to be appealing. However, this natural weathering may be mitigated, if you wish, by the application of a transparent concrete sealer on hand from any hardware store.

Various Henri Studio finished fountains and statuary have been painted with penetrating, sealer-type colors that are designed to resist the elements for numerous years. A painted fountain’s clear luster, however, may be revived seasonally with a light coat of sealer spray. Do not use the sealer spray on a stained-finish fountain.

To conceal minor dings, nicks, or scratches, use just a dab of almost any sort of paint. For finishes that employ a black antique effect, use black paint; for lighter antiques, use white. Simply touch lightly the paint onto the scratch and wipe of the excess. The textured finishes of Henri cast stone products receive paint easily, and your touch-up will blend invisibly.

Depending upon temperature and evaporation, you might perceive a build-up of white deposit (limescale) on the exterior of a bowl or shell. Such a build-up is standard and unavoidable in areas with great mineral content, especially lime, in the neighborhood water supply. More numerous rinsing of the fountain and changing of the water will help lessen the difficulty.

When limescale build-up finally becomes nasty on a painted bowl or shell, it could be safely and easily removed with Henri Studio fountain cleaner and lime remover. This product is not a water additive but a surface cleaner explicitly intended to foam away lime deposit without disturbing the fountain surface. Do not use the lime remover on a stained-finish fountain.

To maintain fountain water clear from unattractive sludge, algae, and muck, simply use Henri water clarifier. It also prevents fountain water from becoming dirty, and so it will also improve filter efficiency in your submersible pump.

WINTER CARE OF OUTDOOR FOUNTAINS

Severe and fast changes in temperature and humidity affect all cast stone and concrete adversely. Cast stone and concrete has an inherent inclination to swell and contract with climatic conditions.

However, the Henri Studio cast stone products have been manufactured with weather conditions in mind. The cast stone mix includes fiber and mechanical ingredients that increase the resilient qualities of the cast stone. Occasionally, non-harmful surface cracks could emerge, but your Henri Studio cast stone fountain will not crack as a result of weather if the following easy rules are followed:

• Do not allow waste to collect and freeze in fountain bowls or shells.
• Do not permit water to collect and freeze in planters, saucers, or bird baths.
• Do not permit statuary or pedestals to sit in a puddle of ice.
• Cast stone products left uncovered to icing conditions may shale or crack due to the mechanical force of water solidifying and expanding along the concrete outside.

Important: If your Henri Studio fountain, bird bath, planter, or statues cannot be kept inside during the winter time of year, you must at least guard it from ice collection or exposure.

How To Winterize:

For fountains, first remove the statue and pump (storing them indoors if able). Then, fill the bowl(s) or shell(s) with an absorbent stuff such as burlap bags or blankets. Then, cover the entire fountain with a Henri Studio fountain cover. Should condensation form inside the cover, they will be absorbed by the fabric.

For bird baths, planters, or statuary, place the pieces on high ground where a pool of ice will not form, then cover with a Henri Studio fountain cover.