Welsh Slate Water Features

Benefits

• Welsh slate is harder than slate mined in other parts of the world, so water features built with Welsh slate last for years. The slate's durability and subtle coloration -- ranging from a golden sheen to plum, green and dark gray -- make it a natural complement to still-water pools, fountains and waterfalls.

Pyramids

• Pyramid water features consist of rough-cut, irregular slate slabs stacked one upon the other, with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top. A water pipe snakes through predrilled holes in the stacked slate from the water source at the base to the top of the pyramid. Pyramids can be showy with fountains of water erupting from the top, or appear more natural with water flowing or trickling down from slab to slab. Most pyramid water features are 2 to 5 feet tall.

Monoliths

• Monoliths are thick blocks of slate. They may have a short, blocky, pyramid-like shape, or be tall and slender like obelisks. Monoliths may be cut with straight, smooth sides or have an irregular shape, like a boulder. You can use monoliths alone or in a combination of sizes and shapes. Window stones are monoliths with holes cut into the slate for added architectural interest. Monoliths use pumps that trickle a steady stream of water down all sides, as if flowing down a mountain.

Waterwalls

• A slate waterwall allows you to enjoy the look and soothing sounds of a waterfall, either indoors or outside. You can add an indoor waterwall that is in line with the home's regular walls, tucked into a corner or as a room divider. Outdoors, slate waterwalls fit well in the garden or set into a patio wall. A pump sends water from a reservoir at the base of the water feature to the top of the wall where it flows into a concealed spillway. Water overflows the spillway and spills down the wall back into the reservoir. Smooth-faced waterwalls produce a cascading or sheeting water effect, while waterwalls with rough faces amplify the sound of falling water.