F.Y.I: KRC Rock has D.I.Y Dry Streambeds

Add excitement and uniqueness to your landscape with your own do-it-yourself dry streambed. Take a water guzzling, grass-filled area or a dull flowerless landscape and transform it into breathtaking, natural-looking riverbed. Dry streambeds add the perfect amount of creativity to anyone’s yard. In just 7 easy steps, you can transform your yard into an awe-inspiring landscape.

1. Plan Your Streambed: Streambeds should suggest a purpose. When determining the path of the stream, keep in mind that water, real or imagined, should flow from higher elevations to lower. For a natural look, cut the stream diagonal across your property and ad variation in width, course (direction) and slope.

2. Select Material: For natural looking streambeds, variation in rock size is important. Ranging from large boulders to small pebbles, you want to select a variety of sizes that are complimentary in color. Also, in natural streams rushing water smoothes the rough edges of the rocks. To build a more authentic looking streambed, you should try choosing round rocks, or angular rocks with smooth edges.

3. Site Preparation: Remove any unwanted vegetation, sprinklers, pipes, wiring and debris from the area. Lay out the streambed on the ground with powdered gypsum, lime or marking paint.

4. Grading: Grade the area to establish the stream channel. Natural streams are narrow in steep areas and wider on flat areas. Allow for the extra soil you will generate when digging and remember to take drainage and boulder size into consideration.

5. Install Filter Cloth: Fit the filter cloth/weed barrier to conform to the streambed. Lap joints no less than 2” and cut irregular edges around boulders or other objects. Nails (8d) are great to hold down the edges of the fabric.

6. Install Boulder: Most boulders are found at the edge of natural streams or in the stream as an island. No matter where they are placed, boulders should be buried a portion of their depth to give them a natural appearance.

7. Install River Rock: Dump a mixture of rock sizes in the streambed and spread them across the width of the bed by moving the largest rocks to the outer edges. Fill the voids with smaller rock. Remember larger rock has a “nestled in” appearance so surround boulders with smaller rock. Spray the streambed with water to eliminate dust and settle fine materials.

FYI: KRC Rock has D.I.Y. Water Features!

Bring life to your landscaping with the sounds of trickling water from your own unique water feature. Water features are a great way to add movement and character to any landscape design. Embrace the peace and tranquility of a Zen fountain, reflect within a still backyard pond, or listen to the crashing water of a pondless waterfall. With a full line of pumps, liners, predrilled stone fountains, and a variety of natural stone options, our experts at KRC Rock can help your do-it-yourself water feature come alive.

Center your chi by following these simple instructions on how to build your own Zen fountain.

1. To set-up your Zen Fountain the first thing to do is establish the desired location. If using large stone and a large basin, this is were you will actually want to put the fountain together.

2. Place the pump in the bottom of the bowl and extend the electrical cord to make sure you are close enough to an electrical outlet.

3. Fill the bowl with enough gravel to cover the pump inside the bowl. (Keep in mind; you’ll want to camouflage the hose, pump and connections with the gravel and topping pebble).

4. Place the drilled stone fountain on the gravel and situate it so that the hose can be connected to the submersible pump.

5. Fill the rest of the bowl with the gravel and topping pebble to cover the equipment as much as possible.

6. Now its time for the water! Add just enough to bring the water level up about two inches below the surface or upper rim of the bowl.

KRC Rock’s Rock Star of the Month

KRC Rock is proud of all our employees that work hard to make us the industry leader in customer service and product support. Each month, we will highlight one of our “Rock Stars” via our social communities to give you a glimpse into our KRC Rock family.

September Rock Star- Jacob Sutherland

Jacob works in KRC Rock’s full-service transportation/dispatch department where he maintains the integrity of KRC Rock’s shipments and deliveries through his effective communication skills and “whatever it takes” attitude. KRC Rock’s excellent customer service stems from Jacob’s positive and professional approach to incoming customer requests and inquiries. With a genuine enthusiasm for the business and always willing to take the initiative, Jacob is a valued member of the KRC Rock team.