Lots of newbie Concrete Fountain Questions!

itsreallyconc

you're going to dick around w/foam/pvc pipe/etc so much you'll weaken the slab thru thinner thickness therefore strength,,, i'd use plastic tubing just as we've done on ' weeping walls ',,, then again, its YOUR ' tomestone ' & its only rocket science if you're building rockets,,, the difference 'tween expansion/contraction coefficients of concrete & plastic tubing is infinitesimal ',,, go have a beer, fergawdsake ! ! !

jomama45

I wish I could give an accurite explanation, but I would be very careful with any tubing/pipe going thru the concrete. When the pipe enters perpendicular, it's not much of an issue. When it runs thru the length of the slab, or tombstone in this situation, it definately creates a weak point.

I've torn-out my fair share of concrete, & noticed that any entombed pipes always do more harm than good. In my situation, it's usually an old farm job where the farmer thought it would be advantageaous to throw some old crap pipe (or any random steel) laying around in the crete. Usually creates the wekest point of the whole slab.

In your application, I think I wold use a minimal steel pipe & weld a few light rebar directly around the pipe.

I would also look deeper into a counter top mix, as this may be your best chance for success. I have to give you credit, though, if this indeed your headstone. This very thought has crossed my mind many times. Luckily for me, that's as far as it ever went!

wps74

It will only be my headstone if my wife doesnt like it! thanks for the advice on the countertop mix.

Based on all of the above I am not running the pipe through the long run "up" the tombstone, I will run that on the outside. then the only pipe coming through the concrete will be the short outlet pipes through the 4 inches from "back" to "front".

Im still not clear on whether it would be better to actually embed the pipe in the concrete or to leave 3 holes in the concrete the size of the pipe (plus a bit of tolerance) and insert the pipe after curing, maybe with some silicone goop to keep it from shifting around/pulling out. Which is less likely to cause weakness? Also with the "hole" approach I suppose there is some chance of backflow seepage of water into the hole, which I presume is more likely to cause problems in the long run?

itsreallyconc

never saw anyone who wanted to take the hard route as much as you do,,, w/all your dickin' around w/pipe, you'd have been done 2 days ago using plastic tubing silicone'll stop any backflow,,, this is a much easier job that you're tryin' to make it imn-s-hfo quit thinkin', postin', & DO ! ! !