Right, let’s talk about something that is super helpful to you. You spend thousands on a gorgeous water feature, get it installed, love it for six months… then notice the concrete around it looks absolutely terrible.
Happens all the time. And nobody mentions it when you’re choosing your feature. They show you beautiful photos, talk about pump sizes and water flow, but protecting the surfaces around it? Crickets.
Here’s what’s actually happening
Water features splash. Obviously. But it’s not just the splashing that’s the problem. It’s what’s IN the water and what happens when it sits on surfaces day after day.
Ever noticed those white crusty marks around fountains? That’s minerals from your water. Every time water evaporates, it leaves its calling card. On unsealed concrete or stone, this stuff bonds like cement. Try scrubbing it off after a year. Good luck with that.
Then there’s the green slime situation. Constant moisture is basically an engraved invitation for algae. Starts small, just a bit of discolouration. Fast forward a few months and you’ve got a slip hazard that looks terrible.
Oh, and if you’re treating your water feature with chemicals (algaecides, clarifiers, whatever), guess what? Those chemicals don’t just vanish. They’re eating into your unsealed surfaces. Slowly but surely.
Commercial places have it worse
Ever been to a shopping centre with a water feature that looks… sad? The feature itself might be fine, but the surrounding paving is stained, crusty, maybe a bit green? That’s what I’m talking about.
Commercial water features run longer hours, get more traffic around them, and often nobody’s really responsible for maintaining the surroundings. Until someone slips. Then suddenly everyone cares.
We’ve installed features in hotels where twelve months later, the manager’s calling about the state of the surrounding tiles. “Can you come fix this?” Sure, but it’ll cost way more now than if you’d protected it from the start.
What actually works
Sealing. But not just grabbing any old paving sealer from Bunnings. You need the right stuff for wet environments. There’s a massive difference between sealing a driveway and sealing surfaces that get constant water exposure.
Good sealers for around water features need to:
- Actually repel water (sounds obvious but many don’t)
- Resist mineral buildup
- Not turn into a skating rink when wet
- Handle whatever chemicals might be in the water
- Last more than one season
The difference when it’s done right? Water beads up and rolls off. Minerals can’t bond to the surface. Algae can’t get a foothold. Your surfaces stay looking decent for years instead of months.
When should you do this?
Ideally? Before you even fill the water feature. New concrete or stone seals best when it’s clean and hasn’t started absorbing minerals and muck.
But let’s be realistic. Most people only think about this when the damage is already visible. Can you fix it then? Usually, yes. But it’s more work. Cleaning off established mineral deposits and algae isn’t fun. Sometimes needs acid washing, which is a whole thing.
Different surfaces need different approaches
Concrete’s the most common and actually the easiest to protect. Takes penetrating sealers well, relatively affordable to treat.
Natural stone is trickier. Some stones are dense and don’t need much. Others are like sponges. Limestone around a water feature? You’d better seal that properly or it’ll look awful within months.
Pavers have their own issues. The joints between them wash out from water flow. Then you get weeds. Then the pavers start moving. Sealing helps lock everything together.
Timber decking near water features? Don’t get me started. If that’s not sealed with proper marine-grade stuff, you’re looking at rot city.
Finding someone who knows what they’re doing
This is where it gets tricky. Plenty of people will happily take your money to “seal” around your water feature. Whether they know what they’re doing? Different story.
You need someone who gets it. Who understands that this isn’t the same as sealing a driveway. Different regions have different options and to avoid any conflict of interest here is an example from Perth, companies like Pressure Cleaning Perth handle this kind of specialised sealing. Most cities have someone similar. Just make sure they understand water feature environments, not just general concrete sealing.
Ask them:
- What sealer they’d use and why
- How they prep surfaces that already have mineral buildup
- What kind of warranty they offer
- If they’ve done this before (get examples)
Is it worth the money?
Look, I get it. You’ve just dropped serious cash on a water feature. More expenses aren’t welcome. But here’s the maths:
Professional sealing might cost $800-2000 depending on the area. Sounds like a lot?
Replacing stained, damaged concrete or stone? Try $5000+. Constant cleaning products and labour? Adds up fast. Someone slipping on algae-covered pavers? Don’t even think about those costs.
Plus, honestly? A beautiful water feature surrounded by grotty, stained surfaces just looks wrong. Like parking a Ferrari in a junkyard.
Some real talk about maintenance
Even with the best sealing, you can’t just ignore the surrounding surfaces. But the maintenance becomes so much easier:
- Quick hose down weekly removes mineral deposits before they stick
- No harsh scrubbing needed
- No expensive cleaning chemicals
- Resealing every few years keeps protection strong
Compare that to attacking crusty buildup with acid wash every few months. Which would you rather do?
If you’re planning a new feature
Do yourself a massive favour. Factor surface protection into your budget from the start. Talk to your installer about it. If they look blank or say it’s not necessary, maybe find a different installer.
Think about:
- How far water might splash or drift
- Where people will walk
- Drainage (standing water is the enemy)
- Access for maintenance
Get it right from the start and you’ll save yourself years of hassle.
The bottom line
Your water feature should be the star of your space. Not the stained concrete around it. Not the algae growth. Not the mineral deposits. The actual water feature.
After installing hundreds of these over the years, trust me – the ones that still look amazing years later? They’re the ones where someone thought about protecting the surrounding surfaces.
It’s not the most exciting part of having a water feature. But ignore it and you’ll be reminded every time you look at those stains. Do it right and you forget it’s even there – you just enjoy your feature.
Which is the whole point, really.