My pond with floats for shade

[Old Lady Pond]

I made those floats... was not easy.

 

[brokensword]

I made those floats... was not easy.

LOVE your mosaic plant! Nice pond!

 

[Mmathis]

Nice! How did you make them?

 

[Old Lady Pond]

Well, I used a tarp, cut it up into those shapes, and then painted the designs on them. Then I glued slices of those float noodles onto the back. Glueing is the hard part. Any glue I tried didn't hold in the water for very long, and I ended up using a hot glue gun, but you have to be careful as it's easy to burn a hole in the tarp....

 

[brokensword]

Well, I used a tarp, cut it up into those shapes, and then painted the designs on them. Then I glued slices of those float noodles onto the back. Glueing is the hard part. Any glue I tried didn't hold in the water for very long, and I ended up using a hot glue gun, but you have to be careful as it's easy to burn a hole in the tarp....

For future reference, use silicone (100%) as it'll stick to almost anything and is waterproof!

 

[Old Lady Pond]

Yeah, I tried that. The problem is what will stick to the float noodle material and the tarp. Nothing likes to.

 

[Old Lady Pond]

LOVE your mosaic plant! Nice pond!

Thanks so much! Those are such cool plants!!!

 

[Old Lady Pond]

Yeah, I tried that. The problem is what will stick to the float noodle material and the tarp. Nothing likes to.

And I tried construction adhesive, epoxy, all sorts of things......

 

[brokensword]

And I tried construction adhesive, epoxy, all sorts of things......

I think were they mine, I'd have strung the noodle to the tarp, you know, made the string/zip tie part of my design. Here's another idea for the future; I made fake branches as camouflage over poly pipe by using spray foam in a can. Easy and paintable, and it floats! I bet the foam would stick If you had some 'threads' hanging underneath as even if it did not stick to the tarp material, it will set up around the threads.

Just more ideas.

 

[Mmathis]

I have had a lot of luck with the PL roofing goop. It has successfully bonded to just about everything I’ve used in on.

 

[Old Lady Pond]

I think were they mine, I'd have strung the noodle to the tarp, you know, made the string/zip tie part of my design. Here's another idea for the future; I made fake branches as camouflage over poly pipe by using spray foam in a can. Easy and paintable, and it floats! I bet the foam would stick If you had some 'threads' hanging underneath as even if it did not stick to the tarp material, it will set up around the threads.

Just more ideas.

Yep good ideas. There are so many ways to experiment. Maybe spray foam insulation just in random branch shapes would work! So great to meet another pond artist!

 

[addy1]

I have started using Goop, marine grade, mainly due to working on a boat. Darn sticky nothing bothers it, it sticks! And made for being under water.

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

Yeah, I tried that. The problem is what will stick to the float noodle material and the tarp. Nothing likes to.

Arts and crafts hot glue can degrade from UV exposure over time. Excessively hot sun temps might make it soft (if in the water, water will cool it) or allow objects to pull apart. Freezing cold temps isn't good either.

+2 with the 100% silicone. If it won't stick to a smooth surface like tarp material, maybe take some 120 grit (or whatever doesn't easily gouge through the tarp, dunno what millimeter thickness you use) sandpaper and rough up the the spot taking the silicone. Don't have to go crazy roughing it up, just enough the silicone can bite it. If it's getting a lot of pulling/tearing forces from the water, can also take something like a standard awl, ice pic, nail, etc., and puncture a few small holes through the material per square inch AFTER roughing up the spot with sand paper. Then, use rubbing alcohol on a clean rag, and wipe the entire area taking the silicone and immediate area around it. Apply (clear) silicone sparingly and when pressing pieces together, make sure it penetrates the perforations from the small holes.

That should allow it to hold for quite a long time and also allow some pliability of the parts used.

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

I'm curious, can the tarps actually support the weight of adult/numerous frogs? Or will it wrap them and sink, trapping and suffocating?

 

[brokensword]

I'm curious, can the tarps actually support the weight of adult/numerous frogs? Or will it wrap them and sink, trapping and suffocating?

if a lily leaf can do it, I'm pretty sure a tarp can; besides, frogs DO swim, don't they????