Concrete for a Decorative Water Fountain

[leokb4]

My company is looking to build a large decorative water fountain out of concrete. What admixtures or coatings should be added to the concrete to keep it looking good for a long time?

 

[STrctPono]

If this were me... I would be adding an internal crystalline waterproofing admixture (Kryton KIM or Xypex). You can internally pigment the concrete however you want to establish the looks that you would like. I would also want to add glass or polypropylene internal fibers to the mix. Aspect ratio of the fibers depends on the way in which this is being poured. I would cure the concrete with a lithium silicate. Lastly, a polyurea coating on the concrete will be what gets you the external waterproofing plus will retain the look. This will need to be reapplied eventually, however, due to degradation.

 

[JedClampett]

There's no harm in the Xypex, fibers, etc. But I would reach out to a company that installs polished concrete countertops. I think they could really create a look that could "pop" unless your goal is for a more industrial one. Plus the polished concrete is pretty impervious. Also, poured, formed concrete has a lot of bugholes and bubbles in it as poured, so make sure those are dealt with.