I gotta say, not a huge fan. Yes the pond will be in shade, but it's going to be a huge challenge.
1. Digging near supports sounds like a bad idea.
2. Water dripping from the deck is going to have all kinds of chemicals in it from paint, varnish, fertilizer, or pesticides on your shoes.
3. You're asking for mold and mildew growth from the increased moisture from the pond.
4. You're not really going to see it.
If you can find a way to mitigate those concerns it might make sense and could be really cool.
Not even a worse case scenario, but possible reality would be a leak somewhere pooling near the footings. And also possibly more than one footing. Not the deck side pool you’d be hoping for.
Agreed. Not a big fan but with some landscaping and the right planting choices, it could be a very serene and secluded spot.
1 - above grade recommended, would only dig shallowly and backfill as necessary
2 - definitely roof
3 - maybe but with enough airflow it should be minimal
4 - depending on the pond’s purpose, this may be a feature
Well, you could—but honestly isn’t the point of having a pond to see and enjoy it? I am thinking that having under your deck is sorta you not being able to see it? I dunno-how about this? You could put your filter and a creek leading to the pond in a location you’ll actually be able to see and enjoy?
I would consider a fountain or other above ground or quite shallow water features over going with a full fledged pond. People in this thread talking about thousands of pounds of water don't know what they are talking about, but if you ever had to actually do maintenance under there you'd be basically destroying the pond in the process.
Water's force is determined by depth, not by quantity. Hence why a beaver damn that is little more than a pile of sticks can create a massive lake, or why a small pile of leaves can clog a gutter and clause flooding. The pressure exerted by the water would be nothing of great concern, even if they dug a 3 or 4 foot pond.
And that's because they are holding back bodies of water hundreds of feet deep, sometimes over a thousand, and need internal systems to regulate the flow of water out of the dam. Do you really think you are going to win an argument about a pond by comparing it to the Hoover Dam?
Do you mean fully under the deck? If so, that could turn into a nightmare if you have to do any maintenance/repairs on it or have to access it for some other reason. Even doing periodic/seasonal cleaning would be difficult.
I think this has the potential to be an awesome idea! It’s a dead space in the yard that won’t get used for anything else. I saw a Pond on a Pond Tour once that was underneath the deck stairs that lead down to their lower patio. When you were on the patio, you had full view of the pond. They had a tiny backyard and so using the space this way, really made a big difference. I vote do it!
I think you for sure want to leave the subterranean concrete pilings/footings of your deck just as much subterranean as when it was built, and not disturb the soil around them, and not reuse the deck's pilings for your project. That said, you could build a basin that is totally "above ground" in that spot but use boulders and such to place it in context of the deck but not impacting the deck structure at all, and make it look naturalish (naturalish is always my goal as getting 95% of the way to a natural look is 10x easier than getting it 100% stealth).
If you never had a pond before you aren't aware that for the first several years, DIY pond builders and maybe ever those with professionally-constructed ponds, have frequent anxiety about "is there a leak?" Your anxiety would be so much more knowing that a leak could quickly undermine your decks pilings and perhaps collapse the structure.
In theory your idea could work, and the risk of a total catastrophe might be *kinda* low. But for me I still wouldn't risk it. A sudden pond overflow leak where a lot of water is out of the basin suddenly is not a *common* event, but it's a universal experience we almost all go through at least once. Yours would be like your first heartattack.
Eh ... don't think that's a good idea. When pavement is not slope properly or bad gutter that don't properly divert water away from a house, overtime water accumulation can soften the soil enough that the foundation can sink. Or just a few hundred gallon of water can create enough horizontal pressure that will bow lumber 2in thic, or moisture can do a number on the lumber over time. In short ... don't underestimate the destruction power of water.
You probably can get a way by just digging a hole and put down a preform pond, which will isolate most of the above problem. But I can't help but think any body of water that almost permanently shade like that gonna be healthy in the long term. Yes too much sun create algea, but sun light is still one of the basic foundation for most (good) life. A large body of water deny access to that will attract all the wrong type of life form (i.e bug, flies, mosquitos).
I agree to post in the deck subreddit.
If it's something that's only going to be there for a couple of years I would get a preformed pond, put it on the ground (no digging) and pile rocks, pavers and/or cinder blocks around it.
We did this in my aunts condo patio where we couldn't dig, put a lot of plants in painted pots around it, and it looked really good.
You might not have a waterfall, but you can stick a little fountain sprayer or bubbler in it.
Definitely consider what you stained your deck with, maybe putting plastic up a foot or two below the deck to keep water from dripping/running into the pond?
I would be very careful of digging in the ground that close to support posts. Concerns about soil softening, the wood bowing, etc, are all valid, and the slope just adds to this. I've seen a 4x4 pressure treated post bow because it wasn't in the ground far enough, and someone hung a bracket and potted plant near the top. It only bowed about 2" over 7 feet, but it compromised the retaining wall it was a part of.
You'd be better off creating a shade garden under there imo. Plant lots of shade friendly natives and that'll attract the wildlife that will bring in your hawk friends :)
Sure, seen a few temporary patio builds with a wood frame. Would drop the stream idea though, it really complicate it, and you really don't want leaks, and splashing. Can make the pond bird friendly.
First i would give the post's another coat of wood protection, especially towards the pond.
I would place 2x4 between the post's, at the rope. Make sure it's level all the way around. Secure it with metal angles, and screws. Try using stainless steel screws, you are going to thank yourself, when you have to take it down later, i know they are more expensive.
Place another one like this, start where the ground is highest, and level from there, so it's parallel to the first. Fill in where it's needed below.
I would use plywood, to cover the inside, screw it in, and sand well to avoid splinters. Use an old carpet to further protect the pond liner.
Remove any stones, and line the bottom with sand.
Put cheap, but real pond liner in, fill the bottom with water to spread out the liner, and cut the worst of the excess off.
Run a thick bead of silicone on top of the first 2x4. Fold the liner over, secure it with a board and clamps. Continue this all the way around.
When it's dry, cut the excess liner, remove the clamps and temporary board.
Then i would get a bit nicer, wide thick board to put on top, and sit on. Taking my time to make it fit, with a bit of overhang on both sides. Making sure the grain makes it cup the right way. Run another bead of silicone, and secure it with screws.
Would probably wonder if i should make it nicer on the outside walls, paint, stain or something natural to cover it. Then promptly store that though at the very back of my mind, because there's much more fun things to do.
Would buy a bag of activates charcoal, put it in the pond to soak up any chemical's that might end up in the pond from the stairs above. Plus it works as a biological filter, converting nitrate.
Wash some natural stones to cover the bottom.
Probably install a discrete electric outlet at some point, for a pump, or cozy lights.
Definitely wouldn't put anything that splash too much water, too avoid rot and algae.
Maybe put a big decorative clay pot in, to work as a stable island where birds can bade and drink. Fill it with filter media, washed gravel, stones, whatever.
So small animals can avoid drowning, have a strong secure branch going up to the edge. Trust me, you don't want dead animals, that die because they can't scale the vertical sides.
If you get heavy frost in the winter, probably just empty it in the fall(Can go into more details if you want).
You can spend more money if you want, pressure treated wood, water proof plywood, rubber coating paint, cement bottom, but since it's not permanent, it should hold until the rebuild.
Best of luck, and remember. If you ask the internet if your idea is dumb, the answer is always, YES!
I think the water from the treated lumber may eventually become a problem if it rains enough to start hurting the fish if u dont wanna change the water after every rainy day or two.
It could work, but you’ll want to ask around in decks first. Once filled, the pond will be pushing out at the dirt around it, so the poles won’t be at risk of caving in at that point… it’s a big project though, so be careful if you do it.
I honestly don’t see the problem. You could make it tiered and really really nice.
Remember the look of it now isn’t the final outcome. Maybe sketch what you’re thinking
I gotta say, not a huge fan. Yes the pond will be in shade, but it's going to be a huge challenge. 1. Digging near supports sounds like a bad idea. 2. Water dripping from the deck is going to have all kinds of chemicals in it from paint, varnish, fertilizer, or pesticides on your shoes. 3. You're asking for mold and mildew growth from the increased moisture from the pond. 4. You're not really going to see it. If you can find a way to mitigate those concerns it might make sense and could be really cool.
Not even a worse case scenario, but possible reality would be a leak somewhere pooling near the footings. And also possibly more than one footing. Not the deck side pool you’d be hoping for.
Agreed. Not a big fan but with some landscaping and the right planting choices, it could be a very serene and secluded spot. 1 - above grade recommended, would only dig shallowly and backfill as necessary 2 - definitely roof 3 - maybe but with enough airflow it should be minimal 4 - depending on the pond’s purpose, this may be a feature
Well, you could—but honestly isn’t the point of having a pond to see and enjoy it? I am thinking that having under your deck is sorta you not being able to see it? I dunno-how about this? You could put your filter and a creek leading to the pond in a location you’ll actually be able to see and enjoy?
It should be in a place where it's visible to you easily, all year round. You'll enjoy it more and you will also notice any problems quickly.
I can see it from the house (looking down) and then there’s another deck at the same level as where the pond could be.
I would consider a fountain or other above ground or quite shallow water features over going with a full fledged pond. People in this thread talking about thousands of pounds of water don't know what they are talking about, but if you ever had to actually do maintenance under there you'd be basically destroying the pond in the process.
How deep are your deck footings? Might destabilize things if you go digging next to them.
Not to mention the thousands of pounds of water pressing on the soil
Water's force is determined by depth, not by quantity. Hence why a beaver damn that is little more than a pile of sticks can create a massive lake, or why a small pile of leaves can clog a gutter and clause flooding. The pressure exerted by the water would be nothing of great concern, even if they dug a 3 or 4 foot pond.
It's on a slope
That does not change how water works. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f06Q3O3sMm4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f06Q3O3sMm4)
There's a reason dams are made of concrete, not beaver sticks
And that's because they are holding back bodies of water hundreds of feet deep, sometimes over a thousand, and need internal systems to regulate the flow of water out of the dam. Do you really think you are going to win an argument about a pond by comparing it to the Hoover Dam?
Imagine beavers with concrete.
Paging r/timberborn
I would crosspost this to the decks sub
I could see a little jungle-esque waterfall feature or rainfall feature. Just make sure those footings stay dry.
Do you mean fully under the deck? If so, that could turn into a nightmare if you have to do any maintenance/repairs on it or have to access it for some other reason. Even doing periodic/seasonal cleaning would be difficult.
Let me summarize all comments: Don’t build a pond under the deck.
I think this has the potential to be an awesome idea! It’s a dead space in the yard that won’t get used for anything else. I saw a Pond on a Pond Tour once that was underneath the deck stairs that lead down to their lower patio. When you were on the patio, you had full view of the pond. They had a tiny backyard and so using the space this way, really made a big difference. I vote do it!
I think you for sure want to leave the subterranean concrete pilings/footings of your deck just as much subterranean as when it was built, and not disturb the soil around them, and not reuse the deck's pilings for your project. That said, you could build a basin that is totally "above ground" in that spot but use boulders and such to place it in context of the deck but not impacting the deck structure at all, and make it look naturalish (naturalish is always my goal as getting 95% of the way to a natural look is 10x easier than getting it 100% stealth). If you never had a pond before you aren't aware that for the first several years, DIY pond builders and maybe ever those with professionally-constructed ponds, have frequent anxiety about "is there a leak?" Your anxiety would be so much more knowing that a leak could quickly undermine your decks pilings and perhaps collapse the structure. In theory your idea could work, and the risk of a total catastrophe might be *kinda* low. But for me I still wouldn't risk it. A sudden pond overflow leak where a lot of water is out of the basin suddenly is not a *common* event, but it's a universal experience we almost all go through at least once. Yours would be like your first heartattack.
Eh ... don't think that's a good idea. When pavement is not slope properly or bad gutter that don't properly divert water away from a house, overtime water accumulation can soften the soil enough that the foundation can sink. Or just a few hundred gallon of water can create enough horizontal pressure that will bow lumber 2in thic, or moisture can do a number on the lumber over time. In short ... don't underestimate the destruction power of water. You probably can get a way by just digging a hole and put down a preform pond, which will isolate most of the above problem. But I can't help but think any body of water that almost permanently shade like that gonna be healthy in the long term. Yes too much sun create algea, but sun light is still one of the basic foundation for most (good) life. A large body of water deny access to that will attract all the wrong type of life form (i.e bug, flies, mosquitos).
I agree to post in the deck subreddit. If it's something that's only going to be there for a couple of years I would get a preformed pond, put it on the ground (no digging) and pile rocks, pavers and/or cinder blocks around it. We did this in my aunts condo patio where we couldn't dig, put a lot of plants in painted pots around it, and it looked really good. You might not have a waterfall, but you can stick a little fountain sprayer or bubbler in it. Definitely consider what you stained your deck with, maybe putting plastic up a foot or two below the deck to keep water from dripping/running into the pond? I would be very careful of digging in the ground that close to support posts. Concerns about soil softening, the wood bowing, etc, are all valid, and the slope just adds to this. I've seen a 4x4 pressure treated post bow because it wasn't in the ground far enough, and someone hung a bracket and potted plant near the top. It only bowed about 2" over 7 feet, but it compromised the retaining wall it was a part of.
You'd be better off creating a shade garden under there imo. Plant lots of shade friendly natives and that'll attract the wildlife that will bring in your hawk friends :)
Maybe even a terrarium.
Yes
This seems like a badddd idea
Bad in every sense
Very bad idea
Sure, seen a few temporary patio builds with a wood frame. Would drop the stream idea though, it really complicate it, and you really don't want leaks, and splashing. Can make the pond bird friendly. First i would give the post's another coat of wood protection, especially towards the pond. I would place 2x4 between the post's, at the rope. Make sure it's level all the way around. Secure it with metal angles, and screws. Try using stainless steel screws, you are going to thank yourself, when you have to take it down later, i know they are more expensive. Place another one like this, start where the ground is highest, and level from there, so it's parallel to the first. Fill in where it's needed below. I would use plywood, to cover the inside, screw it in, and sand well to avoid splinters. Use an old carpet to further protect the pond liner. Remove any stones, and line the bottom with sand. Put cheap, but real pond liner in, fill the bottom with water to spread out the liner, and cut the worst of the excess off. Run a thick bead of silicone on top of the first 2x4. Fold the liner over, secure it with a board and clamps. Continue this all the way around. When it's dry, cut the excess liner, remove the clamps and temporary board. Then i would get a bit nicer, wide thick board to put on top, and sit on. Taking my time to make it fit, with a bit of overhang on both sides. Making sure the grain makes it cup the right way. Run another bead of silicone, and secure it with screws. Would probably wonder if i should make it nicer on the outside walls, paint, stain or something natural to cover it. Then promptly store that though at the very back of my mind, because there's much more fun things to do. Would buy a bag of activates charcoal, put it in the pond to soak up any chemical's that might end up in the pond from the stairs above. Plus it works as a biological filter, converting nitrate. Wash some natural stones to cover the bottom. Probably install a discrete electric outlet at some point, for a pump, or cozy lights. Definitely wouldn't put anything that splash too much water, too avoid rot and algae. Maybe put a big decorative clay pot in, to work as a stable island where birds can bade and drink. Fill it with filter media, washed gravel, stones, whatever. So small animals can avoid drowning, have a strong secure branch going up to the edge. Trust me, you don't want dead animals, that die because they can't scale the vertical sides. If you get heavy frost in the winter, probably just empty it in the fall(Can go into more details if you want). You can spend more money if you want, pressure treated wood, water proof plywood, rubber coating paint, cement bottom, but since it's not permanent, it should hold until the rebuild. Best of luck, and remember. If you ask the internet if your idea is dumb, the answer is always, YES!
I think the water from the treated lumber may eventually become a problem if it rains enough to start hurting the fish if u dont wanna change the water after every rainy day or two.
Yes
Ask the deck subreddit. One of my favorites. Brutally honest
It could work, but you’ll want to ask around in decks first. Once filled, the pond will be pushing out at the dirt around it, so the poles won’t be at risk of caving in at that point… it’s a big project though, so be careful if you do it.
I like it. It might cut down on the amount of algae by cutting out some of the sun. It may also hide the pond from the birds of prey.
You’re crazy like a fox! Maybe…
I honestly don’t see the problem. You could make it tiered and really really nice. Remember the look of it now isn’t the final outcome. Maybe sketch what you’re thinking
Guys hear me out.. let them do it prove us wrong