When looking for a fountain for your patio, there are a few things to consider. Learning about what types of fountains are best will help set you on the path to find your perfect outdoor water feature.
The first thing you should consider is the weight of the fountain. Your patio may not be able to handle the weight of a heavy cast stone or concrete fountain. You may then need to consider fiberglass fountains, which are much lighter in weight. It is important to remember that wood patios hold less weight then concrete patios. An important factor when determining how much weight you patio can hold. You can use a format of the base, in inches, divided by the inches per foot and multiple by two. This will give you the area of the base. You can then use the total weight of the fountain, divide it by the base in inches of the fountain to determine what the weight per square foot of the fountain you are looking to purchase may be. This will help determine if the outdoor fountain you have chosen is the right choice.
Once you determine which weight is correct for your patio, you should next look at the size of the fountain. Depending on your landscape, you may determine that you want it to be the focal point, this will determine that you need a much larger water feature. If you are unsure, you should review the dimensions of the fountain, and not the weight. Choosing fountains with basins may not be an optimal choice if you have a small area. Tall, tiered fountains over four feet in height may create the wrong optical appearance for your tiny backyard.
If looking for a fountain to be a center piece, you should consider thin tiered fountains. These fountains will create tiers of cascading water that will be very appealing to the eye and ear. Cascading fountains will also have the same effect. If you have a small area for your fountain, pot fountains which are round and smaller in size would be a smart decision. If you are just looking for an accent piece, you may find the terrace sized fountains such as Campania International's mini-series fountains can add an element of water flowing while keeping the size in check.
The last thing you should consider is the splash of the fountain. With water going from tier to tier or simply falling into a basin, all fountains splash. Where water meets water, you will find that at least an occasional drop or two will always land on the ground. If you are looking for a much smaller splash, you should consider urn fountains which bubble and cascade down the sides of a fountain or pot fountains which have a smaller distance to travel from tier to tier. Adding flow restrictors onto fountain tubing will help cut down on the water that will flow to the top of the pump. All in all, splashing is important because when water lands on concrete or a hard surface, the area can become very slippery.
All in all, fountains on your patio can be a wonderful choice. It is important to have a few selections before you make a final choice. Once you measure the area and determine what will fit, you will be sure to be very pleased with your fountain choice.