| Wishing well plans. Wishing well kits |
WISHING WELLS MADE OF
PRESURE TREATED LUMBER
(CCA) Chromated copper arsenate-treated wood is often referred to as pressure treated wood. CCA is a chemical wood preservative that protects wood from damage by insects, mould, sun and water.
Many economical priced wishing wells are made of treated lumber which has some rot-resistant and insect-repelling properties. Drawbacks are that treated lumber contains cromated copper arsenate which pose a serious health threat to children. It is also prone to excessive warping.
- Warning
- Not always effective
WARNING
Always wear a dust mask and goggles when cutting or sanding wood. Wear gloves if you are applying an end-cut preservative (copper naphthalene for ground contact or zinc naphthalene for above ground). Wash hands before handling food. Wash work clothes separately from other household clothing.
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PT LUMBER NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE
Look at this picture and notice that the wood preservative has not penetrated the wood completely, leaving many areas completely unprotected. Very poor penetration in 4x4 and 2x6, a bit better for the 6x6. Will not last long without water repellent applications.
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Large masonry wishing well
with slate roof |
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| Wishing Well Plans and Wishing Well Kits |
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Wishing well plans. Wishing well kits
Wishing wells. We have seen them at special events raising money for a service club or adorning front lawns, especially out in rural areas. Gone are the days of real wishing wells, the ones that actually contain water.
The practice of throwing coins in water while making a wish is still alive today, especially by younger children. Just check any fountain in a shopping mall, water fall or at a bridge spanning a shallow creek. Even today, service clubs use wishing wells at special events to raise money.
Virtually all "modern" wishing wells are non-functional. I you are thinking about adding a wishing well to your lawn you have three choices:
- Buy a fully assembled well ready to be installed.
- Buy a kit.
- Buy a wishing well plan.
Building your own wishing well from a plan is not all that difficult as long as you have some woodworking skills and know how to follow step-by-step blueprints and instructions. There are many free wishing well plans available from the internet, complete with instructions.
BEFORE YOU START
Before setting out to purchase a wishing well you should have a fairly good idea about the type of well you want or which one is suitable for the available space.
Some of the other things to consider are:
- How much money do you want to spend.
- Material and finish.
- Usage, moving parts and power supply.
Wishing well kit.
f you order a wishing well online or take one home from a retailer you most likely have to put it together. All the individual parts have been cut to size, notched and are pre-drilled. All you need to do is put the pieces together with screws and/or bolts provided. Wishing well kits come with easy to follow instructions and drawings, photographs or video. |
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MATERIALS and FINISHES
Wishing wells made of wood are durable but can be made last even longer by applying a coat of sealer, waterproofing stain, exterior paint. Left unfinished, they will weather to a nice soft grey patina.
Pine.
Wishing wells made of pine are inexpensive compared to wells made of other materials.
Western Red Cedar and Cypress.
These woods are durable because of their natural rot-resistant and insect-repelling properties and have not been chemically treated. Left unfinished cedar will turn, over time, to a rustic silver grey patina. Because of these qualities cedar is also widely used for making arbors, fencing, decks, gazebos and patio furniture.
Fir.
Some store bought window wells kits or kits ordered on-line are made of fir. Fir wood warps more than cedar but less than treated lumber.
Stone.
Wishing wells made of wood are light and can be easy moved to another location. Stone base wishing wells are not all that common and for some good reasons. Paver stones, bricks or boulders needed for the wishing well can be heavy and mixing mortar is not exactly a fun thing to do for most people.
TIP. As you keep adding layer after layer of stone it is important to maintain your circumference by constantly measuring. Instead of measuring it may be a lot easier and more accurate if you drive a stake in the ground and attach a string to the post. The length of the string should be half the required diameter of the wishing well.
ROOFING MATERIAL FOR THE WISHING WELL
You have a few options on the types of finishing for the roof section. Copper is expensive but looks beautiful once it has weathered to rich patina. Cedar, cedar shakes and pine all will look great as well. Slate is an excellent match for stone base wishing wells. Asphalt shingles, in my opinion, would not look good on any wishing well, whether it is a store bought well or made from scratch.
USAGE. MOVING PARTS. POWER SUPPLY
Since the wishing well does not have a bottom it can conveniently placed over anything you want to hide, that is if the object to hide is small or if your your well is large. To make the wishing well even more of focal point of attention you can add flower pots and planters inside and around the well. Some wishing wells are equipped with a working crank and handle to lower and raise a bucket.
Wishing Well comes with a fully functional crank and handle with plenty of tub space for your bedding plants and hanging baskets.-
Once the wishing well is finished you can turn it into a koi pond if so desired. Just add a pond liner, pond plants, pond filter, pond pump and some pond fish. All of this equipment and electrical outlet can be installed out of sight, right inside the well base.
WISHING WELL KITS
If you order a wishing well online or take one home from a retailer you most likely have to put it together. All the individual parts have been cut to size, notched and are pre-drilled. All you need to do is put the pieces together with screws and/or bolts provided. Wishing well kits come with easy to follow instructions and drawings, photographs or video.
The well kits are popular because they can be assembled in just a few hours by any do it yourselfer. Larger well may take longer to assemble.
If you do not want a well made of wood you also have the option of ordering a wishing well made of UV protected PVC for lasting beauty.
TIP ABOUT "MAINTENANCE FREE" VINYL
Despite claims that vinyl is maintenance free vinyl wishing wells should be cleaned with water and a mild detergent at least once a year to prevent discolouration caused by bird droppings and pollution. |
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