Concrete Bird Baths
The classical design concrete pedestal bird bath makes a beautiful addition to any outdoor area. The gray color of the concrete and the fluid lines of the stylized Greek or Roman design, whether it be shell patterns or leaves or animals with the carved motif or fluted basin, all come together to bring out the natural aesthetic appeal of your yard and garden.
Concrete bird baths today are no longer just available in gray . Tinted concrete is also available as well with colors that include ivory and black. If you like a textured surface with multiple colors, thben you can select from the baths that use crushed mosaic chips. If this isn't enough then you can simply paint it to the color that you desire.
Another choice that you have to make will be determining the height of the pedestal and the width in the case of square basins, yes there are square basins, or diameter of the more familiar round basin type, that sits upon it. You even have your choice of the basin's depth.
The pedestal bird bath usually comes in two pieces, due to its weight and to the fact that it is easier to set it up that way. The typical concrete baths can range up to a hundred pounds or more. This is great from the standpoint that you won't have to worry about it getting knocked over accidently ot tipped over on a windy day, but not so great if you decide to move it around. Usually with concrete selections, you select an area and leave it there. To set it up, you just need to level the base and plumb the pedestal for maximum stability. In some locations with sandy or clay soils, you may need to pour a small concrete base or place a concrete pad on the soil to prevent shifting of the bath due to rain in summer or frost heaving in winter.
If all this is too much you can just purchase the concrete basin without the pedestal to use as a ground level bath.
As mentioned before one of the drawbacks of concrete is the weight, yet it is also a plus by virtue of the fact that it won't fall over easily. It's durable and will last a long time if properly maintained. That involves taking into storage the removable basin in winter so ice doesn't cause it to crack apart. For just like the concrete sidewalks, if water gets into just a tiny opening, it will cause splits and cracks as the water freezes eventaully causing the bath to leak or pieces to break off of it.
Speaking of weight earlier, this also comes into play when you want to have it shipped, providing that you aren't picking it up yourself from a home center. The shipping or freight charges can be a bit expensive.
Being a porous surface the concrete will develop the growth of algae when in the sunlight. This means frequent cleaning of the basin with a brush. The algae creates a slippery surface for the birds feet and they won't visit the bird bath if it's unsafe for them to stand in, plus the algae turns the water green which is also unappealing.
There is good news, you can have the best of both worlds now. The new hybrid concrete baths are made with fiberglass reinforced concrete. This addition of fiberglass to the concrete cuts down the weight of the bird bath dramatically, reduces the incidence of chipping or cracking and makes the basin and pedestal weather resistant. It still provides the look of concrete with the choice of designs and styles and provides a nonslip surface for the birds to go wading.