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Water Scupper Buyer's Guide: Sizes, Styles and Installation

November 03, 2026• By The Metal Casting Store•Buying Guides Pool Design Water Features

A water scupper is a spout set into a wall that sends a stream of water into a pool, spa, fountain or pond. It adds the sound and movement of falling water, and a cast metal scupper adds an architectural detail that plastic and concrete can't match. Here's what to consider before you buy.

Scupper vs. backplate vs. assembly

You'll see three kinds of products in our water features collection:

Scuppers with a spout: a one-piece cast spout that projects from the wall, available with flat or angled fronts and in round or square shapes.
Backplates: decorative cast plates that frame the water outlet on the wall, in designs such as Cameron, Ramita, Jackson, Maria, Carolyn and Nora.
Assemblies: a backplate paired with a spout, including griffin-head and lion-head spouts, sold together as one coordinated piece.

Size: match the wall and the view

Our scuppers range from compact 6" pieces up to 14" square spouts and 13-1/2" floral ovals. As a rule of thumb:

6" to 7-1/2" pieces suit spas, raised bond beams, small fountains and courtyard walls.
8" to 10" pieces are the most common size for residential pool walls.
11" and up make a statement on tall walls, long pools and commercial projects. The lion-head and floral oval assemblies are built to be the centerpiece.

If you're adding several scuppers along one wall, view them from where you'll usually sit. A size that looks large on the product page often looks right from across the pool.

Inner diameter (ID) and water flow

The inner diameter is the opening the water flows through, and it shapes the look of the stream. Our scuppers range from a 3/4" ID for a delicate trickle to a 3" ID for a wide sheet of water. Common sizes are 1", 1-1/2" and 2".

Smaller ID (3/4" to 1-1/4"): a narrower, quieter stream that works well for spas and fountains.
Larger ID (1-1/2" to 3"): a fuller, louder arc of water with more visual impact.

The ID also needs to work with your plumbing and pump. A wider opening needs more water to look full. Check the ID with your pool builder or plumber before you order, so the pump and line are sized for the effect you want.

Choosing a metal and finish

Most of our scuppers are cast in aluminum, red brass or yellow brass. Some styles also come in a nickel-plated finish or a patina coating, a dark, aged finish that looks especially good against natural stone.

Aluminum is the most affordable and the lightest to install.
Red and yellow brass weigh more, cost more and age to a rich, darker patina over time. Our brass vs. aluminum guide explains the differences.

Pricing ranges from about $110 for our compact angled-collar spout to over $1,000 for the large floral-oval and lion-head assemblies.

Plan for lead time and installation

Lead time: scuppers are cast to order. Plan on roughly two weeks before your scupper ships, and order early if it's going into a new pool build.
Installation: we recommend professional installation. Scuppers are usually set into the wall while the masonry or tile is being finished, and connected to a return line from the pump.
Coordinate early: share the product page with your pool builder or mason so they can plan the wall opening and plumbing around the exact piece.