How to Build a Fountain

8/20/2019 How to Build a Fountain

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How to Build a FountainRinse the tension from your bones with this calm, cascadingbackyard enhancement. Build it in just 8 hoursHARRY SAWYERSTHIS OLD HOUSE MAGAZINE

1. Pump

Available at home or garden centers. Look for one labeled “submersible.!um"s are rated in gallons "er hour #g"h$, a measure of how much water theycan handle and how high they can "ush it. Anything larger than %&' g"h isoverkill for a basic fountain with a ()RA*+- /%01inch "i"e. 2e used (3L45htt"677www."ondmaster.com5 5!ondmasters50 %&'1g"h model %

2.½-Inch Copper Pipe

to carry the water from the "um" to the to" of the fountain. Buy a "iece % feetlonger than your fountain9s height.

3. Waterproof Basin

such as a "lastic storage bin, mason9s mortar1mi:ing bucket, or washtub, tohold the "um" and collect the water. t should be ; inches wider than thefountain base9s diameter and / foot taller than the "um" so that it fits all the"i"e connections while still kee"ing the "um" submerged.

4. Stonesor other material to make the fountain body. *hoose something that stackseasily< stones should have flat faces. +he co""er "i"e will give some su""ort,but the materials should stand well on their own.

5. Small Rocks

or large aggregate, such as terra1cotta shards or tumbled glass, to cover theto" of the "it. -ne &1gallon bucketful should be enough..½-inch-!"-½-inch Compression #emale $%apter

to connect the "i"e to the "um".

&.½-inch Ball 'al(e

to regulate the water flow.

). Screen


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to "rotect the "um" from debris. A fiberglass or aluminum window screen orgrille, or anything that comes in a rigid frame, is best. =et one big enough tos"an the basin.

*. Composite +eckin,

such as +re: or +imber+ech, to su""ort the fountain.

1. +raina,e ra(el

for in and under the catch basin. =et two &'1"ound bags.

11. 1-inch P'C Con%uit

to carry the "um"9s "ower cord underground to the outlet.

!hotogra"h6 4olin >mith

Introduction?ou tried sweating it out in the sauna, you cant let go in a yoga "ose, and om isnt e:actly hitting home. And no wonder@youre working too hard at rela:ing. 2hat you need is a "lace to sit uietly and contem"late the sounds of nature6 birdschir"ing, breees blowing, brooks babbling. 2hat@no backyard brookC ot a "roblem. Dust build yourself the ne:t bestthing, with a softly trickling garden fountain.

+he "roject is nothing to get stressed about. n a mere weekend, you can fountain1ie most any leftover garden ornament,turning it into an enduring monument to tranuillity. Revive a defunct birdbath, declare your own ode to a =recian urn, ordrill holes in a stack of rocks you found on1site, as This Old Housetechnical editor Eark !owers did for a friend one hotafternoon. 2hen the job is finished and your fountain runneth over, youll rinse the tension from your bones in calm,cascading rivulets. Rela:ation never seemed so easy.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20192998,00.htmlhttp://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20192998,00.htmlhttp://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20192998,00.html


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A fountain s com"osed of three things6 water, which flows u" a "i"e and trickles back down in a continuous cycle< a"um", which "ro"els the water< and a "iece of scul"ture, over which the water flows. +he scul"ture can be built from anymaterial that will withstand constant water. )or the "roject shown here, we used large stones found on1site, but "avers,some metals, or "ottery will all work #see “!roduct$

Regardless of the fountain material, the guts of the system remain the same. t starts with a water"roof tub or basin thatlines a hole in the ground to make a reservoir for the water. Above that is a rigid mesh screen that blocks large debris fromgetting into the tub. +he screen is to""ed with a su""ort system made from a strong but water1resistant material, such ascom"osite decking, to kee" the body of the fountain from falling into the basin.

+he submersible "um" is the heart of the system. t sits below the water line in the basin, recirculating and fine1filteringthe runoff from above. >ince the "um" is electric, the fountain needs to be within reach of an e:terior outlet@"um" cordsrarely reach beyond &' feet, and manufacturers discourage the use of e:tension cords. t also needs to be accessible formaintenance after the fountain is built, so you9ll need to cut a tra" door in the screen that9s big enough for you to reach in,unhook the "um", and "ull it out. #+he screen and su""ort decking can be camouflaged with small stones or even mulch.$+he "i"e that carries the water to the to" of the scul"ture screws onto the "um". t also includes a small ball valve that willallow you to adjust the fountain9s flow, giving you the o"tion of creating anything from a calming trickle to a formidablegeyser.

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!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step 1: Dig te pu!p o"eFsing a "ointed shovel, dig a "it % inches dee"er than the basin and wide enough to fit it. !ut the soil in a wheelbarrow oron a tar" to "rotect nearby turf. Gig a narrow, shallow trench between the "it and the nearest e:terior outlet.

!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step #: Set te $%&in %nd conduitLay a %1inch1thick bed of drainage gravel in the "it. !lace the basin ato" the gravel. f necessary, shift the gravel so thebasin doesn9t rock.


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Eeasure the distance from the outlet to the edge of the "it. *ut a section of !H* conduit to this length. +hread a stringthrough the conduit and ta"e one end of it to the "um"9s "lug. !ull the "lug through the conduit. +a"e the "lug securely tothe end of the conduit so it doesn9t get "ulled back in. Lay the conduit in the trench and backfill over it.

!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step ': Dr()*it te p%rt&*enter the "um" in the basin. Lay the screen over the "it and mark it at the s"ot directly over the threaded outlet on the"um". Also mark the screen at the edge closest to the conduit.


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!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step +: M%r, %n openingFsing utility scissors, cut out a /1inch1wide circle at the center mark. +hen cut a three1sided fla" at the conduit mark that isbig enough to allow you to reach in and remove the "um" for servicing

!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step -: .onnect te pipe %nd pu!pFsing a "i"e cutter, cut a I1inch section off the end of the co""er "i"e. Fnscrew the com"ression fittings on the ends ofthe ball valve. >lide a nut from the ball valve, then the brass ring, or ferrule, onto the long section of "i"e. nsert the "i"e

into one end of the ball valve, then finger1tighten the nut over the ferrule onto the valve. Attach the short section of "i"e tothe other end of the valve in the same manner.

>crew the threaded end of the ada"ter onto the "um" outlet. +ake a"art the com"ression end and slide the nut, then theferrule, over the short section of "i"e. *onnect the "i"e to the "um" with the com"ression fitting. Fsing an adjustablewrench, tighten all three com"ression nuts an e:tra uarter1turn.

!our a %1inch layer of drainage gravel in the bottom of the basin. Lay the "um" in the center of the basin with the "i"esticking u". >lide the screen over the "i"e and arrange it so the access fla" is near the conduit.


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!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step /: 0it te dec,ingFsing a handsaw, cut sections of decking long enough to e:tend beyond the "it a few inches on either side. Lay thedecking across the "it on to" of the screen.

!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step : Dri"" te &tone&>tack the stones to create an aesthetically "leasing arrangement. umber the underside of each stone in "encil to kee"track of the order as you unstack them.


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Lay a stone on soft ground or gravel. Fsing a hammer drill fitted with a &J81inch masonry bit, drill through the flat side ofthe stone. Re"eat for all the stones.

/ip0 4ee" a bucket of water near the drill. ntermittently "our some on the stone to kee" it wet@and the drill bits cool@asyou work.

!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step 2: A&&e!$"e te *ount%in+hread the stones over the co""er "i"e until theyre stacked and balanced. Eark the "i"e where the stones end. Removethe to" stone and use a "i"e cutter to cut the co""er "i"e /7I inch below the mark. Re"lace the stone.

)ill the bin from a garden hose, adding enough water to rise & inches above the "um". -"en the ball valve, "lug in the"um", turn it on, and check the flow. Adjust the "ressure with the ball valve.


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!hoto6 4olin >mith

Step 3: 0ini& upGirect the water by s"inning stacked stones. 2edge smaller stones into the ga"s to kee" the structure stable. +o makethe arrangement "ermanent, turn off the water and sueee dabsof clear silicone adhesive between the stones. Allow theadhesive to dry before you turn on the fountain again. -nce the fountain flows the way youd like it to, close the screenand camouflage the base with small stones.

/ip0 *heck the basins water level regularly@es"ecially in a heat wave@and re"lenish it to kee" the "um" constantlysubmerged.

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How to Build a Fountain