If you build a concrete garden fountain yourself, you can use it to beautify your outdoor area cheaply and for a long time. Its robustness makes this material suitable for any outdoor weather conditions and goes perfectly with wood or greenery. What's more, with such a simple DIY project you can enhance your garden with a great water feature over the weekend. So add the soothing sound of rippling water to your desired retreat with a sturdy concrete fountain. If you can mix concrete, then the task will be easy and you can create a homemade ball fountain in the garden as an accent.
You can impress your guests with a key feature like a garden fountain. That's why you should give yourGarden area with well planned designand a careful selection of decorative elements add more personality and style. Accordingly, outdoor fountains can be a great part of a backyard or garden patio, blocking out background noise like traffic or annoying neighbors. A little splashing water makes everything fade a little more.
You can do thisDIY fountain for the gardenBuild as shown or vary its shape and size by using different objects as molds. However, if you increase it, you should check the power of the pump to make sure it can lift water to the top of the ball. However, the great thing about this concrete fountain is the dry base. This means that water hits concrete and flows below the surface into a small depression where the pump picks it up and pushes it back up.
In addition, the absence of stagnant water prevents algae andMosquitoes in the garden area, which saves you additional care and maintenance work. Another advantage to this project is the fact that the fountain is made of durable, solid concrete. When you build with this material, you can expect it to be able to withstand pretty much anything. Creating something sturdy from simple materials can be more than satisfying.
Required materials and tools
- Cardboard tubes as a concrete form
- 1 liter plastic container, such as an empty paint pot
- Empty light ball made of glass or plastic
- PVC pipe
- Silicone for sealing
- Square or rectangular plastic tub for the fountain base
- Concrete mix or cement made from coarse sand and fine gravel
- Garbage bag
- Kochspray
- tape
- Small pebbles or gravel
- Water pump and hoses
- Utility knife and hacksaw
- Bucket or wheelbarrow for mixing
- Who
- Rubber gloves and safety glasses
- Hammer
- Tape measure and pencil
This is how you can build a concrete garden fountain yourself – instructions
- First measure and mark on a cardboard tube 300mm from one end outwards. Connect the marks to draw a line and cut the pipe. Use a 20mm flat drill to drill a hole in the bottom of the plastic container to allow the 20mm diameter to be attached. You will need two PVC pipes – one about 600mm long and one 350mm long.
- Place the plastic container in the center of a square piece of scrap wood. Push the PVC pipe through the hole to a depth of about 50mm. Place the tube over the top of the plastic container. Mark the end of the pipe where it comes out of the mold so you know if it moves while you pour the cement mix.
- Then put on your rubber gloves and mix the cement: 1 cement: 1 coarse sand: 1 fine gravel with enough water to make the concrete slow-flowing or the consistency or slurry. You should be able to squeeze out a handful of the mixture and have it hold its shape in your hand.
- Use the trowel to fill the cardboard tube. Be sure to keep the plastic tub centered while packing the cement. Use the tip of the trowel to gently push the mixture to ensure there are no gaps or pockets. Continue adding concrete mix until you reach the top of the mold. Make sure the PVC pipe stays centered as well. Also smooth the top of the mold and tap the tube to remove any air pockets.
Add the ball
- First, spray the inside of the ball with cooking spray and fill it with the cement mixture. Then place it on a flat surface and insert the taped end of the PVC pipe until it touches the center of the ball at the bottom. Again, add cement to level it with the top of the opening. If the PVC pipe moves, use tape pressed onto the top and attached to the sides of the ball to hold it in place.
- Allow the concrete to harden overnight. After that, cut the sides of the pipe with a utility knife to remove it. Use a hacksaw to cut the PVC pipe evenly with the top of the base.
- Put on your gloves and eye protection and place the ball in a plastic wrap or trash bag. Tap with a hammer until it breaks and falls off the concrete. Use the hammer's tines to lift off stubborn pieces and then safely dispose of them.
- Use a hammer to drive a dowel through the PVC pipe, breaking through the tape and any concrete buildup at the opposite end. Clean the edges of the pipe with the knife. Use the saw to cut the pipe flush with the concrete.
Create the base for the fountain and assemble it
- Dig a hole to accommodate the size of your plastic tray. It should be flat enough so that the edge of the tub is flush with the floor.
- Level the bottom of the hole so that water can collect in the center.
- Wash away any loose dirt and place a layer of pebbles or gravel at the bottom of the tub. Attach a piece of tubing to the pump and center the pump on the bottom of the dish. Add more pebbles to hold it in place. Run the power cord to the outside edge of the tray and cover it with rocks.
- Run the hose through the PVC pipe in the base of the column and place it in the center of the stone-filled tray.
- Test the ball's fit on the base by running the hose through the PVC pipe. Trim the hose flush with the tube at the top of the ball.
- Spread outer silicone around the top of the column and the bottom of the ball. Place the ball on the column so that the PVC pipes touch each other. Add silicone to the space between the hose and the PVC pipe on top of the ball, but avoid getting any of it into the hose. Allow the silicone to dry thoroughly before running water through the hose.
- Fill the basin to the top with water. Then turn on the pump to check the flow of water to the surface. Always unplug the cord when you are not nearby and refill the tub before each use. You can also watch the video below to get a better idea of the entire construction process.
