How to Make a Decorative Home Fountain

Create a beautiful and mood enhancing space in your home by the presence of an indoor fountain or waterfall. Indoor fountains and waterfalls are easy to construct and maintain. They can be made without great expense and offer you the chance to exercise your creativity by adding lights and other accents.

Instructions

Plan the Fountain

1. Decide whether you want to create a simple fountain or one with a waterfall or even multiple cascades.

2. Work out the budget for your fountain.

3. Plan where you are going to place the fountain. You can actually have the fountain movable with a little planning.

4. Determine the size of the fountain you want to create. Keep in mind that a gallon of water weighs nearly 10 lbs.

Make the Fountain

1. Design and decorate your basin. Use anything from a bowl to a large planter to a plastic cooler to an old bathtub.

2. Install the pump at or near the bottom of the basin. Make the pump stable but do not glue it in place.

3. Connect the water tubing to the pump outlet and position the other end or ends where you want the water to emerge.

4. Place enough water in the basin to cover the pump. Make sure top of the pump is at least an inch underwater.

5. Test your fountain and adjust the fountains to your liking.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding accents like stained glass or colored plastic fragments to the flows can add color and interest. One way to do it is to secure them to strings or wires so that they move in the current. Strategic lighting can make this a striking effect.

• Keep in mind that the more horizontal a surface is, the more splashes it produces. It is often wise to position the elements in your fountain so the sprays strike surfaces that are more vertical than horizontal and that have curves so the water will flow smoothly.

Resources

• Find a commercial site that offers information on fountains.
• Visit a site with information on outdoor fountains.