How to Make a Terra Cotta Fountain

Terra Cotta Planters

Fountains add a soothing quality to your landscape or garden with the softly tinkling sounds of the water. Making a terra cotta fountain for your yard or garden is a simple project you can complete in less than an hour after you've assembled your materials. You can add solar lighting to your terra cotta fountain for ambiance and plant flowers or herbs nearby for color and aroma.

Things You'll Need

• Large terra cotta planter
• Smaller terra cotta planter
• 4 half bricks
• Waterproof adhesive
• Fountain pump
• Nylon stocking
• Plumber's putty
• Small river rocks

Instructions

1. Assemble the materials for your fountain from your local home improvement store or landscape supply store. The terra cotta planters for your fountain can be any shape or size, as long as one is smaller than the other and the largest one is at least 8 inches deep. Online retailers also have fountain pumps.

2. Place the largest terra cotta planter in your garden wherever you plan to position your fountain. Snip a small hole in the stocking for the pump's plastic tubing, and slip the stocking over the pump with the tubing coming through the hole. The stocking is to help keep debris from the pump's mechanism. Place the pump in the largest planter and run the electrical cord through the pot's drainage opening. Seal the drainage hole with plumber's putty around the cord so that the planter is watertight.

3. Place two of the half bricks inside the largest planter, one on either side of the pump. Apply waterproof adhesive such as Liquid Nails to the top of the brick halves, and press the other two brick halves on top.

4. Feed the plastic tubing up through the drainage opening of the smallest planter and seal the opening with plumber's putty. Glue the planter to the brick halves with waterproof adhesive.

5. Fill in the planters with enough river rock to camouflage the pump and the bricks. Place river rock in the top terra cotta planter as well, surrounding the plastic tubing. Let the end of the plastic tubing peek out over the river rock. Fill both terra cotta planters with water before turning on the fountain pump.

Tips & Warnings

• Add decorative paint to the terra cotta planters for added style.

• Stand clear of the pump when you first turn it on, as the spray nozzle may need adjusting.

Resources

• Lowe's