Homemade Clay Pot Fountain

Build a decorative water fountain from a glazed clay pot.

Decorative indoor and outdoor fountains add a soothing quality to any space. Make homemade fountains using clay pots and a few other supplies from the local garden store. Unfinished clay pots absorb water, but will work well as the basin for your fountain if you first apply a sealer. Glazed clay pots do not need a sealant to be water tight. Design the homemade fountain to suit your personal style with natural rustic or colorful ceramic features.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber sheet
• Scissors
• 12-inch-diameter glazed clay pot
• Submersible fountain pump
• Silicone sealant
• Fountainhead extension
• Duct tape
• Wet floral foam
• Serrated knife
• Floral tape
• Long-stem glass flowers
• Craft moss

Instructions

1. Cut a rubber sheet to fit onto the inside bottom of a 12-inch-diameter glazed clay pot. Cut a 1-inch-long slit in the section of the rubber that fits over the drainage opening of the clay pot. Fit the power cord attached to a submersible water fountain pump through the slit. You'll need to attach the power cord to an outlet in order to run the fountain.

2. Run a line of silicone sealant around the inside bottom of the clay pot. Insert the power cord, extending through the rubber sheet through the drainage opening of the pot. Press the rubber sheet onto the inside bottom of the pot so that the fountain pump sits atop the rubber.

3. Pull the power cord all the way through the rubber slit to eliminate the slack inside the pot. Seal the rubber slit closed around the cord with silicone. Leave the clay pot undisturbed until the silicone sealant dries completely, according to the manufacturer's guidelines.

4. Attach the fountainhead extension to the submersible pump. The end of the extension fits over the spout on top of the pump. If the fit is not tight, seal around the connection with duct tape.

5. Cut four sections of wet floral foam with a serrated knife to fit inside the clay pot. Each section of foam should stand to within 3 inches of the top rim of the pot. Fit the foam inside the pot so that the fountain pump is in the center.

6. Insert one or two long-stem glass flowers inside each section of floral foam. Tape the stems to the foam and to the inside of the clay pot with floral tape or duct tape.

7. Fill the clay pot with water. Wait up to one hour for the floral foam to absorb the water. Add more water to the clay pot, up to 1 inch from the rim. Plug in the pump and the water sprays from the fountainhead. Adjust the height of the fountain head as needed to keep the water inside the clay pot. Add craft moss to the top of the clay pot to camouflage the floral foam.

References

• Marigold Lane: How to Make a Simple Outdoor Fountain

Resources

• The Artful Crafter; Simple Steps to Build a Table Top Water Fountain; Rachel Paul