Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

Note

Items may be for Special Order in some stores. Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market. Paint colors may vary slightly from those shown. Availability varies by market for lumber species and sizes.

Building the Fountain

Follow the steps below to make your own fountain from a ceramic pot.

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Place the 19-1/4-inch glazed ceramic outdoor pot facedown. Clean the rough edges of the drainage holes with a file so it's ready for the rubber plugs. Apply the silicone caulk to the sides of every plug, placing the smaller end into the hole and pushing firmly. Leave about 1/4 inch of each plug extending out from the holes. Apply sealant around the exposed area of each plug.

Tip

Want more DIY garden ideas featuring a DIY water fountain? Learn how to build a Two-Tier Patio Water Fountain with our handy instructions.

Place a 5-gallon plastic bucket facedown. Using your electric drill with a 3/8-inch drill bit, make several holes in the bottom of the bucket. With a utility knife, cut an additional opening along the rim of the bucket large enough to accept the power cord.

Place the bucket facedown inside the pot and then center the submersible water pump from the garden water fountain kit on top of the bucket. Thread the plug and cord through the opening in the side of the bucket. Measure the length of the cord required inside the pot for the pump once the plug and cord are threaded through the remaining hole.

A woman sealing the cord and rubber plug in the hole at the bottom of a pot.

Drill a 3/8-inch hole top to bottom through the middle rubber plug. Make a slit, top to bottom, in one side of the drilled plug with a utility knife. Slide the cord through the slit into the middle of the plug. The previously measured mark on the cord should be even with the surface on the bottom (the small end) of the plug.

Apply some silicone caulk into the slit and onto the sides of the plug and place it firmly into the remaining hole. Apply caulk to the exposed edges of the plug and cord opening. After 24 hours, turn the pot upright and apply caulk around the surface and edges of the rubber plugs on the inside of the pot. Allow the sealant to dry according to the directions.

Project Variations

A fountain in a blue ceramic pot, next to a plant in a blue ceramic pot.

To use a different size and shape pot, such as a 15-inch one, replace the 5-gallon bucket with a smaller container or stack of blocks that places the top of the pump tube above the rim of the pot. Note that the pump we used measures 9-1/4 inches tall. Then use the rubber plug method or apply epoxy for running the cord through the bottom and sealing out the water.

Tip

By using ceramic pots of different sizes, you can create a grouping of plants around your fountain. You can also add additional garden fountains with the same method we used here. Looking for more DIY landscaping projects? Learn how to Build an Easy Garden Trellis or how to create a space-saving Hanging Bucket Herb Planter.

How to Build a DIY Garden Water Fountain

Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

Building the Fountain

Project Variations

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