A drinking fountain adds a perfect Zen touch to your home, bringing calm and tranquility to a pleasant natural corner. In this article you will find illustrated three types of fountains, which can all be made indoors or outdoors. These are simple projects that require few basic tools and manual skills, and can be completed in hours. Start immediately starting from the first point and then continue reading!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Fountain of Terracotta Vases
Step 1. Get the material
You will need terracotta saucers, one of each with a diameter of 42 cm, 18 cm, and 15 cm, and three with a diameter of 10 cm. You will also need terracotta pots, with a diameter of 15 and 10 cm, a water pump, of the recirculation type used in drinking fountains and ponds, a rubber tube with a diameter of 1 cm or 1, 5 cm, silicone for sealing, spray paint for waterproofing, a round file and a drill bit for wood.
Step 2. Prepare the base
Spray the waterproofing paint inside the larger diameter saucer. Spray three layers, letting each dry before moving on to the next.
Step 3. Pierce and finish the pots and saucers
First of all, immerse them and wet them so that it is easier to pierce them. Then drill a 1cm or 1.5cm hole in the 18cm saucer to pass the rubber tube, keeping a wooden stand under this saucer. At this point create four small openings with a downward angle, working with the file on the edge of the 15 cm pot and on one of the 10 cm ones. It also creates a single, down-angled, larger exit point on the edge of the 18, 15 saucer and in one of the 10cm saucers. These are the openings from which the water will flow.
Step 4. Assemble the body of the fountain
By inserting the pump into the 42 cm saucer, pass the rubber tube through the pump and over the side of the vase, until it is inserted into the base of the vase by 15 cm (keeping the vase upside down). Arrange the pot so that the tube passes through one of the grooves you filed earlier. At this point, place the 18 cm diameter pot on top, facing upwards. Cut the excess tube, leaving about one cm, and seal with silicone so that there are no leaks.
Step 5. Then join the other parts of the fountain
Place the 10 cm diameter pot upside down and cover it with the 15 cm saucer, then a 10 cm saucer placed straight and with the 10 cm saucer on top without incisions. Arrange pots and saucers so that the water drop holes can work sequentially. Finally, place the saucer with the notches facing down, so that it covers the hole through which the tube passes.
The water should rise from the bottom, fall into the 10 cm saucer, then into the 15 cm one, then into the 10 cm one, and then fall into the 42 cm one and restart the cycle. The incisions guarantee the water outflow, so if you have problems with the outflow, you can try to widen these openings
Step 6. Finish with some cosmetic touches
Fill the saucers with river stones or other materials that let the water flow freely, and think about adding plants or other decorations to your new fountain.
Method 2 of 3: Bamboo Drinking Fountain
Step 1. Get a large, beautiful looking bowl or vase
This piece will be the focal point of your new drinking fountain. It is important that the opening is wide.
Step 2. Get and cut the bamboo pieces into the size you need to make the fountain
You will need pieces of bamboo with a diameter of 2 cm and which can be placed on the opening of the container lengthwise. You will also need a larger diameter piece of bamboo, about 5 cm, about 15 cm long. At one end of this larger diameter piece you have to shape the point from which the water will drain.
Step 3. Build the stand
Using string, join the three smaller diameter bamboo pieces together to create a base that can rest on one half of the mouth of the container. At this point, glue the larger diameter piece of bamboo to the newly created base, making sure it is inclined (insert a small wedge before gluing) so that the point from which the water will fall is slightly inclined downwards and towards the center of the container.
Step 4. Assemble the fountain
Place the pump in the bottom of the container. Place the tube and run it behind and over the base. Place the other end of the tube inside the bamboo of greater diameter, at least 5 cm inside, making sure it cannot be unhooked (if you fix it with adhesive tape, do it so that the coupling area does not baths during use.
Step 5. Add water and run the pump
When you are done with the preparations, add the water and run the pump. Everything should work perfectly, and at this point you just need to improve the aesthetic appearance.
Step 6. Complete with improvements
Add river stones or fake plants to the bottom of the container to mask the water pump. Enjoy your new drinking fountain!
Method 3 of 3: Sea Shell Fountain
Step 1. Get a decorated bowl or vase
It is best if you choose an object made of glass or other water resistant material. The container must not have holes from which water can escape.
Step 2. Get some shells
First of all you need to get yourself a large, twisted-shaped shell. The other shells can be a mixture of what you find more easily. Perhaps you prefer to also get rocks collected on the beach or in the bed of rivers or streams.
Step 3. Make a hole
You need to pass a tube that starts from the pump and exits the larger shell. Get a set of ceramic drill bits and drill a hole in the shell, starting with a small size and then widening it until it is large enough to hold the rubber tube, which is about 2cm in diameter. If you don't have a large enough drill bit, finish the hole with a round file until you get the desired diameter.
Step 4. Insert the pump
Place the pump in the bottom of the container. Put the rubber tube into the pump and then place the other end in the large shell.
Step 5. Seal the tube
Use silicone to seal around the opening so the tube stays in place and no water spills out. Let the silicone dry before proceeding.
Step 6. Complete the fountain
Cover the pump with stones or shells, or with other water-resistant decorative elements. Place the larger shell on top of the composition and tilt the exit hole slightly downward.
Step 7. Add water and run the pump
Done! Now you can enjoy the spectacle of your new drinking fountain!
