Struggling to budget for a larger waterfall? They don’t come cheap. An alternative is to create something smaller.
Do It Yourself – DIY Water Fountains
Fountains for the garden come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, they can be made in any size or shape you desire. It is almost a universal fact that people are drawn to waterfalls and the sense of relaxation or connection with nature that they create. The good news is that you don’t need to hire a professional.
Why Are They A Good Investment?
The Chinese design philosophy Feng Shui claims that the sound of flowing water has a positive effect on our overallhealth. Most people who own one will agree that it helps reduce stress which in turn increases happiness and promotes increased physical and emotional health.
So what can you do if you can’t afford to buy one? There are many water features available for virtually any budget so there is almost no excuse not to have one. Smaller water features are also easy enough to create yourself which may save you some money or help you turn junk into art. Just remember that you need the water that goes up to come back down without losing water in the process.
There are many creative ways to create your own water feature. Have an old wine rack? You could use those old wine bottles to create a small fountain. You can create small water features out of almost anything you want using just a small pump, tube, and a prop. Even an old piece of trash could be re-purposed into artwork. No, this does not mean you should turn your old 32 inch LCD TV into a water feature.
DIY Water Fountains
Adding food colouring to the water or different LED lights can make for a more interesting look.
Drinking several bottles of wine at once just to make a fountain is not recommended.
Want To Create DIY Water Fountains or Water Features?
Do it yourself garden water fountains or water feature projects can be made using common tools:
- Get some rocks (20-40 varying sizes). People post ads for free rocks on Craigslist.
- Spillway (Flat rock or aluminum/plastic water sheer)
- Get a Submersible pump: The GPH rating on pumps commonly reflects a 0-1 foot lift so use something a bit larger than expected.
- More rocks.
- Tubing. Pump plumbing, sump pump hoses, etc.
- Pond Liner (EPDM) can be purchased from Home Depot.
- Leveling tool.
- Black Foam Spray for cracks and concrete cements to hold importantrocks in place.
- Sand (Apply an inch layer to the bottom of the hole before the liner).
- Shovel and pick axe for digging if surface is hard.
- Wood planks or ladder for accessibility.
Whether you want a water wall, waterfall, fountain, cascading feature or something not listed here you can find a tutorial online. Do a quick search on Google or YouTube for a DIY tutorial on how to create the type of water feature you desire.
