Introduction

Photograph: Kolin Smith
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You tried sweating it out in the sauna, you can't let go in a yoga pose, and om isn't exactly hitting home. And no wonder—you're working too hard at relaxing. What you need is a place to sit quietly and contemplate the sounds of nature: birds chirping, breezes blowing, brooks babbling. What—no backyard brook? Not a problem. Just build yourself the next best thing, with a softly trickling garden fountain.

The project is nothing to get stressed about. In a mere weekend, you can fountain-ize most any leftover garden ornament, turning it into an enduring monument to tranquillity. Revive a defunct birdbath, declare your own ode to a Grecian urn, or drill holes in a stack of rocks you found on-site, as This Old House technical editor Mark Powers did for a friend one hot afternoon. When the job is finished and your fountain runneth over, you'll rinse the tension from your bones in calm, cascading rivulets. Relaxation never seemed so easy.
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    Tools List

    Close
    • utility scissors
      Utility Scissors
      to cut screening
    • duct tape
      Duct Tape and String
      to pull the power cord through conduit
    • pvc pipe cutter
      Pipe Cutter
    • adjustable wrench
      Adjustable Wrench
    • hammer
      Hammer
    • drill
      Drill
      fitted with a 5 1/⁄8-inch masonry bit
    • hand saw
      Hand Saw
      to cut decking supports
    • caulk gun
      Caulk Gun

    Shopping List

    Close
    1. Pump

    Available at home or garden centers. Look for one labeled “submersible.” Pumps are rated in gallons per hour (gph), a measure of how much water they can handle and how high they can push it. Anything larger than 250 gph is overkill for a basic fountain with a [FRACTION 12]-inch pipe. We used [XLINK "http://www.pondmaster.com" "Pondmaster's"] 250-gph model 2



    2. ½-Inch Copper Pipe

    to carry the water from the pump to the top of the fountain. Buy a piece 2 feet longer than your fountain’s height.



    3. Waterproof Basin

    such as a plastic storage bin, mason’s mortar-mixing bucket, or washtub, to hold the pump and collect the water. It should be 6 inches wider than the fountain base’s diameter and 1 foot taller than the pump so that it fits all the pipe connections while still keeping the pump submerged.



    4. Stones

    or other material to make the fountain body. Choose something that stacks easily; stones should have flat faces. The copper pipe will give some support, but the materials should stand well on their own.



    5. Small Rocks

    or large aggregate, such as terra-cotta shards or tumbled glass, to cover the top of the pit. One 5-gallon bucketful should be enough.

    6. ½-inch-by-½-inch Compression Female Adapter

    to connect the pipe to the pump.



    7. ½-inch Ball Valve

    to regulate the water flow.



    8. Screen

    to protect the pump from debris. A fiberglass or aluminum window screen or grille, or anything that comes in a rigid frame, is best. Get one big enough to span the basin.



    9. Composite Decking

    such as Trex or TimberTech, to support the fountain.



    10. Drainage Gravel

    for in and under the catch basin. Get two 50-pound bags.



    11. 1-inch PVC Conduit

    to carry the pump’s power cord underground to the outlet.