How to Turn a Salvaged Urn Into a Garden Fountain
By , This Old House magazine
- Time: Two hours
- Cost: About $175
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Shopping & Tool Lists
- Supplies You Will Need:
- 1. VINTAGE CAST IRON URN
$75 and up at flea markets and salvage yards
2. FOUNTAIN PUMP
about $25
3. SILICONE CAULK
4. SINK STOPPER
5. TOILET FLUSH VALVE SEAT DISK
6. GARDEN HOSE
- Tools You Will Need:
-
1. Utility Knife
2. Caulk Gun
3. Garden Hose
Introduction
Age and whether an urn is stamped by its manufacturer are major factors in determining its value. This one has no maker's mark. And because it has very little rust and no traces of old paint, I'd wager that it isn't more than 10 or 15 years old. Though far from an antique, it's handsome, and at $150, the price was right. (I not only planned to give the urn to my This Old House coworker Alexandra Bandon but also to fill it full of rust-inducing water instead of flowers.) The only other major expense for this fountain project was the submersible, recirculating bubbler, which I got for just $25. The rest was sweat equity. Here's how to do it.