DIY: Outdoor Water Fountain Install
- 1). Choose a receptacle for the base of your fountain. This can be a decorative urn, a large flower pot or a wooden barrel. Drill a drainage hole in the bottom of the receptacle. The hole should be approximately 2 inches in diameter or large enough to insert a rubber fountain plug. These plugs are made specifically for fountains and have a hole in them so they act as a washer. It will hold the water pump's tube inside the fountain base while also preventing leaks.
- 2). Decide on the location for the fountain and dig a hole. It must be wide and deep enough for a plastic basin. Make sure the basin is wider than the fountain base. Dig the hole and place the basin inside. Make sure the top of the basin is level with the soil line.
- 3). Place a piece of metal screening over the basin. The screen should be wider than the basin top. Cut a hole in the center of the screen with a pair of shears. The hole must be wide enough to accommodate the water tube and power cord from the water pump.
- 4). Place the water pump in the basin along with a brick to weight down the basin. Push the pump’s water tube and power cord through the hole in the metal screen. Place the metal screen over the basin.
- 5). Push the water tube through the hole in the rubber fountain plug and into the fountain base. Place the base over the metal screen. Unravel the power cord and lead it to a nearby electrical outlet.
- 6). Fill the base of the fountain and the underground basin with water. Place colored stones or other garden rocks around the base of the fountain to hide the metal screen.
- 7). Plug in the power cord to a GFCI outlet. If the fountain is installed correctly, the water will begin pouring down the sides of the receptacle. The water will hit the rocks below before returning to the underground basin where the water pump will keep the water cycling.
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