How to Build Your Own Outdoor Rock Fountain

Outdoor fountains bring a peaceful calmness to a garden while adding a unique feature. Water bubbles from the top of this fountain and cascades down a stack of rocks. This rock fountain has a hidden basin that is buried underground so it seems the water is coming out of the stack of rocks naturally. You can stack the rocks in any way that looks good to you. This rock fountain is sure to bring serenity and peace to your garden.

Storage container

Shovel

Measuring tape

Level

Drainage gravel

One inch PVC conduit

String

250 gallon per hour submersible pond pump

Framed window screen

Marker

Wire cutters

Pipe cutters

?-inch copper pipe, 2 feet longer than desired fountain height

?-inch ball valve

?-by-?-inch compression female adapter

Decking lumber

Table saw

Stones

Drill

5/8-inch masonry drill bit

Small river stones or cobblestones

Decorative items

Choose a storage container that holds at least 5 gallons of water. Dig a hole in the location you want your rock fountain. Dig the hole 2 inches deeper than the container and as wide as the container. Make sure the bottom and sides of the hole are level.

Pour 2 inches of drainage gravel into the bottom of the hole. Set the container over the top of the gravel so that it sits completely level.

Dig a narrow trench from the hole to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet for the pumps cord to be hidden into. Cut a piece of 1-inch PVC conduit to the same length as the trench. Pull the pump's cord through the conduit by threading a string through the conduit. Tie one end of the sting to the cord. Pull on the other end of the string to pull the cord though the conduit. Cover the conduit with dirt by filling in the trench.

Set the pump into the bottom of container so it is centered. Set the window screen over the container. Mark the location of the pump's valve on the screen with a marker. Mark the location of the pumps cord on the screen. Remove the screen.

Cut a 1-inch hole out of the screen with wire cutters at the pump's valve mark. Cut out a servicing area from the screen so you can remove the pump if needed by cutting a flap into the screen where you marked the pump's cord.

Cut 4 inches off the copper pipe with pipe cutters. Take the ball valve and turn the compression fittings counterclockwise to unscrew them from the ball valve. Thread the long section of pipe through the ball valve's nut, brass ring then ball valve. Hand tighten the ball valve's nut to connect the pipe to the valve. In the same fashion connect the 4-inch pipe section to the other end of the valve.

Attach the ?-by ?-inch female compression adapter to the pump's valve by placing the valve into the threaded end of the adapter. Find the adapter's compression end and connect it to the 4-inch pipe by sliding the nut and ring over the pipe. Tighten the compression fitting to attach the four inch pipe to the pump.

Cover the bottom of the container with a layer of drainage gravel. Set the pump on top of the gravel so the long pipe is sticking up. Set the screen over the top of the container so the pipe threads through the hole in the screen.

Lay four pieces of decking lumber vertically over the screen so the lumber extends 2 inches over the sides. Cut the lumber if needed with a table saw.

Choose stones to be stacked on top of one another to create your fountain. Stack the stones on top of one another to create the look you want. Unassemble the stack one stone at a time and mark the backs of the stones with the order they were stacked.

Set the stones on the ground. Drill holes through the centers of the stones with a dill fitted with a 5/8 inch masonry bit. Cool the stones and drill bit with water as you drill.

Stack the stones on top of the fountain in order by threading the pipe through the holes in the stones. Mark the height of the last stone on the pipe. Take the last stone off the pipe. Cut the pipe ? inch below the marked location of the last stone. Replace the last stone on top of the stack.

Open the ball valve and fill the container with water so there at least five inches of water over top of the pump. Arrange small river stones or cobble stones around and on top of the screen to disguise it. Add decorative items like bamboo shuts, statues, or plants around your fountain. Plug the pump into the GFCI outlet and allow the water to cascade down your rock fountain.