If you are looking for a feature for your backyard, why not choose a fountain. A DIY fountain project is achievable and can be fairly cheap as well. We look at some ideas as well as show you how to build a simple water fountain
The sound or running water is a feature of many Japanese and Asian gardens. Balinese gardens in particular use water fountains widely in the garden.
Making your own bamboo water fountain for the garden, pond or outdoor area of the home is not as difficult as it sounds. You can easily DIY, as long as you choose the right materials.
We provide some ideas on how to make a Balinese or Asian style water fountain using easy to obtain materials.
DIY Fountain Styles
Many Japanese and Asian water features available for sale are made of stone including granite, a DIY water feature made from granite is a real challenge, you will need specialist tools for drilling and cutting, not really within the reach of most people.
A DIY Bamboo water fountain on the other hand is much easier to make, you can usually get the bamboo itself for nothing, all you will need is a sharp handsaw, some silicon glue, a simple wood drill, some plastic tubing and a fountain pump. From these material you can create a simple DIY Fountain water spout as pictured below.
The design can be simple or complicated, water can simply flow from a bamboo spout or can be set to drip from a bamboo pole with holes drilled in it to form a ‘wall of water’.
Have you ever heard of a Shishi odoshi water Fountain or a Shishi odoshi deer scarer?.
These are a bamboo fountain where a water spout pours water into a larger piece of bamboo that is blocked at one end, the larger piece of bamboo is on a pivot and once it fills with water it tips over and releases the water and makes a noise as it swings back into place.
Does it scare deers, well not for very long as far as we can work out, the deer get used to the noise, however it is a great addition to the garden as a DIY water fountain.
Plan and Build your Japanese style water fountain
- Plan the design of the DIY fountain
- Bamboo poles are cut and hollowed
- Drill out cut holes to join bamboo pole
- Join Poles with small nails or silicon
- Thread plastic tubing through the fountain to near the spout (so that it does not show)
- Tubing may need to be put in place as you construct the fountain if it is a complicated design
- Attach plastic tubing to pump and place the fountain in place
Although Bamboo is naturally hollow, where the culms join the bamboo is blocked. You clear these with a drill before any assembly takes place in order to allow the plastic tubing to be passed through.
Joints can also be knocked out with a long metal rod.
Pumps for DIY Fountains
The fountain pump is the expensive part, fountain pumps can be either solar powered or mains powered.
Solar fountain pumps are often easier to install, however low voltage electric fountain pumps are very cheap and work at night without the need for battery back up.
