How to Make a Fountain out of Terra-cotta Pipes
- 1). Dig a hole where the fountain will sit, large enough to accommodate a small prefabricated pond basin. Line the hole with a thin layer of gravel to level it and to provide a stable surface for the basin. Set the basin in the hole.
- 2). Place a submersible pump in the basin and attach a length of copper pipe long enough to reach from the pump through the length of terra-cotta pipe and 1 to 2 inches into the shallow flowerpot. For two terra-cotta columns, use a T connector and elbow fittings to connect both pipes to the pump. Apply liquid copper sealer to the connections to prevent leaks.
- 3). Dig a shallow trench from the basin to the outdoor power supply. Lay PVC pipe in the trench to hold the pump's power cord. Cover the trench.
- 4). Use a tape measure and mark where to cut a hole in both a flat metal grill and a piece of screen so the copper pipe can poke through them. The grill and screen sit on top of the basin and support the fountain. Use wire cutters, tin snips or a hacksaw to cut the holes. Arrange the metal grill over the basin and the protruding copper pipe. Lay the screen on top of the grill to keep dirt and stones out of the basin. Set the terra-cotta cylinder over the copper pipe, directly on the metal supporting platform and screen.
- 5). Run a line of silicone sealant around the top rim of the terra-cotta pipe, and place the flowerpot on it, with the copper pipe end sticking through the hole in the flowerpot. Attach the bubbler fountainhead to the copper pipe. Seal the hole around the copper pipe with the clear silicone adhesive, and let it dry.
- 6). Fill the basin with water, using a garden hose. Be sure the pump is fully submerged, but don't top off the basin. Two-thirds to three-quarters full should be enough water. When the silicone sealer is dry, turn the pump on, and test the fountain. The water will bubble up through the copper pipe, fill the shallow pot, and spill over into the basin below, where the pump recycles it.
- 7). Place a layer of decorative, smooth stones in the flowerpot fountain, keeping the bubbler fountainhead clear. Cover the grill and screen below the fountain with more river stones. Plant groundcover and low shrubbery around the fountain to integrate it into the landscape. Refill the water in the basin as often as needed, using a garden hose and letting the water flow through the rocks into the basin.
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