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10 Great & Cheap Water Features You Can DIY

April 26, 2023
10 Great & Cheap Water Features You Can DIY
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Not everyone can pony up the cash for a professionally-done water feature. I know a calming koi pond complete with a resplendent waterfall sounds great. But you can have the same effect for cheaper and easier.

However, water features don’t have to be a huge investment. With just the cost of some standard materials, and a little ingenuity on your part, you can make your own. A DIY fountain can look just as good as a professional one if you have the right designs to follow. Luckily, we scoured the web to find 10 of the greatest DIY water features for your yard.

DIY Pot Fountain

Pots with rocks turned into a water feature

Credit: https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/diy-water-feature

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

How-to Instructions

With just two planters and a few other simple materials, you can have your very own DIY water fountain. The beauty of this design is in its simplicity. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel and much of how it looks relies on the flower pots you choose. Finding a unique style, even at a big box retailer, should be easy. Best of all, flower pots can be found cheaply, making this a great budget option.

Make Your Own Upcycled Water Wall

A water wall sitting on a deck in the backyard

Credit: https://www.interiorfrugalista.com/2014/08/diy-patio-water-wall.html

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

How-to Instructions

Water walls are a sleek and sophisticated way to dress up your landscaping. However, there is an upfront cost that this DIY tutorial estimates to be between $250-300. Regardless, the result is something you’d pay an expert $1,000+ for. Bear in mind there is some intense building required. If you’re not handy this may not be the project for you. Once finished, this wood-framed water wall could almost be confused with a pane of glass. It’s both beautiful and magical to behold.

Create an Outdoor Fountain Made of Stacked Stone

Outdoor Fountain

Credit: https://cdn2.tmbi.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/display/FH10MAR_ROCFOU_12.JPG

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

How-to Instructions

This particular fountain claims implements power tools instead of masonry experience. However, you’ll want a little masonry know-how before tackling this project. Even more impressive in scale than the water wall, it will elevate your yard to another level. It’s calming, it’s beautiful, and it’s thousands of dollars of work that you can do yourself.

Water Fall & Pond

Waterfall and Pond

Credit: https://www.ohmy-creative.com/home/garden/diy-backyard-pond-landscape-water-feature/

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

How-to Instructions

This project is similar in spirit to the stacked stone fountain. Its biggest difference is the fully-functioning pond below. Add some fish for a truly Zen-like experience. Like every other project, this water feature is driven by a simple submersible water pump. With a little bit of work and well-placed rocks, you can create a small waterfall that drains into the pond below. There’s nothing like bringing the calming sound of flowing water to your backyard.

Mini Water Garden

Mini Water Garden

Credit: https://www.whatsurhomestory.com/diy-container-water-garden/

Difficulty Level: Easy

How-to Instructions

Not every water feature needs to be an elaborate show up bubbling water and masonry. Some of us only have small patios or balconies to work with. Anything other than a flower pot would take up too much room. Luckily, this mini water garden is perfect for those types of setups and easy to execute. All you need is a container to fill with water and a few aquatic plants that’ll thrive in that water.

Bamboo Fountain Basin

Bamboo Fountain Basin

Credit: https://safaffect.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/diy-bamboo-water-feature/

Difficulty Level: Easy

How-to Instructions

This bamboo fountain is built in much of the same way as a few of the other simple fountain designs in this article. What sets it apart is in its use of hollow bamboo as an avenue for water. As the builder suggests, you can use the bamboo (or other materials) in many different ways. You can achieve a different effect with the same setup. We think the bamboo looks great and would foot perfectly in a Japanese-style garden. Best of all, it’s an easy build, only requiring a submersible pump and some pre-fab materials.

Unique Wheelbarrow Waterfall

Unique Wheelbarrow Waterfall

Credit: http://blog.capscreations.com/2012/07/summer-project.html

Difficulty Level: Moderate

How-to Instructions

The theme of almost all DIY water features is taking the simple functionality of a submersible water pump and directing its flow in a way that is unique. This wheelbarrow design is no different. Functionally, it’s similar in its execution to the other “stacked rock” designs. However, the wheelbarrow centerpiece adds a farmhouse charm like no other. This water feature would go great in a homestead setting.

Magical Floating Water Jug Water Feature

Magical Floating Water

Credit: https://dawnmarie100.blogspot.com/2011/05/water-jug-water-feature-tutorial.html

Difficulty Level: Moderate

How-to Instructions

Don’t get us wrong—there’s a lot of work that goes into this particular feature but it looks more difficult than it is. We thought this “magic floating jug” fit the same theme as the wheelbarrow feature. They’d be great complements to each other assuming you have space. The coolest part of this feature is how the cans appear to float and fill each other up. The feature looks like something you’d see in the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Showcase.

Simple “Fountain in a Pot”

Fountain in a Pot

Credit: https://www.bhg.com/gardening/landscaping-projects/water-gardens/fountain-in-a-pot/

Difficulty Level: Easy

How-to Instructions

If you can affix a water pump, then you can accomplish this DIY project. While it’s simple, that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a beautiful fixture to your garden or yard. As easy as it is to build, it’s beauty is completely in the type of pot you choose. You can go simple, extravagant, or even second-hand. Using the barest of materials, you can have your own trickling oasis in just a couple of hours.

Natural River Rock Fountain

River Rock Mountain

Credit: https://www.instructables.com/id/Disappearing-Water-Fountain/

Difficulty Level: Advanced

How-to Instructions

We figured we’d throw one advanced project in, for those of you with a little more DIY prowess. This river rock fountain is beautiful but takes some work (and digging) to accomplish. However, the result is something that will blend into the rest of your landscaping. It will almost look like it’s a natural artesian well trickling its contents to the surface for anyone that happens to pass by.

Conclusion

While DIY ideas are always great, you can always turn to professionals when it comes to a landscape renovation. We at Earth Development can help you make your home territory look good with our landscaping services from landscape construction to lawn maintenance. Contact us now!

Eddy Zakes
President
Eddy is a distinguished expert in the snow removal and landscaping industry, boasting over 20 years of experience. As an Advanced Snow Manager certified by the Snow and Ice Management Association (SIMA), he is dedicated to upholding the highest industry standards. His strong commitment to excellence and relentless pursuit of improvement makes him a trusted voice in the snow removal and landscaping.
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