Asked on Feb 27, 2013

I want to make a water fountain! Inspiration and a plea for...help?

When I was down south, I spotted this wine bottle water fountain. I took a quick picture, asked the owner where he found it, when he proudly replied, "I made it!"

Well, I thought his idea was genius! And while wine bottles aren't quite my thing, rusty junk is.

So I'm on the lookout for water feature material. And for added inspiration, here are a few of my favourite water features I found right on HomeTalk!

And I'd LOVE your advice. Do you have any tips that could help with a newbie water feature maker such as I? Any cool kits to try?

#mycurrentproject
#SpringDecor
#Recycle
#SummerStyle # # #
This quirky wine bottle water feature was shot in Ohio with my iPhone. http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/02/i-want-to-make-water-fountain.html
Oh goodness... how adorable is this old sink idea? Rose, you are amazing! By Fairfield Home and Garden at: http://ourfairfieldhomeandgarden.com/everything-including-the-kitchen-sink/
One sweet old kettle setup by Julee S on HomeTalk at: http://www.hometalk.com/600572/tea-pot-fountain-instructions
Namaws on HomeTalk with another kettle variation - great instructions too! http://www.hometalk.com/594089/my-hubby-spent-an-hour-at-lowes-figuring-out-how-to-make-this-i-love-it
And then there's my HomeTalk water feature clipboard... check it out at: http://www.hometalk.com/b/620411/water-fountain-fun
And the original post on my blog about my hopes and dreams with this new project! http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/02/i-want-to-make-water-fountain.html
  29 answers
  • Barb Rosen Barb Rosen on Feb 27, 2013
    Delighted you like my old sink potting fountain, Donna !
  • Crystal G Crystal G on Feb 27, 2013
    i love love it as well! Its charming, and useful, i want it! ha ha
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    One year I took an old watering can and made it into a water fountain pouring into a galvanized tub. That turned out pretty. Anything you can drill into really can be a water fountain. I know it's probably not your style, but I have a dishpan with dishes made into a fountain too. I think it's posted here. I'm pretty sure I haven't posted my watering can....but I'm probably going to make another one this spring. Old water faucets work really well like this too.
  • Backyard Getaway Backyard Getaway on Feb 27, 2013
    There are so many items you can use to create a water feature. We've done the watering can into a tub also. Dave even took a copper pipe added a old faucet and created a pond-free water feature. It looked like someone left the faucet running. Believe it or not he's even turned a fire hydrant & an old car into a water feature :)
  • Mariluon Mariluon on Feb 27, 2013
    I absolutely adore the wine bottle water fountain. I wish someone could tell me how to make it.
  • I did a couple of fountains years ago...before I ever gave a thought of taking a picture. One was a tall urn with a fountain bubbler in the center. But what I liked about it most was the cover I made to fit over the outlet at the front door. My favorite was an old tray buried to the rusty lip, filled with rocks and a bubbler in the center. Looked like water bubbling up from the ground. Our dog loved to drink from it.
  • Aquascape Inc. Aquascape Inc. on Feb 27, 2013
    There are many options available for fountains or any type of water feature in the garden. Kits make a great choice - they take the guesswork out of putting the system together and provide you the ability to be creative. Since you asked about kits ... Aquascape has pond kits, waterfall kits, and fountain kits for any style, space or budget.
  • Peggy Kirton Peggy Kirton on Feb 27, 2013
    Can you give some hints about how the man made his wine bottle fountain? I would like to do this. I paint on wine bottles, put mini lights inside...so have a ton of bottles and would like to make this fountain. Thank you
  • @Peggy Kirton , I wish I could. That is the only picture I snagged during my travels of that fountain. Had I known how popular it would become, I would have taken the thing apart and had the creator put it back together for me! haha I've heard through a few here that it isn't that hard though. I think understanding how a fountain pump works is half the battle. Thank-you @Aquascape Inc. , I'll look into seeing what you have! @Tammy@Deja Vue Designs , I'd LOVE to clip your water feature for my clipboard but didn't see it in HomeTalk. If you have a url for your post, I'd love to include it in my lineup! @Barb Rosen , what a pleasure it was scrolling through your blog. You are the greenest thumb I've ever laid eyes on! :) Adore your old sink feature!
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    I'll see if I can find it. I may not have posted it on hometalk....if I didn't....I need to.
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    Here's my dishpan one. I don't think I've done a post on my watering can...but I'm going to do several water fountains this summer. http://www.hometalk.com/diy/upcycle/relaxing-pan-full-of-dishes-706883 I added a couple of drops of dishsoap in this one to make it bubble up like the real thing!
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    @FunkyJunk Interiors - Donna We need to talk. These are super easy to build.
  • Peggy Kirton Peggy Kirton on Feb 27, 2013
    Thanks for your quick response! I'm going to check out Aquascape and see what they have and maybe figure out how to do.....
  • Susan Susan on Feb 27, 2013
    I agree with Mariluon...I would love some instuctions on the wine bottle fountain
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    I bet I can come up with something to show y'all. The only thing is that frame. It looks to be welded...which I can't do. The hardest thing otherwise is finding a drill bit for glass.
  • Tina @ Repurposed Life Tina @ Repurposed Life on Feb 27, 2013
    @Tammy@Deja Vue Designs @FunkyJunk Interiors - Donna I wonder if a ceramic tile drill bit or glass bit would work? I also think you could use a drill press to cut the hole in the bottle. I would use putty shaped like a donut to pool a little water where you are drilling the hole.:)
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    It might...you just need to experiment a bit. It certainly wouldn't hurt to pool your water while drilling...or stop often so that it doesn't get hot. I've see where folks drill through granite....by drilling right through a wet sponge, that way the drill bit has a constant source of moisture while drilling.
  • Debbie Borthwick Debbie Borthwick on Feb 27, 2013
    I've seen other projects you've done, Donna, so this should be a piece of cake for you! :)
  • Betty B Betty B on Feb 27, 2013
    Lowe's has the drill bits for glass. Count me in on the people interested in eventual instructions on this wine bottle fountain. Adorable. And, like Peggy in FL, I've worked with wine bottle projects before, but not water fountains.
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Feb 27, 2013
    I'm gonna get a glass bit the next time I'm in the hardware store...just for you ladies. In the mean time....get yourselves a circulating pump...from lowes or a pond supply store...and some tubing to go with it. Be sure to ask the employees for the right size tubing to go with the pump. If you want to do the wine bottles....three of them. You will need some other pieces also...I'll figure it out and get back with Y'all.
  • Pau43400 Pau43400 on Feb 27, 2013
    On this wine bottle fountain it looks like he just drilled holes in the bottom of the bottles and inserted tubing, he probably has a connector on the tubing to connect to one pump. Looks like the bottles are inserted into a wine rack. Appears that the rocks are holding the wine rack in place. I also used a refrigerator to create a pond.
  • Design OCD Design OCD on Mar 01, 2013
    My husband made one for me out of plant pots. You can see more here: http://www.designocd.com/2011/12/happy-anniversary-to-meeee/
  • Laurie @ Vinyet Etc Laurie @ Vinyet Etc on Mar 01, 2013
    Off topic... Can I have your autograph? ;) I love your work!!!!! Thanks for inspiring me to take a leap and go for it! Okay, on topic now... I see rusty hand pumps! ;) Different sizes, that's your water source... Have an awesome day, again thanks for what you do! ~Laurie
  • Laurie @ Vinyet Etc Laurie @ Vinyet Etc on Mar 01, 2013
    Just thought of something else, meat grinders! That would look awesome!
  • 141737 141737 on Mar 01, 2013
    I used an antique fireplace insert and a metal paint tray to create a little waterfall at my pond. Here's a pic just after I set it up - I hope you get the idea despite the plants blocking the shot!
  • Shane Shane on Mar 10, 2013
    anyone know where I find the parts to make a wine rack like that or the wine rack itself? I have a client that wants this. As far as drilling bottles, I submerge them in a tub and use a drill press. Diamond grit core cutting bits cost more but make a better cut.
  • Tammy@Deja Vue Designs Tammy@Deja Vue Designs on Jun 10, 2013
    Donna....I'm so sorry....I've been meaning to get this done...and haven't. Hopefully things will settle down soon. :D
  • Donna Donna on Jul 27, 2013
    What about a whiskey barrel with Jack Daniels bottles?
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