How to Build a Beautiful DIY Water Feature

Step #1: The DIY Water Feature Pot

First, the pot. I could not find a premade pot that was what I was envisioning, so I made one myself. I had no idea if it would work, but I was really hopeful! Thankfully, it worked! I got a plastic utility panel and formed it into a cylinder. I glued it together, then taped it so it would stay while the glue dried.

Next, take a few pieces of rebar, about the height you want the pot to be. Hammer each piece about one foot into the ground in a circle inside the plastic cylinder. I added pea gravel to the bottom of the plastic cylinder form to help hold the concrete in place.

Now it’s time to start mixing up the concrete. Initially, I used a bucket and drill with this attachment to mix the concrete, but that was taking too long, so I switched to a Rubbermaid tub and shovel. I filled the bottom half of my custom pot with concrete, making sure it was spread evenly.

Step #2: Beginning the DIY Water Feature Tower

As you will see in the video, I started with the tower just one cinder block wide. I later decided to do it two wide, because it was more proportional. I suggest you just lay them two wide from the beginning. Laying them brick style will make the tower a little more sturdy.

Start by hammering two pieces of rebar about a foot into the ground. Lay the cinder blocks three high, positioning the rebar through the centers of the cinder blocks. I stopped the cinder blocks about one brick higher than where the concrete in the pot ended.

To accommodate the water pump, I placed a bucket in the concrete where I wanted it to go. I drilled a hole through the side of the bucket, the plastic sheeting, and the top cinder block. You will need a special masonry drill bit to drill through the cinder block.

Then, I fed a PVC pipe through the hole and secured it with silicone. This PVC pipe will house the tubing for the water pump.

Step #3: Completing the Pot and Tower

With everything in its place, I filled the rest of the cylinder with concrete. Once it was dry, I removed the plastic sheeting. I was amazed at how well it held! I attached a PVC elbow where the pipe passed through the cinder block and ran more PVC pipe up the back of the pot.

Lay the remaining cinder blocks so the tower is the height you want it to be.

Step #4: Pumping Life into Your DIY Water Feature

Time for the exciting part: installing the water pump! I enlisted some help from my mom. We made sure everything was correctly set up, and when we turned on the pump, we watched our water feature come to life!