Water features like fountains, ponds, and waterfalls add dramatic beauty to any landscape. If you’ve already begun to use natural stones for other parts of your hardscape design, you can use those same stones to create a fountain. Flat stones normally used for retaining walls or patio stones can be stacked to make a beautiful raised fountain to highlight a section of your yard. In fact, building a fountain with natural stones can be a simple weekend project you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Equipment and materials you’ll need:
Equipment and materials you’ll need:- Shovel
- Tamper
- Level
- 2 x 4 or another long straight edge
- Scissors
- Flexible pond liner
- Pond or fountain pump and fountainhead
- Landscaping fabric
Stone and rock materials you’ll need:
- Fill sand
- Flat “retaining wall” stones
- Other decorative stones or rocks
- Note: Hilton Landscape Supply can help you calculate the amount of stone and rock materials you’ll need based on the dimensions of your pond or fountain.
Directions for building a fountain with natural stones:
- Use your shovel to outline the border of your fountain. Once you are satisfied with the shape, dig out the dirt. The sides of the hole should be straight up and down, not slanted. The depth needs to hold six inches of fill sand and one ring of the stone for every 8 inches of the fountain’s height. For example, if the walls will be 16 inches high, you should have two rings of stone under the ground level sitting on 6 inches of sand.
- Before adding anything else, lay landscape fabric in the hole. The material will help with drainage and limit weeds growing up and around the sides of the fountain.
- Add the sand over the landscape fabric. Tamp the sand as you add it to ensure it is compacted well. A rented commercial tamper will make the job much easier if your fountain or pond is large. Use a straight edge and level to ensure the top layer is perfectly flat.
- Lay your first layer of stones around the base’s perimeter on top of the sand. Check the level as you add each block. Your base needs to be perfectly level. With natural stones, this may be a bit more difficult as the size and shape of the stones vary, but it should be as close as possible. If your layers are slanted, the top layers may topple over.
- Continue building upwards until you are one or two layers from the top. Insert the pond liner. Center the middle of the liner with the middle of your fountain and flatten it outwards until it covers the edges of the stone wall. Ensure it is flat against the bottom and interior sides of the fountain. When it looks even and well pressed, add another two layers of stone on the fountain walls. Cut off the excess pond liner from the exterior wall of the fountain.
- Add your pump and any decorative rocks you want inside your fountain.
- Fill the fountain with water and turn on the power.
If you need advice for building beautiful landscape features, talk with the pros at Hilton Landscape Supply.
Whether you’re looking for the broadest selection of hardscape materials perfect for our local area, or you need help figuring out where to start with your dream project, Hilton Landscape Supply is the place to go. We’ve been serving Southern Oregon and Northern California since 1956, so we know the best materials to bring your projects to life. Our team members will walk you through the steps you’ll need to take, help you select the best materials for the project, and arrange to have them delivered right to your property. Don’t let another season pass you by. Visit us in Central Point, and let’s get started on your project today!