A water feature can be an incredibly delightful, beautiful touch for any yard, and they can be added on almost any budget if you’re willing and able to do some DIY magic and recycle some goods.
The following ideas can help you find the perfect water feature for your space, budget, and skill level if you just look through them. You’ll find fountains, waterfalls, ponds, and so much more made from some of the most unexpected recycled materials.
Hopefully, one of them will do the trick for you.
Rock Cairn Fountain
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Whether you’re into Asian culture or not, you might find thisrock cairn water fountain DIYa delightful option for an affordable, doable DIY project. Just follow the instructions for a moderately easy project you can whip up on a weekend.
Koi Pond
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If you’ve got a little space and a penchant for caring for critters, you might want to add a relaxing koi pond to your outdoor space. If done right, you don’t even need that much space and won’t have to spend much cash to make one.
Urn Fountain
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An extremely popular water feature is the simple urn fountain. These can be made using recycled materials and not a lot of energy. Follow this tutorial for the simple weekend project.
Waterwall
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Awaterfall made from simple materialscan be whipped up on a weekend and enjoyed as a relaxing backdrop for your meditation space or the back patio.
Stone-Imitating Concrete Pond and Fountain
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For a beautiful faux stone fountain and pond, it won’t require that much energy, space, or money to build. Follow theFamily Handyman tutorialfor a project that should run you under $200 but look like it costs four times that to have installed.
Wine Bottle Fountain
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If you’re a fan of wine and would love to share that hobby with the world, consider making a wine bottle fountain from that collection of empties you’ve been collecting. Follow the simple tutorial for the weekend project.
Colorful Slate Stone Waterwall
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If you love the waterfall idea but want something other than plywood, you could craft this gorgeous slate stone waterfall from thistutorial for HGTV. It’s gorgeous and, if done right, will look super expensive, though it won’t cost nearly what you’d think.
One-Day Rocky Water Feature
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For a super easy, single-day project, consider crafting this beautiful, simple rocky water fountain feature. It’s small and works great in almost any kind of outdoor space, plus it’s safe for families with young kids since the water doesn’t collect into a standard pool.
Flowerpot Fountain
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If you love the elegance of a raised, multi-tiered water fountain, you can use this flowerpot fountain tutorial to build your own. If you’re crafty enough, you can tweak the DIY to accommodate more tiers than the tutorial suggests as well, allowing you to make the fountain as big or as small as you want.
Recycled Tire Pond
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Thisunique DIY uses old tires– from tractor tires to cars – to create a pond for almost any size of space. Use the basic concepts to create your perfect water feature, but tweak the details to fit your style.
Galvanized Pot Fountain
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For this one, you’ll need to scroll down just a hint. The second idea on the page is for using an old galvanized tub, watering can, and other galvanized materials to craft awall-mountain fountain. Use the concepts for a similar fountain or tweak with your ideas, like a teapot instead of a watering can or something else.
Recycled Glass Tabletop Waterwall
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This one, I absolutely love! You’ll use an old glass tabletop from a coffee table or patio table to craft abeautiful waterfall! Follow the tutorial for a moderately easy weekend project for your new water feature.
Inexpensive Flowerpot Fountain
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Another project using flowerpots to craft a fountain is this one from HGTV. The tutorial is a great reference point for many DIY projects, so even if you decide to do something else, I’d still recommend reading it. You will have a more solid idea of the tools you’ll need for making aflower pot fountain.
Wheelbarrow Waterfall
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Here’s a moderate skill-level project that is just so much fun. It’s the perfect way to repurpose an old wheelbarrow, too, for a gorgeous, fun, and unique waterfall. Follow along with the tutorial for a weekend project.
Three-Tier Pot Fountain
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This one’s a truly stunningflowerpot fountainI’d highly recommend. Be sure to find some beautiful pots you’ll love looking at for a long time because this thing is built to last. Bonus: it’s quick and easy, and almost anyone with a few handy skills can make it.
Easy Fountain Pot
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For those a little less DIY savvy, this easy fountain pot is a great project to make for your new backyard water feature. Follow the simple instructions for a super-fast, super easy fountain for almost any outdoor space.
7-Step Backyard Stream
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For those looking for a more elaborate project, this beautiful backyard stream is perhaps the way to go. If I had the space, it would certainly be my go-to! You’ll just need to follow seven steps to craft it.
Concrete Bubbler
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If you can get your hands on an old globe, you can create yourself this beautiful, simple concrete bubbler fountain for your backyard or front lawn. Read the tutorial and see if this reasonably simple water feature might be the right choice for you.
Three-Tiered Thrift Store Fountain
Image credits: mertin via Instructables
All right, so I absolutely love this one! This unique fountain tutorial shows you how to take random stuff from thrift stores and Freecycle and turn it into a real, beautiful, unique working fountain. DIYing, recycling, and thrifting in one? You have my attention.
Low Maintenance Rock Pond and Waterfall
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If you’re interested in a beautiful water feature but don’t want a lot of maintenance, consider this option from Family Handyman. This gorgeous, moderately easyrocky waterfall/miniature pondis an eye-catcher!
Bubbler Pot Fountain
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For a simple, beautiful water feature you can easily place anywhere, consider this two-potbubbler fountain. It won’t take long to make and only needs two pots, some tubing, gravel, and a pump.
Copper Chain Waterfall
Image credits: Tool Using Animal via Instructables
If you’re into Zen gardens and soothing spaces for meditation and reflection, this DIY copper chain “waterfall” might be a great choice for you. This beautiful project won’t take long to make and adds a lot of atmosphere in a small package.
Wine Barrel Fountain
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If you can get your hands on awine barrel, this might be a great project for your backyard space. The rustic but elegant, chic project won’t require that much work but will surely add a lot of ambiances!
Small Stone Pond and Fountain
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Here’s astep-by-step fountain and pond DIY tutorialusing slate rocks and simple designs. It’s an absolutely gorgeous result that will fit in most yards and looks like it cost loads of cash to have installed.
Overflow Pot Garden Fountain
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Another simpleflowerpot garden fountainis this overflowing fountain that uses a few simple supplies and won’t take more than an hour or two to make.
Terra Cotta Pot Fountain
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Here’s anothersimple flowerpot fountainthat uses terra cotta pots specifically for a distinct look. Follow the easy tutorial, and in no time, you’ll have this multi-tiered fountain bubbling away on the front lawn.
Terra Cotta Fountain
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For a different take on a terra cotta pot fountain, check out this tutorial on Instructables. This one has a more “traditional” shape to it and shows you exactly how to achieve that.
Styrofoam Form Tabletop Fountain
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Here’s a unique DIY water feature that uses Styrofoam forms to create the fountain. Follow theYouTube tutorialcarefully to craft this unique piece. The best part? It’s a light-up fountain!
PVC Pipe Indoor Waterfall
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You can craft thisunique indoor water featureusing PVC pipes in different sizes. Just follow the YouTube tutorial that calls for a drilling machine, foam board, sandpaper, PVC, and silicone. It’s easy and doable for most folks.
Illuminated Water Bottle Tabletop Fountain
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Here’s another funwater featureyou can craft from “junk” you’ll recycle. Specifically, you’ll need to find some water bottles and some PVC pipes and casting. It’s easy, fun, and looks amazing, especially when lit up.
Recycled Tea Kettle Fountain
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If you’re like me, you’ll love this idea that uses an old tea kettle to create a brand-new water fountain! You’ll need an old metal kettle that still holds water, some bowls, a barrel, and maybe some rocks to create it with thiseasy-to-follow tutorial.
Mini Tabletop Waterfall
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For an indoor water feature that won’t take up much space, consider making one of these mini tabletop waterfalls. The YouTube video shows you every step of the process, including the supplies you’ll need. It won’t take long to make!
Relaxing Tabletop Fountain
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Thisgorgeous tabletop fountainis probably going to be my next DIY project. Seriously. It is beautiful! And the guys who do the video are fun and quirky and make the tutorial easy to watch and follow along. You’ll need some pipes, of course, and the supplies (as listed) to make your geodes!
Tabletop Bamboo Fountain
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If your idea of a tabletop fountain is more like what you’d find in a Zen garden, this tutorial is the one for you! It will take you through the process of making a beautiful, simple tabletop bamboo fountain you can use indoors or out.
Ceramic Bowl Fountain
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Another simple tabletop fountain you’ll love is this beautiful but simple ceramic bowl fountain. It’s perfect for use on the patio, the front porch, the office, or just about anywhere that you can plug it in.
Fairyland Fountain
Image credits: artwithdEva via Instructables
Thisunique fountainis intended for indoor use, and I absolutely love it! It’s like bringing a magical fairy garden into the house. Follow the instructions on Instructables, but make it your own with recycled materials like plastic jars and containers, bottles, decorative stones, beads, and more.
Galvanized Bucket Solar Fountain Planter
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I am all about using solar energy to run anything I possibly can to help save the planet and relieve pressure on my pocketbook. This lovely, galvanized bucket solar fountain is now a favorite idea because of it! Follow the tutorial for a fun, attractive solar fountain planter you can make in just a weekend.
Upcycled Canoe Pond
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I love this idea for anyone who’s got an old, no longer functioning canoe, kayak, or johnboat. Follow the instructions on Hometalk and turn that old small watercraft into afull-on pondfor the front or back yard!
Little Mermaid Fountain
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For those who grew up with Disney’sThe Little Mermaidas a favorite movie, this indoor fountain hits the nostalgia spot.Follow along with the tutorialto create this beautiful feature and enjoy it with your own kids.
Tipsy Solar Fountain
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Here’s another fun solar fountain that’s easy to make. This one, though, is a “tipsy” fountain, meaning the planter uses a solar-powered pump to get all goofy on you! Enjoy thisfun galvanized bucket designfor a cheap, fun outdoor water feature.
Zen Fountain
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No list of outdoor water features would be complete without an option for a beautiful indoor Zen fountain like this one. Follow the instructions to create an elegant fountain using a ceramic bowl, small pump, river rocks, and epoxy.
Illuminated Fountain
Image credits: ManuelM126 via Instructables
Another fun indoor fountain option is this unique illuminated fountain that uses a stone tile mat, an LED strip, glass stones, and a pump to create a beautiful, colorful fountain.Follow the instructions carefully, but tweak your ideas to make them work well for your space.
Salvaged Sink Birdbath
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Not all water features are for human enjoyment alone! This particular water feature helps yousalvage an old sinkfor the pleasure of birds who’ll love making your garden their summery home. The fun DIY won’t take that long to make, and your feathery friends will love it.
Rustic Trickling Waterwall
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For a simple yet beautifulrustic water featurethat won’t cost a fortune, consider making this rustic trickling watefwall. The wooden box base hides the plastic container, and the waterfall uses an old makeshift shower head for a gorgeous and surprisingly soothing feature for the back or front yard.
Salvaged Bathtub Garden Pond
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I love anything that salvages old materials, so this salvaged bathtub garden pond makes me super happy. Just find an old clawfoot tub at a salvage yard and follow the instructions for a gorgeous, unique water feature.
Glazed Ceramic Egg Fountain
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For a beautiful, colorful fountain, check out this tutorial for aglazed ceramic “egg” fountain. And though it might like super complicated, it’s a fairly easy project with just a few steps. Follow the instructions carefully for beautiful results!
Mini Waterlily Garden
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If you think you’d like something a bit different from the run-of-the-mill water feature, consider this miniature waterlily garden. The tutorial will take you through all the steps necessary to create a fairly simple, inexpensivecontainer water garden.
Pondless Waterfall
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If you have a little bit of space but not too much or simply don’t want a full-on pond, this little DIY pondless waterfall might be the perfect water feature for you. It won’t take up much space, is reasonably easy to build, and adds a lot of beauty without a lot of maintenance.
Natural River Rock Fountain
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For those with a bit more advanced DIY skills, this natural river rock fountain could be just the thing you’re looking for. You’ll need to be able to lay concrete if you don’t already have the “right” spot within a concrete space and do a bit of digging, among other things. The result is gorgeous and adds a unique and wonderful touch of natural beauty, despite being human-made.
Water Features Galore!
Whether you ultimately opt for a few fountains, build a pond, or create your waterfall indoors or out, you’ll find your water features keep on giving that peaceful, lovely feeling of soothing comfort.
Before you choose, keep in mind the kind of maintenance required to keep your water feature running. How much outdoor living space you’ll require to build it, and what kinds of activities do you want to enjoy around it (e.g., lazy reading by the waterfall versus someplace the kids can play).
Build and enjoy! And don't forget to find some great aquatic plants to add!
