That piece of nature that you call your garden, the fountain can turn into a magical place where you will enjoy life and restore your strength.
Modern fountains are so diverse in the visual sense that such a design can literally fit into any landscape. Different sizes, forms, from different materials having different functional features, decor - it is difficult not to pick up something for a particular occasion.
Fountain and garden - unity of style
Your garden may have a classic fountain with sculptures and relief decor, or an avant-garde fountain, which will use metal and glass, an impressive Swiss fountain, the jets of which will rise to great heights, or a tornado fountain, in which water falls from above, a fountain with fog, a spring fountain, a fountain whose water flows over glass threads or a glass panel, etc. Ideas for the garden in terms of arranging these wonderful water structures are inexhaustible.
The fountain can be arranged in a reservoir available on the site or in a specially constructed bowl. On sale there are ready-made designs with small tanks that are simply installed on the surface. They are good because they can be installed on hard-surfaced sites, terraces, patios, and winter gardens.
Fountain equipment
The equipment for the device of the fountain is not complicated. For a small fountain, a set of a small power pump and hoses with nozzles is enough. If you are thinking about a more complicated design, you should purchase an extended kit, thanks to which you can get both automatic regulation of water flows (their speed and direction) and dynamic lighting (including color). As well as such useful functions as water purification with special filters, remote control and much more.
Garden fountains - song of water
When thinking over a device in your garden of such a design as a fountain, it is important to take into account the natural “sound accompaniment”. The sounds of water can be very different: cheerful, bright, soft, quiet, loud, seething, etc. The nature of the sounds is influenced by the height and shape of the jets: high-rising, thin, ringing sounds will be born, wide, voluminous streams - deep ones.
Jets are formed by nozzles. Usually there are 2-3 of them in a fountain set, which allows you to expand not only the visual, but also the sound range of the design, and include a certain “water song” at will.
The speed of the water flow also affects the sound effect, and almost all modern fountain equipment makes it possible to regulate it.
Why is the water in the fountain alive?
Of all the reservoirs, the fountain humidifies the air most actively - after all, its water is constantly in motion. Moreover, when the jets rise, fall and break, the structure of water molecules changes, and negatively charged ions rush into the air, which scientists have given the name "health vitamins".
They are the antipodes of the positive ions that negatively affect health and well-being, the air that is usual for us, filled with dust and densely permeated with radiation. modern technology. For your information: negative ions predominate in the air on the seashore and in the mountains. When a person inhales them, they penetrate the bloodstream and stimulate biochemical processes that lead to the restoration of many body structures. It would be unwise to refuse the fountain - your own small source of living water.
Fountain Color Therapy
The illumination of the fountain is an additional function, but very interesting and useful. The light accompaniment of the movement of water jets not only dispels the darkness, but also has an emotional impact. Static lighting is good, when the water seems to be filled with light, but dynamic lighting, in which the light also becomes alive and comes into play with moving water, gives an indescribable experience.
To equip garden plot, many resort to installing a fountain with their own hands.
The decorative fountain in the design looks very beautiful, it also has a calming effect.
At first glance, it may seem that its installation is a complex and expensive process.
If you understand its device, then you can easily make a fountain in the country with your own hands.
The fountain should not be placed on a site in direct sunlight, otherwise the water periodically begins to bloom, its consumption will increase due to frequent changes.
Trees nearby can also provide negative impact: leaves, twigs can clog the structure, and roots can destroy the internal structure.
It is better to place the fountain in an area intended for recreation. It is good if it can be seen in the garden from any point. When the choice of location is made, then it is necessary to decide on the type of the fountain itself.
Main types
Garden fountains by their type are: submersible and stationary.
Submersible are used directly in the reservoir, located in the garden. The principle of operation of the fountain is based on the creation of a stream.
To make it, you will need a pump, a pipeline and a nozzle to create a jet shape. Such designs are more natural, close to nature, and are very often used in the Japanese garden.
A stationary fountain is a structure on which a sculpture rises. We are used to seeing similar people in parks and squares.
The material for the manufacture of such a fountain is artificial stone, which has proven itself to be a durable and frost-resistant material.
If the fountain is planned to be grandiose, then its construction will require the construction of a foundation and the creation of a pond.
The creation of any type of fountain involves the preparation of a pit, strengthening, installation of a reservoir (tank), a pump.
Accessories and installation
In order to create a garden stone fountain, you will need the following materials:
- stones;
- cobblestones;
- gravel;
- water pump;
- tank capacity;
- copper connecting and PVC pipes;
- slats.
The very work of installing a fountain in the yard begins with the preparation of a pit, which should be 5 cm lower than the prepared container and a place for an outlet.
A pump is placed in the bowl, and exit holes are prepared.
With the help of rails, the structure is fixed (the rails are laid across the top of the structure). Next, the stones are stacked one on top of the other, pre-drilled in the middle, on a copper tube.
In the conditions of creating a fountain (pond) from improvised means, you will need:
- stones;
- priming;
- pump;
- acrylic bath (tires);
- sheet of iron and other materials for decoration.
A hole is dug, comparable to the size of the bath. The bathtub is installed, all drain holes are closed to avoid water seepage.
The sheet of iron is used as protection against splashing water. It is laid vertically around the bath at a short distance, further decorated, for example, with stones.
The gap between the bath and the iron is covered with gravel. Then waterproofing is done with a PVC film or dense polyethylene: the container itself is covered to the edges of the iron sheet.
Then, at the bottom of the bath, you can install a backlight and decorate with small pebbles. Fill with water and put the pump in the middle.
You can complement the entire structure with sculptures, clay figures and vases, fill or surround the bath with vegetation.
How to make a fountain with your own hands using tires? The principle of operation remains the same: a pit is being prepared, a tire, previously cut across, is immersed in it.
The edges of the tire should peek out of the hole a little. Then everything is covered with a film, the edges of which are tucked behind the tire.
Gradually, the resulting reservoir is filled with water, a pump is installed in the center, and decorated with stones around the edges.
It is also possible that small stones are placed in a container, but in this case the water will become cloudy faster. The result is a small pond.
We make a pond in the country
The pond in the country is made similarly to the fountain. It should be understood that, first of all, it will be decorative pond, do not fish or swim in it.
The device of the pond should be natural, but at the same time should not turn it into a swamp.
Aquatic plants need sunlight, but its excessive influence will have a detrimental effect on the entire system: water may bloom.
The best location will be when at lunchtime, in the heat, the pond is in the shade.
To determine "the very place" you need to outline the contours of the pond, and during the day follow the sun.
You can shade with a tree or shrubs if there is no building nearby. But in this case, you will have to regularly clean the pond from fallen leaves and twigs.
It is better not to plant a flat surface with shrubs at the same level. The pond looks beautiful when there is an alpine slide nearby.
Natural height differences will allow you to create a stream flowing into the pond, as well as place a bridge, you can enter a waterfall to complete the picture.
To create a pond, you can use ready-made plastic containers, as well as improvised materials: a bath or tires.
Creating a waterfall
It is quite possible to build a waterfall with your own hands in the country. For this venture, the materials required are the same as for creating a fountain.
In other words, to make a waterfall means to make a fountain in the country with your own hands and decorate it.
Everything is done according to the general technology: a place is chosen, a deepening is being prepared. But the landscape here is chosen with great care.
To build a waterfall, you should choose a place with a hill, if there is none on the site, then it must be done artificially.
Steps made of stone look more natural. To create a cascade on the site, flat stones are more suitable (clay bowls, vessels can be used).
They are used for fastening cement mortar. There is also the option of purchasing ready-made cascades in the store.
From the desire, what will be the jet of water, depends on the type of steps. A swift stream is created by the arrangement of stones at the top with a narrow gap between them.
For a more peaceful flow, stones of equal distance are used. The waterfall will break up into streams if the steps are jagged with sharp stones.
The pump power for a structure no larger than 1.5 m can not exceed 70 W, otherwise it should be more.
The pump has two openings: one for suction of water, the second for expulsion. Hose is attached to both holes. At the bottom remains the one that sucks in, at the cascade - the one that pushes out.
To operate the pump, a low-voltage transformer is installed, which is best placed in the utility room and connected using an extension cord.
How to make a waterfall, you can see on the video.
Fountain without using a pump
In the country, you can make a mini fountain with your own hands without using a pump. Why mini? Because on large structure, on which you can place a waterfall, there will not be enough water pressure.
By the way, homemade devices are much cheaper than purchased ones.
The principle of communicating vessels underlies this design. This means that vessels located on the different height are connected by tubes through which water flows.
To improve the system, two tanks are placed at the same height and the pipes coming from them are connected with a T-shaped adapter. Water overflows through it when it enters the tanks.
The main thing here is to ensure a constant flow of water into the vessels. The diameter of the tube should be small, so the service life of the structure will increase.
It is better to take tanks of the same volume, made of plastic. In them, holes of a smaller diameter are made at the bottom than those of the tubes. Processed with sealant or cold welding.
The third vessel should be twice the size of the tanks already connected. A T-shaped adapter is installed in its middle, two holes are made for tubes from smaller vessels (also processed).
The third tank should be below the level of the previous two.
The foundation for the future fountain, pond is ready. You can also create a small waterfall.
Waterfall for home
To create a homemade waterfall, it is not necessary to have a summer cottage. It can be made at home.
This will require:
- bottle cap;
- motor;
- deodorant cap (round);
- corrugated tubes;
- one more lid according to the size of the cap;
- foil and hot glue;
- plastic box.
The top plate is cut off from the bottle cap, the remaining ring is divided into 4 parts (equal). On the plate is done small hole, and the cut parts are attached so that the result is an opened flower.
A decorative waterfall is made from a crumpled piece of foil. You can make a shell a source of water by first drilling a hole in it.
Examples of finished waterfalls can be seen in the photo.
The product can be pre-painted. Attached battery and switch. The waterfall is fixed with glue along the edges of the box, painted again.
After drying, the box is filled with water. You can decorate with pebbles, shells, foil balls.
A small waterfall is ready.
Fountains for summer cottages help to give individuality to the site. Gone are the days when such structures personified the monumental style.
Using compact equipment, there are no technical questions about how to make a fountain with your own hands. Of greater importance is the author's aesthetic sense and taste.
Fountain with bowl
These structures are distinguished by characteristic features design, dividing the types of fountains into:
- dry fountain.
The most popular is the open type, in which the raised water is directed into the decorative bath. The water flowing through the garden fountain creates a beautiful visual effect, a soothing murmur and a feeling of comfort. You can build a fountain with your own hands in a country house of this kind by simply organizing the circulation of water using the inlet and outlet pipes of the pump.
The “pedestrian” version looks more modern and original, the fountain scheme assumes the absence of a water surface and the collection of water through decorative panels or grids installed at the level of the site.
Sometimes garden fountains are further divided into two categories.
- static
- dynamic
The former include designs in which water flows evenly, creating a stable pattern of jets or streams. Such a fountain in the country with your own hands without a pump can be made in the form of a cascade or a simple stream washing a stone channel.
More often, such fountains are arranged as pressure fountains so that the water forms a three-dimensional pattern, giving not only the pleasure of contemplating it, but also freshness due to intensive evaporation. dynamic fountain on suburban area will require additional equipment, regulating the pressure according to a certain algorithm.
Making such a fountain for a garden with your own hands will require skill in setting up electrical circuit even the simplest automation, but the result will justify the effort.
Location selection
On summer days, the fountain will delight you with coolness and freshness. The selection of the site on which the homemade fountain will be placed depends on the type of construction adopted, landscape features and aesthetic feasibility. To place decorative cascading fountains for summer cottages, it is more profitable to use an artificial or natural fracture of the relief, which logically coincides with the direction of the water flow.
The pressure structure will decorate the open space on personal plot, giving it the missing three-dimensionality. A decorative fountain with a cascade will add dynamics to a static landscape, emphasizing the beauty of nature with the play of light on the water surface.
Place the fountain in a quiet, shady area, allowing you to appreciate the murmur of the jets and freshness on a hot day.
Fountain bowl device
A common type is a fountain for giving with a recessed bowl, made in the style of a small pond or pool. It performs several functions, being:
- decorative element;
- a tank for recycled water feeding the pump;
- masking equipment installed under the surface level.
Depending on the design of the adjacent area, the country fountain can correspond to the natural landscape using wild stone, entourage of parts of trees, natural plantations.
When inscribing a decorative fountain into a well-equipped area, they adhere to its characteristic style or start from contrast, for example, wood flooring combined with a noble stone, and a ceramic coating or artificial stone- with wooden elements.
Creating a small fountain in the garden, that is, in the natural environment, you can limit yourself to the simplest tricks. Having dug a pit less than a meter deep, its bottom is covered with a waterproof film, for example, for waterproofing pools. It is strong enough, durable and easy to use.
The device of the simplest fountain Due to the demand for small garden pools, many building networks have a good selection of in-ground baths suitable for creating decorative fountains for summer cottages.
Usually this is a molded fiberglass with an appropriate polymer impregnation or coating. It is stronger than the film, perfectly retains the desired appearance, undemanding to the underlying soil. Diverse look and dimensions allow them to be used as fountain molds as a base. At the same time, individuality is easily given by finishing elements.
A little about how to make a fountain in the country with your own hands. This will require the construction of a bed of compacted sand in the excavation, the creation of curved formwork and reinforcement. After placing concrete, it is necessary to wait a few days until it gains initial strength before proceeding with further work for waterproofing and do-it-yourself decoration of a stone fountain.
Scheme of the original fountain But such a design will be extremely durable and reliable, it can be installed under a footpath or built into a platform to create a “dry” fountain. A model of the fountain, made to scale, will help to correctly evaluate the idea, and the coloring of the fountain will allow you to better navigate when choosing materials for decoration. An example of arranging a fountain in a country house with your own hands, see this interesting video:
The concrete base is finished with any suitable materials, creating a stone fountain:
- ceramic tiles;
- artificial stone;
- natural stone.
The coloring of the garden fountain for giving on a plastered surface looks good. At the base concrete structure need to provide holes for installation drainage pipes, and if necessary, the supply system.
Pump equipment
Types of pumps for country fountains For the operation of the fountain on the site, a pressure of water is required, created by a natural drop or using pumps. Modern equipment is small in size and quite economical, so pumps are usually used to circulate the liquid. general purpose or specialized types intended for installation in garden fountains.
It is possible to use submersible and surface pumps, each of which optimally corresponds to certain conditions.
A rational step would be to combine the pump with solar panels
A modern take on the problem has led to the creation of a floating fountain kit that combines a compact pump with solar panels to power it.
This option is ideal in the question of how to make a mini-fountain with your own hands in a summer cottage or garden plot, eliminating a lot of the hassle and costs associated with installing a stationary system.
For installation submersible pump sufficient bowl depth is required to place it on optimal level. Therefore, when creating a fountain for a classical type garden, it is recommended to use such equipment. Water is sucked in through the inlet and supplied under pressure to the outlet connected by a pipe to a device designed to form a jet or flow of liquid.
It is somewhat more difficult to use a submersible system for building a cascading stone fountain with your own hands due to the fact that it does not always need a bowl, and the reception of recycled water can be organized in a miniature disguised container.
Depending on its dimensions, the question of the appropriateness of using a submersible pump is being decided.
Pump outdoor installation removes the requirements for the depth of the reservoir and does not require electricity to be connected to it. They can be fed both garden fountains with high water pressure, and cascade fountains, in which the dominant criterion is a significant flow of fluid at a minimum pressure. An example of the operation of a fountain on solar batteries, see this video:
However, such equipment has its drawbacks:
- the external pump must be installed out of sight, providing some way to mask it;
- a significant distance from the points of water intake and water supply negatively affects the efficiency of a do-it-yourself fountain, it may require the calculation of the generated pressure;
- for the same reason, the length of the supply and discharge lines increases, which increases the cost and labor costs;
- the noise produced by the unit is not dampened by the layer of water, making it necessary to soundproof the unit.
Pumps of this type should be installed at a significant flow or pressure of water, creating a complex and extended system of cascades and fountains.
Fountain without pump
Ideal for creating a mini-fountain not only outside the building, but also in the interior. Such constructions are more of a funny incident. Since you can make a mini fountain without external sources food and even the device of a bowl, instead of which a suitable vessel can be adapted.
The principle of operation is that through an open container for a fountain, under the influence of gravity, water enters a system of hidden reservoirs connected to each other.
To start the fountain, it is enough to fill the system with your own hands, after which it will be able to function for some time until it reaches equilibrium. In this case, the liquid will rise to top point water intake and return by gravity from the receiving bowl. To learn how to make an original device from bottles, see this video:
A fountain without a pump will not create elastic high jets, but in this way it is possible to ensure the movement of water on the surface, creating a complete illusion of its natural flow.
The volume of the working fluid, the diameters of the pipelines and the capacity of the tanks are selected empirically or calculated before building the fountain.
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