Garden fountains can add character to your outdoor space, especially if you build them with eclectic items. Add rustic charm to your garden with a fountain made from a whiskey barrel. Select full or half barrels for the project. Enhance the design of a whiskey barrel garden fountain by cycling the water through an old pump or water spigot that spills back into the barrel reservoir. You also can direct the water through stair-stepped bamboo stalks inside the barrel for a different appeal. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Cut a sheet of thick plastic pond liner to fit inside the half whiskey barrel. Line the barrel with the pond liner. Use waterproof construction adhesive or staples to attach the liner to the inside rim of the half whiskey barrel. The barrel is the reservoir for the garden fountain; the plastic liner makes it watertight.
2. Cut a 4-foot long section of copper pipe. The pipe is the conduit to direct the water from the whiskey barrel to the water faucet.
3. Measure the height of the half whiskey barrel. Measure the copper pipe from one end, equal to the height of the whiskey barrel plus 2 inches. Drill a 3/8 diameter hole through one side of the copper pipe at the measurement. The plastic tubing from the submersible fountain pump will fit through the hole and into the copper pipe.
4. Solder the copper fitting to the top end of the copper pipe using flux, solder and a propane torch. Solder the old water faucet to the copper fitting.
5. Place the whiskey barrel in the desired location for the garden fountain. Insert a 3-foot long section of #4 rebar 18 inches into the ground beside the whiskey barrel. Fit the open end of the copper pipe over the rebar. The water faucet should be facing directly above the whiskey barrel.
6. Position the submersible fountain pump inside the whiskey barrel on the side adjacent to the copper pipe. Measure the distance from the fountain pump to the water faucet. Cut a length of plastic tubing to fit the distance.
7. Attach the tube to the fountain pump spout. Feed the free end of the tube through the hole and up the copper pipe. When the pump is running, it will force water through the plastic tube, up through the pipe, out through the water faucet and back into the whiskey barrel. Fill the whiskey barrel with water.
Tags: whiskey barrel, copper pipe, water faucet, fountain pump, half whiskey, half whiskey barrel