How to Install a Fountain

The smallest fountains are designed for tabletops. These units may be no larger than the basin of a bathroom sink. They're typically self-contained. Tabletop fountains are great options for offices, studio apartments and other relatively small spaces (and you'll be amazed at how much more space you seem to have when the air is full of the sound of flowing water). You should, of course, make sure there's some sort of protection for the table surface -- a fountain can cause both water damage and nicks and scrapes. It's also a good idea to check the stability and placement of the table itself -- you don't want to put a bowl full of water on the wobbly end table everyone always bumps into on their way into the TV room.

Floor fountains are often freestanding. These models are often "statement" pieces designed for indoor or outdoor use. They're bigger and heavier than tabletop fountains, so you should make sure the floor is sturdy enough to support such a weight. (Remember to think about the fountain's weight when full, not just its weight in the package. Water is heavy.)

Wall fountains, as the name implies, are wall-mounted. That involves a whole other set of installation questions: What are your walls made of? Are they strong enough to hold up a fountain? Drywall and sheetrock can't support heavy fountains, so don't even try. Are you inviting water damage? If you can resolve these issues satisfactorily, a wall fountain can add a dramatic cascade of water to your home or garden.

Garden fountains can range from traditional classical styles -- the sort that wouldn't be out of place among the sculpted topiary of 18th-century gardens -- to modern series of bowls nestled into the ground. They may involve statues or other decoration. To install a garden fountain, you may want to do a little excavation. You can go with a ready-made variety, or -- for a bit more effort and not much expense -- use the garden's natural topography to create a connected series of pools.

With garden fountains, think about the landscaping. Consider any overhanging trees or shrubs. If they shed leaves, you'll need to clean leaves from the fountain periodically to keep them from clogging the pump or decomposing into unsightly muck -- even if there aren't any plants in the direct vicinity, you'll still need to clean out the pump every so often. Make sure you're up to the maintenance demands of an outdoor fountain.

Now that you've chosen a fountain, what goes into its installation? Read on.

Most fountains have a reservoir, a basin in which water collects. Fountains work by gravity, so the reservoir is also typically the base. Assembling the fountain usually involves connecting a series of other basins to the reservoir and feeding a tube or pipe between the reservoir and the top basin.

The fountain has one or two motor-driven pumps (also called bilge pumps), which are submerged in water. The pump goes in the reservoir, or, in a two-pump fountain, in the reservoir and the top basin. It may or may not be encased in a filter box, which -- just like the filter in a swimming pool -- helps keep out debris. You'll need to install the pump and connect it with a power source -- either an electrical cable or a solar panel. Don't turn the pump on until you've filled the fountain. Pumps aren't meant to circulate air, and they can be damaged by being run dry.

Most pumps use suction to circulate water through the fountain. You may need to experiment to find the appropriate pumping rate. If the pump is set too high, the fountain will splash (which can waste water, as well as damage the surrounding furniture, walls and flooring). If it's set too low, the fountain won't seem to circulate at all.

Before installing a wall fountain, you may want to have an electrician visit your house to install an outlet and a switch on the wall in question, in such a way that the power cord -- but not the switch -- will be behind the fountain when it's installed. A hanging cord can ruin the dramatic visual effect of a wall-mounted fountain.

An outdoor fountain, beyond these components, may involve a plastic liner. Any fountain that requires digging or excavation needs to be treated like a pond: You have to contain and manage the water. Once you've set a fountain into the ground, it's not so easy to relocate it. Plan this installation carefully. Look at such details as:

Now that you know how the different pieces go together, let's take a look at the tools you need to assemble them.

The tools you need to install a fountain depend on what kind of fountain you're installing. With a kit tabletop fountain, you may need no more than a box cutter to open the package and a pitcher to fill the reservoir.

With the other kinds of fountains, though, you'll want to have a bit more equipment on hand:

You may also want to have a few other things handy:

Toss a coin and make a wish: You've just installed a lasting source of tranquility.

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