Wall Fountain Design: A Must-Read Guide On Wall Fountain Design & Construction!

• A Rosette: a mask or any such ornamental device that is used for water to flow out as a jet or a stream


• A basin to hold the water


• Submersible Water Pump


• Plumbing Pipes or Tubing for recirculation of water


• Electrical wires


• A Drill

A wall fountain will consist of a rosette, a mask or any such ornamental device that is used for water to flow out as a jet or a stream. The water will flow out to a basin. From this basin a pump will recycle the water back into the ornamental object. Water may flow through a series of basins before being pumped back to the ornamental source. The simplest type of fountain is the one that has the basin and the pump in one composite unit. If the two devices are provided separately, a pipeline has to be provided to connect the water flow from the basin to the source. This type of pipeline should either be concealed or given an ornamental look.

Wall fountains are generally constructed along existing walls. The basin and the source of the fountain will be separate requiring a pipeline to connect the two. The resulting plumbing also has to be concealed to make the fountain look good. The wires need to be hidden to prevent them from being visible. The most common way of handling the plumbing and the wires is to run them through the wall after removing the bricks. The water pipeline should be enclosed in an outer casing. The wires will also have to be provided a conduit to protect them.

If the walls are not made up of bricks, holes will have to be drilled through the mortar to pass through the pipes and the conduit for the electric wires. This will require a detailed effort. First a hole to fit in the mask or the rosette should be drilled. After drilling a hole use a plumb line to mark the place where the basin should be fitted. Then drill the vertical holes. The next task is to get the tubes and wires in position. The ideal way of doing this is to work a string or a rope from the top to the bottom of the hole. As the string emerges from the bottom of the hole, the tubes to be inserted should be tied to the ropes. Then pull the ropes upward to get them in position in the holes. The correct size of the tubing required can also be measured with the strings. If any tubing remains, the same can be cut off.

Be very careful while making the holes for the electric fittings. Be sure to accommodate the plugs within the holes. The size of the holes should be wide enough to accommodate the plugs. By ensuring this the plug can be pulled through the hole. Tie the plug to the string and pull the wires through the holes. Keep adequate slack wire so that it can cover the entire distance required.

The pump is normally provided with an adjustable flow. The outflow and the capacity of the basin have to be matched very finely. Even a small mismatch between the two will result in water flowing out of the basin. As water keeps re-circulating the loss of water may result in the pump burning out.

If you would rather avoid doing any kind of plumbing or wiring, the best solution is to look into pre-designed wall fountain - that is, a composite unit that has the rosette(mask), basin, & pump, all attached in one unit. Browse these collection of wall fountains to save yourself from the hassle of wiring and plumbing. One of my favorite wall fountains is the Nojoqui Falls Wall Fountain because of its soothing and high quality slate material.

If setting up a wall fountain seems like a little too much of a work, look into these collection bamboo fountain kits and mist fountains for your home or garden.

To learn more on how to install a wall fountain, read this easy-to-implement informative article on wall fountain installation.