
Make a Doughnut Fountain

Instead of throwing those old tyres away, why not ‘recycle’ them as moulds for this small ‘doughnut’ fountain water feature?
What you need for one Tyre Mould
1 old car tyre (use 3 for a water feature and triple the materials)
6 x cable ties
2 x bags stone
2 x bags building sand
1 x bag of PPC Surebuild 42,5 N cement
50 cm x 20 mm plastic conduit (for fountain)
Releasing agent (e.g. vegetable oil)
Assembly Materials
Pump (for lifting water 1 m high)
Sump (preformed pond, or pond liner)
4 x bricks
60 cm x flexible plastic tubing (to fit to pump and feed up inside the fountain conduit)
Tools
Hacksaw, cordless drill and 6 mm drill-bit for steel, bricklayer’s trowel, paintbrush, bucket, and a rubber mallet.
What you do
1. Cut the tyres in half, crossways, with a hacksaw (or equivalent, suitable saw).

2. Drill 3 holes on each side where the tyres have been cut – evenly spaced around the tyre.

3. Insert the cable ties through the matching drilled holes on each side, and pull tight, so that there are no gaps between the 2 halves. Coat the inside of the tyres with the releasing agent.

4. Combine 1 bucket stones with 1 bucket riversand and ½ bucket cement, and add water while you mix – until the concrete attains the consistency of yoghurt.

5. Place the tyre on a level surface and position the conduit in the centre. Slowly pour the concrete into the mould, whilst holding the conduit straight. Make sure you press it into the round parts. Keep pouring until the concrete reaches the top. Tap around the tyre to remove any air bubbles – for a smooth finish.

6. Leave to cure for a week, and then cut the ties and remove the tyre moulds. Cut the conduit flush with the concrete.

7. Make 3 of these, to stack for the water feature. The water feature will need to be positioned on top of the 4 bricks placed in the sump, before you connect the flexible piping to the pump and feed it up inside the fountain conduit.
