How To Transform An Old Sink Into A Gorgeous DIY Water Feature

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If you've recently remodeled the bathroom or kitchen, you might be wondering what to do with that old sink that's still in good shape but no longer needed in the house. Since it's already designed to hold water, and has holes in all the right places, it's actually an ideal vessel to transform into a DIY water feature for your favorite outdoor space. A sink transformation project is a head-turning way to add water to your garden, whether you prefer a bubbler-style fountain, a DIY recirculating birdbath, or a basin that catches water dripping from above. If the faucet spout has an interesting look, it can be repurposed as part of your water feature, too. 

Even if you don't have an old sink handy, it's not too difficult to find an affordable option at places such as a Habitat for Humanity ReStore shop or your local Buy Nothing group online. While you can plop any sink into the garden and call it a water feature, why not take things up a notch? To make things visually more interesting, look for a vessel sink or a basin with a unique style, such as an Andover Mills black ceramic sink or a colorful boat-shaped glass vessel sink from Solidee. You could also decorate a plain white basin with mosaic tile or exterior paints. 

Of course, keep your area's weather and your own needs in mind, just as you might when deciding to buy a concrete birdbath. Ceramic basins might crack in the freeze-and-thaw of very cold weather, and glass vessel sinks are more at risk if kids or large pets are about.

Building just about any water feature with moving water follows the same principles as creating a DIY fountain for your yard. You'll use an electric or solar pump to circulate water, at least one vessel to act as a reservoir, and tubing or a similar means to move water where you'd like it to travel. A deep sink could be the perfect basin to repurpose as a simple bubbler. For a sink-based bubbler, run the cord for a solar fountain pump through the drain hole in a decorative vessel sink so the pump itself sits in the basin. Seal the hole, and set the sink on the ground or on a sturdy plant stand. Set the solar panel in an area where it receives full sun and watch the bubbling begin.

To incorporate an existing faucet, first remove the aerator if any, then run pump tubing through it so water will exit the spout, much like a DIY teapot water fountain. Set the pump in the sink, then run the other end of the tube through the drain, connecting it to the outflow area of the pump. Cut and position a rubber stopper to fit around the tubing in the drain opening to create a good seal. An electric pump also works, provided you have an outlet nearby. If you want to encourage birds to use your bubbler sink as a birdbath, add a shallow bowl inside on top of some cobbles, as most songbirds don't like deep water. drill a hole in the center of the shallow bowl to allow your fountain tubing through, then allow the water to spill over back into the sink so water recirculates.