How to Build a DIY Backyard Pond with Waterfall (Simple + Budget-Friendly!)

Build a beautiful DIY backyard pond with waterfall in just one afternoon using simple supplies. Easy, budget-friendly, and beginner-approved!

For years I dreamed of having a small backyard pond—something peaceful, beautiful, and simple to maintain. But the idea always felt a bit intimidating… until I finally just went for it! This DIY backyard pond with waterfall came together in one afternoon, cost less than $95, and added the most peaceful touch to our garden.

In this post, I’ll walk you through everything I used and how easy it was to pull together—no digging expertise required!

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What You’ll Need

Here’s exactly what I used to create our backyard pond.

• 20-Gallon Pond Insert – This exact one from Lowe’s
• Submersible Pump with Hose Attachment – Pump I used
• 1/2″ Pond Tubing – Tubing link
• Stones or Rocks – We gathered ours from around the farm
• Spray Paint or Marker – For outlining your pond shape
• Optional: Filter kit, decorative plants, mulch, etc.

Step-by-Step: How We Built Our Pond

1. Mark the Spot

We started by placing the pond insert where we wanted it and then spray-painted around the edge to mark the digging area. As you’ll see in the video, I had to recalibrate a time or two to find just the right spot without any random and unknown utility lines. The joys of an old house…nothing is marked, and random people over the last one hundred and twenty some years have added and taken away. Nonetheless, I eventually found the perfect spot, and I think it’s actually better than where I originally intended.

2. Dig the Hole

Next, we dug out the hole just deep enough to fit the liner snugly inside. We double-checked that it sat level before moving on.

Tip: You can use a level or just eyeball it—ours turned out great without overthinking it.

3. Set the Liner & Backfill

Once the insert was in place, we backfilled around the sides with dirt to hold it securely. Then we gave the soil a little pat-down to help it settle. We live in one of the rockiest places on earth, I’m convinced, so I threw whatever small rocks I dug out back in the hole, too.

4. Fill with Water

This is when it starts getting exciting! We used the hose to fill the pond all the way to the top.

5. Add the Pump

We placed our submersible pump at the bottom of the pond and attached the 1/2″ tubing for the waterfall. The pump tucks out of sight under the water. It has small suction cups on the bottom that keep it in place. I’m really impressed with how powerful this little pump is. I could’ve gotten by with the smaller pump. I had to set this one on the lowest setting to avoid it splashing out.

6. Build the Waterfall

I stacked flat rocks on one side of the pond and hid the tubing beneath them, positioning one slightly overhanging stone for the water to spill over naturally. I played around with this until I really loved the placement of the rocks, and eventually decided to stack three flat rocks on top of each for a cascading waterfall effect. Once everything was in place, we plugged in the pump.

7. Finish with Stones

Using a collection of larger stones from around the property, we lined the rim of the pond for a finished look. It immediately looked like it had always been there!

Final Thoughts (And What’s Next!)

Honestly, this was one of the most rewarding little DIYs I’ve ever done. It brought a sense of calm to our yard that I didn’t even know we needed.

I still have plans to mulch the surrounding bed and plant some shade-loving flowers, but I didn’t want to wait to share this with you. Sometimes the “in-progress” version is just as beautiful.

Tips for Your Own DIY Backyard Pond with Waterfall

• Start small. This 20-gallon liner was the perfect beginner size.
• Use what you have. We didn’t buy any rocks—just walked the property and gathered what we liked.
• Don’t overthink it. The beauty is in the simplicity.
• Hide the tubing well. Tucking it under rocks helps everything look natural.

If you’ve been dreaming of a little pond of your own, I hope this encourages you to try it. It doesn’t take a huge budget or fancy tools—just a Saturday afternoon and a bit of imagination.

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