How to anchor a bird bath

If you're having trouble keeping your bird bath standing in high winds, don't panic as there's always a solution to this, whatever your needs.

How you anchor a bird bath to the ground would first require making use of metal ground stabilisers, you'd then insert through the bath base gap, into the ground. Do a little DIY by fixing a long screw or bolt to the base underside to insert in ground, or steady bird bath with rocks.

Regardless of bird bath style or what material its made from, its always possible to anchor the bath to the ground one way or another.

Quickest way to do so would be to make use of metal stabilisers or stakes that insert through the bath base before impaling into the ground.

Not a method used for all as it depends on bath design, but will work well with cheaper plastic pedestal bird baths with gaps in the base.

At times it would require you to be a little inventive, so its time to get out the cordless drill.

Now drill a hole in the base of the plastic or stone pedestal before screwing in a long masonry screw with plug, or tap in a bolt.

So well the bolt or screw is fixed to the bath, the extra length is impaled into the ground.

You could simply fix the bath to a single, loose patio slab as to give you the freedom to reposition the bird bath as and when you wish.

Finally, if you have rocks in your garden, then position them around the bird bath and a little over the base, its also possible to buy decorative rocks from garden centres.

We have already explained how to stabilise a bird table which might be of use to you as often same rules apply with a few new ideas for you to consider.

Use stabilisers on plastic pedestal baths

If you have in your ownership a more flimsy, cheaper plastic pedestal bird bath, then you'll have more issues than most over baths.

That's due to the weight these bird baths carry, which is non at all, and that is a big problem as its incredibly vulnerable in the wind.

One way we can deal with this is simply making use of anchors to thread through the base, but there maybe an issue here...

If your bird bath has decorative gaps on the base then that would be what we need as to thread through anchors... or more to the point ground stakes.

However, number of plastic pedestal bird baths have no such thing as decorative round base, instead opting for a smooth disc base with no gaps.

And well there's no gaps there's no where to thread the metal anchors through before impaling them into the ground.

If this describes your bird bath, you can do one of two things to get you up and running:

1. Simply replace your bird bath if its unopened, unused - so replace it with one that has holes in the rounded base.
2. Is it possible you can screw in carefully placed holes into an inconspicuous area on top of the round base to thread anchors though.

If going for the first option it may be possible to replace your plastic bird bath with one in the same price range, but make sure it has that all important gaps in the base.

Though if your choose to insert holes in the base yourself, make it so you are experienced with woodworking or basic DIY well using a cordless drill.

It may not be possible to hide the drilled hole but they will need to be small enough for the anchor to tightly fit through.

For one the anchor maybe a two-sided spike that will need two holes drilled, though it might be possible to allow the other spike to sit on the outer rim of the round base, thus no need to drill extra holes.

Two ground anchors will do it which should be positioned opposite on the round base.

If you're siting the plastic pedestal directly onto the lawn or soil, it shouldn't be a problem using our advice outlined above.

Though if you need to anchor the bird bath to a brick or patio slab, then read ahead as we offer you inventive ways to get around this obstacle.

Bury screw/bolt anchor underground

Our following advice would require someone who knows how to use power tools well inserting screws into stone or brick work.

This it not for an amateur DIY'er, but an individual who has experience with drilling.

To make use of a long - and we mean very long - screw as an anchor, it will need to be impaled deep in the ground for this to work.

And it shouldn't be hard if drilling into a plastic bird bath, but you'll need to be extra careful drilling into your stone bird bath as to not cause it to crack.

So this it what you do; drill in a hole in the centre of the bird bath base underneath it, then screw in a corresponding long screw that should protrude at least 10 to 15 inches out.

This extra length will then be inserted into the ground as to create a discreet, yet highly effective anchor.

On the downside, it won't be possible to stand up any bird bath on a hard surface well the anchor is fixed underneath, as the flat base would now have a spike drilled into it.

Well making use of this method would work very well on a soft surface like a lawn or soil, you only need to drill through a brick or patio slab to thread this DIY anchor through.

What fixing you use plays a vital role, well using a long screw that can be used with stone - so a masonry screw - would need reinforcing with a plug.

However, we would recommend you opt for a long bolt that doesn't so much require drilling in, but after the hole is drilled with a cordless drill, the bolt is tapped in the hole.

If the bolt fits in the corresponding anchor hole nice and tightly, this would work a treat.

That's not all, for this to work the thin, long bolt or screw will often not be enough to stay buried underground, as wind will slowly force it out of the ground.

So we have to do one important, yet very easy thing...

That would be to make sure there's a wide plank of wood inserted into the screw or bolt before its fixed to the plastic or stone bath.

Positioned on the end of the screw/bolt anchor, it will need burying underground to create a grip that would prevent the anchor rising.

The only way to remove the bird bath then would be to dig up the lawn or soil. So it won't work if siting a bird bath on top of a patio slab.

Though we do have an effective way of using a patio slab as outlined below...

Patio slab as an anchor

Before making use of a single patio slab, which is all you'll need to anchor a mix of bird baths to the ground - consider colour theme and size.

Select a single patio that will outreach the width of the bird bath base, if it overhangs in anywhere, not only will it look unattractive, but it could be caught and ripped off.

Once you've found the perfect slab, not only should it fit in with the garden, but make it so that is blends in really well with the bird bath in question.

Brand new so won't fit in with any bird bath that as had time to weather, so allow time for it to catch up if its a simple grey, stone colour theme.

If the bird bath is a bold colour with no match slab possible, in that case just make it so the slab blends in with your current slabs, or matches the stonework in your garden.

So what do we mean by using a patio slab as an anchor; it will require you to fix the slab to the base of the bird bath as a sort of weight to keep it firmly fixed to the ground.

Its not an anchor by any means, but more a weight that if secured to the bird bath with a tight fit, you can position both bird bath/slab around the garden where you see fit.

To fix the bird bath to the patio you'd need to read up what we've explained under the topic - Bury screw/bolt anchor underground above.

Though you'd need to shorted the suggested bolt/screw anchor just so it tucks to the underside of the patio, so there's no movement on the bath above.

Concrete foundation

Rest assured, you don't have to make a building site of your garden with this method as it only requires quick drying cement for creating a rounded or square foundation.

This foundation would be poured on a suitable spot in your garden lawn or near to plantation on the soil.

Its then possible to position the bird table on the wet cement foundation as its drying; then once dried your bird bath will be securely fixed to the cement.

You can do the following as to not make a mess of your garden with an ugly cement patch.

What you need to do is pour the foundation so its just an inch or so to the surface.

You'll then use this dip in the ground to do one of the following:

1. Relay the turf you originally dug up to lay the foundation, then cut it in and around the bird bath base as to cover all signs of cement.
2. Lay down mud or spread on planting soil before sprinkling on grass seeds to cover up the grey cement.
3. Make use of decorative stones or pebbles from the garden centre and pour in around the bird bath base until its level with the rest of the surface.
4. Spread on a thin layer of soil before planting beautiful flowers and plants in and around the bath.

In our option, the first option is best as it allows you to blend in the bird bath with the garden once again, with no concrete foundation in sight.

That would require you to lift up the turf behind hand as to relay it back where you first dug it up, though you'd need to cut it apart as to slot it around the bath base.

After doing so, sprinkle with plenty of water over the coming weeks to encourage growth.

Second option is a slower method for growing grass, but would be a solution if the area for relaying turf is to shallow.

If you want to keep the area around the base visible, then make use of decorative stones just to cover the unsightly flat grey cement.

Finally, soil the concrete foundation before planting seeds. Now this is not likely to work if the flowers need a deeper foundation to spout, so we encourage you to do this...

Position plant pots as well has plant flowers and plants into the ground over the foundation and on the outer rim as to grow a blooming garden around the bird bath.

Not only now will the cement never to be see again, but wild birds love cover so should encourage them to make use of the plants as both cover and a perch.

Stabilise with rocks

Last but not least, there's no need to build a DIY anchor or create a concrete foundation when you have rocks a plenty in your garden.

Again, this won't work for your all but if you're using a light, pedestal bird bath then piling on rocks on the base of the bath should help keep it standing in high winds.

Not for everyone as a stone bird bath tends to have a thicker base, so the rocks will simply roll off, well not quite looking right.

Where there's rocks there's usually loose soil from where they came, so perhaps it may be possible to position the bird bath there instead.

It could be near to an hedgerow which will encourage birds, or a rockery.

Making use of rocks is not an anchor nor is it guaranteed to prevent bird bath from toppling over, but its a quick and easy fix.

Next time your at the garden centre pick yourself up a weight of smooth rocks that you can use to position around and slightly on top of the base.

Summary

If you're not the DIY'er, then our suggestions for fixing an anchor the underside of a stone or plastic bird bath would require you bring in help from a family member.

But if it is possible to secure a screw or bolt anchor to the centre of the base that would be impaled into the ground then do so as its very effective.

Won't apply to everyone but most people do use a plastic pedestal bird bath that is fixed to a rounded base.

Well plastic bird baths are light with not much width on the base, its vulnerable to tipping.

So here you'd only need to make use of a set of metal stabilisers, also known as stakes that thread through the bath base gaps before impaling into the ground.

Positioning of the bird bath matters as a lawn or soil location offers many possibilities, whereas a concrete or patio slab ground has its limitations, but not at all impossible.

In that case you can either drill a hole through patio slab to thread the anchor through which we've suggested above, or...

Fix a patio slab to the bird bath so the base as enough weight to prevent it toppling.

Concrete foundation can be made as it would be used to fix a bird bath on, thus fixing the bath to the cement as its drying.

You'd then need to cover it by relayed turf, plant grass seeds or use decorative stones.

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