How to make a gravity bong

Gravity bongs can be an excellent smoking choice whether you're in a pinch and lacking smoking devices or if you simply want to mix up your typical smoking experience. Best of all, gravity bongs are simple to construct and require items that you probably already have lying around the house. This guide provides everything you need to know to make two types of gravity bongs.

What is a gravity bong?

A gravity bong, also referred to as a geeb, geebie, GB, jib, and multiple other terms, is a homemade method of consuming cannabis. Usually made of water bottles, a gravity bong uses air pressure and water to draw smoke out of the device. According to Urban Dictionary, the term "geeb" is simply a shortened version of the word gravity bong. Taking a "geeb" also refers to the act of taking a hit from a gravity bong.

Gravity bong method 1: Bucket bong

What You'll Need

gravity bong Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps
First, assemble what you need to make a bucket bong.

You'll need to assemble the following to make a bucket bong:

  • An empty plastic bottle
  • A container filled with water (it needs to be larger than your bottle, as you'll eventually need to push the bottle down into the container)
  • Scissors or box cutter
  • Drill
  • Downstem and bowl, or alternatively, aluminum foil

Time needed: 30 minutes

The first —and arguably most common — type of gravity bong is known as a bucket bong. Bucket gravity bongs use water to push smoke up and out of an empty bottle and into your lungs.

  1. Make the bong

    Begin by cutting the empty bottle in half. From here on out you will be using only the top half of the bottle, so feel free to toss the bottom half in the recycling bin.

    gravity bong

  2. Prepare the bowl

    You have a couple different options for this step. First, you can use an actual downstem and bowl — the same kind of downstem and bowl combination you'd use in a regular rig. This route requires you to drill a hole into the bottle top of your bottle. Press the downstem into this hole and slide the bowl into the downstem.

    making a gravity bong

    Tip: For best results, the hole you drill into the lid should be almost the exact same diameter as your downstem. When the downstem fits into the hole, it should be as airtight a fit as possible.

    gravity bong bowl downstem

    Alternatively, you can make a DIY bowl using a piece of aluminum foil. For this option, take a square piece of foil and fold in half to give it a bit of thickness. Place the foil over the top of your empty bottle. Gently press down with your fingertip to create a slight depression in the foil. Next, use a paperclip, toothpick, or some other tool to poke several small holes in the foil.

  3. Fill a bucket with water

    At this point your bong, including downstem and bowl, is all ready to go and it's time to fill your container with water. Don't fill it all the way to the top, as you will eventually push the bottle down into the water and you want to avoid spilling.

    how to make a gravity bong

  4. Get ready to smoke

    You're almost ready to spark up and take your first hit. Start the process by packing your bowl with a pinch of ground-up cannabis. Next, hold the geeb in one hand and gently push it down into the water.

    gravity bong

  5. Light your herb

    Keeping the gravity bong submerged in the water, use a lighter or hemp wick to ignite the cannabis. As it produces smoke, slowly and smoothly begin lifting the bottle up out of the water. This creates a vacuum that sucks the smoke down out of the bowl and into the empty bottle.

    gravity bong

    IMPORTANT: DO NOT LIFT THE BOTTLE ALL THE WAY OUT OF THE WATER OR YOU'LL LOSE ALL YOUR SMOKE!

    Lift the bottle up enough that it pulls all the smoke down into the bottle but does not fully emerge from the liquid.

  6. Inhale

    With the bottle now full of smoke, remove the downstem and bowl and place your mouth over the bottle opening.

    Gently and slowly push the bottle back down into the water. This will force the smoke up out of the bottle and into your lungs. If you don't want to clear the entire bottle at once, continue holding it in the water and put the downstem/bowl back on top to trap the smoke.

    gravity bong

Gravity bong method 2: Waterfall bong

The waterfall bong is a slightly simpler method requiring fewer components. Here's how to make and use a waterfall gravity bong.

What You'll Need

To make a waterfall geeb, you will need the following:

  • Empty plastic water bottle
  • Scissors or box cutter
  • Downstem and bowl, or alternatively, aluminum foil
  • Water

Step 1: Make your waterfall gravity bong

Begin by cutting a small hole in the bottom of the plastic bottle. It should be large enough to allow the liquid to flow out of easily, but small enough to cover with your finger.

Step 2: Prepare the bowl

As with the bucket bong version, you have two options to create a bowl for your geeb. To use an actual downstem and bowl, you will need to drill a hole into the lid of your bottle. Press the downstem into this hole then slide the bowl into the downstem. Again, the hole you drill into the lid should be almost the exact same diameter as your downstem to keep things airtight. 

You can make a bowl using a piece of aluminum foil. Fold a square piece of foil and place it over the top of the empty bottle. Gently press down with your fingertips to create a slight bowl shape and use a paperclip, toothpick, or some other tool to poke several small holes in the foil.

Step 3: Fill the bottle with water

Remove the downstem/bowl combination and put your finger over the hole in the bottom of the bottle. Now fill the bottle with water.

Step 4: Get ready to smoke

Hold your finger over the hole in the bottle to avoid spilling. Now, put your downstem/bowl combination back onto the top of the bottle and pack it with a pinch of ground-up marijuana.

Step 5: Fill the bottle with cannabis smoke

Ignite the cannabis. As it smokes, remove your finger from the hole in the bottom of the bottle and let the water rush out of the bottle. As the water pours out of the bottle, the smoke gets pulled down out of the bowl and into the bottle.

Step 6: Take a hit

Once the water in the geeb is replaced with smoke, quickly place your finger back over the hole on the bottom of the bottle to trap the smoke. When you're ready to take a hit from your new piece, simply remove the downstem and bowl, place your mouth over the opening, remove your finger from the hole in the bottom and inhale.

If you'd rather not clear the entire bottle at one time, put the downstem/bowl combination back on top of the bottle and cover the hole in the bottom with your finger. This traps the remaining smoke inside the bottle. You can also cover the hole in the bottom of the bottle with a piece of tape to not constantly hold your finger in place.

When you're ready for more, remove the downstem and bowl, position your mouth over the opening, remove your finger or tape from the hole in the bottom of the geeb, and inhale. Repeat the entire process until you clear the chamber.

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The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical or legal advice. This page was last updated on April 4, 2022.