How to Make a Rainbarrel

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Having your own rain barrel will allow you to "harvest" and store rain water, helping ease the load on water treatment plants and storm drains, meaning you'll save money in the long run. Plus, more immediately, using rain water for watering your plants and garden allows you to take advantage of a renewable natural resource and will decrease what you pay for water usage. Making a rain barrel is simple and inexpensive.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Saber saw (or keyhole saw)
Brass faucet
55-gallon food grade plastic barrel
Screen
Hoses to connect the barrels and distribute the rainwater
Silicon caulking
Epoxy glue
Chlorine bleach or food safe sterilizing powder or dish soap, vinegar and water
Power drill
5/8 Drill Bit

Making Your Rain Barrel

Step1

Start with a 55-gallon food grade plastic barrel. These are often available from recycling stores or you may be able to get one from a restaurant or food processing plant.

Step2

Clean the barrel out well. You can use a chlorine bleach solution or be more environmentally friendly and use a food safe sterilizing powder (that you mix with water) from winemaking stores. Alternatively, you could scrub the barrel with dish soap and rinse with vinegar and water.

Step3

Cut a 6-inch diameter hole in the lid of your barrel. Start by drilling a 1/4-inch hole and then use a saber saw to cut the hole to the proper diameter.

Step4

Fasten a piece of window screen onto the underside of the hole using epoxy glue, ensuring it covers the entire opening.

Step5

Purchase two brass faucets with 3/4-inch bases at your home store.

Step6

Drill a 5/8-inch hole about 3 or 4 inches up from the bottom of the barrel, then turn the barrel a quarter turn and drill another 5/8-inch hole 4 or 5 inches from the top.

Step7

Twist a brass faucet into each of the holes and run a bead of silicon caulking around the base of each tap.

Setting Up Your Rain Barrel

Step1

Build a box frame from sturdy lumber or place a couple of cement blocks close together near the downspout of your existing rain gutter system.

Step2

Remove the elbow at the base of your down spout and then use a hack saw to shorten the downspout so it ends above the top of your rain barrel.

Step3

Replace the elbow on the shortened downspout, positioning it so rainwater is directed into the hole in the lid.

Step4

Attach a hose to the tap on the base of your rain barrel so you can control the flow of stored rainwater to your plants and garden. Also attach a hose to the tap on the top making sure it drains at least 3 feet away from your house to carry off any overflow when the barrel is full.

Step5

Wait for it to rain.

Tips & Warnings

Rainwater is mineral free and "soft" so it's great for watering both indoor and outdoor plants.
You can increase your water storage capacity by joining multiple barrels together. Connect them with hoses at the overflow openings.
The higher you position your rain barrels the more water pressure you will have if you want to use gravity to "power" an irrigation system.
Never use rainwater for cooking or drinking.
Be sure to keep the lid securely fastened so animals or children can't get in to the barrel.