How to make the best rain barrel

DIY Plans for making a rain barrel that overcomes all the known issues with current free plan designs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• These are the tools used to make this rain barrel from a plastic drum:
• Drill with 3/8” drill bit
• Jig saw with a blade that will cut plastic
• Hacksaw
• Mat knife
• Safety goggles Materials and Supplies needed: closed top barrel
• Teflon® tape
• Plumber’s putty or silicone caulk
• 2 or 3 Cinder blocks or elevated platform
• 4” Corrugated plastic drain pipe
• 1 “Full Flow Poly” Water Shut-Off valve
• 2 PVC male adapters, 3/4”
• 1 PVC Street L (90 degree elbow)
• 1 Short length of 3/4” PVC tubing (4.5”)
• 1 Tile adapter
• 1 PVC DWV male adapter, 3”
• 1 Conduit locknut, 3”
• Flex-A-Spout gutter extender
• Downspout diverter

1. 
   Clear and level the area for the rain barrel

   Locate your downspout.
   Clear away enough room for your rain barrel and any platform you are going to set it on.
   Level the ground where the cinder blocks or elevated base will hold your plastic food grade rain barrel.

2. 
   cutting the inlet hole into the rain barrel

   Rotate the plastic barrel so that the “bung holes” are facing the ground and the smooth bottom end is “up.”
   Drill a 3/8” starter hole for the jig saw blade and cut the hole for the rain barrel downspout adapter.
   Place the jig saw into the starter hole and cut inside the line you drew for the adapter.

3. 
   cutting the outlet hole in the rain barrel

   Drill another 3/8” starter hole for the jig saw blade in the side of the barrel.
   Place the blade of the jig saw into the starter hole and cut inside the line you traced from the plastic fitting.

4. 
   screw overflow port in place

   Insert overflow port into hole and screw lock washer in place.

5. 
   Screw the hose assembly into the bottom of the rain bbarrel

   Cut the nipple out of the bung plug. Glue the plumbing fittings together and screw hose assembly in place.

6. 
   Place flexible downspout into downspout adapter

   Put rain barrel in place on top of concrete blocks (or wooden stand). Measure and cut downspout. Attach downspout diverter, downspout debris collector and or flexible hose to the downspout adapter.

7. 

   Connect overflow pipe and gardenhose

[aquabarrel]

on 6/15/2009 Trash can plastic is NOT designed to hold liquids. Penny wise, pound foolish as the trash can will not last nearly as long as a barrel designed to hold liquids. Check out the rain barrel kits for those that have a barrel - here: http://www.aquabarrel.com

[Danarax]

on 6/15/2009 This is a great article. These plastic barells are expensive though. I could'nt find one for less then $75 dollars so I used a commercial grade Rubber Maid 32 gallon trash can.