Water Not Included! - DIY Rain Barrel

Spring in Chicago has been slow to surface this year.  The weather does seem to have moved away from the really chilly temperatures and more into the rainy April weather that is pretty typical this time of year.  I have been breathing a big sigh of relief after last summer's scorching high temperatures and drought-like conditions left my yard and garden in a pretty sad state.  All of this glorious rain means my yard will be ready to "spring" into action after we get just a few sunny, warm days.  My hearts go out to everyone who is dealing with flooding and damage in the area though; certainly that is a very bad result of this deluge and we can only hope that the worst of it is behind us.

After spending all of last summer filling countless watering cans, running sprinklers and paying our inflated water bill, I committed to find a more cost-effective solution to watering our flowerbeds, pots and veggies.  One of my good friends has always been environmentally conscience and she tried to get me to install a rain barrel years ago, but I never had the motivation to actually do it.  So, thanks to that crazy high water bill and that fabulous little addition to our lives called Pinterist, I set out on my newly inspired mission and found no shortage of DIY pages on how to build and install a rain barrel.  Who knew there were so many ways to build a can that holds water!  :)

Spigot secured into the side of the can;
you can see the black gasket ring sealed
up the opening.

All of the items you need for this project can be purchased at a local hardware store.  I did some price comparisons on the pre-assembled barrels and I'm happy to report that by "DIY'ing it" I saved approximately $45-$100 depending on which brand or type of barrel you purchase.  So while the DIY version isn't the most attractive addition to the landscape, I was able to find a garbage can that matches my siding color almost exactly.  And, I managed to tuck it in an inconspicuous space where the greenery should fill in quite nicely.  [As an aside:  The ones you can purchase mostly look like faux brown barrels anyway and unless you want to spend big bucks on the "hipster looking" retro, reclaimed wood versions, (which are gorgeous!) you are likely going to be left with few options anyway!

You will see two washers but we ended
up only using one of them

I followed a few different websites/directions when I completed my project which allowed me to customize it.  The first thing you need is a sturdy garbage can with a tight fitting lid.  Don't skimp and get a cheap one because you need it to hold up well when it is filled with water.  This is the most expensive purchase you will need for the project.


Drill a hole towards the bottom of the garbage can just a little bit smaller than the hole in the spigot you purchased.  You want it to be pretty far down so you can get at the water that is in the can.  Thread the plumbers tape around the threads, put one of the gasket rings onto the neck of the spigot (so it will sit flush up against the side of the garbage can) and push/screw it into the opening in the can.  You want it to be snug and tight so it will take some muscle!

Take the large washer and fit it around the female bib (fancy name for the piece that you are going to screw to the back side of the spigot to hold it in place) and then use the second rubber gasket to ensure it seals up nice and tight.  Doing this should ensure you don't get any leaks around the gasket and will hold the spigot tightly against the side to ensure it has some stability.  You will have to climb inside the garbage can to get this part fitted in place so it is most helpful if you have someone to hold onto the gasket to keep it in place and hold the can itself.

The next step is to cut a hole in the lid of the can.  You will want to cut it to fit best with the shape of the downspout you will be using.  I used a utility knife/blade to cut the hole.  It takes some strength but the cover is pretty pliable so if you are patient you can get a nice neat hole.

Close up of the overflow hose

I found a great adaptable plastic piece that fit over our existing downspout and also allowed me to bend it into place perfectly so I didn't need to be very exact with the hole I cut.  Before you fit the lid into place, if you are going to create an overflow tube, you should drill that hole and fit the hose and secure it now toward the very top of the can.  This is necessary because you won't be able to access the inside of the garbage can from this point forward.  We drilled ours on the opposite side as the gasket and directed it away from the can.  It will serve as a great way to water the flower bed (double duty!).

Black landscaping mesh covering
the hole will keep the debris and
insects out of the water source.

Now it is finally time to seal up the can!  To ensure that bugs and debris don't get into the water it is necessary that you cover the barrel with mesh or screen.  I had a partial roll left over from last summer and it was easy to cut it to shape.  Be sure it covers the top so the lid can fit tightly over it.  You can go around and cut off the excess if you prefer.  I used some extra twine we had and wrapped that around the can lid just to clean up the excess material and secure it even more, although it is an extra step you don't need to take if you don't want to.

Before you set the can in place, you will want to arrange the bricks to make a level platform for the can.  Once it is filled with water the rain barrel will be very heavy so its important that it is level and gives the barrel a sturdy place to rest.  You also want to think carefully and pick a location for the water barrel that works best for your yard and gardening situation.  It will have to be a location that you can tie in the downspout from an existing gutter - - the collection source for the water!

Another reason you want to elevate the can with the brick platform is so you can fill up a watering can. My suggestion is that you do a 'dry run' (no pun intended!) to measure the height of the platform along with the can and your favorite watering can.  A little pre-planning can make all the difference in a project like this.   Get all the materials together and then walk through each step of the process - - what you will do first, second, etc.  That will allow you to predict any potential problems or assemble issues you might have with your particular location.

Finished project installed and ready for the rain! You can see how the
spigot is elevated enough to fit the watering can underneath.

Set the empty barrel on top of the bricks and turn the spigot to where you want it (and can fill your watering can), arrange the run off hose and set up the downspout so that it flows directly into the hole you cut into the cover.  From there, all that is left to do is wait for the rain to fill up the can.

Just one day after we got ours into place we got about 7" of rain in the course of about a week so that run off/overflow proved to be important for us.  I almost wish I had set up two of the barrels to capture all that valuable water!!

As DIY/home improvement projects go, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to complete. Most of my friends will attest to the fact that I am usually the type of person who over thinks things, and tries to get too "fancy" with projects; it doesn't get much simpler than this.

If you have flowers or plants you need to water this year and want to save some money while making a positive impact on the environment, I encourage you to install one of these yourself.  So there you go....one beautiful DIY rain barrel just waiting to gather precious rain water to help make my garden grow.

May Flowers Here We Come!

Materials:
Garbage Can and Lid
Hose bib (spigot) and matching female bib
1 Large Washer
2 Rubber Gasket rings
White plumbers tape
Landscape Mesh or Screen
Downspout Adapter or elbows (as needed)
Overflow hose (optional) and female connecter
Landscaping bricks or blocks 

Tools:
Drill and bit
Exacto knife
Screwdriver