Weather was and is a fickle thing. Sometimes, we have heavy rains in the spring that can flood your backyard home, but by the end of May and the beginning of June the rains usually stop and the grass starts to brown.
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Of course, you can consider watering your garden and lawn, but the water bill can be expensive. Making a rain barrel is a smart and great solution if you want to lower your water bill and keep your garden and lawn alive, not to mention that a rain barrel is an eco-friendly solution.
A 6o gallon barrel can store enough water to keep your lawn alive during the summer season.
Materials & Tools
– 40 to 60 gallon wood or plastic barrel with lid;
– Water spigots – 2 pieces;
– Adhesive – superglue or plumbing caulk;
– Window screen – 1 piece;
– Circular saw;
– Tape measure;
Making Your Own Rain Barrel
Building a water barrel is quite simple. You need only a little patience and some basic skills.
1| First you need to prepare your barrel. Using a tape measure, measure 3-inches from the base of your barrel. This will be the front of your rain barrel.
Cut a hole with a diameter of about 1-inch in the barrel center. This hole will be the waterspout of your rain barrel.
Cut a second hole with a diameter of 1-inch, 1 to 2-inches from the barrel top. Place this second hole on the right or left side of your barrel. This hole will be the overflow spot of the rain barrel.
2| Place a spigot into the barrel center hole. Push firmly until your spigot is fitted in the hole. If your spigot does not fit easily, use a saw to shave the circumference of the hole until your spigot will fit loosely inside it. Then, glue around or add a layer of caulk to secure the spigot into its place. Proceed similar with the second spigot for the overflow hole, on the right or left side of your rain barrel.
3| Prepare your lid. You need to remove the barrel lid. Using your tape measure find the center of the lid and then cut a hole with a diameter of about 4-inches in this center.
The next step is to cut a circle with a diameter of 6-inches out of the window screen. It will be the rain barrel filter.
Apply a thin layer of glue around the inside perimeter of your lid hole and then place your window screen patch over the lid hole.
Allow time to glue to dry and then you can reattach the lid to your rain barrel.
Rain Barrel Installation
You can place your rain barrel on the corner of your house, where trees do not block it. It is a good idea to place some rocks or bricks under your barrel. In this way, you will have an easier access to the front waterspout. Make sure you check regularly your rain barrel for overflow, especially on days with heavy rains.
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