Building a rain barrel can be an excellent way to save on your water bill and make use of a free, natural resource. Here's how you can build one for yourself.
Tools and Materials
Before we begin, let's gather all the necessary tools and materials.
Tools:
- Hacksaw
Materials:
- Barrel
- Downspout connectors
- Filter
- Crushed gravel or pavers
- Valve
- Garden hose
- Watering bucket
Step 1: Dry Run
Place the barrel near the downspout that you want to connect it to. The goal here is to "dry fit" the arrangement so you can be sure that you have enough space to fit the barrel and the right materials (lengths, etc) to make the connections. The barrel should be on crushed gravel or pavers. Be sure to buy the connectors first so it will be much easier to fit the three connectors.
Step 2: Fit downspout into Barrel
Install a filter to prevent debris from getting into the barrel. Attach a downspout by cutting it with a hacksaw and then fitting sections so that the downspout fittings fit into the filter.
Step 3: Install a valve on the barrel
Install a valve toward the bottom of the barrel so that you can fill a watering bucket. It can also connect to a garden hose.
