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  1. #1

    Question Help with water barrel?

    Hey everyone! Seeing as I recently built a raised garden, making sure everything is water is now a priority. As such, I also want to help minimize my water bill during this summer. I've done research online and found that what I would want to do is make a rain barrel to collect water from my roof and gutters of my house.

    Assuming that I am unable to obtain a barrel to use, I am willing to go the route of building a large wooden box that, lined with some type of waterproofing material, would contain the water. Can anyone recommend a good material to line wood with so that it will be able to contain water?

    Also, please comment on my thoughts for designing the barrel (regardless of whether or not I obtain an actual barrel or build one myself):

    The barrel will be placed on some brick pavers so that it is raised. Two spigots will be attached near the bottom of the barrel, one for filling a water can and one for a drip irrigation-type system. Ideally for the drip irrigation system, I would have a hose connected to the spigot that would be lined with holes and it would snake underneath my garden. For an overflow, I will be attaching a PVC pipe at the top to route water into a nearby sump pump system.

    So, can anyone help me out or comment? Thanks!

  2. #2

    Default Water Barrel - Cody Wellard

    I think your plan sounds excellent, unless you can get a plastic barrel new, you are never sure what chemical might be stored in them. Let us know how it turns out. Some photos would be great!

  3. #3

    Default Nice!

    I'd check out this link it might have some ideas for you.
    http://58a9ejo0onmgoj7jmytesypq7f.hop.clickbank.net/

    Also places like Lowes may have a DIY project on their site.


    Save on your Grocery Bill!
    http://47f11uqykyray79jbdsf3way45.hop.clickbank.net/

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    Hey everyone! Seeing as I recently built a raised garden, making sure everything is water is now a priority. As such, I also want to help minimize my water bill during this summer. I've done research online and found that what I would want to do is make a rain barrel to collect water from my roof and gutters of my house.

    Assuming that I am unable to obtain a barrel to use, I am willing to go the route of building a large wooden box that, lined with some type of waterproofing material, would contain the water. Can anyone recommend a good material to line wood with so that it will be able to contain water?

    Also, please comment on my thoughts for designing the barrel (regardless of whether or not I obtain an actual barrel or build one myself):

    The barrel will be placed on some brick pavers so that it is raised. Two spigots will be attached near the bottom of the barrel, one for filling a water can and one for a drip irrigation-type system. Ideally for the drip irrigation system, I would have a hose connected to the spigot that would be lined with holes and it would snake underneath my garden. For an overflow, I will be attaching a PVC pipe at the top to route water into a nearby sump pump system.

    So, can anyone help me out or comment? Thanks!
    Hey Mike,

    Did you ever find a way to waterproof your barrels? I actually found someone else with a similar problem... apparently he had paraffin lining his wooden water barrel. Someone else suggested Brewers Pitch.

    Anyways, hope you were successful!
    There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.
    -Marshall McLuhan

    www.greenthumbdepot.com

  5. #5
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    Default

    I went redneck on this one and have two 32 gallon plastic trash cans as my rain barrel.

    For the last three seasons I was just dipping the watering can into the rain pig and it worked well.

    This year I coupled two cans together using two electrical-box bulkheads designed for watertight coupling to flexible conduit, a length of hose, and some hose clamps. I did this about 100 mm above the bottom so that as one barrel fills the second seeks the same level.

    If you sneak a T fitting into the hose between the barrels you can have a hose to fill watering cans with using the natural pressure.

    The trash cans were about $10 each on sale, the bulkheads were about $1.75 each, and I had the hose clamps around the shop.

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