Have you already thought of positioning an old wine barrel as a rain barrel in winter or autumn under a downpipe? If so, there are some options for environmentally friendly water saving and for a rustic look outdoors. Most garden owners know how expensive water can be, whereby rain barrels can also act as water storage and as a decoration element. In addition, the reuse of old natural materials as an alternative to plastic is an environmentally friendly concept that seems to be advantageous for more and more people. So if you want to increase water consumption efficiency in your household, you will find some great options and tips below.
Before reusing a used wine barrel as a rain barrel
To the obviousBenefits of rainwaterOf course, the free use of natural resources for various purposes belongs. Rainwater is also naturally soft and free of minerals, chlorine and other chemicals that occur in urban water from processing plants. The upcycling of wine barrels as rain barrels is not a new idea because people have been doing this for centuries. However, this is more popular than ever given the current world situation. In addition, a wine barrel holds around 230 liters, which can contribute enormously to sustainability in a household. In addition, you can derive rainwater from your house and concentrate on different areas of your property. In summer, saved water can be used optimally, for example, to irrigate plants and to wash garden paths and can contribute to savings on water bill.
However, before you carry out such a project to install Weinfass as a rain barrel on your property, you should ensure that the wood is treated in such a way that it withstands UV radiation and moisture. It helps to protect the wood, protect cracks and grain. It is also important to keep the moisture content moderately. You may need to add some wood oil to the barrels so that you do not shrink or tear. You can also add a layer of silicone or other sealing material to prevent the barrels from soaking. These protective coatings hold the liquid inside and protect the barrels outside from weather influences. Accordingly, the silicone can also be inserted into the sheet hole. You should then leave the barrels standing for at least an hour before you start filling them. This is important because too much moisture can lead to mold formation.
Good reasons for use of rainwater from wine barrels
A wine barrel is an ideal choice of collecting rainwater, not only because it looks great in itself, but also because they can decorate it. There are also decorative wine barrels that can be bought online and a rain bin can also be made from it. If you plan to use the barrel to collect rainwater, be sure to buy a lid and a cork for it. Before using a wine barrel as a rain barrel, it is also crucial to rehydrate it properly. Wine barrels are often leaking when they are outdoors for a long time. To solve this problem, fill the barrel with water and leave it until it swells. However, this technology is only suitable if you have a dense wine barrel. For this purpose, you have to make sure that your barrel is absolutely waterproof.
Even if you have no gutters or fall tubes, rainwater can be captured into a wine barrel from the roof. Just watch the next time the water flows and place your barrel in the corresponding area. Another old -fashioned idea is to lay a rope or a chain at an angle on your roof. The rainwater will follow the rope, whereby you can see where it comes from the roof and position the wine barrel there. With all these variants, remove or cut the top of your barrel and place it where the best drainage areas are. Incidentally, there are also kits with which you can add a second or even more barrels to your collection system. In the following you will find an example of such installation.
Building instructions for the conversion of wine barrels as a rain barrel
If you are determined to convert a used wooden barrel in rain barrel, there are some simple steps that you can follow. You can realize such a DIY project over the weekend if you get the required materials and tools in advance. You may already have some of them, but here are the necessary things that you can buy and use inexpensively.
- Weinfass
- Case with a tap for rain barrels
- Protective glasses
- Safety gloves
- drill
- Pencil
- Tape
- Kreuzschlitz screwdriver
- Scales
- Stone slabs or paving stones
- Gravel or earth
Apart from the materials listed above, a kit for rain barrels usually contains everything you need for construction. Taps, hose, conversions and possibly even the hole saws. The instructions contained in the kit are usually also very detailed, but if you are more of a visual learner, you can also watch the video above and adapt the construction process to your wine barrel. Otherwise you will find a step-by-step instructions below.
Instructions for assembly from the wine barrel as a rain barrel
- Before you mount your rain barrel, select and prepare the location where you want to use it.
- The wine barrel should not be more than 70 cm from the downpipe and the downpipe should be wide enough to drill.
- It is also important to ensure that the soil is just and firm before you put your barrel in its place.
- As soon as your base is prepared, mark the front of the barrel for the cone and check whether the hose can range from the edge of your barrel to your downpipe.
- Install the cones and drain and break out the power tools. It is then time to install the cones and the drain.
- The tap hole should be approximately 30 cm from the bottom of its barrel, and the drain hole should be a. Be 8 cm from the floor.
- After measuring and marking the holes, use a drill and the small hole saw to drill the holes.
- Then insert the rubber seals in both holes and then install the pin and the process.
- When the front of the barrel is ready, it is time to go to the back to install the seal of the filling hose.
- After careful measurement, drill a hole with the middle hole saw and insert the filling hose seal.
- Before you do anything, carefully measure the position of the hole in your downpipe. Then use the large hole saw to cut the hole.
- As soon as the hole is cut, insert the diversion into the hole. Then use 2 screws with a cross slot screwdriver to fix the transformer firmly to the downpipe.
- To complete your DIY regent barrel, first connect the hose to the transformer of the downpipe. Make sure you squash until the corrugated part of the hose is flush with the deflection.
- Then extend your hose to the desired length and connect it to the hose seal on your barrel.
- Finally, check whether the hose is flush with the seal and your DIY regent barrel is ready.
More tips for using the rain barrel
- Rainwater from your DIY regent barrel is perfect for your flowers and vegetables, but it is not recommended for consumption by pets or humans.
- If you also grind the barrel, stain and seal and then apply a nice paint to the outside, it would last much longer.
- Take your time to seal the outside and complete this on a weekend, or at least remove the painter tape from the metal. Do not leave the painting tape for more than 48 hours.
- On occasion, make a simple filtration of gravel and activated carbon to avoid the accumulation of sediments or contaminants in the barrel.
- A transparent plastic tube that connects the downpipe with the barrel looks beautiful, but can develop algae.
- To hibernate, you should first remove the screws from the downpipe and remove the recipient.
- Next, empty the barrel completely and make sure that the water is being removed from the foundation of your house.
- Finally, cover the hole in the downpipe with the winter hole cover, which is usually included in the kit and attach it to screws.
