A rain barrel is a great way to reduce the costs of gardening, make a positive environmental impact, and have water accessible even if none is available through household plumbing. Ideally a rain barrel should not sit directly on the ground, so if you are considering installing one in your garden, you'll also need a stand. One of the most common options is a standard wood stand on bricks. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Place the site for the rain barrel and stand near a building with gutters and downspouts as that is how water is collected and funneled into the rain barrel. You'll need an area of about 4 by 4 feet to position the barrel and stand.
2. Dig about 4 to 5 inches inches down. Dig an area about 3 feet by 3 feet. The ground must be flat and even, so use the level to make sure there is no slope. Create a solid base by filling the area in with about 2 inches of sand. This will make the stand more stable and also help with drainage. The top of the sand will be about 2 to 3 inches below ground level.
3. Place the paving bricks onto the bed of sand. The stones should be level, or slightly above, the ground. Create a square foundation with the bricks as the stand will sit on the brick foundation.
4. Cut 2-by-4s into five boards, each 30 inches long. These will be used to build a frame for the stand. Two boards will be used as end pieces, two will be used as cross pieces and one will be used as a middle, support board. Place three boards parallel to each other. You will have one board in the middle and then the other two boards will be 14 inches on either side of this middle board. The boards should be standing on their sides so the narrow part of the board will be facing the ground. Place the two end-piece boards against either end of the three cross pieces. You should now have a square. Attach the boards together, using the screws and electric drill. It should now be all connected and be in a square shape.
5. Place the wood frame onto the brick foundation. Make sure it is level and does not tilt or rock. Cut the 1-by-2 boards into 30-inch lengths. Place the 1-by-2 boards on the frame so that they are perpendicular to the middle board, which will be used for support. Fasten the 1-by-2s to the 2-by-4 frame, using screws. Place the boards next to each other, but leave about 1/2 inch between each so water can drain from the stand and air can circulate to prevent rotting.
6. Stain or paint the stand, using a water-repellent product. The stand will probably be wet most of the time, so it is important to keep water from penetrating the wood. Once the paint has dried, place the rain barrel onto the stand.
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