Friday, September 17, 2010

Painting a Few Rain Barrels



From In the Garden
Rain barrels are a must for recyclers and avid gardeners who may want to conserve water, or maybe just use rain water instead of tap water to water their plants. Rain barrels are something I have wanted for a very long time. My grandmother used to have a rain barrel. It wasn't fancy. Just an old metal barrel placed in a location to receive rain water. She would dip her watering cans in the barrel to fill them with water. I remember her telling me rain water is so much better for the plants than tap water. I am not sure how true that is, but the benefits of reusing rain water rather than letting it all drain away is much better for all of us. On that note I have been planning to make some rain barrels for Tiger Gardens for nearly three years now (shhh-a bit of procrastination on my part but hey). Anyhow, we are nearing completion and I thought I'd share one part of making my rain barrels with you today. I am not finished making them but have all the parts and need only to drill the holes and figure out a way to tap into the gutters then I'm set. Sounds easy right? Not really. The easy part is the painting so let's look at how I painted mine.

From In the Garden

The first thing I did was procure three 55 gallon black plastic food grade rain barrels from a local auto parts store (Frogue Auto Sales). The cost was $12 per but the Clarksville Re-Store has white ones for $10. There are other sources around as well if you are interested in other sources just email me. I prefer the black barrels so the water can soak up all the sun-what little my home gets here. Once I had the rain barrels my next step was to clean them well and to coat them with Fusion plastic paint. I wanted a subdued color and one that would blend with the surroundings. I settled on a brown textured paint as you can see in the picture above. I only painted two of the three barrels because one of the barrels will be my water source inside my greenhouse and I preferred for it to stay black and simple. I may add something to that barrel later but since it will be tucked into an already space starved greenhouse it need not be fancy because I doubt anyone but me will see it.
From In the Garden
My first rain barrel with the words 'Tiger Gardens' on it and a beautiful sunset was pretty easy. I used good quality acrylics and patio paints. In my high school years I used to paint a LOT. My grandmother, who was an excellent artist, passed on her oils and acrylics to me. I treasure them and recently found them and decided to start painting with them again. I had stopped painting once I had my twins just out of high school but they are grown now and I have more time to spend outside of the garden so I might start painting again.

I spent a lot of time on this sunset trying to get it just right. You know how you have a picture of something in your mind and the reality doesn't always translate well? Painting is like that for me. I was not happy with my sunset until my teenaged son came and asked me, "Did you paint that sunset?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "All by yourself??" I said "Yyyeeesss." He then said, "You are a pretty good artist!" I know I've arrived to a great place when my teenager likes something his mother did! That doesn't happen too often.


The second rain barrel did not go as well. I had a clear picture in my mind of what my rain barrel would look like with an iris (Tennessee's State Flower) on it. Unfortunately, what that picture in my mind looked like was not translated to my hand all that well:( Sometimes that happens. Nonetheless, I'm happy with my newly painted rain barrels and have their spots picked out already. Now to drill those holes....

in the garden....more to come later.

I forgot to say I coated the final paintings with a clear coat of polyurethane spray paint and I'm hoping that makes the paintings last!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

21 comments:

  1. I love them~Yes that's a great sunset~ Must get my rain barrel act together. I have one, but that's not enough! gail

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  2. That's a terrific idea, Tina. They both look pretty good to me! I bet they will be perfect in your garden.
    It is good you got to use those paints again.

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  3. Tina,
    I saw some rain barrels painted pretty with flowers and such at the Durham Farmers market for $100 a few weeks ago. These look great. Some pointers on the fittings. The outlet tube at the top I'd use 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe, you can send the pipe where ever you want easily. The other tip is if you cut out for a screen on the top be sure to make it large so it won't clog up. Yours might be better to pipe the downspout right into it.

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  4. Gail, Thanks!

    Rosey, Thanks! Yes on the paints. I miss my grandmother as I know you do yours.

    Randy, Thanks on the info. PVC it is for the outlet pipe. I haven't figured out how I'll tie the barrels in to the gutters yet. Need to get busy soon as it is cooling down:( Might have to wait until next year now.

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  5. Could have used those here yesterday ... a deluge! Great idea ... very creative, Tina. Happy weekend :)

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  6. They look great! I've looked around down here but haven't stumbled across the right kind of barrel yet. I did buy rain barrel recently and have been using it frequently. Well worth the purchase! How are you going to direct the rain water to the barrel inside you greenhouse? I was thinking of something similar in mine but haven't worked out how to do it yet.

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  7. Wow! Great job! And give yourself an extra pat on the back because you got your teen to say that. That is like a rainstorm in the desert!

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  8. I have seen some type of gutter that you can add about mid-way to your downspout gutter! I do not know where I have seen them though. Ok, just called the Saint and he said we saw them at Lowes in the garden center but that was part of a barrel and system you purchase complete. But with Mr Fixit being a fabricator, maybe he can look at them and make you one!

    I went to your greenhouse link and was surprised. I have been wondering why you had not posted on your greenhouse, only to discover you have posted on it! I looked at the date and it was May 3, the day of a sad funeral and my parents house flooding. So that is why I missed it. Girl, it looks great and such wonderful info you shared with anyone interesting in getting one of their own.

    You know I love the paintings on the barrels and I really do think that one with the sunset would look awesome by my Beach Themed Planter! Hee hee…

    Everyone have a great weekend. We will be hard at work in the yard…

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  9. Joey, If you have some contacts please some of that rain my way:)

    Dave, I am not going to use the rain barrel in the greenhouse as a water catcher. I'll cheat and fill it up with the hose. I know, cheesy but it works. The water 'source' will be close to my plants and save me SO much time watering this winter provided I can keep my greenhouse warm and leave the plants there. As a bonus, the water will be sited to get sun and get warmed during the day and hopefully release the heat at night when the plants need it. My hose is fairly far from my greenhouse and so I thought filling a rain barrel once would be a big help. The water should stay warm too when in the winter the hoses might freeze. I know this won't work for your greenhouse but you can easily hook up a rain barrel or two on the outside of yours to catch water then run a hose inside the greenhouse for watering? I know you'll figure it out.

    Sunita, Thanks! Yes indeed you know you've arrived when a teen approves. Makes my day!

    Skeeter, Get you a rain barrel and I'll paint a sunset then. They are fairly easy now that I've done one. I've seen those adapters but have not found them yet. Sometimes Home Depot or Rural King has them. Yup, the greenhouse is up. It took some time but is really looking good and holding up-now to figure out how to heat it this winter as I will need it in another month or so.

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  10. Great job Tina, love your paintings. And oh my to get your teenager to give out such compliments - you must have floated around on a cloud for weeks. I know I would have. They look great!

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  11. Will try again to comment. Trouble with blogger of something early this A.M. before PT.
    Love those rain barrels. The beautiful pics on them will just be great & look great in your garden even tho it's close to your house. I've wanted one for a long time. I have the perfect place. Maybe soon.
    My Fall veggies are coming up. Lettuce {if it survives} will be a bumper crop. I think every seed came up. It looks like a sea of green.Did some more of my potting up for winter so I can watch the plants closer. Lost too many last winter. I was heart sick as some of them I had had for yrs.
    Tina, do I need to take my Hyacinth Bean Vine down. I don't think it will bloom anymore. Something is eating the bean pods.

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  12. You creative woman! I love how you painted them, I should of done that to mine. :)

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  13. Tina girl ! how are you !
    I have never seen a rain barrel painted like this and it is a great idea because you make it more of an individual one suited for your own garden ! I don't know why more aren't done like this : )
    I have so little room I only have one rain barrel but wow ! it comes in handy and was one of my best purchases for the garden !
    Keep painting girl !
    Joy : )

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  14. Good for you! I'm impressed that you paint - I can't do it at all. I've been looking at rain barrels, but the ones I like are quite expensive. Maybe someday, especially if our water situation turns bad eventually.

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  15. You're always surprising me, Tina, and here is another hidden talent of yours! I think the paintings look great, but a teenaged son's compliment has to be the highest praise:) And what a clever way to add some beauty to an otherwise rather ugly container.

    I found out our MG office has some information on making inexpensive rainbarrels like these; since I've wanted one for so long, I really should check it out. Sounds like a good winter project.

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  16. Mom,
    There is a company named Friskars that sells kits which tap into the gutter to divert the water. It will also allow the water to drain from the gutter when the barrel fills. I think that the kits are not too expensive. We have a Friskars rain barrel and the kit was easy to install.

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  17. Your barrels are awesome!!! I love the artwork!!! :0) I hope it is weather proof!

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  18. These are really sweet - and you are truly a woman of amazing talent! To even have the IDEA to paint these is to be steps ahead of ME (but that's probably not saying much)!

    We have two commercial rain barrels and have been very thankful for them. (They came with the kit to connect to gutters, etc.) I'm thinkin' I could at least stencil a couple of words on them!

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  19. Really good job. I paint everything too. They will look good doing their job. And to have teenager notice, you know they are good.

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  20. We are always more critical of our work than others. I think your art is lovely! I am in awe of those who can produce such images. It's cool that your son said what he did.

    Enjoy your rain barrels! I have a couple blue plastic ones.

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  21. Hey Tina, these are great! I admire your artwork & creativity...not to mention getting those rain barrels ready to go! I still don't have one after having that 'giveaway' in APril w/the Fiskars' rainbarrel. Someone commented above on the 'kit' they sell...I do recall that they have one where you cut your raingutter and add a fitting to it so the water when it's full the rest of the water will continue out through the gutter. Hope you find a good method to hook them up! You've reminded me that I like to paint, too...I have some acrylics in my basement and before I became addicted to the computer I used to be a bit creative, too. I wonder if I'll ever find time for it. I'm not a great artist but do find pleasure in it nonetheless;-) Your work is really impressive!

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