Set up a rain barrel in three easy steps.

I set up my first rain barrel today! After some days of hesitation about making a permanent cut in a metal downspout, I put on my work gear (rain coat and rain boots today), grabbed the tools on my list, and set out to get the job done. I'll admit I had been hesitant for a while. It seemed like 'a big deal' to set up a rain barrel. I had never done it before and being a bit of a perfectionist, I wanted to do it right. Well, here's what I did.

Above you see the existing conditions of the first rain barrel site. This is the north side of my house. The downspout normally leads into a drain tile that disperses the water. Here I set up about three inches of stone paver to put the rain barrel on (I ultimately used one paver, not two), adjacent to the existing downspout so that it can be reconnected during the winter months. The downspout will be cut to a shorter length making it the right height to lead water through a plastic elbow into the rain barrel.
Here's my gear:
Plastic elbow to reroute the water (with glove for scale):

Hack saw:

Soaker hose:

Step 1.
Set up all the equipment and draw a line where the downspout will be cut.


I set up all the equipment where it should be to measure where to cut the downspout. It's not in this picture but I did curve the plastic elbow and hold it up above the rain barrel to draw a pencil line where I should cut the downspout.

Step 2.
Cut the downspout with the hack saw.

As you can see in this picture, I had to switch to a different hack saw to complete the cut. Being unfamiliar with saw lingo, I can only say that the first saw was too narrow to cut through the entire width of the downspout.

Step 3.
Hook up the equipment!

Make sure your rain barrel base (I used one stone paver) is sturdy and mostly level. Put the rain barrel on top and center it. My pavers are a bit small for the base of my barrel so I have the back side a little over the edge but against the wall of the house. Fit the plastic elbow over the bottom of the downspout and curve it to lead to the top and center of the rain barrel. I have also attached a soaker hose to disperse the water and to lead it towards my garden.