Easily repair a broken rain barrel

Easily repair a broken rain barrel

Silicone, the all-rounder?

Whether in the bathroom, in the kitchen or with moving objects, if a crack has formed in the material, the amateur do-it-yourselfer reaches for the silicone bottle. Usually he is right with this choice also gold. However, if the rain barrel is broken, the silicone will only last to a limited extent. Most of the time, rain barrels (€ 149.95 at Amazon *) are exposed to increased weather. Seals that consist solely of silicone therefore only last for a short time. Therefore, you need to combine the sealant with other fabrics.

also read

  • Seal holes in the rain barrel
  • Prepare the rain barrel for winter
  • Filling a rain barrel

Seal holes

  1. You need a soldering iron, a welding machine and another piece of polypropylene (if your rain barrel is made of plastic).
  2. This should cover the entire hole in your rain barrel.
  3. It is best to use a cut-out piece of a comparable rain barrel.
  4. Place the piece on the inside of the hole in your rain barrel.
  5. Weld the replacement part on with a soldering iron.
  6. As soon as the material liquefies under the influence of heat, carefully brush the pieces together.

Caution: There can be flying sparks when welding. Therefore, never do the work in closed rooms. You should also remove all flammable objects as far as possible outdoors. Dry lawn also harbors

Quick help from the hardware store

Unfortunately, using a welding machine is only an option if the barrel walls are sufficiently thick. Otherwise, you will destroy the material more than you will repair it. In this case, the hardware store has the solution. Here you can find bitumen tape. The tool is similar to tape, but is much more robust. Alternatively, you can get tar-like material that is actually used to seal gutters. Certain fibers ensure increased resilience.

Dispose of the rain barrel

Unfortunately, sometimes the damage to the rain barrel is so great that it is not worth repairing. Here you can find out how to dispose of your old model in this case. Perhaps you can use your broken rain barrel for other purposes and be inspired by the following ideas:

  • Raised bed in the rain barrel
  • Plant the rain barrel