Not everything that is useful always looks beautiful. The best example of this is probably the rain barrel. Most models have a uniform dark green paint job. Of course, it is inexpensive to use such a model. Who wants to invest a lot of money in an item that is already bound to wear out due to the weather? Maybe you as a passionate gardener? In this case, you probably know that saving costs and doing it yourself can also be combined. Here you will find helpful tips for painting your rain barrel.
How do I paint a rain barrel correctly?
To paint a rain barrel, choose environmentally friendly, UV-safe paint. Plastic barrels must be sanded beforehand; wood preservative paint or clear varnish is recommended for wooden and metal barrels. Avoid red tones to prevent mosquito infestations.
Paint the rain barrel
Which color you paint your rain barrel is entirely up to your personal taste. Basically, the paint serves two different purposes:
- subtle paint to hide rain barrel
- eye-catching paint to make the rain barrel an eye-catcher
However, the material of your rain barrel somewhat limits the choice of paint. Below you will find out what you need to pay attention to with the respective material:
Plastic rain barrels
- Mostly the paint does not adhere well
- Sand the barrel with some sandpaper (14.00€ on Amazon) to increase the grip of the surface.
- Depending on the weather conditions, the paint will soon peel off.
Wooden or metal rain barrels
- Paint also serves as a protective function against rot and rust
- Holder protection paint or clear varnish are recommended
- It's best to apply several coats
- Paint must be renewed regularly.
What to pay attention to?
Of course, the paint must be one hundred percent environmentally friendly and must not contain any harmful substances. But even if you observe this condition, the paint must not get on the interior walls so as not to contaminate the water. On top of that, your paint should be UV-safe so that it doesn't fade when exposed to sunlight.
Note: Mosquitoes like to breed in open water bodies such as rain barrels. However, the color red is particularly attractive to insects. To avoid a mosquito plague in summer, it is better to choose a dark color.
Alternative to painting
A rain barrel can also be embellished in other ways. Also consider these tips:
- Disguise the rain barrel
- Stick on the rain barrel
- Plant rain barrel
