Check out Mike and Judy's photo-illustrated guide to rain barrel painting. They're painting their barrels to match their house!
In fact, so many of our customers ask us why the barrels are blue, we thought we'd share Judy and Mike's story along with some tips & tricks on how to paint barrels!
RAIN BARREL PAINTING: A How-To Guide
Mike & Judy show us the ropes
We sell blue barrels because blue is the industry standard for food-grade plastics. Blue drums are also UV-resistant, unlike the white ones. When you purchase barrels through BlueBarrel, they'll be blue to ensure they're of suitable quality, safe for rainwater harvesting, and compatible with our DIY RainKits®.*
If blue's not for you, paint them!
STEP 1: PRIME THE SURFACE
Mike gives his barrels a once-over with sand paper to help the paint stick better. It's best to paint the barrels before you install them for a good, even coat.
STEP 2: SELECT THE PAINT
Judy shows us the paint. Check your local hardware store for spray paints that are made for outdoor use and bond to plastic. It can take over two cans of paint for each barrel to get an even finish.
STEP 3: PROTECT YOUR STUFF!
Speaking of plastic, notice she's protected her fence and plants. She wants white barrels, not a whitewashed garden!
STEP 4: APPLY THE PAINT
Follow the directions on the paint can. You may need two coats for a solid finish. And remember, you don't need to paint the bottom! To conserve paint, some folks don't paint the house-facing side of the barrels.
STEP 5: INSTALL YOUR SYSTEM!
Follow the instructions in your DIY RainKit to complete your BlueBarrel Rainwater Catchment System® of any color!).
* If you start with white barrels, you HAVE to paint them. White, light, or transparent barrels will grow algae faster than you can say "hey, why are my white barrels green?!". Blue barrels are UV-resistant to exclude sunlight, so they won't grow algae.
Painted BlueBarrel Systems® from Across the USA:
Kurt started with white barrels and painted them to match his house (and for UV resistance). With foundation elements also painted to match the trim, these two BlueBarrel Systems complement the home beautifully!
Melissa's barrels started blue, but now they're white. She did a very nice paint job to match the trim on her southern home.
Terra cotta is a nice accent at Jim's place, and a perfect offset to the greenery surrounding. The ell-shaped formation goes to show how flexible a BlueBarrel System® can be!
Erik's barrels, painted to match the house and following the subtle contour of the wall, nestle nicely under the overhang for an inviting entry. Erik installed multiple systems at his place, each one customized to the locale. Click here for a full tour of this site.
Gayle painted not only her barrels, but also the cinderblock footings for an inviting display at the entry to her southwestern home. She chose a rusty red to pull the natural wood tones from her stairs and decking, and the stone finish behind the barrels.
ShuShila did an amazing job with a decorative approach, crediting the style of Studio Ghibli & Natsume Yuujinchou. Follow the links below for more info on decorative painting!
