In today's video, I show you how you can install a water butt in your garden. You don't need loads of fancy tools or experience, just an hour and a bit of patience!
I liked this video mainly because you didn't automatically assume we'd have a drill bit for the right size of the hole and also because you added a few of your own touches such as blending it in with your garden and the extra problem of getting the pipe through the fence.
I also used a Jubillee clip on the pipe carrying the water from the downpipe as it developed a leak and I applied silicone around the tap to avoid leaks there too.
Good easy to follow video, especially if you have just the basic things at home. I wondered with hindsight, if those that installed, would now opt for the bigger water butt. I am toying with the idea of the larger one. If I am going to go to the 'trouble' of installing one, I may as well get my monies worth :-D
When you drill the butt for the pipe remove the lid and turn it upside down so it doesn't fill up with the plastic debris which could block the tap if you dont clean it out
Well done. We did the same this year and also naively thought it would take ages to fill! With the rainy summer we're having it was full up in no time. So much so we have now daisy chained another butt to the first one. In hindsight I prob should have just gone for the larger one but we didn't really have the space as our is in a narrow walkway, so daisy chaining another one also works. Both are full to the brim! Roll on sunshine when we need to actually use them! I know you said you didn't want to buy a specialised drill bit but someone recommended a cheap step drill bit from Lidl for a fiver so that's what I used. Quite handy. Your garden is looking great though. Really in awe of your retaining wall. Nice job!
I have the exact same water butt!! It fills incredibly fast like you said. I have installed a overflow on the opposite side to avoid the water overflowing the butt
Providing you fitted the diverter correctly at the right height, you don't need to fit an overflow at the other cut out, the diverter is the overflow also, so once the butt is full, the water then overflows in the diverter and continues down the gutter down pipe, but if you find that is not happening, then you must have fitted the diverter too high in the gutter downpipe, so instead the water is overflowing out the top of your full butt.
Hi where did you get your diverter from please? We also have a standard round gutter pipe and the only one I seem to find is the square one made by floplast . Cheers
Nice one NG. Just a thought...you could put this one the other side of the fence? and get another one on your garden side? A green one would also blend in?
A green one would have been a good shout. I did think about putting it on the other side at one point, but it would have got in the way of the garage door a tad.
If you find you need more water there are companies on the net that do narrow square ones as opposed to the usual round ones that may protrude etc. ATB Gav@@NoviceGardener
I have a 100 litre and thinking of upgrading to a bigger one. It doesn’t last that long when we don’t have any rain. Watering can is 10 litres so it’s only 10 fill ups.
I made the same mistake first, bought a ward 100l slimline butt, and found it wasn't enough, so then went out and bought a bigger 200litre one, and put it next to my 100l one, and connected the two together, so now have 300litres, surprising how fast both fill up, from empty to full usually only takes one day of heavy rain, reason being I live in a terrace of a total of four houses, but mine is the end terrace, and my house is the only one with a downpipe, so I get the rain from the roof and guttering of three other houses🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳have kept it quiet though, in case my neighbours find out I have two butts and start asking me for some free water, as it is getting collected from their houses also🤣🤣🤣🤣
the reason the diverter pipe is to be kept level because it also acts as an overflow and drains back to the drain pipe when the water butt is full
of course he missed that
This is why I bought 2, and I'll be following your guide, thank you.
I liked this video mainly because you didn't automatically assume we'd have a drill bit for the right size of the hole and also because you added a few of your own touches such as blending it in with your garden and the extra problem of getting the pipe through the fence.
Top Drawer Sir I'm buying a Water butt and following your DIY installation Bang on Informative Helpful and Practical Brilliant! Happy Gardening! 👍
i bought the exact same water butt and it's coming today. Thanks so much for the instructions. i feel i can sort this myself now
I also used a Jubillee clip on the pipe carrying the water from the downpipe as it developed a leak and I applied silicone around the tap to avoid leaks there too.
Exact one I ordered, thank you for this mate!!
Nice and easy DIY,cheers for the video mate
Nice one! 😁
Did you just make one cut or two on the drain pipe?
Really great video thank you !
Good easy to follow video, especially if you have just the basic things at home. I wondered with hindsight, if those that installed, would now opt for the bigger water butt. I am toying with the idea of the larger one. If I am going to go to the 'trouble' of installing one, I may as well get my monies worth :-D
When you drill the butt for the pipe remove the lid and turn it upside down so it doesn't fill up with the plastic debris which could block the tap if you dont clean it out
Well done. We did the same this year and also naively thought it would take ages to fill! With the rainy summer we're having it was full up in no time. So much so we have now daisy chained another butt to the first one. In hindsight I prob should have just gone for the larger one but we didn't really have the space as our is in a narrow walkway, so daisy chaining another one also works. Both are full to the brim! Roll on sunshine when we need to actually use them! I know you said you didn't want to buy a specialised drill bit but someone recommended a cheap step drill bit from Lidl for a fiver so that's what I used. Quite handy. Your garden is looking great though. Really in awe of your retaining wall. Nice job!
Thanks!
I'm considering buying another for beside the back door. After seeing how fast it filled, it's made me want to get another! 🤣
Helpful. Thank you
Nice one, thanks
Thanks for sharing
I have the exact same water butt!! It fills incredibly fast like you said. I have installed a overflow on the opposite side to avoid the water overflowing the butt
Providing you fitted the diverter correctly at the right height, you don't need to fit an overflow at the other cut out, the diverter is the overflow also, so once the butt is full, the water then overflows in the diverter and continues down the gutter down pipe, but if you find that is not happening, then you must have fitted the diverter too high in the gutter downpipe, so instead the water is overflowing out the top of your full butt.
Nice vid, like the channel. I suppose the hose pipe should be level as it would help avoid the water butt overflowing.
Cheers!
That's a great point, also!
Thank you looks acheivable for a DIYer mum!
Thank you
Hi where did you get your diverter from please? We also have a standard round gutter pipe and the only one I seem to find is the square one made by floplast . Cheers
It came with the water butt - picked it up from Screwfix.
You could fit some metal banding to secure it to the wall.
Also, do you get any legionella issues with having stagnant water during winter?
That's not a bad shout. And I'm not sure, this is the first one I've installed.
Anyone know if it would work from a near horizontal pipe down through the bendy bit to the butt? Working in an odd building atm!
Nice one NG.
Just a thought...you could put this one the other side of the fence? and get another one on your garden side? A green one would also blend in?
A green one would have been a good shout. I did think about putting it on the other side at one point, but it would have got in the way of the garage door a tad.
If you find you need more water there are companies on the net that do narrow square ones as opposed to the usual round ones that may protrude etc. ATB Gav@@NoviceGardener
Hi, did you have any overflow issues from not installing it level ? Thanks
No overflow issues - still perfect 👍🏻
Can you daisy chain them? As it has another hole to drill?
Yea you can chain them together
Than you for the instructions. I was wondering how to get the correct size hole in the butt. I will do what you did and drill a few holes. Well done .
Graduated / step drill bit would do it too. They're not common but Amazon do a 4-40mm step bit that was more than adequate for mine.
Bought a 210L butt. It was full in 3 days, but I do live in Scotland. 😂
🤣
To be fair, we've had nothing but rain here it seems for the past couple of months - I'm sure I'll be able to get use out of this next summer!
Its a barrel, why the hell can't ya'll name things normally.
because its a butt that just happens to be barrel shaped, butts come in all shapes and sizes
I have a 100 litre and thinking of upgrading to a bigger one. It doesn’t last that long when we don’t have any rain. Watering can is 10 litres so it’s only 10 fill ups.
I made the same mistake first, bought a ward 100l slimline butt, and found it wasn't enough, so then went out and bought a bigger 200litre one, and put it next to my 100l one, and connected the two together, so now have 300litres, surprising how fast both fill up, from empty to full usually only takes one day of heavy rain, reason being I live in a terrace of a total of four houses, but mine is the end terrace, and my house is the only one with a downpipe, so I get the rain from the roof and guttering of three other houses🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳have kept it quiet though, in case my neighbours find out I have two butts and start asking me for some free water, as it is getting collected from their houses also🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you