I Did It Myself: Rain catcher

PROJECT: Rain catcher
TIME: One weekend
COST: $225
HOW SHE DID IT: Stephanie Walker built a rain catcher for the garden of her Forest Avenue home over one weekend using a 55-gallon food-quality barrel purchased at Anderson Container Service.

The massive barrels, used by manufacturers of fruitand soft-drink products, can be used only once and are therefore an excellent way to rescue something potentially useful from a lifetime in a landfill.

Walker placed the tap on the barrel on the bottom and built an elevated platform, about 5 feet high, to create enough pressure to water her herb garden about 70 feet away.

Walker used six 4-by-4s, four of which were set in concrete 2 feet deep. The rest were secured to the frame using 8-inch lag bolts and washers. She used two 2-by-10s for the decking. All lumber was salt-treated. Latticework was installed to hide her trash cans below.

"This is now a sturdy fixture of the yard that will hopefully provide us with a green alternative for watering our plants for years to come," Walker said.

It takes just one rain to fill the barrel. If circumstances allow, she said, she may install a larger underground container with a submersible solar pump next summer for added pressure. - Julie Young

TELL US HOW YOU DID IT: Share your home or garden project in 250 words or fewer with Julie Young, Home & Garden, I Did It Myself, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293, or e-mail . Include your name, address, phone number and, if possible, high-resolution photos of yourself and your project. The project must be one you did yourself.