11 Creative Ideas For Re-Using Large Plastic Drums

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Have a few of those large plastic drums sitting around or know a good source for them? Here are some projects that will put them to use.

1. Get Started With Hydroponics – If you have always wanted to try your hand at growing plants hydroponically (without dirt) this is a great starter project!

2. Rain Barrels – There are hundreds of different ways to configure rain barrels.  These look nice and tidy!

3. Garden Barrel – These sell for hundreds of dollars, but why buy one when you can make one for about $30 (US) and an hour of your time.

4. Food Locker / Root Cellar – Store food in a plastic barrel root cellar.  What a great idea to keep your food safe from critters and the prying eyes.

5. Bio-Filter For Fish Pond –    (You can buy the Uniseals they refer to on ebay.) (Part 1, Part 2)

6. Boat – This time it’s an outrigger.  You may not want to take this out on the open ocean (as a matter of fact – don’t) but it would be lots of fun on a lake.

7. Sheep Feeder – Don’t your sheep deserve a place to eat out of the rain?  This same style could be adapted for use with many other animals – including dogs.

8. Outdoor Sink / Cleaning Station – These folks have done a great job using 2 x 4 wood as framing.

9. Pontoons for a House Boat – Since they’re light and relatively cheap, using the blue barrels is a great choice.

10. Airtight Storage – For this, the barrels with the clamp-on lid makes the most sense.  The barrels are big and bulky, but they can be stacked 4 or 5 high (depending on the weight of the stuff inside) and sometimes, a barrel is the only good choice for what you need to store.

11.  Backyard Biodigester – Make your own cooking or heating fuel (methane) from compost.

If you don’t have a source for large plastic drums, get onto your local Craigslist.com. Somebody out there has a yard full of these and they’re just waiting for your call.