19 garden design DIY rain chains ideas

11 Beautiful DIY Rain Chain Ideas

11 beautiful DIY rain chains Rain chains are an appealing and practical alternative to traditional downspouts, providing a visually captivating way to transport water from the roof of a building down to a catch basin on the ground or into a rain barrel. Rain chains have been used in different areas of the world for hundreds of years as

DIY Rain Chain!

diy slag glass rain chain How to make a rain chain with slag glass!

15 Simple DIY Rain Chains That Add Dramatic Flair To Your Outdoors

If you have never thought about installing a rain chain, now is your chance. Rain chains are pretty easy to install, although if you buy one you can expect to pay upwards of $100 in

Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains

Dishfunctional Designs: Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains DIY rain chains, how to make a rain chain.

How To Make A Beautiful Copper DIY Rain Chain

Copper rain chains are a beautiful way to replace your downspouts. Learn how to make your own creative version with these DIY rain chain tutorials. #fromhousetohome #RainChains #DIYRainChain #gardenideas #gardenart #waterfeatures #gardening #gardeningtips Want to replace your downspout with a rain chain but don’t want to spend too much money? Learn how to make your own copper DIY rain chain with this easy step-by-step tutorial. Rain chains are one of my favorite outdoor home accessories. Like water features and garden art, they look beautiful in your yard and they’re functional, too! As you may remember from the post I did on rain chains a while back, I am a little obsessed with them. My goal is to eventually replace most (if not all) of the downspouts on my house with one of them. I had seen this one on amazon* and really liked the idea of having the leaves hanging from the chain. But I didn’t want to spend as much as they are charging and didn’t need one that long. So I decided to make my own, and I’m really happy with the way it turned out! Read on to get the step-by-step instructions for making a copper DIY rain chain. What You Need Materials – For The Chain Flexible copper tubing* – I used 1/4? thickness that was 20? long. The chain ended up being 5? longif you want a longer chain, you’ll need more copper tubing. Materials – For The Leaves Copper sheet metal* Copper hobby wire* Tools Broom handle or other long round object* Bench vise* Reciprocating saw* Metal cutting reciprocating saw blade* Pliers* Jig saw* 24 TPI Thin Metal Jig Saw Blade* Cordless drill* Drill bit for drilling metal* Make The Chain Links Wind the copper tubing around a broom stick The first part of the process is to form the copper tubing into the shape of chain links. To do this, you will need to wind the copper tubing around a long round object. I used the end of a broom stick, but you could use any long round object (such as PVC pipe) that is at least 1?” in diameter. The larger the diameter of the pole, the larger the links in your chain will be. 1. Start near the end of the broom stick and wrap the copper tubing around the pole. Try to get it as close to the pole as you canthat will give you the best round shape. Start with the copper behind the pole 2. Wrapping the copper around the pole can be a little tough, so after you have a few rings to hold on to, try pushing it on to the pole instead of wrapping it. To do this, start with the copper behind the pole. Hold the existing rings on the broom handle and push the tubing over 3. Hold on to the rings that have already been wound. Then push the copper tubing over the pole to the opposite side. When the tubing has wound over to the other side, rotate it back toward you 4. When the tubing has wound around to the other side of the pole, flip the rotate the pole backwards so that the loose end of the copper is back on your side of the pole, and repeat. I also found that I was able to make the rings more even by pushing the copper over the pole this way. When you have wound all of the tubing around the handle, slide it off 5. Keep doing this until you have wound all of the copper tubing around the pole. 6. Remove the wound copper from the pole by pulling it off the end. I found it was easier to do this by rotating the copper in the direction it was wound as I was pulling. The coiled copper tubing You should end up with a roll of copper tubing that looks something like this. Cut The Links The cut chain links Next you will need to cut the copper tubing to form individual links. I tried a couple of options before finding the solution that worked the best (and fastest!) Using snips to cut the links works but causes the ends to be flat My first option was to use pliers or tin snips to cut the tubeswhich worked but caused the ends to flatten. Not what I wanted for a chain! Using a hack saw blade to cut the links works but is very slow Next I tried a hacksaw blade (the blade was easier to use by itself than it was with the saw). This also worked, and did not flatten the tubesbut took forever! A bench vise and reciprocating saw make quick work of cutting the links Finally, I decided to try a bench vise and reciprocating saw with a blade meant for cutting thin metal. Use a bench vise to hold the links still This worked perfectly! Make sure not to put too much pressure on the copper (you don’t want your links to lose their shape). Cut the links using a reciprocating saw with a metal blade Rest the bottom of the reciprocating saw on the top of the bench vise to give it some stability. Also make sure to saw at an angle so that you don’t cut through the bottom of the links as well. Then saw away. When you get to the last few links that are still in the vise, you will need to move them up to the front. This helps to keep them stable in the vise which makes cutting easier. I was able to cut the whole length of tubing in less than 10 minutes. Assemble the Chain The rain chain rings Now you will make a chain out of the links that should end up looking like this. Use pliers to open a link wide enough for 2 other links to fit through 1. Use the pliers to open the ends of one of the links. It should be wide enough for another link to fit through. I tried to look for links that already had the biggest gaps to use for this purpose. I also found that using two pairs of pliers (one on each end of the ring) was the easiest way to open the link. Groove joint pliers are helpful for squeezing the ends together if necessary 2. Find a ring that has the ends pretty well aligned already. Use pliers to close the gap. Groove joint pliers work well if you need to squeeze the ends together from outside the ring. 3. Add the closed ring on to the open ring. Use pliers to align both ends of the link 4. Use the pliers to squeeze the loop closed. The completed chain 5. Continue adding rings alternating an open ring and a closed ring like this until you reach your desired chain length. For me, the 20? length of tubing created a chain that was a little more than 5? longwhich was pretty close to the length that I wanted it to be. If you like the idea of having a plain chain for your rain chain, you are done! Skip the next step and go straight to hanging the rain chain. Add The Leaves The rain chain with leaves This step is a purely optional decorative option for the DIY rain chain. If you don’t want the extra embellishments (or just don’t want to do the work), skip to the next step of hanging the chain. Use a jig saw to cut out the leaf shapes 1. To cut the leaves from the copper sheet metal, use a jig saw with a blade meant for thin metal. Since the leaves are really just 2 arcs that join at the top and the bottom, I didn’t bother to draw them. I just cut them freestyle. However if you would like all of your leaves to be the same size and shape, you might want to cut the shape out of a piece of cardboard and draw it on to the metal. I made 2 leaves for each link in the chainwhich is a lot of leavesand a lot of cutting! You can adjust the number you make depending on how you want your chain to look. Cut off the used portion of the sheet 2. When you have cut a row of leaves, cutting off the used portion makes the metal easier to work with. 3. Remove the plastic covering from the copper leaves. 4. If the edges are sharp, sand them with 120 grit sandpaper to smooth them off. Drill a hole in the end of each leaf 5. Use a 1/8? drill bit that is meant for drilling metal to create a hole at the end of each leaf. 6. Cut a 2? to 3? long piece of copper wire. Slip a piece of copper wire through the hole 7. Stick the copper wire through the hole in the leaf. Wrap the copper wire around the link twice 8. Wrap it around the chain link twice going back through the hole in the leaf. Cut off the excess wire 8. Cut off any ends that are sticking out. Add the leaves on either side of the chain link 9. If you are using 2 leaves per link like I did, attach the second leaf on the other side of the chain. 10. Repeat until you have added leaves to all of the links. How To Hang The Rain Chain Remove the screws from the downspout 1. The first step to hanging the rain chain is to remove your existing downspout. Usually this is just a matter of undoing the screws that attach it to the housesometimes easier said than done if those downspouts have been there for a while. The hole in the gutter 2. You should end up with a hole in the gutter like this. Sorry for the dirtI obviously hadn’t cleaned it in a while #keepingitreal рџ™‚ Make a V out of an extra piece of copper 3. To make a rain chain installer, bend another small piece (mine was about 15? long) of flexible tubing into a V shape with ends. Pull the chain through the hole in the gutter and attach the holder 4. Pull the chain through the hole in the gutter and attach the gutter installer to the end of it. Pull the chain through the hole 5. Let the chain fall back down through the hole so that the V comes through the hole. The ends of the “V” should hold it in place. 6. Or if you prefer, you can buy a rain chain installer like this one*. DIY Rain Chain gutter installer It gives a little more polished look. Using a straight pipe to hold the chain up doesn’t funnel the water properly down the chain I did try using just a standard piece of straight pipe laid across the inside of the hole. It works fine for holding the rain chain in place. But since the water doesn’t get funneled down the chain, you end up with a lot of water coming down outside of the chain area. Re-position leaves that are sticking out 7. If you added leaves to your rain chain, re-position any of the ones that are pointing out so that they point down. This will let the water continue to flow down the chain. Otherwise you will end up with a lot of water splashing outside the chain. Enjoy Your Rain Chain Rain chain rings You can test your rain chain by putting a hose in the gutter and letting the water run down. Rain chain with leaves If you added the leaves, you may have to do some adjustments to the leaf positions to make sure the water goes down to the bottom of the chain. This version will splash a little more than the straight rings because the leaves have ends that cause some of the water to drip. The installed rain chain Adding a barrel under the rain chain will catch the water. A rain barrel with an outlet will let you attach a hose Using a barrel with a water outlet at the bottom will let you attach a hose and disperse the water into your garden. The finished rain chain Even when it’s not raining, the rain chain adds some interest to the garden. Comments or questions about our DIY rain chain? Tell us in the section below. Pin It So You Don’t Forget It! See More Pinnable Images Sharing is caring! 22.7k 2

20 Creative DIY Rain Chains

Here is some great idea for your garden, rain chains. If you want to make something that will make your garden more relaxing place rain chains are the

Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains

Dishfunctional Designs: Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains DIY rain chains, how to make a rain chain.

15 Gorgeous DIY Rain Chain Ideas For Creative Way To Decor Your Home

Rain chains are the perfect instrument for utilizing natural elements in the park so they can be valued. Using DIY rain chains anywhere in the park adds a

The What, Why, Where and How of Rain Chains

Rain chains are a great alternative to downspouts that provide drainage but look more like a water feature. Find out how to install them, the basins used to catch the rain and lots of other rain chain garden ideas. #fromhousetohome #RainChains #RainChainIdeas #RainChainGardenIdeas #gardenideas #gardening What are rain chains for? How are they installed? Do they work in heavy rain? Get the answers to these questions and more with these great rain chain garden ideas. Rain Chains I actually don’t remember where I first saw a rain chain, but I do remember that I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I have one at the front of my house that I absolutely love, and I am plotting to get some more! Although rain chains are becoming more popular, I still get a lot of people asking me what it is when they see it on my houseor if I happen to mention it in conversation. So I thought I would write about my experience with my rain chain. In case you want to skip right to your area of interest, here are some direct links (these all open in a new window so you can get back here easily by closing it). What Are Rain Chains Used For? Contemporary Landscape by Encinitas Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers debora carl landscape design But firstto answer the basic questionWhat is a rain chain? At the functional level, rain chains are a replacement for the downspout from your gutters. The water flows from the eaves trough through the hole where the downspout used to be and onto the chain. Then it runs down the chain to whatever you are using to collect or redirect the water. Rain chain cup with hole in the bottom Many of the chains have pails or cups with holes in the bottom that direct the water down the chain. However, I think rain chains are so much more than just a replacement for a downspout. Keep reading to find out more about rain chains. Why Get a Rain Chain? 1. They Look Nice Craftsman Exterior by Santa Cruz Design-Build Firms Laura Livingston Landscapes First rain chains look SOOO much better than a standard downspout. Traditional rain chains are made of copperwhich turns into that beautiful tarnished green color if it hasn’t been protected. Copper Rain Chain With Patina* Of course, if you’re impatient you could buy a rain chain* that already comes with the aged copper patina. Either way, it looks absolutely beautiful in the garden! Craftsman Entry by Seattle Home Builders Ventana Construction LLC If copper or green aren’t your thing, you can powder coat them in a different color (like this fabulous purple one). Aluminum Hammered Cup Rain Chain* Or go for an aluminum version* that will stay silver. 2. Rain Chains Sound Pretty When It Rains Rain chain rings Second, rain chains sound really pretty when the water is flowingsomething like a wind chime but caused by water instead of wind. And you never get that annoying dripping noise that sometimes happens with downspouts when the water hits the bottom of the spout. 3. Rain Chains Are A No-Maintenance Water Feature Modern Exterior by Decatur Architects & Building Designers Rawlings Design, Inc. Third, you get a water feature in your garden that doesn’t require any maintenance. There’s no pump to clean, no checking to make sure the water hasn’t run down, and nothing to empty in the winter. Now that’s my kind of water feature! 4. They Turn Into An Ice Sculpture Rain chains even look good in the winter Fourth, they even look nice in the winter. Check out my frozen rain chain on one of the few icy, snowy winter days we get in South Carolina. Where Does The Water Go? Craftsman Landscape by Santa Cruz Design-Build Firms Laura Livingston Landscapes I personally use a rain barrel underneath my rain chain. It comes with a faucet and hose attachment at the bottom of the barrel, so I can easily use the water for my garden. Since there are no outdoor faucets at the front of my house, it really saves a lot of time lugging hoses and watering cans around. Using a ceramic or copper basin at the bottom of the rain chain is a traditional way to catch the water, and looks really pretty. Just make sure there is a way for the overflow to drain properly. Eclectic Landscape by Lincoln Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Natalie DeNormandie You can also build a basin into the ground which then lets the water drain away from the house. You will often see these covered in rocks so that they blend in with their surroundings. Modern Landscape by Pleasant Hill Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Huettl Landscape Architecture If you are replacing a downspout that drains underground, you could leave the drainage system in place. Then make sure that the rain chain is positioned above the drain pipe so that the water flows to the right spot. You may need to make a downward sloping funnel around the hole since some of the water may splash outside of the hole. Or attach the bottom of the chain to the ground so that it doesn’t have as much movement. via phylliswarman.com (site no longer available) Finally, some people get really creative and make whole water fountains out of the run off. Do Rain Chains Work Well? Tropical Porch by Kilauea Architects & Building Designers Tropical Architecture Group, Inc Rain chains have been used in Japan for hundreds of years to direct (and collect) the water from the roofs of buildings. So they certainly have a lot of history. When I first installed mine I wasn’t sure if it would work as well as the downspout, especially since we get some pretty heavy rainfalls in this part of the country. Now that I have had it for a few years, I can say that it works just as well as the downspout did. Actually I would go one step further and say that it’s betterI have a big tree in my front yard and the downspout always used to get clogged with tree leaves. That never happens with the rain chainthe leaves just fall to the ground. How Do You Install A Rain Chain? The rain chain bracket The installation was actually much easier than I thought it was going to be. First, you disconnect the down spoutundoing the screws that were holding the down spout in place was probably the hardest part of the job. Most rain chains came with a bracket that looks like a V with tails. The rain chain bracket fits in the hole where the down spout used to be Place this bracket into the eave trough with the V coming down through the hole where the downspout used to be. (Sorry for the dirty eavesI haven’t done the spring clean up yet!) The rain chain loop hooks onto the bracket Hook the first rung of the rain chain to the V portion of the bracket. You’re done! What Types Of Rain Chains Are There? Asian Landscape by Marina Del Rey Architects & Building Designers MAGDALENA & MGS Architecture Traditional rain chains have a cup or pail design. These curved objects are suspended from the chain every 6? to 12? and catch the water as it flows down the chain. This slows down the water flow and causes the pretty tinkling sounds. Modern Exterior by Richmond Architects & Building Designers Watershed Architects The rain chains with objects suspended from them can get a little expensive. To have the effect without spending as much money, you can buy a copper chain without any embellishments. I have also heard of people using standard chain, which would be an even more economical way to get a rain chain (although I’m not sure that would have the same visual appeal). Cascading Leaves Rain Chain* Finally there are some really decorative chains that are almost pieces of art, like this cascading leaves rain chain. If you don’t mind splurging a little, they can be a show stopper in your garden. DIY rain chain with leaves Or you can make your own rain chain. Click here to learn how. Hopefully you have found some rain chain inspiration of your own! Other Garden Features You Might Like Ways to add water to your garden Garden art ideas for your yard DIY copper rain chains Pin It So You Don’t Forget It! See More Pinnable Images Have comments or questions on Rain Chains? Tell us in the section below. Sharing is caring! 31.1k 9

15 Gorgeous DIY Rain Chain Ideas For Creative Way To Decor Your Home

Rain chains are the perfect instrument for utilizing natural elements in the park so they can be valued. Using DIY rain chains anywhere in the park adds a

The What, Why, Where and How of Rain Chains

Love these rain chain garden ideas! They look so much better than a standard downspout but still provide drainage. The copper rain chains are my favorite! #fromhousetohome #gardeningtips #gardenart #gardenideas #curbappeal #gardenart #rainchains #waterfeatures #gardendesign View All Pages Prev1 of 6Next What are rain chains for? How are they installed? Do they work in heavy rain? Get the answers to these questions and more with these great rain chain garden ideas. Rain Chains I actually don’t remember where I first saw a rain chain, but I do remember that I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I have one at the front of my house that I absolutely love, and I am plotting to get some more! Although rain chains are becoming more popular, I still get a lot of people asking me what it is when they see it on my houseor if I happen to mention it in conversation. So I thought I would write about my experience with my rain chain. In case you want to skip right to your area of interest, here are some direct links (these all open in a new window so you can get back here easily by closing it). Rain Chain Topics What Are Rain Chains Used For? Why Should You Get A Rain Chain? Where Does The Water Go? Do Rain Chains Work Well? How Do You Install A Rain Chain? What Types Of Rain Chains Are There? What Are Rain Chains Used For? Contemporary Landscape by Encinitas Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers debora carl landscape design But firstto answer the basic questionWhat is a rain chain? At the functional level, rain chains are a replacement for the downspout from your gutters. The water flows from the eaves trough through the hole where the downspout used to be and onto the chain. Then it runs down the chain to whatever you are using to collect or redirect the water. Rain chain cup with hole in the bottom Many of the chains have pails or cups with holes in the bottom that direct the water down the chain. However, I think rain chains are so much more than just a replacement for a downspout. Keep reading to find out more about rain chains. Pin It So You Don’t Forget It! Prev1 of 6Next Have comments or questions on Rain Chains? Tell us in the section below. Sharing is caring! 32.1k 9 View All Pages

Good Directions Double Link Rain Chain in Polished Copper

Good Directions Double Link Rain Chain in Polished Copper – The Garden Gates Double Link Rain Chain in Polished Copper by Good Directions Originating hundreds of years ago in Japan, Rain Chains act as linked funnels and are a decorative alternative to a cheerless gutter downspout. Rainwater playfully dances and flows down these handcrafted copper channels as it is guided from the rooftop to the ground. You will pray for rain once you attach your Rain Chain. A natural patina will develop on the polished copper styles over time, adding to the character and charm of these delightful chains. – Beautiful-looking and sounding alternative to gutter downspouts – Handcrafted in the Old World style with superior workmanship – 8.5 Feet Long – Durable Polished Copper – Create a water feature out of the downspout – Lifetime Warranty – Ship FedEx Shipping time is 5 to 7 business days, Cupolas take 10 to 14 business days for all in-stock items. Good Directions is a company that is enriched by the world around us. Their artists carefully and thoughtfully craft their inspirations that translate seamlessly into our everyday gardens. From the fabulous fire pits to the ethereal rain chains, the Cupolas that complete the look of a structure to the functional use of their boot mats, Good Directions has a piece that will enhance the quality of every home.

Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains

Dishfunctional Designs: Creative And Beautiful DIY Rain Chains DIY rain chains, how to make a rain chain.

21 Beautiful Ideas for DIY Rain Chains

how to make a beautiful copper rain chain Here are 21 ways to make beautiful DIY Rain Chains for your home. These are a great for directing water drainage or collecting rain water.

25 Fabulous DIY Rain Chain Ideas With Tutorials

25 Fabulous DIY Rain Chain Ideas to transform gutter downspouts into a water feature. Mounting DIY rain chains are a beautiful way to harness the power of water; watching the rain chain

11 Beautiful DIY Rain Chain Ideas

11 Beautiful DIY Rain Chain Ideas – Off Grid World Rain chains are an appealing and practical alternative to traditional downspouts, providing a visually captivating way to transport water from the roof of a building down to a catch basin on the ground or into a rain barrel. Rain chains have been used in different areas of the world for hundreds of years as

8 Easy-to-Make Rain Chain Projects –

8 Easy-to-Make Rain Chain Projects| Rain Chain Projects, How to Make Your Own Rain Chain Projects, DIY Rain Chain Projects, Outdoor Projects, DIY Outdoor Projects, Fun and Easy Outdoor Projects, Popular Pin Easy to make DIY rain chain projects

Creative DIY Rain Chain Ideas

Creative DIY Rain Chain Ideas | The Garden Glove Love rain chains? We decided to go out and find some DIY rain chain projects and tutorials for you just in time for spring rains!

60 Best Rain Chain Ideas, Reserve Water Elegantly

Although traditional downspouts are sturdy and trusted, rain chains attract attention. They could give a wow aspect to the exterior of your residence. They provide an environmentally friendly and also an effortless way to preserve water. Although traditional downspouts are sturdy and trusted, rain chains attract attention. They could give a wow aspect to the exterior of your residence. They provide an environmentally friendly and also an effortless way to preserve water.