Amazing half barrel
 

I got a real beaut of a half barrel and want to make a small water feature of still water with lily and rushes etc.

my first query is - will i set it up now, at this time of year or wait. If i do, how do i prepare the barrel?

If i wait, how do i prevent the barrel from drying out? doosing with water from time to time, or will it survive in the wonderful rain of late?

Also any special hints on preserving the wood or the metal rims at this point or in the future?

this barrel will not be set into earth so will be exposed to weather and water pressure.

all help so gratefully received.

xminnie pal

barrel
 

Hi Minnie pal If i were you i would put the barrel in a shed or somewhere out of the weather and i would sand it all down and dont be afraid to give it a realy good sanding Then i would paint it with a good wood treatment and preserver and paint the metal bands with hammerite paint a few times also That way its protected inside and out and all over. If you want an aged look use two colours of wood stain and preserve for the final coat and rub them on with a old rag. The hammerite can be bought in a hammered finish which will make it look old and cracked on the metal if thats the style that catches your eye if not then use the plain one I hope this helps a little and ps dont forget to paint inside and underneath also Please post a pic when its all done id love to see it
Kindest Regards
Lolo

Hi minnie pal,once these barrells have been chopped in half the boards have a tendency to come apart slightly,this could be a problem once filled with water......An easy way to solve this is to paint the inside with a tanking system paint(like used in a wet room) If your ever passing Swords way I've some you can have..

Depending on the look your after you could leave the outside as is just to age or else as said sand down and use a stain/preserver.Hammerite on the metal bands is a good idea,have fun,its a nice wee barrell :)

funny thing happened the barrel
 

well unless i didnt notice it! a guy at a large gardening centre told me to fill it up and leave it til the spring, so there i was filling it up with water, after swilling out about two inches that was already in the bottom, or at least i thought there was unless my imagination has completely failed me.

but on the second full of bucket of water i noted that the water was going out a very round hole on the bottom!
did i pour too vigourously and knock out the plug or summot.
I guess i will know if i go looking, under all the stuff i have wrapped up for the winter, eg my swingseat etc.
So do i make a new plug with something or do i line it. I just feel convinced it had water in it already.
my mind is playing tricks thats what it is...
xminnie pal

For best results put pond liner in to barrel make sure to put a little sand in the bottom of barrel before you put in the linner. Paint wood with some type of clear wood preserver so it keeps its natural look and paint metal bands with any colour of rust primer.Happy water feature making....................

thanks for that!
 

so you think i should 'overwinter' it with filled water using the sand as base and then a liner? And make it dry out first a bit to put a preservative on the wood first? or is that needed on the inside.
I think i need to fill it to expand the wood cos they are a bit out of kilter.
I think i want to preserve the natural look but tis hard to do much when its bludy sodden out there, everything is a wash.

My beautiful bamboo has about three inches of rain water on the top of the massive caldron it is in and i am worrying about root rot, I scooped it all out this afternoon.
Will i make a wee umbrella to try and keep the terrible rain off it and yet some aeration to get the soil underneath to dry up a bit for the sake of the roots?
Or straw? sis has plenty of that, in bales full!
xxann
gardening is all so new to me.
and barrel and bamboo preservation, not to mention do i start building up my waterfeature of waterfall and plant the alpines i bought and are still in their wee plastic pots, they could get washed off the stones etc.
yeh, now i am on a roll, sorreeeee! well, not really!
xminnie pal