The rain chain originated in Japan many years ago. It was traditionally used to guide rain water to large pots and containers that was then used for cooking and laundry. Today, in Japan, homeowners also channel the rain water into their rain gardens, where the gently falling water produces a soothing, rhythmic sound.

There is a wide variety of rain chain styles. Single or double strands of round-, oval-, or square-linked chain can accent modern and contemporary styles, as well as rustic, country or Asian styles. Small buckets, terra cotta pots, flared cups, fluted shaped funnels and embossed cups with designs of flowers, butterflies and/or leaves can also be used to accent these styles.

There are some very simple and very creative materials that can be used to make rain chains. You can use lengths of chain from the hardware store, shower curtain hooks, large sized metal key rings and even PVC pipe cut into rings. Copper (the most popular material), and brass (also very popular) can all be used. Copper, like all metals, oxidizes as it weathers, turning to a greenish-gray color known as a Verdigris patina. Brass as it oxidizes darkens with age, while aluminum or stainless steel usually retains its color.

How To Make A Rain Chain

Your rain chain can be hung from the gutter by using an aluminum or stainless steel rod horizontally placed across the gutter hole (allowing it to extend 3 inches into the gutter on both sides of the hole). Then hang an S-hook on the rod, securing the hook at the top with a “u” shaped fastener. A v-shaped gutter hanger may also be used. To anchor the chain to the ground, a metal stake may be used, or a something with considerable weight like a rock may be tied to the bottom of the chain. I would suggest something visually pleasing and complimentary to the esthetics of your yard. I’ve used a small anchor in the shape of a fish on one of mine. Traditionally, a rain chain is placed into a whole or half rain barrel, or a decorative terra cotta pot, to catch the water as it comes down the chain in order to recycle the rainwater. I like to place mine directly into a potted plant.

Safety Tip

This is something you need to watch out for with any downward spout of water. To prevent excess moisture build up at the foundation of your home, be it from a standard rain gutter or a rain chain, be sure to guide the water away from the foundation of your home with a down spout splash block.

Once you have completed the installation of your rain chain, be sure to give it a trial run by running water from a hose through the path where the rain would flow. By doing this, you will be able to make minor adjustments, if needed, to ensure you rain chain doesn’t splash and the water flows where you want it.

Relax and Enjoy!

Your rain chain can provide relaxing background sounds near your patio or other outside seating areas. It’s fun to hang them from tree limbs or hooks throughout your garden. Placed near or over fountains and ponds, they are pleasing to the eye and can be functional. If your rain chain is made of chain link, it will tend to splash more than those made of cups or funnels. So be sure to place your rain chain so that garden paths and walls will not be splashed.

I just wanted to congratulate you on your great work on Hammer Heads. I have a quick question — I recently watched an episode where I noticed that you used a SPRAY-ON RUST Aerosol on the vinyl tiles that were installed on the fence. I’m very curious as to where I could get that product. I’ve tried to Google the product but no luck.

Could you please tell me the name of the product? Hope to hear from you soon.

Saludos,

Jerry the Designer

Hi Jerry!

The product is manufactured by Rustoleum and is simply their textured rust. You will find it at any of the major home improvement stores with their other spray paint products. It works great for interior and exterior applications – although, I do recommend applying it in a well-ventilated area. With the right primer this paint adheres to just about any surface. 

Have fun! Saludos!

Carmen

Love the show. 

John B.

Dear John, 

Different decorative paint brands have their versions of a copper patina solution. You can find them at the major home improvement stores in the paint department. You will not only find it in a copper patina but you can also select from black patina, blue and or green. Use patina color alone or layer them for way cool effects.

The product I used on that particular episode (and works for both interior and exterior applications) is by Modern Masters—they have all sorts of great stuff.  www.modernmasters.com

Take your time to experiment with the solution and surface you will be applying it to. The texture will completely change with the tool you select to apply it with – use a paintbrush, rags, sponges or even just let it drip and pool naturally. I have used it on actual copper, as well as over copper re-active paint. Keep in mind it will continue to verdigris or patina until you seal it.  I also like to build up the layers for a more interesting finish. Bottom line is play with the product before you start the “real” project.

Thanks for your comments.

Warm Regards,

Carmen

Sincerely,

S.

Hello S.

The product is sold as Terrazzo chips to be used with floor/garage one part epoxy paints. You can find a similar version for different brands.  Dunn-Edwards sells the kit with the paint and chips. They also sell the little chips/flecks separately in the paint department at your local home improvement store. It is super easy to apply – just follow the directions and enjoy.

Thanks again for your interest in my projects.

Warm Regards,

Carmen

There are many categories to my tool belt and toolbox. I always have my “go-to” things in stock and plenty of it. Sandpaper is always one of those things. I never hesitate to buy more, because I know I will always have a use for it and won’t allow it to go to waste. It’s important to know what each type of sandpaper to use and when.

I will start by saying “All sandpapers are not made equally” or rather “All sandpapers will not perform equally.” By sharing my experience, my goal is to empower you with knowledge and to inspire you to flex your creative muscle. The way I see it, by sharing my pitfalls and successes (‘cause I’ve had many), I will hopefully prevent you from experiencing common roadblocks that will hinder you from an enjoyable “do-it-yourself” experience.

Marry The Paper! Say What?

The next time you pull a piece of sandpaper out of a drawer, take a good look at it. Does it have a paper, Velcro or mesh backing? Is it circular or square? What color is the abrasive side? Does it have numbers and letters printed on it? The answers to all of these questions follow a code of colors, letters and numbers, making it easier to determine the abrasive you have and what it is for. Better yet, the next time you are walking down the sandpaper and abrasives aisle of your local hardware, paint, or home & garden store, stop and look at all the options. You will see different sandpaper for wet/dry sanding, furniture finishes, drywall and stripping paint. You will also see liquid sandpaper, which is used to remove the thin top surface layers of glossy painted items. But determining the right sandpaper for a project is mostly determined by color. With that being said: Marry the paper to the material and the project!

There are two kinds of sandpaper out there: commercial and industrial. You will find commercial sandpaper in your average hardware store. I am mostly concentrating on commercial sandpaper in this article. But it’s important to know that the industrial kind is more often considered an “abrasive.” Although sometimes it looks like regular sandpaper, it’s made from different particles and usually backed with a thin fabric of cotton or polyester to give it longer life. Needless to say, they are more expensive.

Numbers And Letters And Color, Oh My!

One thing to understand about sandpaper is the importance of the number on the backing. This number refers to the grit or roughness of sandpaper. The grit is a universal gage determined by the number of particles applied on each square inch of the paper at the time of manufacturing. The higher the number, the more tiny particles there are on a square inch. Look at it this way: a piece of sandpaper with 100-gage grit has 100 particles per square inch of paper. A piece of sandpaper with 400 grit has 400 particles per square inch, and so on. Sandpaper can go as high as 2000 particles per square inch and even higher.

Now you know about the number, let’s talk about the letter. This can get really confusing. You may feel that there are too many letter combinations. However, the letter refers to the weight of the backing material on the sheet of sandpaper. Generally, “P” refers to Paper backing—in other words P220 means—Paper 220 grit. “P” is most common among papers found in the United States.

Another important difference is the color of the abrasive. You will find sandpaper with black, red, yellow, purple or just plain brown paper-bag color. With modern technologies, many companies like 3M are now presenting new products with synthetic minerals, strong resins, and even special longer-lasting ceramics. Traditionally, sandpapers for woodworking have been made of Aluminum Oxide, Garnet, Silicon Carbide, and Ceramic. Up until recently, the two used most often by woodworkers are Aluminum Oxide and Garnet (identified by the red coloring.) Keep in mind the color usually does refer to something—from brand to manufacturing and it will impact your final purchasing decision so read the labels carefully.

Don’t be pushed away by the new ceramic sandpapers. Ceramic is the hardest of all of the abrasives commonly available. It is also one of the most expensive materials available, but with new technology, you will see it more and more. I encourage you to try it sometime: the sandpaper DOES last longer.

Let’s get to the sanding. As you look at your project you will be determining the finish you want to end up with before you start. This will be a huge factor to determine the sandpaper that you purchase. Generally speaking, you are safe to always have on hand a variety of grits from 150 to 400, usually a 150, 240, 320 and 400. These are standard U.S. grits. Grits outside of this run usually indicate a foreign-made brand.

Why Do You Need So Many Numbers?

In the carpentry world, you will often hear the phrase, “Be sure to run through all the grits.” This means you should work your way toward your finished piece by progressively moving up in grit with the sandpaper. For example, if I start sanding a piece with 150 grit, I have to progress to 240 before I hit it with 320. Skipping a gage of grit will leave scratches behind. The grits are designed to progressively work the piece to an even, smooth finish with each level breaking down the one before. I usually sand to 320 before I start staining or sealing a piece. Depending on the wood I am working with, I don’t want to “over” sand. This is when the pores of the wood become clogged and prevent the stain from penetrating the grains evenly. I usually use 400 grit in between coats of water-based polyurethane. I use 600 to 1500 grit mainly on Venetian plaster.

I leave you with the one cardinal rule in the DIY process of sanding: Always sand with the grain of the wood, not across it. After trying it on a scrap piece of wood you will see how the scratches are visible across the wood, so it won’t make for a very nice finish.

I really hope that by bringing a little insight into sandpaper, more people will see it as a necessary step toward the success of a professional-looking finish. Whether your project is working on a wall, a piece of outdoor furniture or a floor, using the right abrasive will make or break your project.

The Keys To Successful Sanding

The next time you consider using or buying sandpaper, take these things into consideration:

• Marry the abrasive to the material. Sandpapers and abrasives are made specifically for different surfaces—wood, metal, etc.“Follow the grit through”

• ALWAYS go with the grain

• As a safety reminder when working with sandpaper, be it by hand, with a sanding block, or with a portable sander, use your safety glasses and a dust mask.

Cleaning and maintaining rain gutters with the change of the seasons is a “to-do” that most people don’t consider on a regular basis. To help your rain gutter system function and achieve its maximum life expectancy, homeowners should ensure that their rain gutters remain clean and free of any debris that may block the flow of water. This includes loose debris removed from both flat and sloped roof areas. With safety playing a huge role in the process, rain gutters can be cleaned by hand and rinsed with water to insure each downspout is flushed thoroughly. Here are a few things to consider when checking your rain gutters from ground level to assure proper flow and determine if there are any trouble areas or repairs required.

1Downspouts and gutters should be cleaned about twice a year, spring and autumn. Plan for rain gutter maintenance in the spring just before heavy rains arrive, and then again in the fall when leaves, tree limbs and other debris might cause problems.

2If you find your gutters seem to catch too much debris due to a location near a tree, you may choose to install metal meshing screen or a “leaf catching system.” I highly recommend you select a style that you can easily remove and replace during the cleaning of the gutters.

3Be sure to check downspouts for rust, peeling paint and leaks. Beyond the actual gutters, be sure to inspect the fasteners holding the gutters to insure that they are tightly affixed to the fascia boards. Check each section to make sure that all fittings are snug and tight. This is also a time to check the fascia boards themselves for dry rot or other damage. If needed, replace them with lumber treated with wood preservative that is finished to match the other boards.

Be Mindful of the Slope!

People think gutters are merely attached to a fascia and that is the end of it. The fact is the slope at which the gutters are attached can either hinder or improve the flow of water. You may find the slope of your gutter may need to be adjusted from time to time where a fastener may have loosened or a piece of wood could have bloated and pushed the angle off. To determine water flow, do a water test by running water through your rain gutter system. If you find the water drains slowly, inspect and reposition to insure the gutter slopes toward the downspouts at a rate of 1/4 inch for every 10 feet. So, if the length is 20 feet, the drop of the rain gutter from end to end should to 1/2 inch.

Alls Well That Ends Well

Now that the rain gutters are working and flowing well, another thing to take into consideration is where all of this water is going to end up. To prevent soggy ground and extra moisture around the foundation line of your home, be sure your downspouts expel water well away from your house. Often, downspouts are left to flow water right at the corner of a home. This forces the water to rush down into the foundation right along the base of the home. If you are experiencing moisture in your basement, check the downspout on the outside. It may be a huge factor to your moisture problem. If necessary, add downspout extenders to carry the water away from the home. You may also consider concrete or plastic “splash blocks” that are slightly sloped and extend away from the house at least four feet.

Always Consider Safety

One of the biggest reasons people hire a company to clean out their rain gutters (or don’t clean them out at all!) is because of the height and the safety required to handle an appropriate-sized ladder. The bottom line for me with safety is this: if I don’t feel comfortable, I don’t do it. The DIY ends when I simply don’t have a good feeling about a project. Whenever working with a ladder on the exterior of a home, ALWAYS have someone with you to serve as a spotter and to help with anything required with balancing or handling the ladder.