How to install a water butt

Inspired by a popular UK tutorial from Wickes. This walk-through draws on the practical "How to install twin water butts" guide from Wickes, which covers linking two butts from a single downpipe — a good watch if you want to double your storage capacity from the outset.

1. Choose your position carefully

Pick a spot close to a downpipe, ideally on solid, level ground. The butt needs to sit up on a stand so you can get a watering can underneath the tap without an awkward tilt — most stands raise it about 30 cm.

Think about how far the tap end is from your vegetable beds or borders. A butt on the far side of the house sounds sensible until you are trailing a full can across the lawn twice a day.

2. Assemble the stand and position the butt

Most plastic stands clip or bolt together in a few minutes. Put the assembled stand where you want it and sit the empty butt on top. Check it is stable and not rocking before you do anything else.

Mark the ground if needed. You want to be confident about the position before you start cutting the downpipe — because once you cut, you are committed.

3. Mark the downpipe cut height

Hold the diverter kit against the downpipe at the height the instructions specify — usually 10 to 15 cm above the top of the butt. Mark the pipe at the top and bottom of the section you will remove.

Double-check the mark makes sense by holding the linking hose between the diverter and the butt inlet. It should run without kinking or pulling hard in any direction.

4. Cut out the section of downpipe

Use a hacksaw or pipe cutter. Take it slow — a straight cut makes fitting the diverter much easier. Remove the cut section and clean up the edges with a file or fine sandpaper so there are no burrs.

Hold the two pipe ends apart while you work. Plastic downpipe can flex and pinch the saw if you let the sections drop together.

5. Fit the rainwater diverter

Slide the diverter into the gap in the downpipe. Most snap-fit types have a central piece that clicks between two pipe collars — push them firmly together until you feel them seat. Give a gentle tug to check they are secure.

The diverter has an internal flap: when the butt is full, water bypasses the inlet and carries on down the original pipe to the drain. That is the overflow protection built in to the design.

6. Connect the hose to the butt inlet

Push the linking hose from the diverter outlet onto the inlet fitting on the water butt. Most are a push-fit or a threaded connector — check the kit instructions. Make sure the hose runs slightly downhill toward the butt so gravity does the work.

A kinked hose here will back up the water and potentially overflow onto the wall rather than into the butt. Take a moment to route it tidily.

7. Fit the overflow pipe

Most water butts have a second outlet near the top for overflow. Connect this to a second butt if you are linking two, or route it to a soakaway, a drain, or onto grass — somewhere the excess can go safely without pooling against the house wall.

A butt that overflows against the foundations is worse than no butt at all. Sorted in a couple of minutes with a short bit of pipe or hose.

8. Add the lid and test with the next shower of rain

Fit the lid to keep leaves and debris out. Most lids have a mesh or fine grille built in — this also stops mosquitoes breeding in standing water, which matters in warm months.

Wait for rain and check the butt is filling. Open the tap briefly to confirm it works. If the butt fills faster than expected, consider adding a second one using a linking kit — and that Wickes video is worth watching for that specific setup.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the downpipe is cracked, split, or in a difficult-to-reach position. Some older cast-iron downpipes need different fixings and a bit more care when cutting. Happy to take a look and get it done properly.