How to Make a Burn Barrel

Having a burn barrel around your property can be an essential item to have. We use our burn barrel in order to cut costs of calling the trash companies to come pick up our trash. Many Americans burn their trash just like we do, and they would agree that it is easier to burn their trash as well than to go through the hassle and cost of going through their trash company.

The purpose of having a burn barrel is to have your own personal incinerator. They are great to have if you don’t have the space for a bonfire.

However, some areas don’t allow you to have burn barrels. They may require you to have a fire pit if you want to burn something. make sure that you check your state laws concerning burn barrels before making one.

Where to Find a 55 Gallon Drum for Free

To make a burn barrel or incinerator, you’ll first need a steel drum. Typically, most steel drums that you can find will be 55 gallons. There are several ways you can get one for free but you may have to be a little inventive.

Here’s where to look to find a 55 gallon drum for free: 

• Beverage companies and breweries
• Craigslist – find listings for old burn barrels or drums
• Industrial waste collection companies
• Car washes – soap is usually stored in 55 gallon drums
• Spray foam insulation companies

You can usually just give the business a call and ask if they have any old 55 gallon drums that they’d be willing to give away or sell for cheap.

Also make sure that your burn barrel didn’t hold oil in it in a past life. You don’t want a super smoky burn barrel or any kind of chemical smell coming from it when you incinerate your trash or leaves.

Making a Burn Barrel

Start with an open ended metal drum. You may in some cases need to cut the top off of the drum if it’s closed off – you can use a metal cutoff wheel to do that. For most, you’ll be starting with an open-ended burn barrel.

Burn Barrel Placement

It’s important to find a spot on your property where the wind doesn’t blow as much. Another important thing to consider is not having your burn barrel near anything such as trees. That way you don’t run the risk of burning anything down. Typically, the barrel should be stored about 30 feet away from any object. There shouldn’t be any flammable items such as gasoline near the burn barrel as well. This can cause a big field fire which you definitely don’t want.

Drill Holes for Ventilation

An important step is drilling some holes for rainwater to drain out as well as drilling some holes for ventilation to fuel your fire.

Drill about four holes through the bottom of the barrel. You can use a hammer and punch or you can drill through the bottom with a 1″ drill bit. These holes are for rainwater to drain out of the barrel.

Next, drill approximately 6-8 holes around the outside of the barrel. Make sure the holes are close to the bottom of the barrel so that air can flow through it, fueling the fire inside. You can also add additional holes going around the outside of the barrel for added ventilation.

Get Your Burn Barrel Off The Ground

After that, put 2 concrete blocks inside of the burn barrel. This will weigh it down so that it doesn’t tip over with high winds when empty.

Then, place the barrel on 2 concrete cinder blocks to lift it up off the ground. This helps with drainage as well as airflow.

Put A Lid On It

Some people prefer to have something to cover the top of the barrel. For this you would use either a metal grate or heavy fencing. Others will typically use a piece of sheet metal to cover the opening of the burn barrel.

Another thing that you can do is cut a piece of steel to cover the burn barrel in case it rains. By not letting the rain water in will help prevent the burn barrel from rusting. It would also be a good idea to put something on it to hold it down in case of high winds. I would recommend putting hooks on the side of your burn barrel to secure the lid down. This will prevent it from blowing over, or causing any damage to the burn barrel.

Filling and Using Your Burn Barrel

While loading your burn barrel it is important to not fill it to the top with whatever you are burning. Start with one bag of trash at a time. If you fill your barrel too much, this can cause debris to fly everywhere.

Safety

Be careful what you burn as well. Certain household products may cause harmful fumes that may be bad for you to breathe in.

Always use a large lighter to light your fire. This way you’ll prevent yourself from burning yourself.

Also, be careful with what accelerants that you may use in order to start the fire. Some accelerants may cause the fire to get out of control. It’s always a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher nearby just in case.

Is Making a Burn Barrel Right for You?

Burn barrels are great for burning trash as well as yard waste such as leaves. As long as you stay safe and think about what you’re burning, you should get a lot of use out of it.