Are you tired of your unsightly gutter downspout?
Replace it with a rain chain — these vertical works of art funnel water from the gutter to a drainage area, all while increasing your home’s curb appeal.
DIY rain chains are easy to make and don’t require any special skills or tools. The most important thing that any rain chain idea needs to work flawlessly is rain water and in most places, it’s something of natural occurrence.
Create a custom design that complements your style with these easy DIY rain chain ideas.
1. Large Scale Ceramic Beaded Rain Chain
With its earthy color palette and texture variation, this polished stone rain chain blends into a natural outdoor setting.
If you’re an artist, you can throw your own ceramic sections.
Alternatively, find a selection of ceramic pieces, and drill a hole through the center of each one. When they’re placed by the gutter, the water will cascade beautifully over the smooth material.
via Prairie Break
2. Copper Planter Succulent Watering Chain
Turn a set of small hanging planters into a sustainable succulent garden with this clever rain chain.
When it rains, the water will move through each bucket, watering the plants automatically.
Since succulents require minimal water, this is a great option for areas with minimal precipitation.
3. DIY Copper Piping Swirls
Do you have a set of pliers and a few rolls of copper wire?
Spend a few hours bending the wire into artistic swirls.
Link them together in a vertical column, and you have a shimmering, high-shine rain chain that looks good in rain or shine.
4. Whimsical Cookie Cutter Shape Rain Chain
It doesn’t get much easier than this DIY rain chain — all you need are a few chain links and some metal cookie cutters.
Together, they create an adorable decoration for your home.
Make the most of your rainfall by placing the end of the chain in a potted plant.
5. Simple Yet Stunning Copper Rings
When it rains, this copper rain chain becomes a beautiful, artistic waterfall. It’s a breeze to make; just interlink the metal rings until you reach the correct length.
When the sun is shining, the warm-toned surface shines beautifully.
via Instructables
6. Budget Friendly Colorful Zip Ties
Looking for a quick, cheap DIY rain chain?
Buy a package of neon zip ties, and you have all the supplies you need. Simply create loops with the ties for a fun, colorful result.
To reduce splashing, alternate large and small loops – probably the easiest decorative rain chain in our selection.
7. Mini Painted Terracotta Pots Chain
Show off your love of gardening with this sweet terra cotta rain chain.
It’s made with tiny pots, which you can find at any craft store. Paint your pots in an ombre gradient to add some personality; you can also use a rainbow of colors or leave the pots bare.
String the pots on a chain for an irresistibly cute result.
via Design Sponge
8. Whitewashed Terracotta Pots with Rock Bowl Collection
Here’s another variation on the terra cotta rain chain — this time, using a simple whitewashed finish for a rustic-chic vibe.
We love how the decorative chain terminates in a bowl of polished stones; it adds a Zen-garden feeling to the porch.
9. Assorted Rock Rain Chain DIY
Embrace the natural beauty of river rocks with this stunning DIY rain chain.
It looks like a piece you might buy in an artistic boutique, but you can make it at home with a roll of wire, a pair of pliers, and a selection of rocks.
This project offers lots of flexibility; you can choose rocks of any size and get creative with the links for a custom look.
10. Beach Vibe Driftwood Hanging Chain
If your home has a coastal-inspired exterior, enhance the style with a driftwood rain chain.
You can pick up the wood for free on the beach — aim for smaller pieces that are roughly the same size.
Drill a hole through the center of each one and string it on a wire to create a fresh, natural chain.
via City Farmhouse
11. DIY Metal Pail Rain Chain
There’s something magical about galvanized metal, especially when it comes in the form of tiny buckets.
These adorable pails make a fun rain chain for a farmhouse or a cottage; the shiny surface reflects the sun, and the vintage styling adds a country-inspired twist.
via Curbly
12. Inverted Copper Lantern Chain
Bring a bit of structure to your rain chain by making it out of metal lanterns.
The crisp edges and defined shape look great, particularly in an outdoor area with lots of organic shapes and wild plants.
Invert the lanterns to make sure the water travels efficiently.
13. Decorative Dangling Glass Rock Rain Chain
Are you looking for a rain chain with a bit of glamour and sparkle?
Make one out of art glass rocks. These large, transparent rocks feature colorful, multi-faceted surfaces that reflect the sunlight and brighten your home.
Plus, they look spectacular no matter what the weather.
14. Glass Mosaic Rain Chain Shimmers In The Sun
If you love the look of glass mosaic pieces, this DIY rain chain is the perfect fit. Each tiny bucket on the chain is covered in miniature squares of colored glass that shimmer in the sunlight.
When water pours out of the gutter, each bucket fills up and cascades down the chain to the next one.
via Bits and Pieces
15. DIY Eclectic Glass Rain Chain
Artistic and boho-chic, this rain chain is made with gorgeous colored glass.
Make your own with glass beads and colorful coasters; you can also buy this model for a quick home update.
The tiny glass beads between the large squares provide a neat, contained way for the water to move from the gutter to the ground.
16. Keep It Natural Pinecone Rain Chain
Maintain the natural, earthy vibe in your yard with this beautiful pinecone rain chain.
Made from items you can collect from a nearby forest, this chain is affordable and environmentally friendly.
Each pinecone is connected by a simple metal loop, which you can make yourself with a few twists.
17. DIY Budget Plastic Cup Chain
Have you ever seen the affordable plastic cups that show up in department stores every summer?
Buy five or six of them and transform them into a rain chain.
Larger cups are ideal for areas with high precipitation levels, while smaller cups create a sweet, charming effect.
18. Sturdy And Stunning Bamboo Rain Chain
If you pride yourself on a sustainable home, this reclaimed bamboo rain chain can help.
The sections of wood are hollow, so water flows freely into the container below.
You can use the collected rainwater to water your plants and reduce your utility bills.
19. Easy Shower Hook Rain Chain DIY
Make use of the old shower curtain hooks you have lying around the house by transforming them into a rain chain.
The trick is to connect them with lengths of wire; this prevents the hooks from separating after a heavy downpour.
via Greneaux Gardens
20. Recycled Household Item Rain Chain
Get your kids in on the rain-chain fun with this project, which uses recycled soda bottles and toothbrush holders.
It’s a great way to add color and whimsy to the front of your house — place the chain near your garden bed to keep your plants in fine form.
via Hometalk
21. True Chain With Silver Funnels
Made with a series of tiny metal funnels and a delicate set of metal links, this gorgeous DIY rain chain is like jewelry for the exterior of your home.
For a sophisticated look, choose a chain and funnels in the same color.
22. Repurpose Old Keys Into An Efficient Rain Chain
If you’re like many people, you have stacks of old keys piled up in a drawer.
Don’t throw them out — string them on a metal chain to create a rainwater distribution system.
When you arrange the keys in bunches, they provide plenty of surface area for water to flow freely.
23. Recycled Metal Spoon Chain
This creative rain chain is crafted from an unlikely material: old metal spoons.
Pick up a bunch of vintage spoons at a thrift store, and bend the bowls out at a right angle to catch the water.
When the spoons are arranged in a long line, they look like a vine with rounded leaves.
via Birds and Blooms
24. Glass Bead And Tart Tin Rain Chain
Do you have tart tins that have never been used?
Free up space in your kitchen cabinets by making them into a beautiful rain chain. Here, oversized glass beads separate the tins and add a pop of color.
via Wings Of Whimsy
25. Assorted Copper And Brass Chain
The next time you’re at an estate sale, a thrift store, or an antique shop, keep an eye out for small copper and brass items.
Goblets, bells, candle holders, miniature planters, and saucers are a great place to start. The varying shapes and finishes create a fun, vintage vibe. They will give your rain chain project more texture and flair.
26. Rain Chain From Glass Bottle Tops
Glass bottles ( wine bottles ) are beautiful and colorful — they’re perfect for a rain chain.
Cut off the tops of the bottles and string them on a chain with the mouth facing down.
When the water fills each one, it’ll create a glorious set of miniature waterfalls.
27. Reuse Yogurt Cups For A Budget Friendly Chain
Are you looking for a fast, cheap rain chain? Start saving your yogurt cups.
They hold lots of water, so they can handle frequent downpours. For the most efficient drainage, poke small holes in the bottom of each cup.
Like the rest of the DIY rain chains in this selection, it’s really easy to make and add to your downspout.
via Childhood List
28. Cutout Candle Holder Rain Chain
Made with adorable perforated candle holders, this rain chain is a stylish addition to your home.
The only power tool you need to complete the project is a drill to make a hole in the bottom of each holder; it provides space for the center chain.
29. Repurposed Rain Chain Tea Set
Embrace classic cottage style with this adorable tea-inspired rain chain. It uses a vintage teapot and a set of teacups glued to saucers.
When it rains, the clever layout creates the impression that the teapot is pouring the water into the cups.
All these DIY rain chains could turn your boring downspout into an accent and add some drama to your outdoor space.
