"Ended up reinforcing mine with some scrap wood strips around the edges and stapling it down tight. Worked like a charm after that."
Staples and wood strips can definitely help, but in my experience, raccoons are pretty persistent little critters. I had a similar setup, and it worked for a while... until they figured out how to pry the staples loose. They're surprisingly strong, especially when motivated by curiosity or hunger.
What ended up working better for me was switching from chicken wire to hardware cloth—it's sturdier, has smaller gaps, and is way harder for them to manipulate. I secured mine with screws and washers rather than staples, since screws hold tighter and washers prevent them from tearing through the mesh. It was a bit more work initially but saved me from having to redo the whole thing later on.
As far as rain barrels go, bricks or concrete blocks underneath are solid advice—but I'd add one more thing: consider anchoring your barrels if you're in an area prone to strong winds or storms. Even a full barrel can shift slightly over time, especially if the ground gets saturated after heavy rains. I used some metal straps attached to stakes driven deep into the ground around mine, just for extra peace of mind.
Also, don't forget about overflow management. When barrels fill up during heavy storms—and trust me, they will—you'll want a reliable overflow system that directs excess water away from your home's foundation or garden beds. Learned this lesson the hard way after my flower bed turned into a mini-swamp overnight...
Anyway, just thought I'd chip in with what's worked (and hasn't!) for me. Good luck with your setup!
Hardware cloth is a solid idea, but honestly, the price jump from chicken wire to hardware cloth made me hesitate... I'm trying to keep costs down. Has anyone tried doubling up chicken wire layers instead? Wondering if two layers stapled at different angles might confuse those crafty raccoons enough to give up. Also, how much overflow are we talking here—like, garden hose size or full-on drainage pipe?
"Wondering if two layers stapled at different angles might confuse those crafty raccoons enough to give up."
Honestly, raccoons are pretty persistent...but your double-layer idea could slow 'em down enough to reconsider. Overflow-wise, it's usually more garden hose size unless you're in a heavy rain area. Worth experimenting a bit.
Raccoons are definitely smarter than most people give them credit for. I had a similar issue last summer when I set up my rain barrel—thought I'd outsmarted them with a mesh screen, but nope, they just peeled it back like it was nothing. The double-layer idea you mentioned:
"Wondering if two layers stapled at different angles might confuse those crafty raccoons enough to give up."
might help temporarily, but honestly, I'd recommend something sturdier like hardware cloth or metal screening. Staple guns and plastic mesh just don't cut it with these guys...
Yeah, hardware cloth is definitely the way to go. I tried doubling up plastic mesh once too—thought I was pretty clever stapling it at different angles—but those little bandits just tore right through it overnight. Switched to metal screening after that, and haven't had a problem since. Also, make sure you secure it really well around the edges; raccoons seem to have endless patience for finding weak spots...
