A five-gallon bucket can be used for a variety of purposes.
Everything from working on the pool to construction to using a bucket in the yard for landscaping, the five-gallon bucket is a popular and handy tool to have around.
The five-gallon bucket is something you can find in almost any garage across the United States.
However, there are specific characteristics of the five-gallon bucket that even the handiest people have no education on.
With as impactful a tool as the five-gallon bucket is, there are some basic facts that you should understand.
One of the first is how much a five-gallon bucket weighs.
How Much Does A Five-Gallon Bucket Weigh?
A five-gallon bucket weighs one pound.
This is for a standard or average five-gallon bucket that is empty of any other items or materials.
There are, however, certain companies that make five-gallon buckets out of other materials.
For instance, a Yeti five-gallon bucket is quite heavy-duty.
The five-gallon bucket from Yeti is going to weigh five pounds.
For the most part, the five-gallon buckets are made of a very thin plastic that is designed to be lightweight.
The idea behind the lightweight design is that when one adds other materials to the bucket, the overall weight is going to increase considerably.
The extra weight will make it much more difficult to carry a five-gallon bucket around.
Most people will store some type of liquid material in their five-gallon bucket, and therefore, if you are going to be carrying that around, you will want the bucket to start out at an overall lighter weight.
The five-gallon bucket, when filled with water, is going to be a much different weight than it is going to be when it is empty.
How Much Does A Five-Gallon Bucket Weight When Filled With Liquid?
The five-gallon bucket is going to weigh 42 pounds when it is filled with water.
This is a considerable amount of weight to carry, and most five-gallon buckets do not have a sturdy carrying handle.
Some will have a simple plastic clip that attaches around a wire or metal handle, and therefore, the liquid will be complicated to carry.
If you have ever tried to carry a five-gallon bucket of paint, you know that this gets even heavier than the water.
Paint buckets can weigh more than 50 and close to 60 pounds for the five-gallon bucket.
Again, for most people, this will require the use of two hands or even a small cart to help push the heavy product around.
Overall, you likely won’t expect the heavy weight of the five-gallon bucket, so be prepared for it when you try to lift it.
What Can You Use A Five-Gallon Bucket For?
Now that you have a better idea as to how much a five-gallon bucket weighs, let’s take a look at some of the possible uses for a five-gallon bucket.
People have learned how to use the bucket in a variety of ways through the years, but there are certainly some unique ways that will stand out and help you see the functionality of keeping buckets like these around.
There is really no right or wrong way to use a five-gallon bucket, but these are just some of the most common applications that we have found.
Seat
If you turn a five-gallon bucket over, it can make a great seat.
However, some five-gallon buckets are made with a more brittle material.
For people who have heavier weights, it can be a bit too much for the five-gallon bucket to support, and you could potentially see it crack or fall apart.
Some people will also build a top for the five-gallon bucket and make that into a seat.
With the top on the bucket, you can get a bit more of a stable seat, and you won’t have to worry about the bucket cracking.
Overall, the seat on the bucket can be made as comfortable as you would like, and you can bring this with you to sports games or use it as a simple place to rest while you are doing yard work.
The seat is a good choice for use with a five-gallon bucket, but you will want to be sure to check on the weights.
Container Garden
Another excellent option for a five-gallon bucket is to create a container garden.
A container garden is similar to what you would use if you were putting a planter on your deck to try and grow flowers or vegetables.
The containers are quite small in size and allow for one or maybe two plants.
However, a container garden is a perfect way to use the five-gallon bucket.
The depth of the bucket tends to be just the right size for a variety of plants, and the great thing is that you can pick these up and move them to the areas where they get the best light.
Sometimes as the light changes throughout the year, it can be hard to have a stationary garden.
With the five-gallon bucket, moving plants from one spot to another is really a great choice to consider.
Landscaping
Landscaping is another perfect choice for using your five-gallon bucket.
Since the overall weight of the bucket is only one pound, you can carry it around the yard with you and fill it with debris from the yard.
As you move from one area to another, you can add pinecones or weeds that you pull out, and it can keep you more organized as you complete your project.
Landscaping is typically satisfying work, but when you have to go back over an area and clean it up when you are finished, it can become quite annoying.
Instead, make sure that you have the bucket with you along the way and just keep filling it as you go.
Overall, the five-gallon bucket can also be easily rinsed out when all is said and done and put away quite neatly.
For smaller projects, it is much easier than dealing with a wheelbarrow.
Car Wash
If you are washing your car, you will need a large bucket of soap and water.
It is even better when this large bucket can accommodate a broom or a brush.
Doing a car wash in your driveway is a great way to save a little money, but you must have the right supplies.
Keeping a five-gallon bucket around is a smart choice to ensure that everything can be cleaned easily, and the bucket can even store your rags, soap, and brushes for the next time you need to clean.
Farming
When collecting crops from out on the farm, a five-gallon bucket is a perfect place to put them.
Bringing a five-gallon bucket along with you as you are filling up on fruits, vegetables, or grains is a great way to do quick work.
If you find that your bucket fills quickly, these are relatively cheap to purchase more of and have around.
Many farmers who work with a crew in a fashion similar to an assembly line will use five-gallon buckets to make quick work of the harvest.
Firewood
Having to transport firewood into the home to burn can be a bit tricky.
There are bags that you can use, but if you don’t happen to have a bag, a five-gallon bucket will work quite well.
The bucket can fit sticks, larger logs, and even some kindling if necessary.
Overall, moving firewood from one place to another can be rather heavy.
The fact that the bucket only weighs one pound will help ensure that the firewood is a bit less difficult to transport.
DIY Projects
There are countless DIY projects that people have come up with to use a five-gallon bucket.
The buckets can be used to make dog feeders, deer feeders, and more.
However you decide to use your five-gallon bucket, you should know that every household really needs one of these around.
Whether you use it for fishing, carrying around farm equipment, or simply putting it to use the next time you wash your car, it makes sense to have a few five-gallon buckets around your house.
With the typical bucket weighing in right at one pound, the lightweight features will help you accomplish quite a bit of work without any extra strain on your back.
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