{"id":102,"date":"2018-07-15T16:13:38","date_gmt":"2018-07-15T20:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/?p=102"},"modified":"2019-12-17T10:36:57","modified_gmt":"2019-12-17T15:36:57","slug":"most-popular-rain-chain-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/most-popular-rain-chain-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Popular Rain Chain Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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One of the most eye-catching gutter accessories<\/strong> has to be the rain chain. There are so many different, unique designs to choose from but knowing what the best rain chain material is will help you in making your decision as to which one to buy.<\/p>

Plastic, stainless steel or copper<\/strong> rain chains? Find out which popular material is the best for you when choosing a rain chain.\u00a0<\/p>

Rain chains are quite unique but not very common in the West. If you have no idea what it is, don\u2019t worry \u2013 you\u2019re not alone. Not everyone knows or understands the benefits of a rain chain<\/a>.<\/p>

But if you\u2019re the type of person who has a knack for home improvement and loves to personalize<\/strong>, rain chains are definitely something you might be interested in.<\/p>

Just in case you’ve never heard of a Rain Chain before…<\/strong><\/h2>

\"mostThe concept of rain chains comes not only from aesthetic purpose but also the functionality. Gutters and exterior pipes are very important for the home because they help keep the flow of rainwater organized. This prevents the entry of rainwater into the ceiling and wall slabs, preventing leakage inside the house. The standard pipes used for gutters and downspouts are PVC. But the Japanese thought of something that can substitute these pipes, and these are what we call rain chains.<\/p>

Rain chains are made from different materials and despite their name, they don\u2019t necessarily need to be in the shape of a chain. In fact, the interesting thing about rain chains is that they require creativity. You can make almost any shape into a rain chain. You can even use ornamental shapes like cups, flowers, bells, and so on.<\/p>

Most Popular Rain Chain Materials Used<\/strong><\/h2>

If you love DIY projects, you might be thinking about making your very own rain chains. There\u2019s also a wide variety of designs that you can find online. When making or buying rain chains, it\u2019s important to consider the material that they\u2019re made of. After all, the chain comes in very close contact with water, and there are plenty of materials out there that don\u2019t mix well with liquids.<\/p>

Another thing to consider is the sound of the chain. One fun side to having rain chains is having a chime when it rains. When water passes through the chain, it creates a tinkling sound. If you want to have this feature on your rain chains, then you have to use the right material.<\/p>

There are three common materials used for rain chains: copper, plastic, and stainless steel. Below is a table that shows how each one differs from the other.<\/p>
Features<\/strong><\/th>Copper<\/strong><\/th>Plastic<\/strong><\/td>Stainless Steel<\/strong><\/td>Aluminum<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Weight<\/strong><\/td>Moderately heavy<\/td>Very light<\/td>Very Heavy<\/td>Very Heavy<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/strong><\/td>Brownish gold<\/td>Various<\/td>Silver<\/td>Silver<\/td><\/tr>
Size<\/strong><\/td>Various<\/td>Various<\/td>Various<\/td>Various<\/td><\/tr>
Durability<\/strong><\/td>High Resistance<\/td>Low Resistance<\/td>High Resistance<\/td>High Resistance<\/td><\/tr>
Weathering<\/strong><\/td>Darkens due to air exposure<\/td>Grows mold when exposed to water<\/td>Darkens over time<\/td>Light patina over time<\/td><\/tr>
Price<\/strong><\/td>Affordable<\/td>Very Affordable<\/td>Expensive<\/td>Affordable<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

\u00a0Based on the table, it\u2019s easy to conclude a few things.<\/strong><\/p>

  1. If you\u2019re after the cheapest material, plastic is definitely your choice. However, because of the low quality of material, plastic rain chains can easily get broken or damaged. This material is also very prone to mold and mildew when exposed to water. Apart from that, plastic doesn\u2019t create the bell-like sound that metal rain chains can make.<\/li>
  2. If you have a high budget and you\u2019re looking for something that will last longer than your lifetime, stainless steel works best. It\u2019s very heavy and expensive but it\u2019s very durable. You may consider attaching it very securely onto your gutter since it\u2019s heavy and may fall down due to its weight. The surface of stainless steel also darkens as it becomes exposed to weathering.<\/li>
  3. If you\u2019re after a durable, affordable, aesthetically pleasing and lighter alternative to stainless steel, copper is your answer. The brownish-gold tinge of copper is a pretty sight and adds an antique touch to your home. It also doesn\u2019t rust since it doesn\u2019t have any iron in it, but as it gets exposed to air, it can get a darker shade. This isn\u2019t a bad thing, though. Most antiques have this color characteristic and it makes your rain chain even more elegant.<\/li><\/ol>

    Why Copper is Your Ideal Choice<\/strong><\/h2>

    Of these three, copper is the favorite among homeowners and architects<\/strong> because of its cheap yet durable material. It\u2019s also very flexible and malleable and can be made into all sorts of designs. Even the simplest and most generic rain chains look good when made with copper.<\/p>

    Below is a simple rain chain design made of copper rings. It\u2019s simple yet elegant and very pretty.<\/p>

    Since it\u2019s a metal, copper has the bell-like ring that makes rain chains just like chimes. When water passes through the chains, it will definitely give you an earful!<\/p>

    Just remember that during long rains, it can be unpleasant to have the chains clanking all night long, so you may opt for a different material depending on your weather and\/or location.<\/p>

    \"Whats<\/p>

    Another bonus when using copper<\/strong> is environmental safety.<\/p>

    Copper emits much lower carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) than other metal alternatives. Although it may have a higher CO2 emission than plastic, the benefits outweigh the risks since plastic is also a pollutant.<\/p>

    Copper is organic and biodegradable, unlike plastic which clutters the environment.<\/p>

    It is also much easier to create copper products because it has the lowest level of embodied energy among other materials, including plastic. Plus, if you have copper gutters<\/a> it goes very well with that.\u00a0<\/p>

    Copper is a very abundant mineral and the resources are plenty and wide. There\u2019s no scarcity which is also a reason why it\u2019s very affordable. This common mineral is used for many different industrial merchandises and it\u2019s non-toxic because of its organic nature.<\/p>

    Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>

    While rain chains may come in a wide variety, using copper for making them offers a number of benefits. It\u2019s cheap, durable, environment-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing. It fulfills all of the purposes you want your rain chains to achieve. For the best rain chains, it\u2019s ideal to buy from a reputable source who offers well-crafted items made of pure copper. This will surely be worth every penny.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    One of the most eye-catching gutter accessories has to be the rain chain. There are so many different, unique designs to choose from but knowing what the best rain chain material is will help you in making your decision as to which one to buy. Plastic, stainless steel or copper rain chains? Find out which …<\/p>\n

    Most Popular Rain Chain Materials<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/raingutteraccessories.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}