City Prepping walks through a cheap, effective Faraday cage using a galvanized metal trash can. You’ll seal seams, insulate the interior, and (critically) tape the lid for a continuous conductive barrier. They test with radio/phone signals and cite EMP lab tests: taped lid wins. Store on a non-conductive base. Great for protecting radios, power stations, chargers, and backups. Budget: ~$70. Must-watch for grid-down resilience.
Key takeaways
Continuous metal matters: seal handle holes & seams with foil tape.
Lid seal is critical: aluminum tape around the entire rim outperforms a loose foil “gasket.”
Insulate inside (cardboard/blanket) so gear never touches metal.
Store can on wood/cardboard/rubber (not bare concrete).
Grounding adds little to no benefit per referenced testing.
Optional: buy a purpose-built conductive gasket to avoid re-taping.
Materials (~$70 total)
All-metal trash can + lid (approx $23–$34)
Heavy-duty aluminum foil & foil tape
Cardboard (bottom, walls, lid) + duct/packing tape
Marker, scissors/knife, measuring tape
Build steps (quick)
Light test: put a lantern inside, lid on, lights off; note any light leaks.
Seal weak points: tape over handle tabs, vertical & bottom seams (inside).
Insulate: cardboard circle for bottom; rolled panels for walls; cardboard in lid.
Fill: place electronics on insulation (no metal contact).
Seal lid: run foil tape fully around the rim after closing.
Store on a non-conductive surface.
What to store
Handhelds (GMRS/ham), weather radio, flashlights/headlamps
Power station + charger, battery chargers (AA/AAA/18650), spare tool batteries
Backup phone/SD/USB with offline manuals & maps
Foldable solar panel (or keep large panels in multi-layer foil-wrapped box)
Notes on testing
AM/FM often blocked by the can alone; cell signals typically require a taped lid.
Lab simulations (EMP Doctor) showed significantly less leakage with a taped seal.
Prompts for the community
What’s in your Faraday kit?
Has anyone tried the aftermarket conductive gaskets?
Post your build pics + any signal tests you ran.