How to Build A Compost Bin With Free Wood Pallets

Anyone can build this excellent compost bin using free wood pallets.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Three similar wood pallets for a single compost bin or five pallets for a double compost bin. Some scrap dimensoinal lumber for braces and scabs.

1. You can build a great compost bin from free pallets in no time hardly at all. You can add on to it easily also. It is easy to access the pile too. First, go to a lumberyard, feed store, supply store or any place you think may have wood pallets used for shipping that they would like to get rid of for free. You'll probably see some out back stacked up, just find a manager and ask politely and most times they are glad to let you have some. Pick out sturdily built ones and try to get all the same size or nearly so. Get three for a single bin and five or six for a double bin.

2. Your compost bin will be the length and width of one pallet or two if a double size bin. Pick a spot in the shade for it that is easily accessible by wheelbarrow.

3. Stand two pallets on edge to form a right angle. Nail a scrap piece of lumber as a brace at an angle across the tops of the two pallets just in from the corner. Now nail the two pallets together anywhere possible on the corner, usually nailing is best on the pallet's main crosspieces. If nailing isn't at all possible you can wire them together also. Add a scrap scab if needed to join them.

4. Add another pallet standing on edge to form a three-sided square. Brace and nail it together where they meet. Now you have a single compost bin! The open side of the square is where you'll fill the bin.

5. To double the size of your compost bin so you have a working pile and a finished pile is simple. Add another rear pallet and another side pallet and you've doubled the size. Sometimes adding a second pallet to the center of a double bin is needed for stability.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear gloves, pallets tend to have splinters.
• Don't add meat scraps to your compost pile.
• Worms will find your compost pile... fish with them!
• Turn your compost often for best results.
• When a pile is almost done working start adding to the second side of your bin so you have a place to get finished compost from while still making more.
• Meat scraps and smelly food wastes draw critters!
• Compost can sometimes smell of decomposing materials so place it away from your house a little ways.
• Leaves, grass clippings, rabbit manure, vegetable wastes, old hay and straw all make good composting materials.
• Horse manure tends to have a whole lot of weed seeds in it so I avoid using it in the garden.

[ilivetoteach]

on 7/18/2009 Great article. It would have been nice to see pictures. *5

[dreamitdoit]

on 4/20/2009 Great money-saving idea. Thanks!