How to Build a Wire Mesh Compost Bin
There are a number of practical reasons why you should compost. Other than being good for your garden, enriching the soil with organic compost soaks up water and reduces runoff. It also protects against erosion. The best part is that you can save money by making your own compost. A wire mesh compost bin is fairly easy and inexpensive to construct. It takes only a few minutes to build, but when you are finished, you have a sturdy compost bin that can hold up to an equivalent of 1 cubic yard of compost. That is the same as about 10 full 30-gallon garbage bags. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Approximately 13 feet of (36-inch) wire mesh
- Heavy wire to use as ties
- 3 metal fence posts
- Tin snips
- Pliers
- Hammer
Instructions
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Visit your local hardware store to purchase the materials you need to build the compost bin. Welded wire mesh is galvanized and comes in a roll. You can also buy stainless steel mesh that is highly durable and rust resistant. Plastic-coated mesh fence is another choice that comes in different colors, but any type of woven wire fencing will do.
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Locate a level area on the lawn to set up the bin. Choose a shady area so that the sun won't dry out the compost.
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Roll out the wire mesh. Cut a length of 12½ feet, snipping off the ends near a cross wire. Wire mesh should be 36 inches wide.
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Bend the wire into a circle, overlapping the edges by at least 3 inches. This will give you a compost bin about 3 feet in diameter. The mesh is sturdy, so it should hold its shape.
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Use pliers to attach the edges of the wire fence together with four heavy wire ties or chain snaps. Set the bin in place.
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Position metal posts evenly around the inside edge of the bin. The posts should be tight against the wire. Hammer into place. You want posts to be 1 or 2 feet longer than the width of the wire mesh. Posts will give the bin more support, but the bin will be easier to lift if you don't use posts.
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Undo the wire ties or snaps when it's time to turn the compost. Set up the bin again next to the compost pile and transfer the composting material. If you use metal posts, you will have to reset the posts after you turn the compost.
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Tips & Warnings
Chicken wire can be used in place of wire mesh to make a compost bin. While opinions vary widely on how often you should turn a compost pile, the more frequently the compost is turned, the faster it will produce finished compost. Some people suggest turning compost material weekly, but other people turn it monthly, or only a few times each year.
To make handling the compost bin safer, file down sharp wires along the cut edge before fastening the ends of the wire mesh. Wear work gloves to protect your hands from jabs and cuts.
