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Free
Plans For Building a Compost Bin
I found my compost
tumbler to not have the capacity needed for all my lawn clippings.
With close to an acre of lawn that grows like a hay field, I get a
lot of clippings. So I decided to rebuild my bins a little
bigger and also use my compost tumbler. The
compost bin
shown here will last you from 5 to 6 years and
it costs nearly nothing to build since
you make it out of slab wood ends that lumber operations give away
free to the public. If you want a compost bin to last longer,
use cedar boards in place of the slab wood and cedar 2-by-4's.
Cedar can be pricey however. One can also use treated wood but I
don't fancy having chemical anti-mold treatments mixing with compost
used in my vegetable garden.
Here are the
instructions for building these compost bins:
-
Obtain a half truck
load or so of slab wood from a logging operation. This is
generally given away free.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
Obtain (6)
36"-40" pieces of 2-by-4 and cut all of them to a uniform length.
I cut mine to 40".
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER
VIEW!
-
Cut 48" lengths of
the slab wood ends, lay them out uniformly on the 2-by-4's, and
for now fasten each piece with one nail on each side. Use
galvanized #8 or #10 box nails. These 3 assembled pieces
will make up the sides.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
Move assembled side
pieces to a bench or sawhorse set, square up the pieces, and
fasten each side with several more box nails.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
Move the side pieces
to where you will build your compost bin. If you have a metal shed
like mine, you can use the shed for the back of the bin. If
you have a wood shed, you will want to place a piece of plywood at
the back to protect your shed from rotting. Fasten a 2-by-2
on the top back and fasten the 2-by-2 to your shed. Take
measurements and fasten a full length of slab wood to the front
bottom. It is helpful to place a base of loose gravel where the
side pieces will be secured in place.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
Temporarily fasten
slab wood pieces across the front with one galvanized deck screw
per side. This is an easy way to build the front doors.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
Fasten 4 vertical
pieces of slab wood on the insides of the front pieces. It is
easiest to use exterior deck screws. These vertical pieces will
hold the entire front together when you remove the temporary
screws.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
-
After you have
figured out how you will hinge the doors on (I used some old door
hinges), mark where you will cut the front pieces. Take the
entire front off , and cut your doors to size. A chain saw
works nice for this. Attach your doors to the sides with
hinges.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
As can be seen below (and above), I
have the doors attached with hinges on each side. The doors
latch over the middle with several old chains.
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW!
The left and right hinges are shown
below. Also the chains for latching in the middle are shown.
Note the use of drain tube in the bottom to help keep air at the
bottom of the compost pile.
CLICK ON PICTURES ABOVE FOR
LARGER VIEW!
This bin will last you
from 5 to 6 years. If you want one to last longer, use cedar
boards in place of the slab wood and cedar 2-by-4's. Cedar can
be pricey however. One can also use treated wood but I don't fancy
having chemical anti-mold treatments mixing with compost used in my
vegetable garden.
Use compost, not
farmer's manure! Compost does not have the weed seeds in it if
you do things right and get the pile to a high temperature.
Click Here
for instructions on how to make a compost pile that will heat up
correctly.
More Free Plans and
Ideas Below!
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