Wooden Compost Bins

In the first post we looked at how to build a compost bin from some free materials. It was a nice basic design. Wooden compost bins are some of the easiest to build and will last for quite a few years. We will now take a look at how to build a compost bin that is slightly larger and has more than one chamber. Personally I favor a wood compost bin that has three compartments. This is becasue wooden compost bins like this mean that you can always have a bin you are filling, one to age once you have filled it, and a middle compartment to put materials in that you will add slowly to the bin you are currently using. We use our central compartment to store grass clippings that can be layered in to the wooden compost bin from time to time.

Wooden Compost Bin Plans

Wooden compost bins, while not lasting forever, are great because they can be made so cheaply. A three chamber wooden composting bin is just a step up from the single bin we learned how to make in the first compost bin design post. Here is what you will need:

• 10 Pallets
• A box of nails or screws
• A hammer or screwdriver
• A good few hours of your time

As in the previous post you will realise I like to keep things simple. So many pages about wooden compost bins and how to build a compost bin are so technical that they bore you in to never following the instructions anyway. I will not be giving technical information about exact dimensions and where exactly to screw the compost bin together etc. It is all common sense. This site is to encourage everyone to build a compost bin. It should be straightforward and simple.

This design has a few options. Instead of using pallets for the sides and the back you may use chicken wire instead. It is simply a matter of choice. Personally I prefer all wooden compost bins as they are sturdier. I won't be condescending and tell you how to nail a bit of chicken wire to some wood, just use common sense. As with so many things a diagram is always helpful and can often do a better job of describing how to build a compost bin than words can. As we can see this design can easily be modified in any way we wish. We can use chicken wire in addition to our wooden compost bin, or just use wood. I would simply use wood as it will be sturdier.

How To Make A Wooden Compost Bin

It is a relatively simple matter to make a three chamber wooden compost bin. Ensure you get a nice flat surface that is open to the ground. You want to let the worms and the bacteria and micro-organisms in the ground have easy access to your compost bin design. I recommend building this wood compost bin where it will be sited as it will be very heavy. As you can see in this photo they can be fairly untidy or as clean looking as you wish. Just choose the materials accordingly. If all materials are the same size and color then it will look very tidy indeed.

To build compost bins like these it is simply a matter of screwing or nailing everything together. I recommend making the back first. Once that is done, nail the sides on and then the front. This will give something nice and sturdy. You can then get inside and divide it up.

It really is as simple as that. We don't need any technical information. A simple look at the pictures tells us exactly what we need to know.

One thing you may be interested in purchasing is a used chipper shredder. It will make many largeer pieces of wood then suitable for composting. Small amounts of woody stuff are fine as long as they are mixed in with other organic matter. It will add a little "bulk" to the contents.

Wooden compost bins are simple but very effective when it comes to garden composters. Get your materials and simply nail them together. It really is as simple as that. Who needs exact dimesnions etc, just make it.