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These budget-friendly DIY compost bin plans will help make a dedicated space for you to compost so you can reap the benefits of nutrient-rich soil.

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This year I finally decided to build a composting system to enrich the soil in my raised bed garden. Here's an assembly schematic for building your own 3 bin compost system. There are a lot of plans on the internet for cheap and supposedly free compost bin systems. This is not that! This is a well designed 3 bin system designed to last for many years and also look nice. I riffed on a design that's in the vegetable garden area at my local botanical gardens, and I've tried to incorporate a few specific features.

First, I wanted something that looked fairly nice and organized and fit with the aesthetic of my garden area. Second, wanted to make sure it got plenty of airflow. And lastly, I needed to keep my beagle, who will eat anything, out of it!

The other thing to note is that I did use ACQ pressure treated wood so that the compost bin system would last a number of years. I'll say a quick word about that. Prior to the 2000's, pressure treated wood was manufactured using chromated copper arsenate (CCA), and while there were debates about the potential leaching of the arsenic into the soil, generally speaking pressure treated wood was not recommended. Since that time, the manufacturing has changed to alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) which is not known to have toxicity issues or to leach into soils. So do you research and decide for yourself whether you want to use pressure treated lumber or not.

At the time of this post (in the midst of ridiculous lumber prices!) the total cost of the completed bin was about $300including wire mesh and hardware.

I've also prepared detailed step-by-step instructions for building the bin system on a downloadable PDF for $5 if you'd like a more detailed printed version of the project plan.

Materials List and Diagram

2 1 x 4 - 10′

2 1 x 4 - 8′

9 1 x 6 - 8′

4 2 x 4 - 10′

12 2 x 4 - 6′

1 roll of 1/2″ wire mesh - 3′ x 25′

1 box of 2.5″ exterior pocket hole screws

1 box of 2.5″ exterior decking screws

You'll see above that there's a 1 x 4 and several 5 1/2″ pieces of 2 x 4 that are in gray. I added these as optional pieces to reinforce the bin sides. Over time I've noticed that as I filled the bin system up, that the outer sides of the bin weren't as stable as I wanted, so I added these as "optional" reinforcements, which I'll indicate on the plan steps. I haven't actually used them on my bin, but may add them at some point.

Assembly Schematics

Below are front, rear and side views of the 3 bin system with measurements.

As noted above, below are 2 additional views, a front view and rear top view (with the trim hidden), indicating the added front supports. Note that the trim on the two middle partitions will need to be shortened by 3 1/2″ to accommodate the front trim brace.

I've also prepared detailed step-by-step instructions for building the bin system on a downloadable PDF for $5 if you'd like a printed version of the project plan.

3 Bin Compost Process

If you're looking at this plan, then you're probably already familiar with the benefits of composting. But you may not be as familiar with the 3 bin composting process. It's pretty simple.

The process was designed to accelerate the breakdown of organic composting matter quickly and consistently by employing a rotation. Rather than continuing to add material to a single pile or bin, you fill up Bin #1, turning the pile regularly to aerate it, then move the entire pile to Bin #2 and start filling up Bin #1 again.

Don't add any more new material to Bin #2 once it's been moved from Bin #1, although do continue to turn and aerate it. Keep in mind that the compost material needs to stay moist and you'll want the internal temperature to average 140°. That kills weed seeds and most pathogens in the soil.

Once Bin #1 is filled up again, move the pile in Bin #2 to Bin #3, and then Bin #1 to Bin #2. Continue to frequently turn the piles in each bin, but don't add any new compost material to Bins #2 and #3. Let them continue to decompose. New material then gets added to Bin #1.

If all goes well, by the time bin #1 is filled up for the 3rd time, Bin #3 should be ready to augment your garden soil. The compost is finished when most of the original plant materials are no longer recognizable. Finished compost is dark colored, crumbly, and looks and feels like soil.

Here are some additional helpful resources for composting.

You may also like:

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This year I finally decided to build a composting system to enrich the soil in my raised bed garden. Here's an assembly schematic for building your own 3 bin compost system. There are a lot o...

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You can make a DIY compost bin from almost anything: garbage cans, plastic containers, pallets, wood, chicken wire, metal sheets, and straw bales. You just need a few tools and materials, plus the proper bin-building tutorial to lay down the basic steps. In a few hours (or less), you can have your own compost bin and prepare nutrient-rich, natural, crumbly compost to improve the soil and support healthy plants.

We have thirteen ideas you can try depending on the composting method you want to use, your resources, and how much compost you need. They're all easy-to-build bins, even for less crafty beginners, so give it a try!

Note: If you're new to recycling waste as compost, here is a detailed guide on how to compost for your lawn and garden that will teach you all about the most prominent composting methods.

1. Convert a plastic trash can into a composting bin

Turning a garbage can into a composting bin allows you to produce organic fertilizer for your lawn and garden in a small space, like a porch, garage, or a cramped yard corner. It creates a closed environment, so moisture and heat are easier to control, making it an excellent option for hot and cold composting.

Tools and materials

To build it, you'll need the following:

A trash bin with a tight closing lid. If the space and budget allow it, go for a container at least 32 gallons large.

Drill and a 2 or 3-inch drill bit.

Aluminum screen fabric.

Silicone caulk or epoxy adhesive.

Here are some examples of supplies you can find online:

32 Gallon Heavy Duty Plastic Garbage Can - Walmart
20V MAX Cordless Drill and Driver - Amazon
Aluminum Window Screen, 36″ x 84″ - Amazon
Gorilla Expoxy 0.85 fl. Oz. - Home Depot

Money-saving tips: You'll be drilling the garbage bin, so use an old one if possible. You can also repurpose aluminum fabric from an old window mosquito screen.

How to build the compost bin

Step 1: Use the drill to make holes around the trash can walls, 6 to 12 inches apart. You need them for ventilation.

Step 2: Cut square pieces from the screen fabric, about 4-5 inches in size.

Step 3: Use the pieces to cover each hole from the inside and secure with silicone or epoxy. The fabric prevents pests from getting inside while allowing air to flow freely.

You're all set!

Pick a place for your composting bin and place it there. Start adding organic matter to your bin. Close the lid. Turn the pile at least once a week if you're hot composting. Let it be if you're using the cold composting method.

Note: If you decide to buy a bin after all, we have a detailed guide with the best compost bins on the market you can choose from.

2. Build a DIY compost bin from pallets

Since free pallets are easy to find, many gardeners use them to build structures for outdoor compost piles. They don't offer the same protection against the weather but make the heaps look neat, keep the compost in place, and are easy to build.

A pallet bin doesn't have a closed bottom. The organic matter sits directly on the soil, allowing beneficial microbes and decomposing organisms to climb up the pile. Pallet bins look nice in your yard and are large enough for composting grass clippings, twigs, fallen branches, dry leaves, and other garden waste.

Tool and materials

To make a pallet compost bin in your garden, you'll need the following tools and materials:

Four wood pallets similar in size

Power drill

Screwdriver

Hammer

Four L brackets

Two heavy-duty strap hinges

Wood screws

One gate hook and latch

Cupboard handle/utility pull

Gloves

Safety glasses

Pro tip: You can find free pallets at construction sites, hardware and flooring stores, small garden shops, furniture, equipment, pet, grocery, and stationery stores, restaurants, bars, and liquor stores, and home improvement stores. You can also purchase used pallets at lower prices online.

You can repurpose the accessories (hinges, hook, latch, etc) from any old shed door. If you don't have any, you can buy them online.

Here are some options:

How to build the compost bin

Step 1: Choose a shaded, leveled place with good drainage to place the bin and bring your materials there.

Step 2: Set one pallet to be the backside of the bin and fit a second one on its right side, forming a square angle. Ask a friend to help you keep them in place and attach the two pallets using two L brackets.

Step 3: Set the third pallet on the left side and attach it to the back pallet using the other 2 L brackets.

Step 4: Choose which side you want the door to open and use two strap hinges to install the front of the bin. You'll use this side of the bin to add organic matter and turn the compost.

Step 5: Add a hook and latch to keep it closed and a handle to open it easily.

You're ready to start adding materials to the bin.

3. Wire fence compost bin

Compost bins made of chicken wire are fast to build, inexpensive, and perfect for collecting grass clippings, dry leaves, and yard waste to turn into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. You can also give it any shape you want that fits your space. Most are made round or square.

Wire fence bins are perfect as secondary bins for collecting garden scraps. You can also use them for cold composting. Hot composting is more difficult since the bin offers no protection against rain, dry air, and cold. You can hot compost in a wire fence, but you'll need more care in managing the compost's moisture and interior temperature.

Tools and materials

Wire fencing - about 10 feet for a round bin with 3 feet in diameter

Wire cutters

Zip ties or wire

Work gloves

You can use chicken wire, hardware cloth, and even rabbit wire if rodents are not an issue.

Here's where you can buy some for cheap:

How to build the compost bin

Step 1: Put the gloves on and cut the fencing wire to the appropriate size for your bin.

Step 2: Lay the wire on the ground and walk back and forth over it to flatten the fence and make it easier to work with.

Step 3: Pick up the wire and make it into a circle.

Step 4: Fasten the ends of the material together and use wire or zip ties to secure it on the top, bottom, and middle.

Step 5: Place the bin in its place and ensure you have enough space around it to turn the composting materials regularly.

4. Make a wood compost bin

Untreated wood is a popular solution for gardeners looking to make their own compost bins. Wood bins are resilient and easy to put together. They're also excellent for hot composting, helping regulate moisture and heat. Here's how you can make one at home.

Tools and materials

3 2×3 or 2×4 boards for the verticals, 3 ¼ feet tall

1×6 or 2×6 slats, 24 pieces (5 for each side), 3 ¼ feet long

Saw

Two C-clamps

An electric screwdriver

Screws

You can find lumber in local stores and online. Here are some affordable options:

How to build the compost bin

Step 1: Have the wood cut to the size of your bin at the store where you buy it from, or do it yourself at home with a saw. Use the proper safety equipment.

Step 2: Start by putting the lateral panels together. Lay down two 2x3s on their thin side, parallel to each other, about 3 feet apart.

Step 3: Use a horizontal slat to fasten them together. Attach it with four screws, two on each side.

Step 4: Keep adding horizontal slats, making your way to the top. Leave one inch between the slats for ventilation. If you cut the wood yourself, you should have some scraps from the 1x6s to use as a spacer.

Step 5: Finish setting all six slats, then turn the panel upside down. On the front side, you'll add another 2×3 to create a channel that lets you slide in the slats for the front part of the bin.

Leave 1 ¼ inches between the two 2x3s to allow the slats to slide in easily. Use C-clamps on both ends to keep the 2×3 in place, turn the panel over again, and fix it with screws on the horizontal slats.

Step 6: Repeat steps 1 through 4 to create the second side of the bin.

Step 7: Take the panels outside and get a friend to keep them standing while you screw in the back slats, joining the two sides together. Use six slats 1 inch apart.

Step 8: Place the bin in its place, check that everything is square, then measure the distance between the two grooves.

Step 9: Cut six horizontal slats to fit in the grooves. Slide them into the two vertical channels to complete the front of the bin. Screw in place the bottom one to keep the entire structure rigid.

Your bin is ready to make compost!

5. Pallet DIY bin with hardware cloth

If you want to spend less money on wood and have some chicken wire in your garage, you can use it to build the laterals of your bin. It's easy. Here's what you need and how to put it together.

Tools and equipment

2x4s or 2x3s, 4 feet-long, 12 pieces

Screws

Screwdriver

Chicken wire

Wire staples

How to build the compost bin

Step 1: Screw four 2x3s together to build the frame for one of the bin's sides.

Step 2: Add a third 2×3 vertically in the middle. It helps secure the wire better.

Step 3: Repeat the first two steps twice to create the back of the compost bin and the second lateral side.

Step 4: To build the front side, make the frame from four 2x3s and add a third horizontal slat in the middle. You'll use it to close only half the front with wire.

Step 5: Screw all the sides together.

Step 6: Use wire staples to attach the chicken wire to the frame's interior on three sides (back and the two lateral sides).

Step 7: Add chicken wire to the bottom half on the front side. Leave the top free to add the composting materials.

That's all! Now you can add waste and make natural, nutrient-rich, crumbly compost for your lawn and garden.

6. DIY compost tumbler

A tumbler bin makes mixing and turning compost materials easier. It helps ensure all the organic matter inside your compost passes through the center, where high heat kills pests and weed seeds. It also speeds up the composting process. Since commercial models can be expensive, making one DIY is always a good idea. Here's how.

Tools and materials

Plastic or metal drum with a closed top or a tight lid

Two 4×4 posts

¼ inch steel rod

Two hinges

A latch

Screws

Screwdriver

Jigsaw

Drill

Cement

Here's where you can buy some of the materials:

55 Gal. Blue Industrial Plastic Drum - Home Depot
60 lb. Concrete Mix - Home Depot
4-in x 4-in x 6-ft #2 Ground Contact Wood Pressure Treated Lumber - Lowe's
1/2 in. x 36 in. Plain Steel Round Rod - Home Depot
3-Pack Hinge 4″, Satin Nickel - Amazon
1-in x 6-in Maple Board - Home Depot

How to build the tumbler bin

Step 1: Clean the barrel or drum inside and outside very well to ensure no chemicals are left.

Step 2: Use a marker to draw a door large enough to add vegetable scraps and yard waste easily. A one-foot square door is a good option for a 32-gallon barrel.

Step 3: Cut out the door and attach one side to the barrel with two hinges and screws.

Step 4: Attach the latch that will keep the barrel door closed while you roll it to mix the compost.

Step 5: Drill some holes into the barrel to allow airflow.

Now, it's time to make the supporting structure.

Step 6: Measure the barrel's diameter and cut two pieces of wood to fit it.

Step 7: Screw one to the bottom of the barrel to cover its diameter. Screw the other one to the top of the barrel. Their role is to support the steel rod so the compost weight doesn't stand only on plastic material.

Step 8: On the bottom of the barrel, find the center (the middle of the wooden piece) and drill a hole to fit the steel rod. Do the same to the top of the barrel.

Step 9: Pass the steel rod through the two holes.

Step 10: Dig two holes into the ground to fit in the 4×4 poles. The distance between them must be ½ to 1 inch longer than the barrel length to allow it to roll easily in between.

Step 11: Put the two poles into their holes and add cement to fix their position. Let the cement dry.

Step 12: Cut two small notches into the top of the wood posts to place the steel rod and prevent it from jumping out when you turn the tumbler.

Step 13: Mount the barrel on the two posts, and you're done.

7. Build a DIY Bokashi bin using buckets

If you want to compost slow-decomposing organic material like dairy, eggs, and meat scraps, you'll need to use the Bokashi method. It works by anaerobic fermentation, turning the organic waste into a pre-compost that decomposes fast and without smell in the soil or your compost bin.

Bokashi bins are popular and easy to find in home & garden shops, but they can be expensive. Since they are easy to build DIY, making your own at home might be a good idea. Here's how.

Tools and materials

One bucket with a tight-fitting lid

One bucket without a lid

Drill with a ⅛ or ¼ drill bit

You'll drill holes in one of the buckets, so try to use an old one you won't miss. They can be round or square as long as they are the same type and similar size so that you can put the drilled bucket into the other.

Utility buckets are available online at prices starting at $4. Here are some examples:

How to build the Bokashi bin

Step 1: Drill 20 to 30 holes into the bottom of one bucket.

Step 2: Stack the buckets. Put the drilled bucket into the second bucket.

Your bin is ready, and you can add the kitchen waste to make Bokashi compost. Remember, you'll also need a Bokashi activator to start the fermentation process.

Metal bins are more expensive to build than wood, plastic, or wire models. But they are also more resilient. Made of galvanized steel, they can last a few good years, while wood typically rots in one or two years, and plastic is damaged by the sun and high and low temperatures. Let's see below how you can make a metal compost bin.

Tools and materials

Four galvanized steel posts

Post level

Four galvanized steel post caps

Six galvanized steel studs (used as U-channels for the metal sheets on the back and lateral sides)

Two 1-inch steel U-channels for the front side

Corrugated metal siding - 3 sheets

Self-tapping screws

Electric screwdriver

Saw

Six 1×6 wooden slats cut at the width of the bin

Sledgehammer

This type of bin is excellent to make if you already have some of the materials lying around your yard from an old construction project. If not, you can buy most materials online with the right budget.

Here are a few options:

16-Gauge Galvanized Steel Line Fence Post, 1-5/8 in. x 6 ft. - Home Depot
Round Dome External Post Caps 1-5/8″, 4 Packs - Amazon
25-Gauge EQ Galvanized Steel Wall Framing Stud, 1-5/8 in. x 8 ft. - Home Depot
Plain C-Channel, 1/2 in. x 1 in. x 36 in. - Home Depot
Corrugated Silver Galvanized Steel Roof Panel, 2.16-ft x 8-ft - Lowe's

Step 1: Choose the bin location, measure the contour of the bin, and set the place for the four corners.

Step 2: Put on the post caps and pound the posts into the ground with a sledgehammer until you have the desired height.

Step 3: Attach the studs on the posts with self-tapping screws to create frames for the back side and laterals. The back poles will have two studs perpendicular to each other to support two perpendicular metal sheets. The front poles only need one stud at this stage.

Step 4: Slide the metal sheets in place. Attach them to the studs with screws.

Step 5: Attach the 1-inch U-channels to the front posts using screws. They are the frame for the front side of your bin which you make of wood slats.

Step 6: Slide in the wood slats to build the front of the bin. Remove the slats when you are adding more compost to make your work easier.

9. Straw bale compost bin

Using straw bales to create a compost bin is an ingenious way to convert a larger area into a composting zone. You can create straw bins around eroded areas in your garden, on land that has not been planted for a while and has a tough texture, or on land that has been heavily planted and needs nutrients. Here's how you do it.

Tools and materials

Organic straw bales free of pesticides and herbicides

Shovel or pitchfork

You can buy baled straw from local farmers, home & garden stores, or online retailers like Home Depot and Amazon.

How to build a straw bale compost bin

Step 1: Choose the composting area. Make sure it's large enough to allow you to stack the bales.

Step 2: Clean, level, and aerate the soil using a pitchfork or a shovel. You want a clear zone, as level as possible, to ensure the stacked bales are stable. Soil aeration improves drainage and supports the infiltration of the compost juice into the soil. Good pile drainage regulates moisture and prevents overheating and nasty smells.

Step 3: Decide what size and form you want the bin to be and start stacking the first row of bales.

Step 4: Place each successive layer of bales perpendicular to the layer underneath to create an interlocking grid. This stacking style makes the straw walls more stable.

Once your straw bale wall has reached the desired height, you're ready to start adding compost.

Note: Straw bales don't let much air in. If you're hot composting, turn the compost often to ensure oxygen for the aerobic bacteria.

10. Trench composting

You can enjoy the benefits of homemade compost without a bin by using the method of trench composting. It's the cheapest method but not the easiest since it involves digging. In this case, your garden soil plays the role of a container.

Tools and materials

How to build the composting trench

Step 1: Use a shovel to dig trenches into your vegetable garden between plant rows.

Step 2: Spread kitchen scraps and garden waste into the trench.

Step 3: Lightly water the waste to ensure enough moisture.

Step 4: Cover the waste with a layer of dirt, 6 to 8 inches thick, to keep pests away and the smell inside.

Nutrients will slowly leach into the soil and support plant growth. This method feeds the garden directly, but you won't be able to collect finished compost to spread it somewhere else.

11. Two-tier DIY vermicomposting bin made from plastic storage boxes

Vermicomposting uses compost worms to decompose the organic matter. They eat kitchen scraps, digest them and secrete a nutrient-rich humus you can use for all your indoor and outdoor plants.

Worm composting is clean, odorless, and faster than hot composting, making it ideal for indoor composting. You can place your compost bins anywhere: kitchen, balcony, basement, garage, and even living room.

Various worm composters are available online in shops like Amazon, Home Depot, or Walmart. But in most cases, with a bit of time and a short list of tools and materials, you can build one or more at home for less money.

A two-tier DIY worm bin is the simplest, most effective model to try for your worm farm. It includes:

A drainage bin at the bottom collects the worm leachate, a nutrient-rich liquid draining from the compost.

A composting bin at the top where the worms live, eat kitchen scraps, and produce nutrient-rich worm castings.

Tools and materials

Two plastic bins (storage containers, buckets, etc.)

One tight lid for the top bin

Drill

¼ drill bit

Larger bit

Cooler drain plug. You'll install this in the drainage bin to collect the worm leachate easily without moving any bin from its place.

Epoxy adhesive.

Here are a few materials you can use to build your worm bin:

How to build the worm bin

Step 1: In the drainage container's bottom or lateral wall, close to the bottom edge,drill a hole large enough to fit the cooler drain plug.

Step 2: Install the plug, seal it with epoxy, and put the bin aside.

Step 3: Use the drill to make holes in the bottom of the second bin (the one without the drain plug). Place them about 1 - 1.5 inches apart. They allow ventilation and the worm leachate to flow into the drainage bin.

Step 4: Add one or two rows of holes around the composting bin's top edge for airflow.

Step 5: If the worm bin system is placed indoors, drill ventilation holes into the lid. If you plan to leave it outside, exposed to rain and wind, leave it as it is.

Step 6: Place the composting bin inside the drainage bin (the one with the drain plug) to have at least 2 inches of free space at the bottom. If the composting bin slides too much inside, add a few stones on the bottom to lift it.

Once your bin is built, don't forget the most important ingredient - the worms!

12. Multi-tier DIY worm compost farm

A multi-tier composting system has one drainage tray and multiple composting trays towered one on the other. When one compost bin fills with worm castings, you add food scraps to the next tray, making the worms migrate.

They slowly move up to the next composting tray, leaving the castings clean and ready to harvest. You must manually move the worms with a two-tier bin before collecting the compost. With a multi-tier, worms leave the castings by themselves for fresh food.

Building a multi-tier worm farm is not complicated. You just make more than one composting bin, as detailed above, and place them one inside the other, with the drainage bin on the outside.

13. In-ground worm composting bins

An excellent way to grow compost worms and enjoy their nutritious castings is to insert a bin directly into the ground in your plant beds. It's a good method to use in climates with hot summers or cold winters.

Worms need a constant temperature of 55 to 75°F. If you can't ensure that in a bin, put the bin into the soil. The ground serves as insulation, and worms go deeper into the soil when the temperature is too high or too low.

Tools and materials

A plastic container with a lid (a utility bucket will work)

Drill

¼ drill bit

Cutter

Shovel

How to build the in-ground worm bin

Step 1: Cut off the bottom of the bucket.

Step 2: Drill holes around the bucket from the bottom, about ¾ of the way up the walls.

Step 3: Choose a place surrounded by vegetables or trees that can benefit from the worm leachate that will infiltrate the soil.

Step 4: Dig a hole in the ground to fit the bucket's diameter. The hole should be ¾ of the bucket's height.

Step 5: Put the bucket into the soil so about ¼ of it stays above the ground.

The bin is ready! Add worm bedding and spread some water. Put in the worms, close the bucket with the lid, and let the worms accommodate for a few days. Add kitchen waste weekly to feed the worms. Ensure the compost stays moist.

How to mix and layer compost materials in your compost bin

The basic composting recipe requires you to mix carbon-rich materials, also known as browns (hay, shredded paper, twigs, wood pieces, sawdust, dry leaves, etc.), with nitrogen-rich materials, also known as greens (grass clippings, plant cuttings, fruit and vegetable peels, etc.). The mix offers decomposing bacteria the right amount of carbon and nitrogen to leave, multiply and convert waste into compost.

If you're making cold compost, you only need to ensure you have more browns than greens without worrying about a specific ratio. If you're hot composting, add 2 to 4 times more brown materials than greens to reach a suitable carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for the aerobic bacteria that decompose your waste.

Learn more about compost and its ingredients from our guide on the basics of compost.

To build the compost pile:

Start with a layer of carbon-rich materials to help with compost ventilation.

Add a layer of nitrogen-rich materials and alternate between the two types of waste until you reach the top.

Finish with a layer of browns to hide the fresh green waste, which might attract insects and pests otherwise.

Place cardboard or a tarp over the pile, if the bin doesn't have a lid, to protect the compost from rain.

How to install compost worms in a new bin

Preparing a new home for happy worms starts with their bedding. You can use:

Old compost

Shredded (ground-up) cardboard, leaves, office paper, paper towels

Coir (shredded coconut husk fiber)

Aged manure from any vegetable-eating animal (rabbits, horses, cows, llamas, etc.) if not previously treated with dewormer medicine.

Fill the composting bin with a layer of bedding 5 to 6 inches thick. The bedding should be damp but not wet. If dry, apply some water with a spray bottle. Then add the worms. Put the lid on and let them settle for a few hours.

After a few hours, add some food, meaning kitchen scraps, such as:

Fruit scraps

Veggie peels

Leafy green vegetables

Cracked eggshells

Tea bags

Coffee grounds

Newspapers

Cardboard

Paper

Egg cartons, pizza boxes, other paper/cardboard containers

Avoid onions, garlic, citrus peels, and foods with a lot of salt, oil, or grease, and also vinegar. Add more food only when most of the leftovers are consumed. You'll typically feed the worms once a week.

FAQ about DIY compost bins

Keep your lawn and garden healthy with DIY compost!

Now you have thirteen methods to build a DIY composting bin for your yard. Enjoy the process and the benefits of your "black gold," and remember you can always contact local lawn and garden experts any time you need help with your turf, flower beds, or vegetable garden.

Main Photo Credit: ImageInnovation | Canva Pro | License
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How to Make a DIY Compost Bin: 13 Easy Builds for Beginners

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13 easy methods to make a DIY compost bin for cold, hot, or vermicomposting with accessible materials and tools.

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Wellington City Council have come up with some simple steps to predator proof your compost bin, which we have summarised below.

What you will need

1. Gloves and safety glasses.

2. Galvanised wire mesh (holes no bigger than 1.25cm, as mice and baby rats can squeeze through anything bigger) approximately 1.25m x 1.25m square.

3. About 20 plastic cable ties. You could also use wire, but cable ties are faster and easier.

Step 1: Lay out the mesh

Step 2: Fold the wire mesh to wrap the compost bin

Use a piece of wood and/or bricks as weights and fold the mesh one side at a time. Each fold needs to be as close to the bottom of the bin as possible and extend at least 10cm up the side of the bin when done.

Step 3: (Square bins only) Cutting wire to fold

Step 4: Cable tie the mesh to the compost bin

Keep the ties loose until you have been right around the bin.

You are done!

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Do you have rats or mice in your compost bin? Wellington City Council offers these simple steps to predator-proof your compost bin.

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Above is the same compost bin as at ROI.

They purchased theirs from the website below:

https://carboncyclecompost.com/

We should be able to replicate it- if that's the bin we're going for.

Replicates should have-

2+ composter boxes for turning over the compost

Lids for the avoidance of unwanted visitors

Replicates could have (depending on willingness of construction department/materials at the recycling centre)-

Removable panels conjoining the boxes for easy compost turnover

Side storage bin for material like dry leaves/bark needed for a hot composting system

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All you need to know about turning your food scraps and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost - it's simple, affordable climate action in your own backyard.

How a compost bin works

Compost bins create an environment in which microorganisms such as bacteria break down food and garden waste into nutritious soil.

To get started, watch this composting for beginners video:

Setting up a compost bin

They can be purchased or you can make your own - watch our video on how to build a compost bin from pallets:

Required space

A compost bin is recommended for households with at least a couple of metres of outdoor space, and is ideal for a garden or lawn area. Place it on a flat area of grass or earth. It works best in a spot with full or partial sun.

How to predator proof your system

Whether you buy a compost bin or make your own, it's important to ensure your bin is predator proof by covering the bottom of the bin with galvanised wire mesh (holes no larger than 1.25cm) so mice and rats can't get through. On Predator Free NZ website you can find some simple steps to rat proof your compost bin.

What you can put in

Chopped fruit and vegetable scraps

Egg shells

Grass clippings

Indoor cut flowers

Leftovers (that don't have too much meat or dairy)

Bread and baking products

Pasta

Rice

Nuts

Cereals

Coffee grounds

Tea leaves

Plastic-free teabags

Garden trimmings

Dried leaves

Cut-up cardboard

Paper paper towels

Tissue

Poo from herbivorous animals (such as rabbits and guinea pigs)

Wooden utensils (such as chopsticks, cutlery and skewers)

Wood shavings (untreated).

What you can't put in

Oil and other liquids

Foods containing lots of dairy or meat

Rubbish

Poo from dogs and and cats

Noxious weeds.

What you can do with the finished product

You can use compost on garden beds, around trees, and as mulch. Compost makes soil healthier, and helps reduce carbon emissions.

Guides

If you want to learn more about composting, download these guides:

How to set up and maintain a compost bin (125KB PDF)

What can and can't go in your compost bin - reference guide (619KB PDF)

Contact us

If you have a question about composting you can email us at waste.education@wcc.govt.nz

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All you need to know about turning your food scraps and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost.

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You can buy a compost bin or make your own. Good composting doesn't even require a bin, but they do keep things tidy and contained if you're in an urban setting. The bigger the bin or heap, the faster things will decompose (1m x 1m x 1m is recommended).

How to compost

This way of composting is good for homes with a mix of garden, food waste, cardboard and paper.

Start your compost in a discreet corner with a layer of crisscrossed sticks on bare soil or grass. This helps with drainage and aeration. Then, add alternate layers of green matter (nitrogen-rich, wet, often green or colourful and smelly) and brown matter (carbon-rich, dry, often brittle or dusty), adding more material as you produce it. Aim for half green and half brown material, by volume.

Cover your heap (with a plastic lid, carpet or tarpaulin) to maintain moisture levels. The compost should be damp but not sludgy. You can turn the heap with a spade to help aerate it and speed up the process, or poke holes through it.

Perfectly decomposed compost is a fine dark brown mixture with the appearance of good crumbly chocolate cake, smelling of nothing but clean earth. Compost can be ready as soon as 6-8 weeks if well aerated.

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DIY Composting 101: Make your own compost - Sustainability Trust Wellington

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Check out our easy-to-follow DIY guide to composting. You can make perfect compost with the waste you already produce and a few simple composting principles. It's the most effective way of dealing with organic waste, and nature's best soil conditioner.

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It's been a neighbourly effort with making my compost. My sweet neighbour quite close to our house mows our kids footy pitch and his back yard including the autumn leaves that have been falling, then dumps the mix off to me right next to my compost bin. What a guy! Since I love cooking so much then it is probably no surprise that I love cooking up outside too with layered compost made from mixed material to give my veges and ornamentals a high health boost in the garden. I often get asked "how do I get my compost to do something?". This question came up again this week with a friend who is building a barn who came to see our barn conversion. They will be living in a glamorous set up off the grid near their beautiful waterfall. Too often people give up composting with attempts that went wrong; and in the early days, yes I had those too, until I committed to collecting all of my material and then building the whole bin at a time in one hit. Then without fail, composting has become so easy.

The next question I typically hear is, "can I create enough to sustain my whole garden?". Yes you can create beautiful dark compost quickly and enough to sustain your entire garden needs if you can give up enough space, which can often easily be found even in an urban yard. In saying this, I still like to add a small amount of commercially made compost that reaches different heat temperatures in a thin last layer on my garden beds, which I sow seeds into and use a handful per seedling to plant out with. Right now is the best time to be direct sowing peas, carrots and potatoes in frost free areas as well as beetroot, rocket, bok choy and mesculin just to name a few of my favourites. You can see here in my garden a lovely dark coating of Palmers compost which I think makes my garden look even more beautiful with baby plants like these peas and bok choy popping through. The layer of commercial composts also acts as a mulch to keep down the weeds while the seeds are germinating. Once the seedlings are up and strong, I will thin the bok choy to spacing of 20cm each; eat the thinnings as mesculin in salads and mulch around the remaining plants to retain warmth during winter.

In my garden here in Kerikeri, I have taken up one area where most of my animal manure collection can happen in the one place. Much like how my vegetable and herb gardens are near my house for easy harvesting, I have kept the manure producing animals - chickens and rabbits - in one area far away from the house so we don't get fly's and smell wafting in. In a smaller sized property like we had in urban Auckland, I created a division from the house with quick growing hedging. You can use either griselinia littoralis as a green screen or feijoa as a fruiting divider as an idea to visually section off a small area to keep poo producing pets away from the house. This can also be helpful during their molt times where both rabbits and chickens loose feathers and fur which can end up everywhere!

The chook run was built first here on our farmlet in Kerikeri, and then backing onto that was the first pallet compost bin located next to the bunnies' hutches. I constructed the first compost bin from the same pallets I had used as our single bin in Auckland. Pallets are ideal, since once tied together to make four sides; they give the necessary 1m² area to generate quick compost. The reason why this size works well is surface area allows the compost to heat up quickly when the right materials are layered. Making compost fast is all about generating enough heat to get it cooking well.

This weekend I added on another pallet bin and next weekend when dear husband picks up another 9 pallets I will add on another three bins. In total I will create 7 bins to give me around 4 cubic meters of compost every few months. Since rabbits need cool shade during summer to be at their happiest, I am creating the compost bins to feature as an 'L' shape which will pass in front of their three hutches. The hay and poo collected from the three bunnies make a wonderful weekly layer of dry and muck combined to add to the compost bins as they are created.

In December last year I made my first compost pile here within one week of moving in. It was ready in 6 weeks thanks to our super hot climate. The composting process with this method usually takes 8 - 10 weeks. Thankfully, I have had no trouble with weed seeds in my veggie gardens which I was dreading since my first cubic meter of soil I produced was made from using a bale of meadow hay in the composting mix. Using meadow hay is a suggested no-no in gardening circles, but with stocks out for lucerne hay at the local farm supply store, I took the punt and used a bale of meadow hay. The cubic metre pallet method must have become hot enough here to have killed the weed seeds which is great news to me, as the rabbits do best on meadow hay for munching on. With my planting plan in hand, I will need all of this compost I am making to sustainably generate enough material to plant and maintain our growing gardens. We have a focus in mind to live as sustainably as possible here at our house to take care of our little space as well as teach our Tweens (Mr 11 and 12) how to make 'something out of nothing' (my tag line since we've been here). So far, we are doing really well and it is much easier for this city chick than I originally thought it would be.

DIY: No Turn Pallet Compost
Materials needed:

4 pallets

6 pieces of plastic/synthetic twine approximately 60cm long

2 x 2 inch 1.2 m long stakes

Piles of material ready to fill the bins

I use an equal mix of each green waste material; enough to fill your large bin.

Grass clippings

Autumn leaves

Seaweed from the local beach

Tree and hedge trimmings (not pine or macrocarpa trees)

Hay from the rabbit hutches

Sawdust from a local untreated mill

A couple of shovels in each layer of

Horse poo collected from the farmers gate

Sheep dags and poo from a shearing shed or use steralised sheep pellets available at your local Palmers store

Uneaten food and poo scrapings from the chook pen.

Kitchen waste scraps that do not contain meat or fish

A handful of

Dolomite lime

Coffee grounds from a local café

A slosh of Method:

1. Tie your bins together with the twine to create an open box shape of four sides. It is important to use synthetic twine which will prevent rotting of the string. Your compost bin may fall apart if cotton material is used.

2. Push your stakes vertically into the centre area of your compost bin.

3. In 10cm layers add green waste material. In between each layer of green waste add a scoop of manure based material, a handful per layer of dolomite lime and coffee grounds and a drink of water to make the fill wet but not soggy. Continue this method until the compost frame is full to the top.

4. The layering of materials works really well to generate variety in your compost as well as encouraging enough heat to get your compost cooking quickly without the need to turn the heap. Once the heap has reduced in height by ½ (usually within two weeks) which is a great sign of composting happening, remove the long stakes to allow air to penetrate to the base of the heap which will help accelerate the remaining compost maturation.

5. Your compost is ready when no identifiable pieces of waste can be found, other than some egg shell. It should be dark and have no smell and can be used when planting both edible and ornamental food, shrubs and trees. Worms will populate the heap once it is cooked and cooled off. Adding worms to your heap is not necessary.

6. During the cooking process, check the heap occasionally to see if it is too dry. Water as needed to maintain a damp mix that is not sodden.

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It's been a neighbourly effort with making my compost. My sweet neighbour quite close to our house mows our kids footy pitch and his back yard including the autumn leaves that have been falling, then dumps the mix off to me right next to my compost bin. What a guy!

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Making your own compost is a fantastic way to reduce waste, and create free natural fertilizer for your garden! If you're interested in setting up a new compost pile, you've come to the right place. This tutorial will walk you through the step-by-step process we took to build a compost bin - including the supplies needed, our DIY compost bin design and plans, and tons of photos to guide you along the way. There is a condensed printable version at the end of this post too!

We've been composting for over a decade using a variety of smaller systems. Yet the recent addition of four mini-donkeys to our homestead motivated us to finally build the big 3-bay compost bin of our dreams. They generate a lot of manure, which will make stellar compost!

Once we came up with the design, it was quite simple to build the compost bin... so we've already done the hardest part for you! It reminded me a lot of building a raised garden bed since we used many similar materials and steps. Even if you don't follow our exact design, I hope you find this helpful as a general guide and inspiration!

Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Best Compost Bin Size

Compost bins come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. On our homestead, we use everything from a compact worm bin and compost tumblers to large 3-bay compost bins.

To make a traditional passive or slow compost pile, it's best to provide at least a three-by-three foot space. Yet for optimal microbial activity and decomposition, a compost pile should be at least 4x4x4 feet. That allows for enough material to be piled up to make a hot compost pile too, which is what we plan to do!

If space allows, it's ideal to provide an area for several piles (usually separated by walls or "bays") so that the compost can be rotated and turned. A classic 3-bay compost system includes one section to actively add fresh material to, one section that's regularly being turned but not added to, and a final section to hold finished compost - ready and waiting to use in your garden.

In today's lesson we'll build a compost bin with 3 bays, though you can tweak this tutorial to make just a single bay, two-bay, or smaller 3-bay compost bin as well. We used to have just a single bin at our old urban homestead - and it did the job!

Our New Compost Bin Plans and Design

Below are photos and drawings of our 3-bay compost design. The compost bin features three 4x4x4 bays, and takes up a total footprint of about 12×4 feet. I've also included a bonus drawing of a second simplified compost bin design that you could use if you prefer (yet note the lumber dimensions and instructions will vary slightly).

Our compost bin design features removable face boards that can be added via tracks or slots along the frontside of each bay. By doing so, you can pile up the compost nice and high rather than letting it spill out the otherwise open front side. This helps maximize the use and capacity of the compost bin, and is also optimal for speedy decomposition and hot composting!

Donkeys, Gates, and Design Flexibility

Please note that we designed our DIY compost bin with a few very specific needs in mind. In addition to being durable, functional, and attractive, we needed our compost to be donkey-proof!

Our four 250-pound miniature donkeys LOVE to rub up against wood posts and structures, yet we needed to build the compost bin in their pasture area for easy manure management. So, we chose extra sturdy lumber and also added additional support braces to withstand their rubbing.

In addition to the removable front wood slats, we also added hinged gates to the front side of each compost bay to keep the donkeys out (which we can also take completely off and on with ease). As a bonus, the gates will deter some other critter activity as well!

That said, we had to ensure the width of each compost bay (or space between the walls) was very precise, since the gates needed to fit on the front side of each. The walls also had to be very straight so the gates could hang square and level. Though they're fairly light, the gates do put added weight and pressure on the compost bin walls, so I only recommend adding them if necessary.

Since most of you folks won't have such specific quirks to work around, feel free to be more flexible and creative in your compost bin design and build! For example, it's not a big deal if your bays aren't all exactly the same size or perfectly level.

Supplies Needed to Build a Compost Bin

Here are the tools and supplies we used to build a compost bin, along with some alternative materials you could use too. See the printable "how-to" at the end of this post for a condensed supplies list and instructions.

Longer screws: 2 ½ to 3-inch outdoor wood screws or decking screws to connect the 2x6s (or 2x4s) to the 4×4 corners.

Shorter screws: 1-inch or 1-1/4″ wide head cabinet screws to attach the hardware cloth to the 2×6 walls

Fence rail brackets (12 total) to connect the 2x6s to the 2x4s on the two interior walls of the compost bin

Screws to attach brackets: 1 inch or 1/4″ inch screws - either use the same cabinet screws as above or shorter wood/deck screws

Optional: 4 flat corner braces (one for each wall) for added stability.

Optional: 4-foot steel tube gates, one for the front of each bay. (The gates come with J-bolt hinges to hang them, but you'll need a 1/2″ drill bit to make pilot holes for the J-bolts.)

We used redwood 2×6 lumber to build our compost bin, as we wanted something extra durable and sturdy that will stand the test of time (and donkeys). You could also use 2×4 boards, though you'd want to add an additional horizontal row of boards (four rows instead of three like we did) so take that into account when you're calculating lumber needs. Redwood is easily accessible here in California, though cedar is another great durable alternative.

We chose 8 foot long boards to build our compost bin because a) that's what fit in our Subaru, and b) it divides up nicely without waste (compared to using 10 ft boards for 4-foot walls for example).

In total, we needed eleven 8-foot 2x6s for this compost bin design. However, 12 foot boards would work even better for the backside! That way, you could use three solid 12-foot long boards along the back, plus six 8-foot boards for the walls instead.

Four 8-foot 4×4 boards (cut in half) for the corner supports or end of each wall

Three 8-foot 2x4s (cut in half) to create the slots that the removable face boards will slide into along the front side of each bin.

Removable face boards: 1×12 inch pine wood boards (which really measure ¾" inch thick). Using three per bay, they stack up to create a nice 3-foot tall front wall. We used five 8-foot long boards total, cut roughly in half. Or, use 9 of these four-foot boards and trim them if needed. Wait to measure and cut the boards for each bay until you build the compost bin!

Compost needs to breathe! To provide adequate airflow, we built our compost bin with minimal wood and lined the walls with hardware cloth instead. You'll need about 25 to 30 feet of 4-foot wide 1/2″ hardware cloth for our size bin.

Hardware cloth is ideal for a compost bin design for several reasons: a) it stays taught and won't bend or bow out under the weight of the compost b) the gaps are small enough to hold little bits of compost IN while also keeping vermin OUT, and c) it's galvanized and won't rust, so it'll last forever!

You could also use chicken wire to build a compost bin, though if you do, I would add more wood slats around the outside to offer additional support. Also keep in mind chicken wire is prone to degrading over time, and vermin can fit through the holes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Choose a Location + Site Prep

Where to put a compost bin? A compost pile should be located close enough to your garden or house for easy access and use, but not so close to home that potential odors or flies would be an issue. (Though a properly maintained compost pile should not stink!)

The compost bin should also be located on fairly level ground. Since it's quite large and heavy, we built our compost bin in place and used a landscaping rake to smooth out the ground surface first. You could also construct the smaller side walls on a flat work surface elsewhere, then assemble the compost bin in its final location.

Finally, it's best to leave the bottom of the compost bin open to the native soil below (as opposed to adding landscape fabric, wire, or other materials below it). This leaves opportunity for drainage, beneficial microbe exchange, natural earthworm activity, and also makes it easier to turn or scoop out the compost without getting snagged up on something on the bottom.

FAQ: Should a compost pile be in the sun or shade?

A compost pile can be located in either sun or shade, and there are pros and cons to each. A sunny location will help to warm the compost, speeding up decomposition nicely. Yet a lot of sun will also dry out the pile more readily, requiring it to be watered more often as needed. In the shade, the compost will stay nice and moist but will break down slower.

Step 2: Measure and Cut Wood

Next, gather all your lumber, take and mark measurements, and cut the boards to the desired size for your DIY compost bin design.

Corners: Cut the 4×4 corners to four feet tall (e.g. cut the 8-foot 4x4s in half)

Back: If you're using 12 foot boards, the back wall boards won't need to be cut at all. Since we used 8 foot boards, we left three of them whole at 8 feet, then cut a couple to create the three additional 4-foot boards needed for the back of bay 3.

Walls: Though each bay is about 4×4 feet, we didn't cut all of the side wall boards exactly to four feet. Because the two interior walls also have the added length of a 4×4 on each end, we cut six eight-foot boards at 51.5 inches that were used for the two end walls (the total depth of the finished compost bin). That left behind 6 pieces that were 44.5 inches to use for the two interior walls - which also equals 51.5 inches once the 4x4s are added to each end (since 4x4s actually measure 3.5 by 3.5 inches). See photo below.

Step 3: Build Compost Bin Outer Walls

Begin by building one end or outer wall of the compost bin. For our compost bin design, these were the 51.5" sections.

We find it is easiest to lay two 4×4 corner pieces on a flat surface (spaced the width of the wall), then lay the three horizontal 2×6 boards across the 4x4s - one at the top, one at the bottom, and one spaced halfway in between. Keep the ends of the 2×6 flush with the sides of the 4×4. See photos below.

Next, add 2 long screws to the ends of each 2×6, securing them to the 4×4 below.

Repeat the same process for the second outer wall.

TIP: Before securing with screws, check that everything is square using a carpenter square or measuring tape. With a tape, I measure the distance between the 4x4s at both the top and bottom to ensure they're equal. I also like to help hold everything tight in place while Aaron screws everything in.

Once you have the two end walls of the compost bin assembled, stand them up and add the long boards along the back to create a giant U-shape. Try to set everything up where you want it to stay long term, as the compost bin will get heavier and more difficult to move the more you add to it.

It's important to keep the 2x6s on the outside of the bin, with the 4×4 corners facing the inside of the bin. (The 4x4s provide part of the lip or edge that the removable front boards will tuck into.) Also check that the walls and back boards are relatively level as you go - front to back, and side to side.

Again, this part is extra easy using 12 foot boards. Simply add the 12 foot boards between each end wall, securing them to the corner 4x4s.

Since we built our compost bin with 8 foot boards instead, we had to construct the backside in sections by connecting 8 foot boards and 4 foot boards together in the middle with an additional 4×4 to create the total 12 feet. (That additional 4×4 will become the base for one center wall)

Step 5: Add Inner Walls

Next the compost bin needs two interior walls, spaced 4 feet apart. Ours are 43.5″ apart when measuring inside-to-inside of each 4×4, as shown in our design drawing.

If you'd like, you can go ahead to Step 6 and add hardware cloth to the back and side walls first (as you'll see we did in the photos below), as long as the hardware cloth won't impede where you're attaching the two inner walls.

To build the compost bin inner walls, you can either assemble them separately(like the outer walls) and then attach them to the back wall of the bin, or build them onto the back boards in-place. We chose to build them in-place since one of the inner wall 4x4s was already connected to the back.

In our DIY compost bin design, the inner walls are made with three 44.5 inch boards connected between a 4×4 on each end.

We used these fence rail brackets to connect the 2x6s to the 4×4, with one at the top of the 4×4, one at the bottom, and one spaced halfway in between. Screw them onto the 4×4 first, ensuring the brackets are centered, straight and level on the 4×4. Then slide the 2x6s into the brackets and add screws to secure them.

Reminder: keeping the 4x4s at the end of the 2x6s (rather than screwing the 2×6 flat against the 4×4 side) creates a lip and part of the slot we need for the removable front boards.

Step 6: Add Hardware Cloth

After building the compost bin frame, it's time to add mesh wire (hardware cloth) along the inside of the walls and back.

Be careful when working with hardware cloth - it can easily scratch and poke you!

Rather than wrapping an entire bay in hardware cloth at once, we found it was easiest to measure, cut, and attach the hardware cloth to each wall one-by-one.

It's fine to overlap the hardware cloth onto the 4x4s along the back wall and corners, but keep it flush with the 4×4 on the front side so extra hardware cloth won't block the slot where the removable front boards will go. See photos below.

Secure the hardware cloth to the wood using 1" cabinet screws, pinching a corner section of the wire mesh under the wide head of the screw. Add screws in several places.

TIP: Since hardware cloth tends to bubble, I found it was easiest to hold the cut piece of hardware cloth in place, straight and centered on the wall where we wanted it. Then we secured it with screws along the middle first (one in each wall board) and slowly worked our way out, adding screws from the center towards both corners of the walls, holding or pulling the hardware cloth taught and smooth as we went.

Step 7: Removable Face Boards

Now it's time to create the slots or "tracks" for the removable front boards to slide into.

Add a 2×4 vertically to the inner wall of each bay - 2 per bay, or 6 total. See photos below.

Use screws to secure each 2×4vertically about 1 inch to 1.25 inches back from 4×4 at the front of each wall. We used "1-inch" thick face boards, but their true measurement is ¾ thick. The ¼ to ½ inch gap gives us enough wiggle room to easily get the boards in and out (leaving room for any swelling), but without so much extra space that the boards can fall in front or behind one another.

Measure to ensure the spacing is fairly straight and even along the entire length between the 2×4 and 4×4 before securing them, so the removable face boards can move smoothly up and down the track.

Wait to cut the removable face boards until the compost bin and tracks are completely assembled! Measure and note the length of the front slot for each bay. We found that the width of our bays varied slightly, requiring us to cut custom boards of different lengths to fit each bay (3 per bay). I added a number 1, 2, or 3 to the back of each board to easily keep track.

TIP: When measuring and cutting the face boards, give yourself a little bit of wiggle room. Cut them long enough so they'll stay tucked into the desired track, but not so long that they'll be tight and difficult to get in and out.

Step 8: Finishing Touches

At this point, your new DIY compost bin is basically complete and ready to use! However, we chose to add a few finishing touches to ours.

To give the walls added stability (for the donkeys), we added an 8" flat corner brace to the top of each wall - or four total.

We also installed lightweight 4-foot Behlen Country steel tube gates on the front of each bay.
They're secured closed to the 4x4s with a simple eye hook and carabiner type latch. If you've never hung gates on J-bolts before, I highly recommend watching this tutorial. However, we installed the J-bolts straight out of the front of the 4×4, not on the sides. We also kept both J-bolts facing UP intentionally, so we could easily lift and take the gates off if needed - such as when we're turning the piles from one bay to the next.

For added vermin and pest protection (if needed), you could also build and attach a hinged lid on top of each bay, such as with wood and hardware cloth.

I also chose to stain the pine front boards (outward facing side only) to help the light wood blend in better with the overall design.

And that's how it's done.

That, my friends, is how we built our new compost bin. I know that was probably a lot to take in, but I sure hope the added details and photos made it easier to understand! Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments and we'd be happy to help.

Next, you may be wondering... how do I actually USE this thing? I promise I will follow up soon with a guide on how to use a 3-bay compost bin, along with how to make a hot compost pile. In the meantime, don't miss the related articles listed below. Also please consider sharing or pinning this post if you found it useful, and leave a review! Thank you so much for reading. Happy composting!

How to Build a Compost Bin (Wood 3-Bay Compost Bin Design)

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How to Build a Compost Bin: Step-by-Step Guide with Photos

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Come learn how to build a wood 3-bay compost bin with our step-by-step guide, including supplies, design drawings, tips and tons of photos!

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Rat proof - metal base like Carbon Cycle

Large - bigger enough to fit all the school's and some of the community's food scraps

Browns - leaves and mulch for the right balance

Anaerobic - has to be hot compost, not worm farm

add more stuff??