Sustainable Living - DIY Compost Bin

DO-IT-YOURSELF COMPOST BIN
You can easily make a basic but effective compost bin out of reclaimed pallet wood.

Start with the back of the bin by laying out two pieces of 50mm x 50mm x 1000mm wood on the ground. Set them parallel and about a metre apart. These will be your uprights. (If you want a taller bin just cut the uprights longer.) Next, nail or screw a piece of flat timber between them at one end.

Now place another flat piece alongside that one. Make sure there's a gap of at least 25 mm between them to ensure that air can enter your compost heap. Nail or screw this into position. Continue fixing flat pieces in the same way until you reach the top of the uprights.

OK - your ready to build the sides. Lay out the same number of flat pieces as you used for the back. (The length of these pieces dictate how deep the bin will be.) Once again, ensure that there is a gap of at least 25 mm between them for ventilation of the heap. Next, fix these together by laying a flat timber on top of them down one side and nailing or screwing it to each of the slats. Repeat the process to make the second side.

Now assemble the three sections: raise your back piece into the vertical position. Lay the two sides up against it (as shown below) and nail or screw them to the uprights . Voila, you are now the proud owner of your very own compost bin.

Compost Bin - Assembled