A step by step guide on how building an attractive, functional compost bin.
A compost bin is an invaluable addition to any garden, allowing for the efficient removal of waste products as well as providing a great source of fuel for your flowers and vegetables. Rather than forking out for a rather costly commercially produced compost bin, why not set yourself the project of making your own bin? It's really not that difficult.
For your compost bin to be effective it must do three things:
(1) contain the waste material in a tidy manner
(2) provide easy access from the top and bottom
(3) be so self contained that it generates heat to speed up the composting process.
Ideally, of course, your bin will also look good, as it will become a permanent feature of your garden. You can make an aesthetically appealing bin from second hand floor boards and other materials that you may have as excess from previous projects, like wooden battens. Assuming you've got these materials here's how to go about it:
(1) use old floor boards to make the front, back and sides of your unit. Assuming that your boards are 6 x 1 inch, cut them into 3 foot, 3 inch lengths and do sufficient to make panels that are about three and a half foot when placed side by side.
(2) Create an air vent on the two bottom boards on each side by cutting away half an inch on their meeting edges to give a one inch air vent.
(3) Saw two back posts from a 2 x 2 inch block of softwood to the same height as the panels. Cut four front guide posts to the same length from 2x 1 inch softwood.
(4) Screw your boards to the back post and then to one of the front guide posts so that their ends are flush with the outside faces of the post.
(5) Screw a second front guide post parallel to the first, about one and a half inches away from the first guide post. Do the same for the opposite side.
(6) Screw the backboards to the inside of the back posts.
(7) Decide on the location of your bin, then, after measuring it out, drive pre-treated wooden stakes into the ground just inside where the front posts will be. Now place your unit in position and screw the bottom side boards to the stakes.
(8) Drop the front boards into place between the guide rails.
(9) To make the lid, make a butt-jointed frame to fit over the top of the unit from 2 x 1 inch softwood. Next cut a piece of thin exterior grade plywood to fit over the frame. Water proof the lid with a preserver.
And there you have it. A fine Saturday afternoon project that will reward you many times over with abundant vegetable crops, magnificent flowering plants and a ready disposal unit for all of those kitchen wastes. Happy composting!
