January 19th, 2011 
Christina Hall 
I recently built a compost bin from some old shipping pallets. I thought you guys might like to see a few pictures of the bin – and read about how and why I built it.
Up front, I will readily admit that I am brand new to composting. That’s why the title of this post isn’t How To Build A Compost Bin From Old Pallets. Consider my bin a test unit.
That being said, I did base the design (such as it is) on various videos and articles I found on the Internet.
Here’s the completed bin -
As you can see, the bin is basically just three pallets, in the shape of “u”. I attached the pallets using deck screws that I had left over from another project.
Now, I’ve read dozens of articles (and watched an equal number of videos) about compost bins. Some are elaborate, some are simple. I wanted mine to be very simple to make, easy to access, and away from the main house.
My goal is to use the compost bin for old leaves, kitchen scraps, and grass clippings. Over time, all of the stuff in the compost bin will (hopefully) break-down to form, well, compost.
I’ve read that it’s best to have a lid on the compost bin – and I’ve also read that it’s cool just to leave it open, like I’ve done. Also, lots of articles suggest that if you don’t completely enclose the bin, you’ll have to worry about animals getting into the bin. If that does indeed become a problem, I’ll definitely revisit my design. Right now, I just wanted to go with a super-simple, super-basic design.
Now that I have the compost bin – and my DIY rain barrel – I’m ready for spring! I can’t wait to get out in the yard, get some new plants in the ground, and enjoy the weather. (Very observant readers might note that the bin is situated behind the playhouse that I built for the kids a few years ago. The playhouse is no longer blue – but is a nice shade of khaki to match the new house.)
The blocks on the outside of the bin are just there for a bit of added support. Plus, I didn’t really have anywhere else to put them, because the bin is now standing on a bar patch of yard, where the blocks used to be. The black “tarp” on the top is just an old piece of yard fabric and really serves no purpose, other than to keep the top layer from blowing away in the wind. The tarp allows water to reach the composting materials, so I think it’s fine where it is.
I’d love to hear from you if you have a compost bin. What do you think of my design? Will it work? Leave your comments below.
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Tags: Compost Bin, Pallets