Step by step woodworking project about compost bin plans free. Building a wooden compost bin for your garden is a great idea, if you want to grow organic vegetables or you just want to get rid of the vegetal residues in an efficient manner. The lid of the bin will protect the compost from bad weather and will also keep the bad odor from spreading in your house and garden.
There are several ways in which you can produce compost for your garden. For example, you could use an old barrel or you could just pile the residues in a corner of your backyard. Nevertheless, building a small wooden compost bin is both an efficient and aesthetic approach. The gaps between the slats will let the air to get trough the compost and boot up the process.
Building a compost bin
Building a compost bin
Materials
- 1 – 10 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 30”, 5 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 29 1/4″ SLATS
- 2 – 8 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 31 1/2” CORNER SLATS
- 3 – 5 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 29 1/4″, 2 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 31″ FRONT PANEL
- 4 – 2 piece of 2×2 lumber – 31″ CLEATS
- 5 – 8 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 33″, 4 piecs of 1×4 lumber – 14″ LID
- 7 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 8 ft
- 8 pieces of 1×4 lumber – 8 ft
- 1 piece of 2×2 lumber – 6 ft
- 1 1/4″ screws
- 2 1/2″ screws
- compost activator
Tools
- Hammer, Tape measure, Carpentry square
- Miter saw, Drill machinery, Screwdriver, Sander, Router
- Safety Gloves, Safety Glasses, Respiratory Mask
Time
- One day
Made from this plan
Compost bin plans free
Building the frame of the bin
The first step of the project is to build the frame of the compost bin. As you can notice in the image, you need to attach the 1×6 side slats to the 1×4 corner slats. Align all the components at both ends before drilling pilot holes and inserting the wood screws. Make sure you place a piece of wood between the slats, in order to get consistent gaps.
Corner joints
As you can notice in the image, the corners of the compost bin should be right angled. Make sure the joints are rigid by adding waterproof glue. Work with attention with great care and with attention, to prevent costly mistakes. Plumb the side walls with a spirit level before locking them together.
Attaching the guides
In order to have a proper access to the compost, we recommend you to fit a sliding panel to the front of the bin. Therefore, the first step is to attach 2×2 cleats to both sides of the compost box, as in the image. Secure the cleats into place with wooden screws.
Building the sliding panel
The next step of the woodworking project is to build the sliding panel. As you can notice in the plans, you need to attach the 1×6 slats to the supports. Align everything at both ends and drill pilot holes, before inserting the screws into place. Check if the corners are right-angled, if you want to get the job done as a professional.
Fitting the sliding door
Slide the panel into place and mode the compost bin to the desired location. Ask a friend to give you a hand, as the structure might be too heavy for one person.
Building the lid
Building the lid for the compost bin is a straight forward process, but you still need to pay attention to our tips, in order to get the job done properly from the very first time. As you can notice in the image, we recommend you to split the lid into two pieces.
PRO TIP: Attach the slats to the wooden supports and insert the galvanized screws. Add waterproof glue to enhance the rigidity of the joints.
Compost bin plans free
Last but not least, you should take care of the finishing touches. Therefore, we recommend you to check if the components are locked into place properly and if the front panel slides properly. Make sure there are no protruding screws or sharp edges. Moreover, the components should be installed properly, making sure the are no gaps between the slats.
PRO TIP: Fill the holes with a good wood filler and smooth the surface with medium-grit sandpaper. Apply several coats of paint or stain over the components, in order to protect them from decay.
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