How to build a compost bin from pallets

Pallets are truly priceless. You can easily turn them into practical furniture or even a raised bed, as well as a compost bin, which your wallet will especially appreciate. Every proper garden has a place for grass clippings and peelings from potatoes or cucumbers. A well-built, working compost bin will, over time, give you not only fertile soil but also natural fertiliser, practically for free.

Getting started with composting

Before you start on any compost, first choose a spot on your plot where it will stand. Ideally it should be in the sun and exposed to rain. Also think about how much material the compost bin will need to handle. If you have a small garden, something smaller and simpler will probably suit you best. Otherwise, consider a compost bin made from pallets.

What goes into compost

Before we get to the instructions, let’s recap what definitely belongs in a compost bin and what does not.

You can put in your compost

• Grass 
• Leaves 
• Soil 
• Fruit and vegetable scraps 
• Twigs  
• Wood shavings 
• Bark 
• Tea bags or coffee grounds
• Easily biodegradable paper  
• Wood ash 
• Chicken droppings

What does not belong in compost

• Fruit stones 
• Meat  
• Bones
• Stones  
• Coal ash  
• Porcelain 
• Chemicals or medicines  
• Dog and cat faeces  

Watch out for too much moisture in your compost bin. It must be neither too wet nor too dry. If it were really too wet, it would start to rot. Dryness, on the other hand, slows down the composting process.

How to make a compost bin from pallets

Making a compost bin from pallets is not difficult. First, however, focus on choosing the pallets. They must not be treated with toxic substances. Believe us, you would not want that kind of compost. Never use pallets marked with the letters MB. This is because they have been treated with methyl bromide, a toxic pesticide. Also avoid painted pallets, as the paint can dissolve over time and contaminate the compost. If you have decided on growing pumpkins, keep that in mind when building your compost bin too.

What you need

• 7 pallets

• Nails and screws

• Tools, spade, shovel 

Assemble the first three pallets away from the chosen spot. The top sides of the pallets will be the outer sides of the compost bin. Start building by placing the back wall inside the side wall, then drill holes in the top and bottom corners for the hooks and screw them in. Each corner will therefore have 4 hooks (2 at the top and 2 at the bottom). Do the same with the second side wall.

Now tie all 3 pallets firmly together by the hooks using binding wire. Place the last pallet, the front one, between the side walls; it will form the removable part. Drill holes in the top corners of the pallets and screw in the last 4 hooks.

Then remove the pallet, measure rabbit mesh to fit it and attach the mesh to the underside of the pallet with staples. Measure the remaining mesh for the other inner walls of the compost bin and cut it.

You are now at the stage where you can move the compost bin into place. Lay rabbit mesh on the floor (it should be slightly larger than the base) and again tie it with binding wire roughly every 5 centimetres. Finally, put the front wall, lined with mesh on the inside, in place and tie the hooks together at the top with wire. At the bottom, tie them only to the outside parts of the pallet.

A pallet compost bin is sturdy and will certainly serve you for a long time. And once it is assembled, you can, for example, try your hand at growing avocados.

Sources: jipos.cz, ceskestavby.cz