Homesteading projects add up quickly, so if you’re on a budget it’s good to look for ways to cut costs. Making your own compost is one way to cut back on expenses like dirt and soil additives, but compost bins can be expensive. Here’s how to make a wood pallet compost bin for free!
What is Compost?
Compost is made up of decomposing material like food scraps, grass clippings, and leaves. It eventually breaks down and creates a rich soil that fertilizes plants. You can purchase it from garden centers or make your own to save money and reduce waste!
What Can You Compost?
While most kitchen scraps can be added to your compost pile, there are certain things that you need to avoid.
Food such as meat and dairy can attract pests like rats or raccoons. They also break down at a slower rate than other compostables, which can throw off the balance of your compost pile. Additionally, they can introduce harmful bacteria.
While you can include some weeds in your compost system, you need to avoid weeds that have seeds. This could lead to spreading those weed seeds wherever you use the compost.
It is best to stick to composting things such as fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, dead leaves, grass, and sticks.
Different Types of Compost Bins
There are a lot of different types of compost bins. You can choose one based off of your space, goals, and budget.
Backyard Composting Bin: You can purchase or build a composting bin in your backyard. Some people build them with cedar and others build them with pre-made wood pallets for a cheaper option. Layer kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other organic materials, turning the pile occasionally to promote decomposition.
Tumbler Composter: Tumbler composters are rotating bins that make it easy to turn and aerate the compost. Some models are small enough for a balcony or patio.
Vermicomposting (Worm Composting): Vermicomposting involves using worms (typically red wigglers) to break down organic matter. Worm bins are small and can be kept indoors or outdoors.
Pit or Trench Composting: In this method, you dig a hole or trench in the ground and bury organic matter, like kitchen scraps or leaves. Over time, the buried materials decompose and enrich the soil. This method is useful for larger quantities of waste.
Composting in Bins or Containers: You can use various containers, such as garbage cans with ventilation holes, to create a contained composting system. These containers are particularly useful if you have limited space.
Indoor Composting Systems: Some specialized systems are designed for indoor use, such as electric composters and bokashi bins. These systems are typically odor-free and can handle kitchen scraps–perfect for an apartment!
How to Make a Wood Pallet Compost Bin for FREE
I keep a small plastic bin with a lid under my kitchen sink. I put scraps in it and dump it into a 5-gallon bucket with a lid in my laundry room. When it is full, I take it outside to our compost bin system made out of heat-treated wood pallets that we got for free.
It is really important to use heat-treated over chemically-treated wood. You can look for the mark HT on the wood pallets to ensure that they are heat treated. To make a two-bin system, you will need 5 pallets.
Screw the pallets together to form a square shape with one side open. We have not had issues with animals, but you could add chicken wire on the open side to try to keep animals out.
How to Maintain the Compost Bin
Every few days, I turn the compost to encourage decomposition using a fork like this one. I also add weeds, grass clippings, chicken bedding, and more to the compost bin.
Right now, we only have a 2 bin system, but we have plans to expand it to a 3 bin system. We’ll move the compost to the next bin as it decomposes during the turning process. This way, there will always be compost ready for use!
How Long Does it Take to Make Compost?
Compost can break down in a time frame of 2 weeks to up to 2 years. The length of time depends on the size of the materials, how big the pile is, and how frequently it is turned. Most home compost piles will break down in a few months if turned frequently.
Where to Find the Wood Pallets to Make a Wood Pallet Compost Bin for FREE
We got our wood pallets for free by driving around and asking local businesses if they had any. Remember, make sure to look for the HT symbol on the wood. Manufacturers don’t treat heat treated (HT) wood with dangerous chemicals.
Don’t just grab wood pallets from the dump without asking the business owners. You could also check on Facebook Marketplace for free or inexpensive pallets.
Our local feed supply store sells pallets for $5. If you ask around, you should be able to find several wood pallets for free or cheap!
This post was all about how to make a wood pallet compost bin for free.
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