Making A Compost Bin From Pallets: a house log

Ever since we began composting back in 2008 at our old house, we have enjoyed doing it (snaps for free fertilizer, reusing “trash,” and getting some subtle encouragement to eat more compost-able foods). But our composting adventures have been somewhat limited by the size of the Hands-on compost container that we made 3 years ago (we did eventually make a second bin, but it is nothing like those bigger composting systems that we have seen at stores or in Hands-on magazines).

Even back in 2008 when we created our little bin, I initially hoped to make a more “legit” system out of shipping pallets (like I read about here and here) but hunting down and transporting a bunch of bulky pallets was a bit more than I was ready to sign up for. So I figured starting off with a bin and later graduating to something more built-in might be the way to go. And now simply three short (ok, loong) years later, thanks to our patio supplies having arrived on pallets, I at last had my excuse to upgrade our compost system. It simply took us a few months to decide where we hoped our new bin to sit. We at last agreed on this corner:

In case you need a clearer reference point, here is that little not-at-all-to-scale map of our yard (the house is way too big and the nearly-an-acre yard is much too small) that Sherry whipped up (marked with an arrow where we brought in our little “compost station”):

We picked that spot because:

• it was fairly hidden from view
• it did not disrupt the landscape quite much (i.e. it was not in the middle of the grass or anything)
• it was convenient sufficient to get to without being right against the house (we know compost is not supposed to smell – and our old bin never did – but we did not want to risk getting whiffs of nature’s miracle at work if this system was any distinct).
• the only “landscaping” that we’d be sacrificing was some ivy and a few weeds (how will we ever live with ourselves?)

One perk to losing some of the ivy is that I uncovered some unexpected treasures in the process, like this ancient Hooters frisbee and a random plastic tire. Looks like this upgraded composting system is already paying off in major free-stuff dividends.

After a bit more work with my shovel and rake, I was eventually left with this clearing. Some of the online instructions that I googled around for suggested putting an extra pallet down for your base, while I read others who complained that a pallet on the ground made turning the compost a big ol’ pain (picture pitchfork tongs or shovels getting stuck between the slats). Some others even suggested a slanted base to assist collect the tea (the nutrient-rich “run off” from your compost pile), but I simply opted to keep things plain and make my life straightforward – at least for now. So this flat square of dirt did the trick:

With my area cleared, I gathered my supplies:

• Three shipping pallets (which I was thrilled to at last move out of our basement)
• A few 2″ wood screws
• Electric screwdriver
• Work gloves
• Shovel

Fortunately these were all things we already owned, so our project cost rang in at a big fat goose egg. Even better than a free project? The whole thing only took me about 20 minutes (not counting photo-snapping time). Which was a pleasant unexpected surprise. Remember, I go into all small projects expecting them to take forever and throw me ten curve balls so I do not get my swift-project hopes dashed by an obstacle or two (which I have learned are par for the Hands-on course). So yeah, it was excellent that this swift and straightforward project truly was swift and straightforward.

First I dug a small trench (about 4″ deep) at the back of the compost area so that my pallet had a little groove to stand in while I secured the other sides:

Then I put the second pallet next to it to create one side:

Notice how the side with the more closely-spaced slats faces in (otherwise we’d get plenty of compost spilling through). But that does not mean you should use a fully solid piece of wood (the slatted pallets assist air circulate, which helps the decomposing process while also keeping odor down).

To secure the pallets together, I simply drilled three screws (one in the top, middle, and bottom) to connect the two pallets. Some walkthroughs that I read called for zip ties instead, which I am not surprised to hear (they, like duct tape, can accomplish nearly anything). I simply had screws on hand, and since that was another recommended method I went for it. I also enjoy projects a little more when I get to break out my power tools (I can nearly feel Sherry rolling her eyes at this sentence). The funny thing is that the pallets were practically sturdy sufficient to stay together on their own so the screws kinda felt like a formality, but they were pleasant “insurance” so I am glad I took a moment to add them (and say hi to my drill).

Then I rinsed and repeated the whole joining shebang with the third pallet on the other side.

Then, um… ta-dah? That was fairly much it. Some of the instructions that I read included using a fourth pallet to create a hinged door in the front (I guess a fifth if you brought in an extra pallet on the bottom). I was not inclined to do this because (1) that seemed more complicated than I hoped to get into – at least off the bat, and (2) I did not have any hinges on hand. Initially I was simply going to leave my bin open-sided and not stress if my pile began to migrate a bit beyond its three borders…

… but I realized it likely was not the best idea in practice, especially since it was on a slight slope and one big rain could wash our pile-o-decomposition into the yard. Gross. So I improvised a bit and found a nearly-perfectly-sized piece of scrap wood that could act as a fourth wall (with the assist of two leftover wood stakes). It stays in place simply fine and can easily be picked up when it is time to turn our pile (or grab a big heaping batch of nurtrient-rich soil when it is ready).

As the pile grows, I am thinking I could easily upgrade my system with a few more boards stacked up or a taller piece of wood with taller stakes or poles to hold them flush against the pallets. But this’ll do for now:

And to kick off the competition composition, I threw in a layer of pleasant brown leaves from the backyard. Ooooh. Ahhh.

Now we are the first to admit that we are still kind of novices at this whole composting thing. Even after three years of doing it. I have thrown out references like “turn the pile” as if I know what we are supposed to do (and how frequently and why) but I am truly simply going off of tidbits that we have picked up online. When it came to our old system we simply stirred things when we tossed in a pile o’ stuff (we had a lidded plastic container that we kept under the sink for compost scraps and emptied that into the bin twice a week or so). And we printed out a list of compostable stuff and taped that to the inside of our under-the-sink door near the compost container so we could consult that if we did not know if something could be brought in. So admittedly I am not quite Captain Compost yet (so if anyone has any pointers or resources for us, we are all ears). The good news about compost is that it seems to simply do its own thing for the most part (you can read about a few of our experiences with it over the years here, here, here, and here). We have never had any issues with smell or anything, so it is a fairly painless auto-pilot process.

Oh, and I should mention that if anyone is hesitant about using wood that might be chemically-treated (like pallets) for their bin, you can limit your use of the resulting compost to non-edible plants (i.e. use it in your flowerbeds, not in an herb or veggie garden). That is certainly what we will be doing simply in case. We are a bit late in the season to have much usable compost this year anyway (darn, no accidental pumpkin growing for me this Halloween) but hopefully next year we will have more free fertilizer than we will know what to do with. And perhaps some of that ivy will have grown around the pallets to assist it “blend” in a bit more. You know, so we end up with a charming secret garden compost situation. Of course we could also stain or paint the palettes to assist them blend in (dark green, brown, gray, etc). We will keep you posted.

Do any of you have a pallet compost bin (or other composting system) going on at your place? How has it been working out? Anything you think we should know as we start this new chapter in our composting lives? Has anyone else accidentally grown a pumpkin? That is my crowning composting achievement thus far.