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3-bin Compost System

Our yard generates tons of compostable trash, and we have 2 large raised garden beds. Rather than continuing to buy compost, why not make it?

The sketch

This wireframe sketch shows the relative dimensions and layout of the boards used in constructing the stall.

Wireframe

Bill of Materials

Quantity Item
14 Cedar 4x4x8 board
16 Cedar 1x6x12 board
32 sqft Chicken wire mesh
10 bags Playground sand
1 roll landscape paper
1 box exterior rated 1" wood screws (for hanging siding boards)
1 box exterior rated 2" wood screws (for securing 4x4 structure)

The inside

The inside of the compost bin has 3 stalls to support the large volume of compost we generate from the yard during the year. The entire structure is made of cedar - 1x6" cedar planks for the siding, and 4x4" cedar boards for the primary structure.

As shown in this picture, the interior walls are wire mesh (for air breathability), with a sand bottom (to aid drainage). The black plastic is a planter border stapled to the cedar to keep the sand in place.

Notice the corners: cedar 4x4 cut at a 45" angle is used to reinforce the corners and provide rigidity and a place to screw together the perpendicular members without using the board ends (which causes splitting in cedar).

Compost sides

The front

The front is visible to the entire yard, so, it's decorated and landscaped appropriately. The top 2 siding planks are doubled up, to give both the interior metal lining and the plant hangers screws something to dig into.

Compost front