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in DIY/Home Decorating

DIY Compost Bin

DIY Compost Bin

I shared with you our existing compost bin a few weeks ago- very simple, and has been very functional, but it was time to update and redo it.  Too many heavy winter storms, branches and even a tree have hit it.

One of the things I’ve discovered while working with The Home Depot as part of their blogger program is how much more they have on their website than just products.  You can find project plans including materials lists so that you can check things out, figure out what you want to make, and print out the lists before you head to the store.  My husband is always the one who does the project planning logistics- like how many screws, what kind, what size, how much sheetrock, what kind of sheetrock- what kind of wood, sizes, types…all things that are far beyond my abilities.  I was able to do ALL of the shopping for the supplies to build your own compost bin BY MYSELF (well, with my 3 year old helping).  I didn’t need my husband to do the math and figure out how many of each item we’d need, it was all there for me.  I was super proud of myself for doing that shopping solo.
home depot diy compost bin progress
Of course, the materials called for on the website are almost all cedar boards- something that most Home Depot stores don’t carry in stock, you have to special order them (which I did not have time to do).  So we modified with pine boards and I’m on the hunt for some non-chemical stain or sealant to keep the compost bin intact and help it to last as long as possible.  Cedar was the best choice but time was not on my side.  On a side note, I always assumed cedar boards were far more expensive than pine boards, but they really aren’t.  If you DO have the time, I’d absolutely recommend doing the order and going for cedar.  It’s naturally made to withstand the elements for longer than pine and you’ll get more time with your bin.

If you do grab pine like we did, be sure to pre-drill holes into your boards before you screw them to the posts or you will likely have lots of splits from the screws.  It’s worth the extra time spent,  and really doesn’t take much extra time.
home depot build a compost bin
home depot diy compost bin
The compost bin plans didn’t specify how far apart to space the boards so we did an inch and a half between boards.  The supplies and cuts are clear and concise but for the how-to, there’s a bit of detail lacking.  One thing we immediately noticed was the plans call for 4 sides of the bin and a top- the bin is approx. 4 feet tall….we weren’t sure where/how that would allow you to use a pitchfork to turn the compost nor how you could remove it, so instead of following the plans exactly, my husband made the front panel removable, mounted on a cleat made from a 2×4 at a 45 degree angle (see photo below).
diy compost bin removal for front
We chose to do this for the above reason- access to turn or remove the compost, but also because our kids are very much a part of our composting and gardening and they bring the compost scraps from the house down frequently and can’t reach a 4 foot roof to move it and empty the scraps into the bin, and they also like to bring worms they find in the yard to the compost.  They like to put the worms in and watch where they go after they are in the pile.  Having 4 closed sides would kind of take that away from them and my kids really enjoy it.

All in all, this was a fun project- something we needed to do, it’s far more aesthetically pleasing than our old compost bin was, and my husband and I got to spend several hours working on a project together, just like we did pre-kids.  The kids helped us to decide to keep the height as specified in the instructions and also helped to decide that they could work together as a team to get the front panel off and be able to access the compost by themselves.  They love being a part of our gardening as a family activity and are all three of them excited to add new “pet worms” to the compost to move the process along.
home depot diy-compost-bin

It’s home improvement time, and The Home Depot has everything you need to #DigIn for Spring. No matter what projects you want to tackle, they have great values on all you need. They’re ready to help you with renovation ideas and expert advice, too.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Home Depot.

 

About Brett

I'm a 40 something lifestyle blogger living in Connecticut with my husband and our 3 kids, plus our two rescue pups. We love to hike, travel, play games, watch movies, and just be outside together! Having 3 active kids makes for a hectic schedule and I try to share content, recipes and other things that can help to make today's busy family life simpler, easier, or just plain more fun!

I started working full time at a local middle school in fall 2021 and some of my students are insistent that I am mean.

Comments

  1. Luda says

    I saw many different ways to build compost bins using palets. This one is quite different design, thanks for the idea.

  3. Jackie says

    I have a garden but it’s lacking in good dirt…. we have clay in our yard. Because of that I’ve pondered starting my own composting pile and this could help. I just need to get out there and do it.

  4. Kerri says

    Great project! If I had a big back yard, I would definitely do this. When I taught third grade, we had a plastic bin in the classroom and it was fun to see the transformation of the soil. Where did that banana peel go? was a ? in my students’ minds.

    • Brett says

      That is cool! We also find a lot of things grow in there – we had a huge pumpkin sprout and grow from the compost!! It’s also what got us started growing potatoes.

  6. Mer says

    That looks so nice! Definitely better than my bin. I really like the changes made so the kids can help.

  8. Theresa @DearCreatives says

    I really want to make one. Although our yard is smaller, we could make a smaller version. I love being green, why not greener, right? 😉 Thanks for the diy. Theresa @ DearCreatives.com Pinning it for the Mr.

  9. Jenni says

    I had no idea that Home Depot offered these products or plans, what a great thing!! That compost bin is great! And I like how large it is.

    • Brett says

      You could make one like ours- dogs can’t get into it (if they can, you should video it LOL)

  15. Angela says

    I am so glad to find this! I have been hesitant to start a compost bin but this is totally doable and not at all an eyesore like I expected a compost bin to be.

  16. Janel C says

    This is so cool! We want to have a compost pile but just don’t have any room in the backyard.. definitely whenever we finally move, though, I want to do this!

  17. Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired says

    It looks great! That good to hear that you were able to make adjustments as needed. It’s funny that they didn’t leave a side open but it sounds like your solution is perfect because now your kids can help too. I’ve enjoyed following your project along, I hope to make a compost bin one day!

  19. Marina says

    We’ve been making our own compost with food scraps but making a dedicated bin in such a neat idea. Have to show this to Hubs!

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