Making a bin from pallets

The pallets used by many industries for transporting goods are relatively easy to screw together to create a practical compost bin. However, you will need some expertise to make this more sophisticated model, which features a hinged door at the base that allows you to remove the finished compost without taking out all of the contents. DIY novices may wish to leave out this feature and make a simple four-sided bin instead. The inside of the bin can also be insulated with a layer or two of thick cardboard or natural cloth, which will help to speed up the composting process.

Choosing wooden pallets

Pallets are widely available and often come with home deliveries of building materials or garden soil and aggregates. You may also find them free of charge on local freecycling websites, or ask your local DIY store or garden center if they have any that you can use. Before acquiring any pallets for a compost bin, check them for an IPPC or EPAL logo. These certifications show that the wood has not been treated with toxic chemicals. Reject any pallets displaying the letters MB, which indicates that they have been treated with a pesticide called methyl bromide that will harm the compost decomposers. If the pallets have no logos, they were probably used for domestic transportation and will not have been treated with chemicals.

Recycled wooden pallets make sturdy compost bins that last for some years.

How to make the bin

YOU WILL NEED 4 pallets of about the same size • Handsaw • Manual or power screwdriver • Stainless steel heavy-gauge screws • Wood scraps • G-clamp (optional) • 2 heavy-duty gate hinges

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

1 Place your bin on level ground, adding or removing soil if need be to ensure the structure will be stable. Position four pallets to create the sides of a square. If including a hinged hatch, cut about one-third off the bottom of one pallet and put that section aside before screwing the remaining section to the other sides, leaving a gap at the bottom.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

2 Using a screwdriver, drive two or three heavy-gauge screws into the solid wooden sections of the pallets at each corner, top and bottom. Make sure that the pallets line up neatly.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

3 Strengthen the joints by screwing scrap pieces of wood to the pallets where required. You may need to use a G-clamp to secure the wood while you screw it into place. Try to create a sturdy structure that will withstand the weight of a large volume of heavy green and brown waste pressing against the sides.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

4 If creating a bin with a hatch, position the section of pallet you put to one side in Step 1 so that it butts up to the section that you fixed to the main bin. Use a clamp or ask a friend to keep it place while you attach it.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

5 Attach a pair of heavy-duty gate hinges to both sections, as shown, making sure that the access hatch opens and closes easily. To hold it shut, use a hammer to drive a stake into the ground or place bricks or large stones in front of it.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS

6 Finally, make a rudimentary catch to hold the hatch open when the compost is being removed. Use a single screw to attach a short piece of wood, but do not tighten it completely so the catch can swivel and keep the open hatch in place.

Making Compost | MAKING A BIN FROM PALLETS