GuideCompost Bins
Make a Slatted Wooden Compost Bin with a Removable Front
In a small garden, a single tidy compost bin is often all you need. This one is a square box of slats with small gaps for air, and a front made of loose boards you lift out to reach the finished compost at the bottom.
What you will build
Four corner posts hold three fixed slatted sides. On the front, two strips on each front post form slots, and boards slide down into them. A simple hinged or loose lid keeps off heavy rain.
A cube of about 3 ft (90 cm) is big enough to heat up when filled with a good mix, yet small enough for a small garden. The gaps between slats should be narrow, about ½ in (1 cm), enough for air but not for the compost to fall out.
Real-world examples
Photos of similar builds by other people, shared under open licenses. They show the idea in practice; the details differ from this guide.
Materials
- 4 posts 2 × 2 in or 2 × 3 in (45 × 45 or 45 × 70 mm), about 3 ft (90 cm) long
- About 30 sawn boards 1 × 4 in or 1 × 6 in (20 × 95 or 20 × 145 mm), cut to 3 ft
- 4 strips about 1 × 1 in (20 × 20 mm), 3 ft long, for the front slots
- Exterior wood screws 1½ in (40 mm)
- Lid: a sheet of exterior plywood or boards on two battens, plus 2 hinges if you want it hinged
- Small wooden spacers ½ in (1 cm) thick
Tools
- Saw
- Drill/driver
- Tape measure and square
- Spirit level
- Clamps
- Safety glasses
Step by step
1Build the two side panels
Lay two posts on a flat surface, 3 ft apart. Screw slats across them from bottom to top, using spacers to keep a gap of about ½ in (1 cm) between slats. Make a second identical panel.
2Join the panels with the back
Stand the side panels up facing each other and screw slats across the back posts to join them, again with even gaps. Check that the box is square by measuring the diagonals before the last screws go in.
3Make the front slots
On the inside face of each front post, screw two thin strips upright with a gap between them slightly wider than your boards. The front boards will slide down into these slots.
4Cut the front boards
Cut boards to fit between the slots with a little play, so they slide easily even when swollen with damp. Drop them in from the bottom up. A small handhold cut in the top board makes lifting easier.
5Make the lid
Screw boards or plywood onto two battens to make a lid slightly larger than the box. Either hinge it to the back or let it rest loose on top. A lid keeps rain from soaking the heap and helps hold in the heat.
6Set it on soil
Place the bin on bare, level soil in a partly shaded spot, so worms and moisture can move in from below. Start with a layer of coarse twigs at the bottom to help air reach the heap.
7Start the first heap
Add material in layers as it comes: a bucket of kitchen scraps, then a couple of handfuls of dry leaves or shredded cardboard. When you have enough to fill the bin about halfway, fork it through and water it if it looks dry. In warm weather a well-mixed heap feels warm in the middle within a week or two.
Tips for a better result
- Collect brown material such as dry leaves in autumn and keep it in a bag next to the bin, so you always have some to mix with kitchen scraps.
- Lift the front boards and dig out finished compost from the bottom while the top keeps working.
- Untreated larch, cedar or Douglas fir lasts reasonably well; the bin is easy to repair slat by slat.
- Stir or fork through the heap every few weeks to speed it up.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Gaps between slats so wide that compost spills out.
- Cutting front boards to an exact fit, so they jam when damp.
- Placing the bin on paving, where worms cannot get in and liquid stains the slabs.
- Filling it only with grass cuttings, which turn into a slimy mat.
Safety
- Wear safety glasses when cutting and drilling.
- Wear gloves when handling compost, and wash your hands afterwards.
- Use wood that has not been treated with old, toxic preservatives.
General guidance only. Follow the instructions for your tools and materials and your local rules, and use a qualified professional for electrical, gas and structural work.
Finishing up
A slatted bin looks tidy, works well and is easy to fix. When you lift out the first barrowful of dark, crumbly compost from the bottom, you will wonder why you ever bought bags of it.
About this guide: written by the DIY Outdoor Builds editors from general, widely used building and gardening practice. Text and illustration © DIY Outdoor Builds. Photos are by the people credited under each one, used under their licenses. Found an error? Let us know.
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