There is no question that building your own composting bin saves money. Perhaps more important, it is the only way to have a bin that accomodates a pile larger than the minimum standard 3 x 3 x 3 feet (22 bushels of material) avaiable in commercially built bins.
The major variable in the design of your own bin will be the materials you choose to use. It is not uncommon for backyard bins to be constructed of whatever materials happen to be available for free. The following compost bin designs are therefore listed in terms of their construction material--cement block, wire, wood, and other. Bin designs also vary in terms of the degree of building skills and tools required. There are some very simple designs below, as well as some fairly sophisticated designs for especially handy homeowners who aspire to have the best compost system in the neighborhood. It is impossible to accurately estimate the costs of these bins because the cost of the materials varies so across the country. Also, most people are going to have some of them already on hand.
| Different Types of Bins | |
|---|---|
| Material | Capacity (Bushels) |
| Cement Block | |
| Cement Block Enclosure - 1 section | 25 |
| Cement Block Enclosure - 3 sections | 75 |
| Block Bin with wooden front | 25 |
| Wire | |
| Turkey wire bin | 40 |
| Rat wire bin | 22 |
| Heavy Duty Ratwire Bin | 50 per section |
| Wood | |
| Seattle Bin | 20 per section |
| New Zealand Bin | 39 |
| Lehigh bin | 22 |
| Other materials | |
| Pallette bin | 22 or more |
| 50 gallon drum | 6 |
| Snow fence bin 3' diameter | 39 |