25 Homemade Compost Bins For Composting Food And Yard Waste

Homemade compost bins can turn your kitchen trash into garden treasure. Gardeners call compost ‘black gold’ because it’s so valuable to them and the plants they grow. Making a compost bin is not difficult, especially with any one of the 20 different homemade compost bin plans listed below. Styles range from simple and functional, to ornate pieces of yard art. By saving your kitchen food scraps and building a compost bin, you can create your own supply of black gold for your garden. Get started this weekend and use one of these detailed plans to build your own diy compost bin.

Homemade Compost Bin Ideas And Plans

1. Wood and Wire Homemade Compost Bin

Small strips of cedar wood are put together in a decorative pattern to create an attractive compost bin like this one by blackanddecker. The wire covering keeps all the scraps in place and promotes air circulation to hasten the composting process.

Here are brief steps to make this homemade compost bin.

• Prepare the wood by ripping some of the stock into 1¾” wide strips.
• Using power miter saw cut the parts to the required length.
• Assemble the door by applying the exterior-rated wood glue to join the parts and clamp them together with pipe.
• Assemble the side and back panel by applying glue and clamping the posts and rails for each frame.
• Join the door frame with posts using hinges.
• Attach the door and panels with glue and clamp them together.
• Make the grids for the panel infill areas.
• Fit the grid inside the panel and door.
• Join the top side and back rails together to conceal the post.
• Attach the inner side of compost bin with ½” galvanized hardware cloth.

2. DIY Compost Bin From Vertical Milk Crates

Simple, easy and free (if you have access to 3 plastic milk crates). Stack 3 milk crates to hold compost that is in varying stages of decomposition for an easy kitchen compost bin like this one by instructables.

Here are easy steps to make this diy compost bin.

• Select your milk crates and clean them with rag.
• Cut pieces of screen or weed barrier fabric and using hot glue gun fix them inside the holes of crates to protect them from pests.
• Prepare the lid and base using some salvaged wood.
• Place two layers of newspaper to protect the compost from falling through.

3. Rock Bin

These compost bin plans by allanblock will show you how to build a rock bin that looks like an attractive piece of yard art. By using the same rock to build a firepit, retaining wall or other outdoor structures, the pieces will increase the beauty of the landscape while promoting sustainable living.

4. Square Box Homemade Compost Bin

Sometimes the best compost bin like this one by birdsandblooms is created from the simplest design. A simple square box create from wood strips and wire will turn scraps into valuable compost.

Here are step by step brief instructions to make this compost bin.

• Cut each 2×4 in half to make 16 3-foot pieces.
• Using circular saw or table saw cut a 3-1/2-inch x 3/4-inch deep notch in every ends of each piece.
• Make four 3 foot square frames to fit notch ends together.
• Drill holes for two carriage bolts in opposite corner of each notch and assemble them.
• Cut and attach wire cloth to the frame with the help of poultry wire staples.
• Connect each frame to make a square frame using hinges.
• Place your bin in a well drained and sunny area with good air circulations.

5. Stackable Homemade Compost Bin

Watch this video to discover how to build stackable bin like this one by sunset to create compost. Great for use in small outdoor spaces, the stackable bins take up very little land space.

6. Wooden Homemade Compost Bin

Great bin for large families that produce a lot of kitchen waste. These detailed compost bin plans will show you how to build a large wooden compost bin like this one by bunnings with 3 separate sections for fast decomposition of large amounts of food scraps.

7. Double Homemade Compost Bin

This is another great compost bin design by goodshomedesign for those who have large amounts of food scraps or yard debris that needs to be transformed into nutrient-rich compost. Easy to build, the two sections of the bin allow for faster decomposition of large amounts of scraps. Also see my other relevant and helpful article such as how to make a compos.

8. Hardware Cloth Compost Bin

DIY compost bin like this one by rogueengineer can be made from a variety of material, including inexpensive hardware cloth. Use these instructions for creating a simple bin that will yield big results.

9. Indoor DIY Compost Bin

Perfect for those who live in an apartment or those that produce very little food scraps. This DIY indoor compost bin by apartmenttherapy fits under the sink for out-of-sight composting.

10. Straw Compost Bin

Easy and functional, stacked bales of straw create a perfect place for housing decomposing food scraps and yard waste. Over time, the bales of straw will also decompose and become a part of black gold for the garden. Get the tutorial for this straw bale homemade compost bin at urbanfoodgarden.

11. Concrete Block Homemade Compost Bin

Stack concrete blocks in the desired size, shape and height, fill the inside space with food scraps, cover with a piece of wood and you’ll have a functional homemade compost bin like this one by blueplanetgreenliving that will last forever. Keep the animals out the compost in with these easy building plans.

12. Cedar DIY Compost Bin

Use these instructions to build a cedar compost bin like this one by thisoldhouse that will hide the decomposing material inside. Easy, step by step instruction walk you through this DIY build and get you started transforming waste into usable matter.

13. Homemade Compost Bin Made From Wood and Chicken Wire

So simple, yet so functional. If you have any leftover wood strips and chicken wire from another DIY project, this homemade compost bin by practicallyfunctional will cost you nothing to build. Easy access for loading and unloading the bin.

14. Large 3-Section Bin

Perfect for those with lots of grass and deciduous trees in their landscape. This large 3-section homemade compost bin by rodalesorganiclife allows for a large heaps of raw material to get started decomposing, then keep it moving into other sections as the composting process continues.

15. Homemade Compost Bucket

When large bins are not wanted or needed, use a bucket to hold decomposing food scraps. An inexpensive bucket can easily be used as a diy kitchen compost bucket like this one by homesteadandprepper and work the magic of transforming food scraps into black gold.

16. Homestead Compost Bin

Large, sturdy and needed by those living on an off-grid homestead. Use these building plans to createcompost bins like this one by homesteadandprepper that will supply all the nutrient-rich food for garden plants to sustain life on the homestead. Also see my other relevant and helpful article such as diy compost tumblers.

17. Flip Top Homemade Compost Bin

This building design creates a large homemade compost bin like this one by sonorangarden with flip top that allows for easy access. Flip open the bin top to add raw material or to remove the finished compost. Easy to build, easy to use.

18. Trash Can DIY Compost Bin

An ordinary outdoor trash can with lid can be transformed into a functional diy compost bin like this one by naturallyloriel with these plans. Simple and inexpensive to create. Use a large trash can with wheels so the finished compost can be easily transported to garden when needed.

19. Animal Free DIY Compost Bin

Dogs, cats, squirrels and other small animals sometimes are attracted to scent of decomposing food scraps. Create an animal free homemade compost bin like this one by instructables by using these easy to follow instructions. Pets and wildlife can’t get in the bin and make a mess of the decomposing material.

20. Afternoon Build

Use these plans to build a compost bin like this one by motherearthliving in just one afternoon. Simple wood and wire design is highly efficient and will promote fast decomposition of food and yard scraps.

21. Rubber Trash Can Into The New Compost Bin

Truly, it is not a fresh idea, but when it is about DIY compost bin ideas like this one by pallensmith, you cannot ignore the rubber trash bin. If you have a small idea, it will work best for you.

22. Cedar Compost Bin

While making this homemade compost bin by backyardfeast, you need to have enough wood as we form the foundation with wood too. Later, the sides or the panels are made – make sure it is off the ground, so install steel or wooden blocks below. Secure the open ends with netting. There is enough space between the wooden slate so do not need to worry about the ventilation. You need to attach metal roofing so that it remains secure. Make sure it is revocable so that you can open it each morning while working in the garden.

23. Wheelie Bin To Homemade Compost Bin

• You need to make a flap, which allows access to compost
• Also, do not forget to add a tap at the bottom – this would allow collecting the liquid plant food from the compost.
• Do not forget to drill in holes for aeration.

See the detail plan at Instructables

24. DIY Compost Tumbler

Get a barrel and fix it on some stand – otherwise you would face a problem in placing it. Remember, we are not making a standing compost bin; rather a standard fixed horizontal look is required to get a diy composter like this one by Instructables. Cut the barrel for the lid and on the other end make the hole for ventilation. Also, drill in some holes on the various spots so that compost gets enough air. Add the compost and secure it with the lid.

25. DIY Plastic Bin

You can build this diy compost bin by making a large plastic container, which has a tight lid. You can either purchase one, or simply use the one you have in the store. With the help of the drilling machine, make 6 to 8 holes so that compost gets enough air when kept inside. Once done, you need bedding for the bin – for that you can make the most of the newspapers or any paper bags. Your perfect worm compost bin like this one by tellerallaboutit is ready!