Would you like to build a practical and environmentally friendly composter out of pallets in your garden? Follow these simple steps and some useful tips!
To improve the garden soil with organic waste and use recycled materials, you can build inexpensive composters out of pallets yourself. By composting food or garden waste, you are also helping to reduce your carbon footprint, which is good for the environment. This gives you a vibrant and nutrient-rich substrate that requires almost no cost or time. This makes composting easily accessible and, above all, sustainable for anyone with a little more space in their garden. If you want to take advantage of all these advantages and create a great DIY project, you will find a detailed guide belowTips for the right oneUse.
What should you consider before you build a composter out of pallets yourself?
The main goal of such a garden project is to create a space for compost heaps enclosed by wooden pallets. Although there are gaps between the boards, such a structure is easy to insulate, although it is important to allow all liquids to drain. Furthermore, it makes sense todispose of appropriate organic wasteto support the composting process. This will accordingly also improve the quality of the substrate obtained and prevent unpleasant smells. Fruit and vegetable peels, as well as food scraps such as eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds, paper and cardboard are the main components that make up a good compost pile.
You can also collect grass clippings, prunings, and dried leaves from the garden and add them to your DIY enclosure. What is not suitable for this and definitely does not belong in the compost heap are leftover meat, bones and faeces from pets. Such waste can affect the process and should ideally be separated andproperly compostedbecome. It is also advisable to occasionally look after the pile and turn it over so that you can supply more oxygen to the beneficial bacteria living there. If your compost is too wet after heavy rain or other overwatering, you can compensate for the moisture with more dry leaves, paper and cardboard.
What should such a structure made of wooden pallets look like?
Instead of eventually ending up in landfill, the practical wooden structures found in warehouses can be cost-effectively reused as retaining walls. You can create your own version by simply connecting three pallets in the shape of a square with screws or strong wire. The fourth pallet is optional and can act as a door attached to it. This should therefore be able to move like a simple door so that you can easily turn the compost if necessary. The main advantage of building a composter from pallets yourself is that you can make a common system out of them. This makes it possible to obtain compost heaps with different levels of maturity and to turn them if necessary.
What should you pay attention to when choosing materials if you build your own composter from pallets?
Ideally, you can use Euro pallets that are approximately the same size, with certain markings that are important. The stamped abbreviations indicate whether the wood material is safe to reuse. Accordingly, you should look out for initials such as IPPC, EPAL or HT, which indicate that the wooden pallet is heat treated. Some variants also have KD, which indicates that the wood was dried in a special oven. It is especially important not to use wooden pallets stamped with the abbreviation MB, as this stands for methyl bromide. This is a toxic chemical that is also used as a pesticide. Typically, such ingredients are banned in Europe, but there is still a risk of encountering imported materials. Otherwise, you can find suitable wooden pallets in mail order companies, online or in various stores and get them either cheaply or even free of charge.
Additionally, you can build a three- or four-sided pallet composter yourself, with the former offering easy access at all times. This means you don't have to deal with a gate every time you bring a wheelbarrow full of organic waste to your compost heap. The advantage of a four-sided enclosure is that the fourth pallet helps maintain structure as compost is piled up. This allows you to build a taller compost pile over the top of the pallet. When setting up the compost heap, it is always possible to leave the door off in the initial stages in order to choose the best option depending on the space and needs. You can read below what advantages such a structure has and are there also disadvantages.
What factors should you consider when using pallets?
In order for the effort and time invested in such a DIY project to be worthwhile, you should first decide whether you actually need something like this. Making such structures is easy and can be fun with children or friends. However, it is advisable to consider the size and capacity of the enclosure before construction. Plan the garden area you choose by considering the following factors:
- When using wooden pallets as enclosures, there are voids between the boards, allowing oxygen to penetrate.
- Another advantage of this project is that you can really save on costs. In addition to the pallets, you may also need screws, corner brackets and hinges.
- However, a disadvantage of such structures can be the open slots on the sides. Typically there is a lack of insulation, which could make composting difficult in the winter.
- As for the size of the wooden pallets, these might not be a particularly sensible choice for smaller gardens. In such cases, you should opt for onecovered barrelor compost bin.
- Multiple wooden pallets can also be difficult to transport, so you may need to ask someone to help you and find a larger vehicle.
- Rough Euro pallets could also be a bit unsightly, but they can be made pretty with a simple stroke and easily adapted to the style of the garden.
This is how you can build your own composter from pallets step by step
Before you start assembling the structure, it is important to find a flat and suitable garden area. This makes your work easier and ensures that access to the compost heap is clear. Depending on the space available, be strategic by choosing a location that is not too far away. The size of an average Euro pallet is around 1.2 x 1.2 meters wide and long and around 10 cm high. However, also take into account that the finished interior dimension of the floor area will be wider. When planning the location for your compost heap, it is advisable to allow for a little more space so that you can expand the system later.
The project also requires some skill, but you can help yourself with the right tools and equipment. Try wearing an old pair of dungarees as work clothes to keep small items like screwdrivers, corner squares and hammers handy. Otherwise you can use a cordless drill, saw, 3-4 or more pallets and possibly hinges. You can also wrap your frame structure with wire mesh as insulation. It is best to place the pallets on the garden floor rather than concrete, although this is not essential. Here are some sample steps you can follow when building.
Step-by-step instructions for building a composter out of wooden pallets
- First, try supporting one of the pallets, it's handy to have your child or a friend to help. You can start with any page.
- Then proceed by placing the second wooden pallet at a 90-degree angle to the first to form the two walls of a box. During this step, it may be helpful to use string to tie both pieces together. This will keep them stable while you attach the hinges and potentially do this on your own.
- Then try to attach the sides together with three corner brackets, although you can use more. Do this by first positioning the corner brackets where you want them and marking them with a pencil or nail.
- Now drill a hole at each of the marked locations after removing the brackets and reattach the corner brackets over the holes.
- Then insert the screws with the cordless drill or a screwdriver.
- To form the third wall of the composter, you can simply repeat the previous steps with the third pallet.
- First, you can optionally add a door by then cutting a fourth wooden pallet in half with a saw.
- Then attach the door with hinges to the desired side of the structure and install a latch on the other side. This prevents the door from opening during severe weather. However, you can also use a rope at the top.
- To ensure additional strength on each side, you can screw in locks at the top and bottom inside corners.
- Then it would make sense to protect the compost from wildlife or runoff by fencing it with wire mesh. Although this step is not strictly necessary, a chain link fence provides additional security. Just be careful not to get your fork stuck on it when turning the compost.
- For more aesthetics in the garden, you can also paint the wooden boards in any color you like. However, this step is recommended before filling the composter so that the wood remains protected for longer.
Could it be even easier to build your own composter out of pallets?
Of course, such a simple structure can also be held together using other means. If you don't necessarily want to drill or screw, you can use old cables, wire or strong cords and tie the pallets together with them. Additionally, it would make sense to insulate the compost heap with an unusable blanket or carpet on top. Although it won't look as aesthetically pleasing, it's easier to disassemble and reposition in the garden.
Another option for stability is to further reinforce the composter with stakes between the pallet boards. This allows you to fill the gaps in any wooden pallet by attaching the wooden posts between them with a hammer. This is a recommended step if you are building a composter out of pallets using only wire or string. Although the gaps on the sides provide additional air circulation, they do make the compost pile colder. In the summer time this would not be a problem, but low temperatures can slow down the process of composting. Therefore, an even easier option is to cover the edges with cardboard or cardboard as an insulator. This can prevent seepage water from leaking out of the sides. It's possible that the insulation material will eventually come off, but if it's outside the compost pile it would certainly take longer.
Now you have an example of how easy and economical you can be when implementing a garden project like this. Most pallets are made from low quality wood but should last a few years. This is primarily because the pressure of the pile is exerted downwards, not outwards. It would be difficult to keep rats or mice out unless you also wire the bottom of the composter. You can also attach a cover, fleece or tarpaulin to prevent negative influences during heavy snow or rain. However, leave a few openings so that air can flow in.
