If you would rather not purchase a bin for your compost pile, you should still devise a way to contain it. You can easily and inexpensively build your own compost bin. If you decide on doing this you can choose how large you want to make the pile and it will keep animals out, and stop them from eating the food and making a mess.

If you are going to be using scrap wood furthermore it has been treated, either painted or stained, be positive that the material it has been coated with will not be dangerous. If it is dangerous or toxic you do not want this on or near any of your compost, especially if you are going to be using it where you are growing food.

You will need four 4-foot sections of 2X4 and 20 3-foot sections of 1X6 boards. Next get a sledgehammer and the 2X4′s and stake them into the ground to form a square that is 3 feet long by 3 feet wide, the post should measure 3 feet from corner to corner. The next step will be to get the 1X6 boards and nail or screw five of the boards to the 2X4 corner posts. Be sure to leave enough room in between each board for air circulation. You can use a piece of plastic or lay boards on the top to cover it and protect it from animals as well as to much rain water.

Another very common way many folks will build a bin will be with used pallets. If you don’t have any old pallets laying around you can ask at stores to see if there is any they will want to dispose of, then tie them together with galvanized wire to make a square. You can as well add another pallet to the bottom for a foundation, but this will be optional and not required.

Another option is to enclose the pile with a wire mesh. You can form a circle with the mesh, and use wire to tie the ends or use wood or metal post to form a square or circle and wrap the wire mesh around it.

Making a compost bin does not have to be difficult or hard. To find out more about how to compost and some free compost bin plans pay a visit to this website.