How to make a DIY compost maker
Celebrate Earth Day today by making your own DIY compost maker at home.
Image: Pixabay
A compost maker will help you reduce food waste headed to landfill and save money in buying compost from the garden centre.
Celebrity builder Craig Phillips shows us how to make a compost maker from an old pallet.
Tools you will need:
- A chop saw or a hand saw
- Set square
- Tape-measure
- Cordless drill driver and screws or hammer and nails.
- Mallet and chisel
- Clamps
- Circular saw (but don’t worry if you haven’t you can manage without)
Step 1
Break down your old pallet into individual slats – you can usually prise them apart easily with a crowbar. Use this video to help you break down pallets safely.
Step 2
Decide how big you would like your square composter to be and cut each pallet slat to size. Craig made his 1 metre square. Use your set square to ensure the cut is accurate – and clamp your pallet slat into position on your work bench before cutting to size with your chosen saw.
Step 3
The corners will interlock together using this simple method on every slat. Set your set square to 50mm and place it on the corner of your pallet (laid flat on the workbench) and put a mark 50mm in on both corners.
Repeat this on the opposite end.
Step 4
Get a piece of cut pallet (which is the same thickness as the one you are working on). Place it directly on top of your two marks and draw a line either side. You’ll have four marks now – two on each side (the depth of your pallet apart).
Step 5
Reset your set square to 20mm. Place on the top in between the two marks and draw around. You should now have a small square shape drawn on either side of your pallet.
Step 6
Cut out these two squares – see video for the best method, as you will need to chisel out the middle for a perfect square. Repeat on both ends of the pallet slat. Repeat this method on 14 lengths of pallet. This will make up four pallet slats to each side of your square compost maker. Set aside 2 of these and cut in a straight line down the middle (lengthways). These are for the base and the top of your compost bin.
Step 8
Lay two of the thinner pallet lengths on the floor opposite each other. Then using two of the thicker lengths, slot into the grooves you have created on opposite sides so that you have a square.
Step 9
Continue to slot in the thicker pallet pieces all the way around in a square formation until you reach the top and have a cube-like structure. Finish it off with the two leftover thinner pieces of pallet.
Are you going to make this DIY compost maker? Show us and let us know on social! Tweet us @goodhomesmag, post a comment on our Facebook page or tag us on Instagram @goodhomesmag!