Agriculture and Natural Resources
FSA6033
Compost Units Series
Wood-and-Wire Three-Bin
Turning Compost Bin
Suzanne Smith Hirrel A wood-and-wire three-bin 1. Cut two 31 1/2-inch and two
Extension Specialist - turning unit can be used to compost 36-inch pieces from a 12-foot
large amounts of yard, garden and length of 2 x 4 lumber. Butt-joint
Waste Management kitchen wastes in a short time. and nail the four pieces into a
Although relatively expensive to build, 35-inch x 36-inch “square.” Repeat,
it is sturdy, attractive and should last building three more frames with
a long time. Construction requires the remaining 12-foot lengths of
basic carpentry skills and tools. 2 x 4 lumber.
MATERIALS Optional materials – for lids
Lumber should be cedar, pine painted
with nontoxic wood preservative or • One 4 x 8 foot sheet of 1/2-inch
latex paint, or recycled composite exterior plywood
lumber: • One 4 x 4 foot sheet of 1/2-inch
• Four 12-foot lengths of 2 x 4 exterior plywood
lumber • Six 3-inch zinc-plated hinges
• Two 10-foot lengths of 2 x 4 • Twenty-four 3/16-inch galvanized
lumber steel bolts, with washers and nuts
• One 10-foot length of 2 x 4 lumber
• One 16-foot length of 2 x 6 lumber • Tape measure
• Six 8-foot lengths of 1 x 6 lumber • Hand saw or circular power saw
• Hammer
• One 22-foot length of 36-inch • Tin snips
wide 1/2-inch hardware cloth • Carpenter’s square
• 16d galvanized nails (2 pounds) • Drill with 3/16-inch and 1/2-inch
• Poultry wire staples (250) or a bits
power stapler with 1 inch • Screwdriver
galvanized staples • Adjustable wrench
• Twelve 1/2-inch carriage bolts, • Pencil
4 inches long, with washers • Safety glasses, ear protection,
and nuts dust mask and work gloves
• One quart wood preservative
or stain
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University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating
2. Cut four 37-inch lengths of hardware cloth. Fold two remaining 6-inch wide
back the edges of the wire 1 inch. Stretch the boards on the front of the
pieces of hardware cloth across each frame. Make inside dividers flush with the
sure the corners of each frame are square and top edge and nail securely.
then staple the screen tightly into place every
4 inches around the edge. The wood-and-wire 10. Cut the remaining 4-foot
frames will be dividers in your composter. length of 2 x 6 lumber into a
34-inch long piece, and then
3. Set two dividers on end, 9 feet apart and parallel rip-cut this piece into four
to one another. Position the other two dividers so equal strips. Trim the two
strips saved from step number eight to 34 inches.
that they are parallel to and evenly spaced between
Nail each 34-inch strip to the insides of the
the end dividers. Place the 36-inch edges on the
dividers so that they are parallel to and 1 inch
ground. Measure the position of the centers of the
away from the boards attached to the front. This
two inside dividers along each 9-foot edge. creates a 1-inch vertical slot on the inside of
each divider.
4. Cut a 9-foot piece from each 10-foot length of
2 x 4 lumber. Place the two boards across the tops 11. Cut the six 8-foot lengths of 1 x 6 lumber into
of the dividers so that each is flush against the 18 slats, each 31 1/4 inches long. Insert the
outer edges. Measure and mark on the 9-foot horizontal slats, six per bin, between the dividers
boards the center of each inside divider. and into the vertical slots.
5. Line up the marks, and through each junction of 12. (Optional) Cut the 4 x 8-foot sheet of exterior
board and divider, drill a 1/2-inch hole centered plywood into two 3 x 3-foot pieces. Cut the 4 x
1 inch from the edge. Secure the boards with 4-foot sheet of exterior plywood into one 3 x 3-foot
carriage bolts, but do not tighten them yet. Turn piece on one of the three bins, and attach each to
the unit so that the treated boards are on the the back, top board with two hinges.
bottom.
13. Paint or stain all untreated wood.
6. Cut one 9-foot piece from the 10-foot length of
2 x 4 lumber. Attach the board to the back of the Adding Wastes
top by repeating the process used to attach the
base boards. Using the carpenter’s square, or With this type of bin, do not add wastes as they
measuring between opposing corners, make sure become available. Collect enough waste to fill one of
the bin is square. Tighten all the bolts securely. the three bins. Collect woody as well as nonwood
wastes. Chopping and shredding materials are
recommended. Layer different materials in, or you
7. Fasten a 9-foot length of hardware cloth to the
can mix the wastes together.
back side of the bin with staples every 4 inches
around the frame.
Maintaining the Pile
8. Cut four 36-inch long pieces from the 16-foot After a few days, the temperature of the pile
length of 2 x 6 lumber for front runners. (Save the should reach between 130°-140°F. In a few days, the
remaining 4-foot length.) Rip-cut two of these temperature will start to drop. (You may want to
boards to two 4 3/4-inch wide strips. (Save the two monitor the temperature with a thermometer.) When
remaining strips.) the temperature starts to drop, turn the compost into
the next bin. The temperature of the pile will increase
9. Nail the 4 3/4-inch wide strips to the front of the again and then, in four to seven days, start to drop.
outside dividers and baseboard so that they are Turn the compost into the third bin. The total time
flush on the top and the outside edges. Center the for composting should be four to six weeks.
Reprinted with permission from “Composting to Reduce the Waste Stream,” published by NRAES (607) 255-7654. Artwork by Richard
DeSpain, former architectural draftsman, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock.
Printed by University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Printing Services. Printed on Recycled Paper
SUZANNE SMITH HIRREL is Extension specialist - waste Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8
management, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of
Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock. Agriculture, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of
Arkansas. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its
programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national
origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or
any other legally protected status, and is an Equal Opportunity
FSA6033-PD-2-06RV Employer.
