How to Build a Composter

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Have you been searching for plans to build a homemade composter? Well we have the perfect solution, today we are writing about how to build a composter using materials from any local hardware store, and the best part is, it costs less than $30!

How to Build a Composter

Materials List:

For this project you will need the following…

• 5 Gallon Plastic Bucket with Lid
• 1 Can of Black Spray Paint
• Two Metal Stakes (pre-drilled)
• Candy (Optional)
• 2 x 2 inch bolts with washers and nuts

We bought all of the above at our local Home Depot and it cost less than $30, that included an optional candy bar to fuel our energy levels! Here is our receipt;

Composter Materials Receipt

Many of the materials could be found in your garage already so be sure to check whether you can re-use some existing materials found at home.

Construction:

Once you have the project materials the first step is to detach the metal handle from the bucket.

Remove the Handle From the Bucket

Now we can drill a selection of holes in the bucket to allow oxygen to reach our compostable mixture inside (this accelerates the composting process).

Drill Holes in the Bucket

Once you have a number of holes drilled the next stage is to attach the metal stakes to the bucket using bolts, washers and nuts.

Insert a bolt through the metal stake and into the hole in the bucket where the handle used to fit;

Attach the Bucket to the Posts

Attach Both Posts to Bucket

We bought our pre-drilled metal stakes in the fencing department of the hardware store and they made the project much easier but you could use some wooden stakes.

Now we can find a sunny spot in the garden and test the homemade composter by placing both stakes into the ground.

Test Fit the Composter in a Sunny Spot

To boost your composting power you will need to spray paint the bucket a dark color, we used black spray paint, this will allow the suns energy to heat up the composter much faster.

Paint the Composter Black

Note: We remove the composter from the ground and laid it on some old cardboard boxes to perform the spray painting process.

The Finished Homemade Composter

The final stage is to spray paint the lid for the bucket and attach it to the homemade composter;

The Finished Homemade Composter

The design allows you to easily add your compostable fruit and vegetable waste and the bolts allow the composter to be rotated everyday to get more air into the compostable mixture. The composting process will be accelerated by the aeration and the heat generated by leaving the compost bin out in a sunny spot.

We hope you enjoyed our “How to Build a Composter Guide” and we hope you try making your own version of this simple homemade composter. If you do build a composter we would love to hear from you, let us know your composting experiences.