Repurposing An Old Chicken Coop into a Compost Bin
Learn how we turned a neglected, old chicken coop into a compost bin for our future garden!
When we first moved into this Tennessee farmhouse, it held many mysteries. Like who would use vinyl flooring instead of sheetrock for wall panels? What are the kitchen appliances doing in the living room? And, what is with that huge (deliberate) hole in the wall in the dining room?
That’s just a few of the questions we had inside of the house. Outside was a different story…
We couldn’t even walk to the front door when we first arrived. The overgrown, 10 acre plot of land had 6 foot high weeds. Weeds that were blocking this structure in one corner of our backyard.
So, for the first month or two, we had no idea that anything was even back there. However, after spending a month unpacking, cleaning, and organizing, we set out into the jungle. To be honest, we were looking for instant gratification, and needed a distraction from the interior work that needed to be done.
Let me tell you, nothing can wow a person more than taking down a field of 6 foot high weeds. Trust me. Our grip for instant gratification paid off in two ways, we had a usable backyard, and we found material for another project.
That material was from an old, neglected chicken coop. At first, Justin didn’t think it was salvageable. But, I persisted. Money is tight after buying a house after all. And so, it was off to the garage to let the wood dry out.
After a few weeks, we decided to try our hand at making a compost bin. Cooking at home, from scratch produces a lot of food scraps. So, why let our food waste sit in a landfill when it can benefit the soil for my future garden?
Feature image by Eva Bronzini
TIPS
- If reclaimed wood has been subjected to the elements, make sure to give it time to dry out. Justin went with the gravity drying method.
The composted materials need exposure to the elements so they can break down instead of rot. So, make sure there is adequate space in between your boards to allow for airflow.
Have a liftable board at the bottom of the bin to pull the compost out.
Don’t get fancy, keep the build simple. Less is more.
Use rust resistant deck nails so you don’t have to worry about corrosion affecting your compost.
Forego a lid so your compost is kept dry by the sun. Be sure to keep your compost bin in a fairly shaded area so you don’t have to water your compost.
MATERIALS LIST
16-20 2×1 Boards, Reclaimed Wood
4 4×4 posts
Electric Hand Saw
Electric Hand Sander
Rust Resistant Deck Nails
2 clamps
2 Hinges
1 cabinet pull
How to Build a Compost Bin
Determine the size of your compost bin, to see if you have the lumber you need for the project. For our compost bin, we decided to make the posts 38 inches high, and the boards 36 inches long.
With that decided, the existing materials were measured and cut down to size. Since Justin sold his table saw before moving here to Tennessee, he used his electric hand saw for this project, and it worked like a charm.
When the boards were cut, I grabbed the electric hand sander to get that extra layer of grime off the boards, and made sure they were smooth. No splinters for me thanks.
Afterwards, the boards were secured to the posts using rust resistant deck nails. Remember, leave space between the boards so there is proper air circulation within your compost bin.
Justin decided to hinge the final board to make the compost easy to grab when it’s time.
Decide where to place your bin – either next to your garden or close to your home. We will be using a smaller compost bin inside the house, which will regularly be emptied into the larger compost bin outside. So, ours will be close to our garden.
Start composting! Decomposition of your compost pile depends on its size. It can take anywhere from two weeks to two years. Here’s an idea on what’s okay to compost, and what you shouldn’t…
