Building a Multibay Compost Bin with Metal [DIY Instructions]

[@VegetableAcademy]

Kickstart your vegetable game with my Free Workshop: www.vegetableacademy.com/yt-freeworkshop

[@Berkana]

One way to keep the wood from rotting is to give it the "shou sugi ban" treatment: use a torch to char the surface. Microbes and fungi can't digest char, so if your boards are charred, they resist rotting. Shou sugi ban house siding and fences have been known to last for over 80 years in the sun and rain. If you use a torch, and thoroughly char the surfaces of the boards you're using with your compost bins, they should last a lot longer.

[@bsod5608]

Ive done much testing with sizes and aeration over the last 10 years. I compost between 5 and 10 ton per year. I prefer larger sizes bins like this, but i prefer a more rektangular size, typically 1.2m x 3m. Size is not an issue as long as the aeration is proper. Ive tried without any special aerationholes. It works but sometimes smell bad (create methane - not good for the climate), and it takes longer to breakdown the content. I use pipes for aeration. 100mm pipe is what i had available. Installed vertically. Pvc pipe for sewage, ventilation pipes or drainage pipes. Whatever works. After 2 weeks of filling the compostbin, i remove the pipes, the hole will remain and aerate the pile. Proper aeration increase speed. I use 50cm between airholes nowadays. Johnson-su research indicate that 35cm beween holes is optimal.

[@annliang887]

You are a genius! avoid all the hard work and prevent pests, like raccoons and rats!

[@nicolepapole]

Wow! I saw a corregated metal grill bay and I told my husband that we should build a new compost bin out of it. However definitely a lot of money. I think we shall just have an open pile for now.

[@cactusray3368]

I have some extra metal "Birdie" beds and I had the idea that they might work well as composting bins. I wasn't sure it would work, but then I found your video! I just built my first compost pile inside a bed and now I'm waiting for it to heat up. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the video!

[@janetc3707]

How did it work out? I was thinking of doing the same thing with my Birdies.

[@HGCUPCAKES]

We were thinking about how to redesign our compost bins today. We decided on a design like this and with colourblind panels. Low and behold I go looking to see if there’s anything like what we thought of and here is your video 🥰🥰 🇦🇺

[@VegetableAcademy]

Nice! Good luck with your project.

[@TheRainHarvester]

What are color blind panels?

[@TheShmooty]

@@TheRainHarvester think they mean colorbond. Which is an Aussie product. Painted corrugated 👍

[@destinyfroom7319]

We are about to make this and I'm so excited. Are the upgrades/changes you made in the material list?

[@cheritait8116]

Beautiful! Although 'beautiful' and compost bins are not often thought of together.

[@edwinkoski8436]

Great video and clean build. My only concern with using galvanized metal is the leftover chemical film from the quenching process. Just be sure to rinse the metal off with water before filling. Happy gardening!

[@jenportas1161]

To make the tie bars easily removable and reinstalled without screwing the bolts in and out, cut a channel from the bottom to the bolt hole and file the edges round to swing down over the bolt on one side only. I would cut the channels on the inside post connections so you can lift them up and away to the outside. The inner bin will be whatever works best for you. Great video.

[@VegetableAcademy]

Yeah. That should work pretty well. Thanks for the idea.

[@edsantana2868]

Very nice looking and apperently functional.

[@neipamocal]

How did this hold up over a year? That environment would be really rough on the thinner zinc coating on the siding and studs.

[@barnabyvonrudal1]

They look good! Do you move the compost between the 3 bins? Or are they filled independently?

[@VegetableAcademy]

I build the piles independently in each bay and let them be until I dig out the finished compost. The only thing transferred from one bay to another is loose cover material like leaves and other bulky items from our garden.

[@johnnylamuelo2102]

I don't know if they will last, but they sure look nice. Great job!

[@CarolinaSaltwaterLiving]

Found you while looking at cool bot ideas and ended up with a compost bin idea. Thanks!

[@VegetableAcademy]

👍 You''re welcome.

[@kendallgreenewalt5044]

Thanks for sharing! I'm thinking of doing something similar since I have lots of bears. Trash cans and straight wood doesn't work for that!

[@KeithLarsen-w9t]

Were the 30" panels overlapped for strength for a total 48" height ?

[@sunnybizz4857]

Where was your source in Ssskatoon for the corrugated metal,?

[@girlsglitterngiggles]

Jared, where did you pick up the metal siding here in yxe?

[@VegetableAcademy]

I ordered it from the contractor desk at the Ave C Co-op Home Centre. I think they get it from VicWest.

[@VanillaAttila]

To coat galvanized metal with zinc, they use lead as a flowing agent. So it's the lead that's concerning, but usually if it's hot dipped, rather than electroplated.

[@VegetableAcademy]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@VanillaAttila]

@@VegetableAcademy There's always something to worry about. Whether it's microplastics getting into our food supply or lead in galvanized metal , railway ties or used tires, at least copper treated lumber is fine. I'm on the fence with the galvanized metal and would love to see someone run some independent test if leaches lead into soil. I bought hardware cloth to use around my fruit tree trunks in my orchard recently and not sure if I should use it as lead is quite a neurotoxin

[@homebuddha]

Chemicals in treated wood, plastic, Lead in metal, everything contains something but we’re looking at tiny scale domestic home gardens not some enormous bloody industrial set up. Jared’s idea is beautiful and time enduring against the elements. Totally the best compost multi bay build I’ve laid eyes on & personally my #1 choice. Give the man credit where it’s due.

[@johnmcgrail103]

How do you handle rat infestation. Also is expansion of frozen compost a structural problem

[@jaredregier]

We are lucky not to have a rat problem where we live. If we did, I would line the bottom of each bin with metal hardware cloth and add a lid of hardware cloth to the top as well if necessary. The freezing of compost has posed no structural problems so far, I suspect because there are is a lot of air space within the bulky composting materials.

[@emiliegate2018]

Where do you purchase the u channels and posts?

[@VegetableAcademy]

The galvanized U-channels are metal studs from Rona. The posts are also from Rona. The 1 inch steel U-channels are from Steelmet Supply, an independent metal supplier in our city of Saskatoon.

[@irinaivanova9392]

I don't have a space for such bins (yet), however, I do garden in the city as well and my question is: what do you do with rats? I think this video confirms why rats come to my compost piles - it's warm there. But I'm curious if you have a rat problem and if so, what do you do with it? What my personal rats do is that they dig under the compost bins and over the winter, literally move about 1/3 - 1/2 of compost outside (not sure how, couldn't catch them in the act), but the pile of compost *behind* the bin just grows and grows. And besides, they sometimes get into the garage, eat corn gluten fertilizer and shit everywhere. This past year have been so bad I've started putting compost into city green bin program, something I haven't done for years.

[@PJ-vp4xd]

how did you end up only use 8' of steel u channel? if I did my math right you would need 4' x 6 = 24' for the 3 front faces...

[@VegetableAcademy]

There was an error there. I neglected to say that I used three 8' sections of steel u-channel. The cost was correct. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

[@LudditePower]

Did you cold galv the edges of that corrugated steel? That is one potential weak point.

[@VegetableAcademy]

No. I did not.

[@timmoore9736]

half inch metal screen is also rot proof and easier to work with.

[@MrDadGuy]

2 years in....how rusted is this now? Please make follow up video.

[@jasonroberts1352]

I’m interested to know as well.

[@evilxzeno]

That and no air flow.

[@ddreamberry2]

Newest Vegetable Academy vid title "Lessons From the Homestead Garden | September 2024" at nine minutes and fifteen seconds shows the bins in the background.

[@evilxzeno]

@@ddreamberry2 Noooo we want to see the inside of the bins. Not a shot of them in the background. Do a video of you turning the compost.

[@ddreamberry2]

@@evilxzeno Just trying to be helpful. VegAc is not my channel. 😸