Weekend Project

For a couple of months now we have been talking about putting up a compost bin and another raised bed (for fall planting). So I figured what better time that when Doug is already completely exhausted and sore from spending a few days out in the 100 degree weather? That's just how I am. Bet you wish you were married to me. Moving on...

Here are the instructions for a raised bed and compost bin:

Purchase from hardware store:
Lumber - 2 - 2"x10"x10'

3 - 2"x12"x10'

2 - 2"x2"x8'

2 - 1"x4"x12'
Nails (1 box each):2 1/2" deck screws, 3" deck screws

Because your husband is exhausted from all of the other work he did this weekend and you certainly don't feel like cutting these pieces yourself, bat your eyes at The Home Depot guy and ask him to cut the wood into the following pieces:

2 - 2"x10"x10' Cut both into 1x7' and 1x3' (so you will have 2x7' and 2x3')
3 - 2"x12"x10' Cut into 9x 3' pieces
2 - 2"x2"x12' Cut into 4x 3' pieces
2 - 1"x4"x12' Cut into 8x3' pieces

Raised Bed:

This is really almost to easy to write. Attached the 3' pieces perpendicular to a 7' piece. Then attach the other 7' piece to the other end of the 3' pieces (see completed picture).

Compost Bin:

Keep in mind, this is not a carpenter masterpiece. Which is exactly why I LOVE it!! Oddly enough, I greatly dislike anything that requires woodworking because it has to be so precise, but the wood that we have in the U.S. is never actually the size that it says it is (they call this "nominal" and suddenly it's okay to rip off the consumer). Anywho...this is not perfect, but that's why I love it. It was so easy, we got it put together in an hour and a half. The biggest time saver was having Home Depot cut the lumber. And as God is my witness, I will never cut another piece of wood myself when there is a Home Depot down the street that can do it with much faster equipment. I like to think of it as getting my money's worth for shorting me on the lumber.

Moving on...

1. Lay three 2"x12" pieces on the ground. Put a 1 1/2" space between each board. Attach one of the 2"x2" to the left hand side of the three 2"x12" pieces using 2 1/2" deck screws . Double check your measurements for the right hand side and attach another 2"x2" piece to that side. This is the back piece.

2. Take one 2"x"12 and lay it perpendicular to the ground. Attached it to the bottom 2"x12" board on the right hand side of the back piece using 3x 3", then use 2x 2 1/2" deck screws to attach the new piece to the 2"x2" piece also. Repeat this step for two more 2"x12" boards. Then attach three more 2"x12" pieces to the left hand side. You should now have a three sided box. Flip it to the upright position.

3. Now you need to attach the other 2"x2" boards to the left and right hand sides using 2 1/2" inch deck screws. You need to set these 2"x2" pieces back 1 1/2" from the front. This is so that we can create a channel to lay the slats in. Also, make sure that the gap is 1 1/2" between the 2"x12" boards (you have to have these gaps to keep air flowing through the compost). We used stakes set on their side to maintain the 1 1/2" gap while we nailed the boards.

4. Now take two 1"x4" pieces and attach them to the front of the compost bin using the 2 1/2" deck screws.

You will notice that you have create a channel for your slats to slide in. Now you have to think of a way to keep a gap between those slats. To create a stop we drilled holes into the 2 1"x4" pieces big enough for us to slide a metal peg into (we could not find the wood pegs, but either one would work). This way all we have to do is pull out the pegs and remove the slats so that the compost can be turned.

Well, that's it for today...now go out and build something!! Just remember to have fun with it!