I am going to show you how to build a compost screen. A compost screen is really important for getting your compost ready to put into your garden so that your soil can start receiving all the benefits of compost right away!
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Healthy Soil
It's all about soil. That's my number one piece of advice to anyone who wants to start a garden. Healthy soil is the key to a healthy and productive garden. Healthy soil provides so many benefits including less pests, healthier vegetables, less disease and better yields.
I always thought that helping soil become healthy would take years and years, and I didn’t think I had the time for it. But I was so wrong! It's important to get started on the process of helping soil to become healthy as soon as possible. To learn more about how to build healthy soil, take a look at this post.
Compost
One of the main ingredients for healthy soil is compost. Make compost out of yard waste, kitchen scraps, animal manure and coffee grounds. Learn how to make compost here.
As all of these things break down, they turn into the best plant food around. Side dressing your vegetables by adding compost around them will definitely give them a boost. And compost is better than fertilizer (even better than organic fertilizer) because you are also helping to build healthy soil as bacteria and micro-organisms work to break down the compost.
You can even use compost as mulch in your garden. To learn about other types of mulches you can use in your garden, take a look at this post all about mulch.
If you can't make enough compost to feed your garden, you always have the option to buy some from the nursery.
Screening Compost
As you will see when you are making compost, it often contains sticks, rocks and even larger pieces of material that just didn’t quite break down well enough. Compost also tends to clump together requiring the clumps to be broken up by hand.
When you are ready to use your compost and it has broken down enough, it is helpful as a last step to screen your compost using a screen large enough to remove the pieces too big to put into your garden but let the compost move through it.
In order to be able to screen your compost you will need a screen, ideally something that will fit over your wheelbarrow, wagon or dumpcart. By following these instructions, you can build a screen to filter the unwanted material from your compost leaving it clean and ready to use in the garden.
How to Build a Compost Screen
This simple to make compost screen takes only a few materials and a couple of hours of time at the most.
You can easily modify the plans to fit your specific size requirements. This guide is broken down into 5 parts: a material list, tools list, cutting instructions, assembly instructions and a section with instructions and suggestions on how to use it.
Before you Get Started
Here are the materials and tools you will need to have on hand before you get started.
Materials:
1 2”x6” x 10’
1 1”x4” x 6’
2 ½” screws (you can use philips or t-25 according to your preference)
Tools:
Pencil or other marking device
Drill or impact driver with an appropriate bit for the screw head you have selected
Drill for drilling pilot holes
⅛” drill bit
Diagonal cutters or shears to cut the hardware cloth
A hammer to hammer in the poultry net staples
Rafter Square for measuring the 45 degree angles and marking squared ends of 2x6”
Building the Screen
Cutting:
First, measure and cut 2 pieces of the 2x6 24” long for the ends
Measure and cut 2 pieces of the 2x6 33” long for the sides
Next, measure 4 pieces of the 1x4 10” on the long side at 45 degree angles for corner reinforcements
Measure and cut the hardware cloth into a 24x36” rectangle.
*You can make the screen any size you would like. Remember that the 2x6 are 1.5” thick so take that into account when determining the length to cut them.
Assembly:
Lay out the cut pieces on a flat surface the 2x6 should form a rectangle with the 33” pieces on the inside of the 24” pieces.
Using the rafter square, square the corners making sure they are as close to 90 degrees as possible.
Attach the 24” pieces to the 33” pieces using 2 ½ “ screws.
The 1x4 corners will go on top of the rectangle, one in each corner attached with the 2 ½ “ screws. Drill pilot holes using ⅛” drill bit
Flip over the frame to attach the hardware cloth fastening one edge first before moving to the opposite edge and then the remaining edges. There should be little to no overhang of the hardware cloth.
How to Use the Compost Screen
Now that you have your compost screen built, place the screen over your wheelbarrow, bucket or cart. Shovel some compost onto the screen. While wearing gloves, move the compost back and forth. It will break apart and filter out any rocks and sticks. Throw away any rocks or sticks. Any compost that is too large to fit through the screen can be put back into your compost bin to break down some more.
How to Build a Compost Screen
This easy to make compost screen is so helpful for screening rocks, sticks and clumps out of your compost. Your compost will be ready to go into the garden after screening it!
Materials
- 1 2”x6” x 10’
- 1 1”x4” x 6’
- ½” hardware cloth 24”x36”
- 2 ½” screws (you can use philips or t-25 according to your preference)
- ¾” poultry net staples
Tools
- Measuring tape
- Pencil or other marking device
- Circular saw
- Drill or impact driver with an appropriate bit for the screw head you have selected
- Drill for drilling pilot holes
- ⅛” drill bit
- Diagonal cutters or shears to cut the hardware cloth
- A hammer to hammer in the poultry net staples
- Rafter Square- for measuring the 45 degree angles and marking squared ends of 2x6”
Instructions
Cutting
- First, measure and cut 2 pieces of the 2x6 24” long for the ends
- Measure and cut 2 pieces of the 2x6 33” long for the sides
- Next, measure 4 pieces of the 1x4 10” on the long side at 45 degree angles for corner reinforcements
- Measure and cut the hardware cloth into a 24x36” rectangle.
Assembly:
- Lay out the cut pieces on a flat surface the 2x6 should form a rectangle with the 33” pieces on the inside of the 24” pieces.
- Using the rafter square, square the corners making sure they are as close to 90 degrees as possible.
- Attach the 24” pieces to the 33” pieces using 2 ½ “ screws.
- The 1x4 corners will go on top of the rectangle, one in each corner attached with the 2 ½ “ screws. Drill pilot holes using ⅛” drill bit
- Flip over the frame to attach the hardware cloth fastening one edge first before moving to the opposite edge and then the remaining edges. There should be little to no overhang of the hardware cloth.
Notes
You can make the screen any size you would like. Remember that the 2x6 are 1.5” thick so take that into account when determining the length to cut them.
Related Posts
Best Mulches to Use in the Vegetable Garden
How to Make Your Garden Soil Healthy and Fertile
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