Our Three Bay Pallet Compost System
- denuestramesafarms
- Jul 28
- 3 min read
(Moses Built It, We Feed It)
If you have been following along, you know we previously used round wire bins for our compost. They worked fine for holding yard waste, but turning the pile was a chore, and they didn't offer much in the way of workflow or pest control.
Enter the 3-bay pallet system. Moses built this setup, and it has completely changed how we manage our garden inputs.
Why 3 Bays Beats “One Sad Pile”
A single compost pile often turns into a stagnant heap because you are constantly throwing fresh kitchen scraps on top of older, half-decomposed material. A three-bay system gives you an actual workflow:
Bay 1 (Active Fill): This is where today’s kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and fresh yard waste go.
Bay 2 (Cooking): Once Bay 1 is full, you flip it into Bay 2 to let it heat up and decompose uninterrupted.
Bay 3 (Finishing/Storage): By the time you flip Bay 2 into Bay 3, it is finishing up and turning into beautiful, usable compost ready for the garden.
This system naturally aerates the pile every time you move it from one bay to the next, which means less manual turning and faster decomposition.
Materials You Will Need
This is a simple, sturdy build that prioritizes function.
Wooden Pallets (~7 for the build, plus extras): You need three for the back wall, two for the outer side walls, and two for the internal dividers. Always source heat-treated (HT) pallets rather than chemically treated ones, since this wood will be touching your future soil. Grab a few extra pallets while you are at it—pallet wood is rarely pristine, and having backups for part swaps will save you a headache mid-build.
Deck Screws: For securing the pallets together securely.
Hardware Cloth (Wire Mesh): This is absolutely critical for rodent control and keeping the compost contained.
Fencing Staples (U-Nails) & a Hammer: These heavy-duty, U-shaped staples are used to hammer the hardware cloth securely to the wood.
1 long 2x4 board: To run across the top front of the bays to keep the dividers stable and plumb.
Hinges & Eye Hooks: For attaching and securing optional front doors to keep the pile contained and accessible.
The Build Process
1. Prep and Level the Ground Choose a spot that is convenient to access but sits on bare dirt (compost needs to touch the earth so worms and beneficial microbes can move in). Clear the ground, pull the weeds, and make sure the footprint for your pallets is relatively level.
2. Set the Back Wall Stand three pallets upright, end-to-end, to form the back wall of your three bays. Fasten them securely to each other using deck screws.
Design Tip (The Back Wall Hack): Pallets are hollow inside. You can leave the top of the back-wall pallets open and use that gap to cleanly store long-handled tools like your rakes and shovels. Alternatively, you can pack the gaps with soil and grow pest-deterrent plants in them, or simply cap the top off with a board so pests can't nest inside.
3. Attach the Sides and Dividers Attach your outer side walls to the ends of the back wall. Then, measure and install your two interior dividing pallets. Use heavy-duty deck screws at the top, middle, and bottom of every joint.
4. Add the Top Stabilizer Pallets are heavy, but they can still lean over time when loaded with dense compost. Run a single, long 2x4 board flat across the top front of the system, screwing it into the top of the outer walls and both dividers. This locks the entire structure together.
5. Line with Hardware Cloth To shut down the pest buffet, line the inside walls and back of the bays—and particularly the front—with hardware cloth. Instead of a standard staple gun, grab your hammer and use fencing staples (U-nails) to hammer the mesh directly into the wood. This prevents materials from spilling out through the pallet slats and ensures that rodents cannot push through the mesh.
6. Add Front Doors (Highly Recommended) To keep everything tidy and make flipping the compost much easier, add pallet-wood doors to the front of your bays. Attach them to the dividers using standard heavy-duty hinges, and install an eye hook latch on the opposite side to keep the doors firmly locked shut against pests and shifting compost.
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