You might try some local sawmills... They sometimes have scrap lumber....

PVP

Freecycle - are you a member on any Freecycle lists for your area or nearest cities/larger towns? If not, you can find groups via Freecycle.org or you can run a search for Freecycle + city name of choice + state to narrow down ones for your area/or how far you're willing to travel.

You must have a pretty specific design in mind. I'm not sure where with a compost bin I would be willing to use good, especially full-price/purchased wood given what goes into the compost, exposure to the elements, etc. I would just use scrap wood myself. I've seen many old pallets re-used in creating compost bins. One of the quickest-"processing" compost bins I've seen used old sheets of tin (also recycled from an old building that had fallen down/was no longer structurally sound) for the sides and one over the top with holes punched through it.

Anyway, Freecycle aside, if looking for on the cheap - yes, some lumberyards/mills sell scrap wood... slab wood I've known to be available some years ago for about $75 for a trailer load (one's own trailer, they didn't deliver or anything like that). Slab lumber isn't precisely measured though and still has the bark on, but the cut is usually decent. You might also check and see if there is a Habitat For Humanity "Re-Store" in your area. If so, they sell building supplies (and all sorts of other construction related materials) at good prices, but the inventory generally isn't "constant" or "set" - it is often donated by suppliers or private individuals, but they do get stuff in bulk. You might have to call and call back periodically or stop by to see if they have what you are looking for.

Commercial lumber though is very steep... it's been on the rise for some years now, a significant rise I mean...

Look around your area for any wooden buildings, like old barns and such, or rail fencing that looks in disrepair and not in use and you may readily find seasoned wood available by just asking the property owner if you can salvage some of the wood for your purposes. TN has plenty of old barns. :) On the "Trader" lists associated with different cities, I have frequently seen posts by different people offering up the wood and such of a building they want torn down or even buildings to be moved. Something like that can be a joint project by family or a group of friends who all want the materials. I've seen the same such posts also offering all of the contents of the buildings, which have been used for untouched storage, to anyone who will get it out of there - even to turn around and sell.

Just keep your eyes open and nose to the ground, and see if maybe one of the above groups or places can meet your needs. You can post a "wanted" ad on the Freecycle groups and you could get a really good response...

Good luck and happy composting!

HotH

We were thinking about using wood pallets for walls for our compost pile. You could probably locate some behind stores like Walmart.

Rebecca

I got the idea for the composting bin(s) that I want to build from the article below. The thing about the design that really hooked me was the fact that you could assemble/disassemble the multiple bins all using the same planks in reasonably short order.

I think you're definitely on to something in regards to the lumber-yards and barns in disrepair though, I need to look into those options.

I also need to break down and buy a damned pickup. My little Toyota Echo (looks like a pregnant rollerskate) just isn't cutting it for me - although I love the fact that after 150,000 miles it still gets 400 miles to a 12 gallon tank. =/

Here is a link that might be useful: Building a Compost Bin

I'm with Rebecca on the wood pallets idea. You can find all you want for free thru most any large business. It may take a few trips, but is much easier on the pocketbook. I made my compost bin with about 5 feet of wire fencing I bought at Ace Hardware. Not chicken wire. I'm not sure the exact name for it but it has really tiny square shaped openings. I used some $.89 tomato stakes (which are about 6 ft tall) to shore it up and secured the fence to the stakes with plastic zip ties. I used a shorter piece of fence for the removable front section. I can easily lift this part out and have full access to turn my pile and whatnot. It's lasted about 3 years now and still perking along.

I understand why you're intent on that particular design hon. This isn't too far off from how I wanted to build containment for things like European Mandrake. I wanted to do it right next to the garden so that I could remove slats/planks, and while I harvest roots - excess soil and organic matter (better than what is in the garden) would spill INTO the garden and amend it. Before I came upon the over abundance of old tires on this property, I was going to go a similar route for a compost bin - so as I removed partitions, it could all just spill into the garden instead of me having to move it with a wheelbarrow or something. But alas, the tires aren't suited to landfill (found out/learned from the cool EPA folks here in TN, that unless tires are shredded - which I can't do and no one around here seems to do and no business recycles tires properly here - anyway, tires landfilled will still work right back up to the surface...) and the docks I checked with, all have plenty for "padding" their docks. So, I put them to use like a gardening friend in Georgia enlightened me to, and stacked them up to compost in. They work FAST - even with me NOT turning the contents.

Anyway, yea - check those places - and don't discount Freecycle - seriously! A lot of people don't think about what they have available/no longer want or need/could get rid of until someone posts a message seeking something in particular. The Freecycle groups I've had the pleasure of being a part of have all been absolutely outstanding - and it keeps stuff out of landfills!

If you were closer to me, I can think of several-several barns on their way "down" that could probably be raided/salvaged just for the polite asking of the owners. Another advantage with old, seasoned wood like that (most of the old barns around here were made out of seasoned oak) is that even with composting, the boards/planks aren't going to deteriorate real fast. I've got a few planks here that the oak is so solid, I canNOT drive a nail through them - I have to use a drill to drill a hole before I can get a nail or screw into them. That's stout!

I've also gotten good wood from Freecycle - some matching your description I actually relieved someone of that they had had stored away collecting dust in a half-underground garage for years and years. I had to pull a few nails out, but that was nothin' - better the little bit of fuel/gas and manual labour than cash for new I couldn't afford to lay out...

zimmerman s chair shop
on colebrook road
in lebanon,pa has free scrap wood
good for firewood maby small crafts

the wood in the dumsters is free

the wood in the bags is not free
ood

firewood for sale
scrap wood
3.00 per boxs

no shiping pick up only

located in the lebanon,pa area

K_boltz32@comcast.net

Do you know wire mesh cylinders they sell rocks in? I am using two of these for compost bins. Left over from the rocks I bought at a small place called Stone Depot in Johnson City, but I think pretty much any landscaping store uses them and might have surplus.

best one I ever did was with 2x2 posts and chicken wire, with an opening at the bottom. Could dump stuff in the top, water from all sides, and remove from bottom. Put unused fishing worms in from time to time.

call 717-413-4283