How to Make a Bucket Compost Bin: Step-by-Step Guide for Apartments
Have you ever stopped to think about how much food waste we throw away in the kitchen every day? Fruit peels, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds… All of it could get a second life, and even better, help your plants look healthier than ever!
To build a stacked bucket compost bin in your apartment, you need 3 plastic buckets with lids. The top bucket receives food scraps, the middle one does the composting and the bottom one, with no holes and a small spigot, collects the liquid that drains out (called leachate). The top two buckets get holes in the bottom and along the sides.
Home composting is a simple, eco-friendly way to turn food scraps into natural, nutrient-rich fertilizer. Many people think it only works if you have a backyard, but the truth is that apartment dwellers can compost too, and do it in a practical, affordable and good-looking way!
One of the most popular (and budget-friendly!) options is a DIY compost bin made from stacked buckets. It’s compact, fits in small corners, doesn’t require a big investment and can be built from reused materials. It’s ideal if you want an easy start. If your space is even smaller, check out our DIY mini compost bin made from plastic containers and these discreet countertop compost bin ideas. If you’re new to the topic, our complete beginner’s guide to apartment composting covers all the basics.
In this tutorial, you’ll learn step by step how to build your own stacked bucket compost bin, even in an apartment. Everything is practical, visual and easy to follow. Ready to turn trash into something useful?
What materials do you need to make a bucket compost bin?
To make a bucket compost bin, you need 3 plastic buckets with lids (4 to 5 gallons each), a small plastic spigot for the leachate, a drill or a thick nail and a hammer, scissors or a utility knife and a permanent marker. Mesh screen and gloves are optional. Washed-out paint buckets or food-grade buckets from restaurants and bakeries can be reused.
Before you get your hands dirty, let’s gather everything you’ll need to build your compost bin. The good news is that the materials are simple and easy to find, and if you like reusing things, it can cost you almost nothing!
Complete list of materials:
- 3 plastic buckets with lids (4 to 5 gallons each: washed-out paint buckets, food-grade buckets or similar)
- 1 small plastic spigot (for the leachate, available at garden centers and hardware stores)
- A drill, or a thick nail and a hammer (to make the air and drainage holes)
- Plastic mesh or window screen (to keep worms or scraps from falling between buckets: optional, but useful!)
- Scissors or a utility knife
- A permanent marker (to mark where the holes go)
- Gloves (optional), if you want to protect your hands while you build
Where can you find these materials?
- Hardware stores and home goods stores (buckets and spigots are usually very cheap)
- Restaurants, bakeries and delis (they often have empty food-grade buckets they would throw away, so it’s worth asking!)
- Online stores, like Amazon
- Reusing is always welcome! If you have buckets stored away or friends with leftovers, put them to use. The planet will thank you.
Bonus tip: you can decorate the buckets with stickers, paint them or label each one (for example, “scraps,” “compost,” “leachate”). It’s useful and looks great, too!
How do you prepare and drill the compost buckets?
To prepare the compost buckets, drill holes about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) wide in the bottom and a few holes along the sides, near the rim, of the top and middle buckets. They provide drainage and let air in. The bottom bucket has no holes, because it stores the leachate, and it gets a small spigot about 3/4 inch (2 cm) above the base.
With all your materials ready, it’s time to bring your compost bin to life! The 3-bucket stacked system is simple, smart and works really well in small spaces. Each bucket plays an important role in this mini ecosystem, and when everything is set up right, composting happens without a mess!
How the 3-bucket system works
Top bucket: food scraps
This is where you add your food scraps. Fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags… Anything that can become compost goes into this bucket. When in doubt, check our list of what can and can’t go in your compost bin.
Middle bucket: composting
This is the heart of your compost bin. Here, the scraps break down with the help of microorganisms, and if you want to speed things up, you can add red wiggler worms too!
Bottom bucket: leachate collector
It sits at the bottom of the stack and collects the liquid produced during composting, known as leachate. Later, you can use it as a liquid fertilizer, as long as you dilute it properly!
Drilling the holes, step by step
Now let’s prepare the buckets with the holes they need for airflow and drainage. Don’t skip this part! It’s what prevents bad smells and keeps everything working properly.
Top bucket (scraps):
Bottom holes: drill several small holes about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) wide. They let liquid drain into the middle bucket.
Side holes: drill a few holes near the rim to let air in.
Middle bucket (composting):
Same idea: holes in the bottom and along the sides, so excess moisture drains into the bottom bucket and the compost can breathe.
Bottom bucket (leachate):
No holes! This bucket has to be sealed to hold the leachate. This is also where you install the spigot, about 3/4 inch (2 cm) above the base, so the liquid is easy to drain.
Handy tip: if you don’t have a drill, heat the tip of a nail over a flame and use it carefully to melt holes into the buckets. It works well and it’s super simple!
All done! With the buckets drilled and organized, your compost bin is almost ready to go. Let’s put it all together?
How do you assemble a stacked bucket compost bin?
To assemble a stacked bucket compost bin, place the leachate collection bucket, with no holes and with the spigot, at the bottom. Stack the middle bucket, where composting happens, on top of it, and finish with the top bucket, which receives fresh scraps. Keep a lid on the top bucket to keep bugs and odors away.
Now that your buckets are drilled and ready, it’s time to assemble your compost bin!
This is when everything starts to take shape, and in just a few days, your food scraps will have a much more sustainable destination. Let’s build it together, step by step.
Step-by-step guide to assembling your stacked bucket compost bin
Drill and prepare the buckets
If you haven’t drilled the holes yet, go back to the previous step and prepare the top and middle buckets with holes in the bottom and along the sides.
The bottom bucket should have no holes, because it’s the one that stores the leachate.
Add a protective screen (optional, but useful!)
Cut small pieces of plastic mesh or window screen and attach them over the larger holes, on the inside, with hot glue or strong tape.
This keeps worms or scraps from falling from one bucket into another, so everything stays more organized and hygienic.
Stack the buckets in the right order
At the bottom, place the collection bucket.
On top of it, stack the middle bucket (composting).
Finally, add the top bucket (where you’ll put fresh food scraps).
Use lids only on the top bucket (to keep bugs and odors away) and on the bottom one (for the leachate, if you want it well sealed).
Install the spigot on the bottom bucket
Make a hole with a drill or a heated utility knife about 3/4 inch (2 cm) above the bottom of the lower bucket.
Fit the plastic spigot and seal it well with a rubber gasket or moisture-resistant hot glue.
This makes draining the leachate much easier later on!
How do you keep a bucket compost bin well aerated?
To keep a bucket compost bin well aerated, always keep the side holes of the upper buckets clear, and don’t fill the buckets to the brim: some empty space at the top works as breathing room. In stuffy rooms, opening the lid for a few minutes helps. Good airflow prevents bad smells and speeds up decomposition.
Always leave some holes along the sides of the upper buckets so air can circulate. This prevents bad smells and speeds up decomposition.
Avoid overfilling the buckets, and always leave some empty space at the top for airflow.
If the room is very stuffy, you can even open the lid now and then, just for a few minutes, to air out the compost.
Once it’s assembled, your compost bin is officially ready to get to work!
How do you harvest and use the compost?
Compost is ready when it turns into a dark, crumbly material that smells like soil, with no recognizable pieces of food. Remove the finished compost from the bucket where it has built up, sift it or return any undecomposed bits to the bin, and use it in your pots and garden beds. The leachate from the bottom bucket becomes a liquid fertilizer once it’s diluted.
Separate the finished compost: take it out of the middle or top bucket, wherever it has built up.
If there are still undecomposed pieces, you can sift them out or put them back in the bin to keep the cycle going.
To use the leachate as a liquid fertilizer, drain it through the spigot and dilute it in water before watering your plants. Our guide to compost leachate explains it in detail.
With your compost ready, see how to use compost in pots, vertical gardens and planters.
How do you care for a bucket compost bin in an apartment?
Caring for a bucket compost bin in an apartment is simple: ideally, keep it somewhere between 68 °F and 86 °F (20 °C to 30 °C), keep the compost as damp as a wrung-out sponge and always cover fresh scraps with dry material, such as dry leaves, shredded paper or sawdust. This balance prevents bad smells, fruit flies and other bugs.
Just like a plant needs attention to grow well, your compost bin needs a little care to keep working properly. But don’t worry, it’s not complicated. Over time, you’ll get the hang of it and might even enjoy watching everything transform.
Temperature and moisture: the right balance
Composting is a living process, and temperature and moisture have a big effect on how fast it works.
Room temperature: between 68 °F and 86 °F (20 °C to 30 °C) is ideal. If it’s very cold, the process can take longer. On warm days, everything speeds up!
Moisture: the compost should be as damp as a wrung-out sponge. Not too dry, not soaking wet.
Handy tip:
If it’s too dry, spray on a little water. If it’s too wet, add dry material (dry leaves, shredded paper, sawdust).
Pest control: how to keep unwanted visitors away
With the right care, your compost bin won’t attract cockroaches or other bugs. But if a few curious visitors show up, here are some simple fixes:
Fruit flies: a sign of too much exposed wet material. Fix: cover the scraps with more dry material (paper, leaves or sawdust).
White larvae or small insects: usually harmless, but if they bother you, reduce the moisture and mix the contents well.
Ants: a sign that it’s too dry. Spray on a little water and stir.
Golden tip: always cover fresh scraps with a layer of dry material. This prevents odors and keeps flies away.
Common problems and how to fix them
Smelly compost:
Cause: too much wet material or not enough oxygen.
Fix: add dry material, mix well and keep the air holes clear.
White mold showing up:
Cause: too much moisture or not enough mixing.
Fix: stir the contents more often and balance it out with dry material. White mold is common and harmless, but it’s worth adjusting.
Nothing is breaking down:
Cause: not enough moisture, low temperature or too little oxygen.
Fix: spray on some water, mix more thoroughly and move the compost bin to a warmer, better-ventilated spot.
Caring for your compost bin is like looking after a tiny living world inside your home. Over time, you learn to read the signs and make the right adjustments, and that creates an amazing connection with nature, even in an apartment. To stay ahead of problems, also read about the most common apartment composting mistakes.
FAQ: stacked bucket compost bin questions
If you’ve made it this far and want to build your compost bin but still have a few questions on your mind, don’t worry! Here are the most common questions from beginners, with answers that will help you take the first step with confidence.
Can I use any kind of bucket?
Yes! What matters is that it’s made of sturdy plastic, has a lid and can be stacked. Well-washed paint buckets, food-grade buckets or even large plastic containers work great. Just avoid flimsy buckets that bend under the weight.
Do I need worms?
Not necessarily!
Composting happens naturally with the help of microorganisms, even without worms. But if you want to speed up the process, you can use red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida), which are experts at quickly turning scraps into worm castings.
Without them, the process is a bit slower, but it still works perfectly well! If you’re still unsure, see the pros and cons of using worms in an apartment compost bin.
Does a compost bin attract cockroaches or other bugs?
Not if it’s well kept!
The secret is to keep a balance between wet and dry material, always cover fresh scraps with dry material (like leaves or paper) and keep the lid closed.
Fruit flies may show up at the beginning, but they’re easy to control with a few simple tweaks, like covering the scraps with sawdust or shredded paper.
How long does it take to turn into compost?
It depends on factors like temperature, moisture and the materials you use, but on average, compost takes 30 to 90 days to be ready.
With worms, it can be faster. Without them, you just need a little patience, and the result is well worth it! And if you want to save time, check out these tricks to speed up composting without bad smells.
Does a bucket compost bin smell bad?
A well-kept bucket compost bin shouldn’t smell bad. Bad odors usually come from too much wet material or not enough oxygen. To avoid them, cover fresh scraps with dry material, such as dry leaves, shredded paper or sawdust, mix the contents and always keep the air holes clear.
Where should I put the compost bin in my apartment?
A bucket compost bin is compact and fits in small spaces, like a laundry room, a balcony or a corner of the kitchen. Choose a ventilated spot between 68 °F and 86 °F (20 °C to 30 °C), and avoid very cold places, which slow down decomposition. Remember to keep the spigot easy to reach.
How do I use leachate on my plants?
The leachate that collects in the bottom bucket can be used as a liquid fertilizer, but it shouldn’t go on your plants undiluted: it needs to be mixed with water first. Drain the liquid through the spigot, dilute it in water and use it to water the soil in your pots, garden beds and planters.
How often should I drain the leachate from the compost bin?
There’s no fixed schedule: the amount of leachate depends on how wet your scraps are and how fast your bin is working. The best approach is to check the bottom bucket regularly and drain the liquid through the spigot whenever it starts to build up, never letting it reach the middle bucket. Wetter scraps produce more leachate.
Still have questions? Leave a comment below. We’d love to help you get started with urban composting!
So, are you ready to turn trash into something useful?
