Clever Ways to Hide Wheelie Bins

Hiding wheelie bins is one of the most common front-garden headaches. Get it right and those plastic boxes disappear, giving you back the first thing visitors see. It isn’t hard, but it’s easy to slip up. Build too small and the lids won’t open. Skip the base and the whole thing sinks into wet ground.

Here are seven ways to hide bins, from a simple timber store to a living screen, plus the rule most people forget: the bin crew still has to get to them. Get the size, base and access right and a bin store will last for years.

Why UK front gardens end up ruled by bins

Most UK homes now juggle three or four bins: general waste, recycling, garden waste and often a food caddy. With fortnightly collections they live at home most of the time, and the front garden is usually the only spot near the kerb. So there they sit, right where the house makes its first impression.

A familiar sight: three bins on show by the kerb. A store or screen can hide them without getting in the crew’s way.

Measure your bins before you build or buy

The most useful thing you can do is measure your own bins before spending a penny. Sizes vary between councils and makers, and a few centimetres decides whether a store fits. One that looks big enough online can easily trap the lid once your real bin goes in.

Measure each bin with the lid shut, then again with the lid open as far as it naturally goes. The open lid needs headroom, or you’ll be lifting it by hand every time. Add about 20mm spare each side so the bin slides in and out without scraping.

Here are typical UK bin sizes as a starting point. Check yours against them.

Three 240L bins side by side need about 1800mm of inside width once you add the spare space. Build to your measured bins, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

Measure every bin with the lid shut and open. Being a few centimetres out is enough to trap a lid.

Seven ways to hide wheelie bins, ranked

Top of the list is a slatted timber store with a sedum roof. It hides bins completely, lets air through, and the green roof looks lovely from upstairs. Close behind is a bought flat-pack store, the quick and easy option. Then come slatted screens, trellis panels, evergreen hedges and climbers, all cheaper and lighter fixes. A brick or rendered store hides bins just as well, but the cost and work put it last for most homes.

Timber bin stores: the reliable default

A timber bin store is a three-sided box with a lift-up lid and doors at the front. It suits almost any front garden and is where most people should start. You can build one over a weekend, or buy a flat-pack store that goes together in about an hour.

To build your own, use treated softwood or larch for the frame and slats. Larch and cedar weather to a silvery grey and resist rot without any treatment. Softwood is cheaper but needs a coat of preservative every two to three years. Leave 15-20mm gaps between the slats so air moves and the bins stay dry.

Bought stores come in wood or heavy galvanised metal. Metal lasts longest and keeps foxes out, but it can rattle in the wind and heat up in full sun. In a shady spot, wood is quieter and cooler. Either way, check the inside size against your bins before ordering.

A slatted larch store beside a Welsh cottage. Gaps between the slats let air through, and the lid lifts high enough for the bin lids inside.

Slatted screens and trellis for a lighter fix

If a full store feels too much, a slatted screen or trellis panel hides bins for much less money and space. One panel in front of the bins blocks the view from the road and leaves the tops free. It’s the cheapest quick win.

Screens with horizontal slats look modern and tidy. A trellis panel does the same job and holds up a climber too. Set the panel 300-400mm in front of the bins so the lids can still swing open. Fix it to a post set in concrete, or bolt it to a wall or fence.

One slatted screen hides the bins beside a London townhouse, for a fraction of the cost of a full store.

Living screens: hedging and climbers that soften bins

A living screen hides bins with plants instead of wood, and it gets better every year. You can plant an evergreen hedge in front of the bins or train a climber up a trellis. Both bring in wildlife and change with the seasons.

For a low evergreen hedge, pick tough plants. Pittosporum tenuifolium is small-leaved and dense. Yew clips into a neat block and lives for decades. Portugal laurel, or Ilex crenata as a box lookalike, suit a formal look. Our comparison of slow-growing hedging plants for UK gardens shows which stay tidy near a boundary.

For a climber, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a great pick: evergreen, scented and fine with dry spells once settled. Clematis armandii gives early spring flowers and evergreen cover. Grow either up a panel in front of the bins. Our guide to evergreen climbers for year-round cover lists the toughest ones, and how to grow star jasmine in the UK has the full method.

Gardener’s tip: Front gardens are often the hottest, driest bit of the plot, baked by heat bouncing off paving and walls. Choose evergreens that cope with drought and water them well for their first two summers. A screen plant that dies in a July heatwave leaves the bins on show at the worst time.

Star jasmine on a trellis softens a bin store in a Cornish seaside garden, and scents the path in summer.

Green-roof bin stores for habitat and a view from above

A green-roof bin store is a normal timber store with a shallow tray of sedum on top. From upstairs, the bins vanish under a low carpet of flowering stonecrop. It turns a plain box into a feature, and bees love it.

It’s simple to do. Cover the roof with a waterproof liner, add a 50mm timber lip to hold the growing medium, then lay sedum matting on 40-50mm of lightweight growing mix. Ready-made sedum tray kits just drop on top. Slope the roof a little, about 15 degrees, so rain runs off, and drill drainage holes along the low edge.

A sedum roof on a bin store in an Edinburgh front garden, hiding the bins from above and feeding the bees.

What a bin store really costs in the UK

The store itself is only part of the bill. A cheap store on bare soil soon fails, so budget for a base too. Here’s what to plan for with each option.

A slab and gravel base under a bin store in the Lake District. A firm footing stops the timber sinking and rotting.

Keeping bins accessible: base, airflow and collection rules

The prettiest bin store is no good if you can’t get the bins out on collection day. Plan around access first and looks second.

Three simple rules keep a store working. First, keep the route to the kerb clear. Many councils want bins put out at the edge of your property by a set time, and crews won’t go into stores or move screens. Second, stand the store on a firm base so bins roll rather than drag. Third, let air through, with gaps between the slats and about 40mm along the base. That keeps the heat and smells down in summer.

If you’re paving for bins or parking, go for permeable surfaces such as gravel, so rain can soak away. The RHS advice on greening grey front gardens explains why gravel, plants and permeable paving beat solid slabs.

Watch out: Don’t build a store that blocks a shared path, sticks out over the pavement or locks bins behind a door the crew can’t open. Councils can refuse to empty bins they can’t reach. Check your council’s bin rules before you fix anything in place.

Planning your bin store: a timing checklist

There’s no season for this job, but the steps still go in an order. Here’s a simple plan from idea to finished store.

Common mistakes when hiding wheelie bins

• Not measuring your bins. A store that’s a few centimetres too small traps the lids.
• Building on bare soil. The store sinks and the timber rots. Use slabs or gravel.
• Sealing it up tight. No air gaps means damp, heat and smells.
• Blocking the route to the kerb. The crew may not collect bins they can’t reach.
• Choosing thirsty plants. Front gardens dry out fast, so pick tough evergreens.

Frequently asked questions

How do you hide wheelie bins in a front garden?

A slatted timber bin store, screen or evergreen hedge does the job. Stand it on a firm, level base with gaps for air so bins stay dry and the lids open. Keep the route to the kerb clear for the bin crew. A store with a low evergreen in front hides them from every angle.

What size is a standard wheelie bin?

A 240L bin is roughly 1100mm tall, 580mm wide and 740mm deep. The smaller 140L bin is a little shorter and narrower. Sizes vary between councils and makers, so always measure your own bins before building or buying.

How much does a wheelie bin store cost?

Building your own in timber is the cheapest option. A bought wooden store costs more, and a heavy metal store more again. Remember the extras too, such as slabs or gravel for the base, a sedum roof kit if you want one, and a few plants to soften it.

Can I put a wheelie bin store in my front garden?

Yes, in most cases. Keep the bins easy for you and the crew to reach, and don’t block a shared path or the pavement. If you’re paving over soft ground, use permeable materials like gravel. Check your council’s bin collection rules first.

What plants hide wheelie bins best?

Evergreens such as pittosporum, star jasmine or a small yew. Pick tough plants that cope with dry spells, as front gardens get hot and exposed. A climber on a trellis panel covers lots of space in very little ground. Leave room for it to grow without blocking the bins.

Do wheelie bin stores need ventilation?

Yes, bins get smelly and damp without airflow. Leave 15-20mm gaps between the slats and a gap of about 40mm along the base. Moving air dries condensation and carries off smells. A sealed box traps heat and makes summer pongs much worse.

How do I stop my wheelie bin store smelling?

Let air through and lift the store off the ground. Make the bins easy to pull out so you can rinse them every few weeks in summer. A sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda inside the bin helps too. A shady, north-facing spot keeps things cooler.