What makes a good bin surround? Our ultimate bin surround guide

What Are Bin Surrounds?

Bin surrounds – also known as bin cages or wheelie bin enclosures – are purpose-designed structures that house standard wheelie bins in public, commercial and civic spaces. They help contain waste neatly while improving appearance, usability and durability.

More than just a visual screen, a well-designed bin surround controls access to the bin, protects it from weather and misuse, and keeps surrounding areas cleaner and safer. They are commonly used in street & park furniture projects, transport hubs, shopping centres and school ground furniture.

Why Use a Bin Surround?

While wheelie bins are practical, they are rarely suited to public environments on their own. Bin surrounds help guide correct waste disposal, reduce litter, deter vandalism and improve hygiene through the use of covers, chutes and secure access options.

They also protect bins from damage and weathering, extending their service life and reducing long-term replacement costs. Just as importantly, bin surrounds allow waste infrastructure to blend into or enhance its surroundings, making them a smart, long-term solution for public waste management.

What Makes a Good Bin Surround?

What makes a good bin surround you ask? It is a fair question, and one that is not normally asked. But you have come to the right place, as Draffin Street Furniture have been manufacturing bin surrounds for the longest time in Australia. With nearly 70 years’ experience, Draffin have observed long term materials and construction performance in all Draffin products placed all over Australia. From that knowledge we learn what works and what does not, so we can design and redesign products that last a lifetime. That same knowledge goes into each bin surround that Draffin manufactures.

So let us delve into the specifics of what makes a good bin surround and discover why Draffin Street Furniture bin surrounds are a cut above the rest.

This knowledge deserves a detailed answer, but in short, these are the main points to look for when selecting your next bin surround:

Strength
Features
Security
Easy Installation
Styling and Extras
Signage

Strength

Disregarding this point compromises the endurance of the bin surround.

Heavy Grade Materials vs. Light Grade Materials

Yes, you can construct these enclosures with light grade materials, and this will reduce the price of the product. However, light grade materials are easy to damage and dent, and will warp and buckle under applied pressure and in higher temperatures. And a replacement bin surround is usually required long before a unit with heavier grade materials is needed. Primarily, a cheaper bin surround is usually constructed of lighter/cheaper materials, and when life cycle costing over a 25-year time frame, would cost more to either repair or replace over a bin constructed with heavier grade materials.

Mild, Stainless or Weathered Steels?

The choice is yours. However, some materials will perform differently in certain environments, so while these materials contribute to your styling options, in some cases Draffin Street Furniture may recommend a more suitable material that ensures the product endures and performs for the longest time where the bins will be located.

Zinc Plated Mild Steel

Zinc plated for initial corrosion protection. This material is carefully blasted, primed and powdercoated (per part) to ensure decent corrosion resistance in inland applications. Mild steel panels can be powdercoated any colour you like, and most colours come in gloss, satin and flat finishes. The coating is durable and abrasion resistant. The finish can fade over a long time but can be refreshed by stripping and re-powdercoating if required.

Stainless Steel

Generally two stainless steel grades are available sourced from reliable Australian suppliers vending German made stainless steel. German made stainless steels perform consistently better than stainless steels sourced elsewhere. Draffin have observed poor performance from stainless steels sourced elsewhere and this usually due to impurities in the material. 304 Grade Stainless is ideal for inland or indoor applications, and 316 Grade Stainless (considered “marine grade”) is ideal for coastal applications. An electropolish process is recommended for either grade when using this material outdoors. Draffin Street Furniture’s stainless-steel knowledge is backed by ASSDA, further reinforcing Draffin’s commitment to manufacturing products “built to last”.

Weathering Steel

Some bin surround products can be made in Weathering Steel, a hardy material that was originally formulated for shipping containers and rail cars. This material will form a natural rust patina over time that will actually protect the material from further corrosion. Much like stainless steel, weathering steel’s outer layer oxidises to form a protective layer, while the two materials are very different in composition. It is considered an architectural finish and well suited to modern through to bushland settings. Graffiti can easily be dealt with by stripping the bin back to bare steel and allowing the patina to reform. The patina effect can be accelerated by spraying the panels with a natural acidic agent like vinegar.

Construction Method

There are several ways to construct bin surrounds. Surrounds that are assembled panel to panel with fasteners (like 800 Series bin surrounds) have high strength. This style bin surround will rely heavily on the site installer to correctly install the enclosure to ensure high performance. To overcome poor installation issues, the 1800 Series HUB is a monocoque body design with a built-in floor. For added strength, perhaps a bin surround constructed with panels fixed to a fully welded frame would better suit your application (like 888 and 900 series bin surrounds). Whether the enclosure has a fixed floor or not, these bins are easier to install correctly. The fully welded frames upgrade the strength of the bin, as welded frames rely less on fasteners which can fail over time under extreme conditions. So obviously, a bin surround that is fully welded with far less fasteners would be the strongest construction method (like Hobart & Arena bin surrounds).

Features

Covers (& Chutes)

It is important to note that all Draffin Street Furniture covers are designed with chutes that direct the rubbish to fall inside the wheelie bin, preventing rubbish falling down the side of the wheelie bin. This is an important function of a bin surround, as bin surrounds not only need to enhance that space they are installed in, but they also need to be easy to service.

And while covers determine a great deal of the appearance of the enclosure, they can also facilitate the function of the bin surround. These are some of the main cover styles commonly available:

Canopy and High Pyramid Covers

A canopy can keep the rain out of the bin and is therefore ideal for outdoor applications. A canopy with an angled roof will ensure rain and other outdoor debris will fall away from the bin surround. Some canopies also offer greater access to the opening (up to 360 degrees) which is optimal for high traffic areas where the bin surround is installed out in the open rather than against a wall.

Sloped and Curved Covers

They have a roof too, so they are also ideal for outdoor applications, but usually limited to one opening (front or rear). These roof styles deter placement of rubbish or items on top of the bin. Sloped and curved covers are the most popular choice when placement is in front of a wall or barrier or access to the bin is limited in some way.

Flat Covers

As the opening faces upward, flat covers are better suited to indoor or under cover applications. Flat covers offer the greatest access to the bin with 360-degree coverage, and so best used in high traffic spaces whether utilised out in the open or against a wall. It is recommended that flat covers are made from polished stainless steel to make them extra easy to clean and keep hygienic.

Openings

There are a few general opening shapes available to sloped, curved and high pyramid cover types and are selected for numerous reasons. For maximum access, or to limit the size of the rubbish placed in bins are two general reasons for selecting a specific opening, however the shape of the opening can also suggest the waste type. Larger frogmouth style openings offer maximum access, and are the general choice for general refuse, whereas round openings limit the size of the refuse that can be placed in the bin while also suggesting that recyclable containers like cans or bottles are accepted in the bin. Frogmouth Recycle openings are a combination of the first two shapes and can suggest that this bin accepts something other than regular landfill waste. Openings are generally laser cut into covers, so a custom opening style can be arranged if required.

Security

In the interests of safety and hygiene, you may potentially want to restrict access to the wheelie bin to authorised staff. Most bin surround styles have a few lock or latch options available, and at least one should be optioned to keep the wheelie bin enclosed.

Cam Locks

The most reliable lock style with least moving parts. An industry standard 8mm tri-key keyway turns a latch out of its striker to unlock the door. These can also be optioned in in zinc plated or stainless steel depending on the specification or application.

Slam Locks

Operates more like a standard door latch. Spring loaded so the latch moves back in position to easily close and latch the door again. Utilises the same 8mm tri-key keyway as the cam lock.

Magnetic Latches

One or two strong magnets mounted on the door that when closed ensure the door does not open in the wind. This provides greater access to the enclosure and wheelie bin when servicing is regular or required to be accessed by more than service people.

Easy Installation

Mounting

Mounting is very important. An optimal position needs to be decided for the bin to be publicly utilised effectively. And the enclosure needs to be mounted to a concrete slab or concrete footings for secure fixing.

Leveling

As previously mentioned, to ensure plumb installation the bin needs to mount to a level surface. If this is not possible in the space planned for the bin, this can be overcome with leveling aids. These leveling aids are included if required on every bin surround Draffin Street Furniture manufacture. Depending on the model, either two level adjustable mounting straps, or four proprietary level adjustable feet are used per unit.

Either solution provides four points of adjustment to level the enclosure and is used to fix the structure to the ground using ground anchor bolts.

Styling and Extras

As all Draffin Street Furniture products are made to order, there is endless possibilities to style any bin surround to suit your application and space. An off the shelf product cannot offer the majority of the above options, and likely made to a price overseas, so please be aware that while the price may be appealing, off the shelf products are not the same as what is on offer from Draffin Street Furniture.

Perforations

Standard perforation patterns are available for most bin surround products. Perforations primarily aid to circulate air if the wheelie bin is not frequently serviced, but the perforations also serve as a styling option, let alone deter graffiti. Our perforation guide lists all standard perforation patterns, or you can provide your own design to customise the styling even more.

Ashtray Inserts, Dog Waste Bag Dispensers and more..

Ashtrays – Built in ashtray inserts can be added that keep hot ash separate from rubbish, reducing the chance of bin fires. Ashtray inserts are usually mounted internally on the inside of doors providing easy access for service personnel, have a large capacity and are also easy to empty.

Dog Waste Bag Dispensers – Dog waste bag dispensers are very heavy duty and can be mounted externally or when there is space inside the enclosure a custom internally mounted dispenser can be devised.

Signage

Multi-Waste solutions need signage to indicate the waste type a bin accepts. Simple imagery or glyphs with a short message or single word for each waste type. In some cases a more developed sign is needed, perhaps information regarding how waste is dealt with or maybe what type of waste is not accepted. This handy Signage Guide lists all standard signage options, including decals, wraps, laser cut options and more.

Decals

Draffin offers a library of standard decal designs, all made from UV stabilised all-weather vinyl that has a high level of weather and abrasion resistance. The signage guide lists many decals for application to any side of the enclosures. Or if you need to convey a specialised message, send through your artwork or ideas for a custom signage solution.

Colour Face Plates and Decals

Openings can be made in a different colour, be it in the form of powder coated components or decals. This information can be accessed from the signage guide also.

Laser Cut Logos and Backing Plates

For that extra bespoke touch, laser cut logos can be arranged. Provide your artwork in any format and our engineers can design a long lasting laser cut logo that can be placed in any location on the bin surround. To make the logo really pop, add logo backing plates in a contrasting colour. This can also aid to deter finger entrapment in some laser cut designs.

Don’t Miss The Guides!

Draffin Street Furniture strives to be clear on every aspect around bin surrounds. Every bin surround product page on our website has helpful guides and spec sheets, ready for download. Loads of information to help you understand more about your investment. Not all bin surrounds are the same. With so many custom options available from materials, colours, dimensions and more, the more information you have at your fingertips, the more informed you can be.