What can be done with wood dust, sawdust and other wood processing waste

In every workshop or factory where wood is used, significant amounts of waste are accumulated. Wood dust, sawdust and pieces of wood too small to be used take up more and more space and reduce the amount of space available for work. In addition to the lack of space, there is an increased risk of fire. Some manufacturers have either bought machines for pelletizingor they work with pellet producers. But there are also those who wonder what else could be done with the waste. One of them came up with the idea for this article. He asked us in a message what he could do with nuc left over from a work. I thought that the suggestions would be of interest to more people and the article should be about the use of scrap wood in general, without limiting it to a single species.

 Decorative objects, shredders, jewelry, furniture

Many people who work in their own workshop use scrap wood to make shredders. I have seen end grain shredders very successful. It takes time and patience, but the result is worth it, and the object is useful and can be sold, thus recouping the time invested.

Sawdust, wood shavings and wood chips can be mixed with epoxy resin to obtain decorative objects or furniture parts. Stool seats, table tops, bowls and lamps can be made in this way. You can also use aracite instead of resin. But in this case, only use the amount of glue needed to glue the wood scraps. The adhesive does not have to be brittle. Interesting jewelry can also be made with scrap wood. A small amount of colored transparent resin poured into a shape in which a small piece of wood or a sawdust curl is molded can be turned into a pendant or remarkable earrings.

If you don't have artistic inclinations for such products, look for artists on special groups. You're sure to find many who will want to get rid of some scrap wood.

 Gardening

Sawdust and wood shavings are commonly used in gardening, landscaping or alleyways. Wood shavings are placed around plants to provide both the necessary moisture (wood absorbs water) and to allow excess moisture to pass through to prevent the plants from drowning. Walnut sawdust is used for weed control. It is recognized that no plants grow under walnut trees. This is because there is a substance (Juglone, a quinone) in the roots in particular, but also in the rest of the plant to a lesser extent, which prevents the plants from growing. So, it should only be used in places where we don't want anything to grow because it prevents the growth of any plant, not just weeds.

Wood waste can be used to make compost, a natural fertilizer. The mixture should be stripped of the walnut residue. The wood and other vegetable scraps are mixed with water and left to ferment. The resulting liquid is watered at intervals.

 For animal care

Woodchips and sawdust are placed on the ground, like a bed, in animal housing. Wood absorbs manure and makes the place easier to clean. Wood is also recognized as a good insulator, forming a warm bed for animals. Wood scraps placed on concrete/cement prevent animals from coming into contact with the cold surface.

 Food processing

Smoking is the oldest method of preserving meat, fish or cheese. Smoking increases the shelf life of food and improves taste. The smoke from burning wood contains antiseptic substances (acetic aldehyde, formaldehyde, phenolic compounds) which kill and prevent the growth of micro-organisms. The heat of the smoke also dehydrates the food, which helps preserve it.

The wood most used for smoking in our country is fag. But other essences are also used, alone or in a mixture. Each species adds flavor to the food, enhancing its taste. For example, cherry wood gives a rather sweet and fruity taste, while the chestnut is slightly sweet and nutty. Walnut is used in mixture with other essences because it gives a bitter and heavy taste. The wood of fruit trees - plum, peach, apricot, apricot, apple, pear - is widely used for smoking because it gives a taste similar to the fruit. The resin content means that resin is not preferred for smoking.

Oak is also used for smoking, giving a strong flavor to the food. But the chips are used to give that specific, aged wine-like flavor in the oak barrel. It's a quicker and cheaper way to age it, as the wine takes on some of the oak's distinctive flavors.

 Putty for repairing small wood defects

Wood dust and aracite are used to make the oldest putty used by carpenters to repair wood defects. Holes, deep scratches and dents are repaired with this mixture. After drying, the surface is sanded, the resulting appearance is very similar to wood.

Still a wood putty is obtained by mixing wood dust with nitrocellulose varnish. The repair of the defect is done in the same way, but the finish of the repaired wood should only be done with solvent-based varnish and nitrocellulose varnish.

 Mixed with other building materials

Wood dust can be used in construction, mixed with sand and cement, in mortar or mixed with plaster. Concrete slabs in which wood dust is used are lighter. If you are thinking of using wood dust in this way, it is a good idea to do your homework beforehand and ask a builder's advice so as not to lose the strength of the construction.

Chips and sawdust can be used in the composition epoxy floors, both as filler and as decorative elements.

Wood dust is used mixed with plastics to form wood-like composites, but with increased outdoor resistance. Composite boards for cladding exterior walls of houses are made in this way. Wood dust is also used as a filler in other plastic products.

As an energy source

Scrap wood can, of course, be used as energy source. Heating with pellets is proof. But they don't necessarily have to be pelletized for that. It is sufficient to stuff them into bags or sacks, the bags or sacks then being placed as they are directly on the fire. Avoid plastic bags and sacks as they give off choking smoke. Use leftover paper or raffia bags and sacks as waste (food, cement, etc).

The uses for scrap wood can be very diverse and I'm sure you can think of many more. If you have different ideas to those suggested, share them with us by leaving them below in the comments box. I'd love to be able to add to the list of creative and useful uses for waste wood.