Sawdust Can Be Used In Your Garden, House, Crafts, And More
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You will end up with a lot of sawdust and wood shavings from sanding, drilling, planning, drilling, cutting, sawing, and so on. Although it can be difficult to collect them and clean them up it is a valuable resource that can be used for many purposes.
This free resource can be a valuable one if it is managed well. So, our woodworking team will share the uses for sawdust as well as a few important tips.
What Type Of Sawdust Can I Use?
Some sawdust can cause harm to your garden or home. Some sawdust is, in fact, toxic. Taxus spp., also known by yew, are some species that can contain toxic substances.
In addition, those from particle boards and wood pellets are also considered hazardous.
Avoid contaminated sawdust. Use sawdust made from fresh, dry wood shavings.
Species of wood known to be safe for sawdust use are oak, maple, ash, cherry, cedar, and fir, among other common fruit trees.
16 Creative Uses For Sawdust
The many uses of sawdust will surprise you. The fine particles can be used to grow mushrooms, potatoes, or even for feeding plants. You can read the following to learn how to use them properly for these purposes:
Prevent Slipping On Grounds And Surfaces
If you reside in areas that get snow or ice during the winter, pavements and walkways become a slipping hazard. To avoid slippery winter conditions, you can put sawdust on sidewalks and garden paths.
Sawdust can be used to add traction to roads. It is an environmentally friendly and safe alternative to chemical ice or salt, which can be dangerous and seep into soils in the warmer months.
: Compost
Sawdust and wood chips can be used in large quantities to make your compost pile. Sawdust creates spaces in the compost pile which allow oxygen to circulate and allows the compost to grow. It also breaks down faster than other brown materials.
It is important to mix sawdust with green compost. It is considered a brown compost material and a good source of carbon and food for microorganisms found in green and natural materials such as grass clippings.
Do away from black walnut sawdust when adding sawdust to your compost pile if you want a natural weed killer.
Mulching
You can use and add sawdust as mulch. Add sawdust or wood chips at the base of your garden plants three to four inches deep. Use only sawdust made from black walnut wood.
Sawdust mulch can help retain soil moisture, keep the surrounding soil cooler, and prevent the growth of weeds. You can also add fertilizer to the sawdust mixed Mulch to prevent nitrogen loss.
Mulch can be used to reduce the amount of rainwater that gets into your garden. Mulch can also reduce soil-borne diseases and promote beneficial fungi such as mycorrhizae.
A nitrogen deficiency could occur because microorganisms use up nitrogen during the decomposition process. It is important to regularly add nitrogen to the soil. This will ensure that the soil is nutrient-rich.
: Absorb Spills
Keep a bucket of fine sawdust handy for accidents like spills. Sawdust has a reputation for being highly absorbent, and is often called a wooden sponge. Any spill on your workshop can be solved with some sawdust.
Spread sawdust to absorb oil spillages and other liquids. It can also absorb grease, paint, and gasoline.
Once you have spread the sawdust on the oil spillage, wait a few minutes for it to absorb the liquid. Once the sawdust has absorbed the majority of the oil spill, you can sweep it off easily. Continue the process until you are finished.
Start A Fire
Initiating fire is one of the best uses for sawdust. You can easily make sawdust into a fire starter with just old candle wax and sawdust.
Melt candle wax, paraffin wax, or old food-grade cooking oils in a nonstick pot over low heat and add enough sawdust to thicken the mix.
The resulting sawdust and candle-wax solution can be poured into an improvised mold, such as an empty egg carton. You can also opt to use silicone muffin pans to dry. Once cooled down it can be cut into smaller parts.
Allow the mix to cool thoroughly and store it properly. When ready to use the sawdust mixed wax as a fire starter, you can separate the briquettes and light it up, and see it burn.
: Wood And Hole Filler
After woodworking, you can gather all of the sawdust that you have and use it to fill in any holes or cracks. It can fill holes, cracks, gouges, and other defects in your wood. This will give your wood pieces a professional look.
Finely grind the sawdust to a flour-like consistency. The resulting material can be called wood flour. To make a putty, mix the wood flour and wood glue/resin. Make sure to know the drying time of the wood glue you will use for this.
Try to use the same sawdust from the wood itself. Color the putty the same as the wood, then use it to fill the holes. You now have your very own wood filler at no cost. You can also finish it with sandpaper post application.
Garden Or Dirt Path
Fine sawdust can be used by homeowners to line their garden paths. If laid out strategically and artistically, sawdust can create natural pathways.
It’s also less expensive than traditional garden or dirt paths materials. You can also further accentuate these outdoor paths with rocks and garden liners. Be aware that animals could dig into treated wood.
Sawdust helps reduce soil erosion and prevents the growth weeds in your garden. It also reduces dust and mud. Sawdust also adds traction to sidewalks in winter. It can be used as an alternative to salt and chemical ice melts.
: Prevent Weeds
Sawdust can be used as a soil amendment or an environmentally friendly herbicide. Sawdust made from black walnut wood is a great addition to garden soil. It suppresses weed growth and stomps them out.
It is best to sprinkle sawdust in cracks between rocks and pavers in the garden pathways. This will reduce the growth of weeds.
The active compound found in walnut wood is called juglone. It is a natural weedkiller. Juglone will be broken down and used over time, so it is necessary to reapply sawdust.
: Floor Cleaning
Sawdust can also be used to clean floors. Spread some sawdust on the floor to help clean it.
Use a push broom to sweep concrete floors, garages, basements and other areas. The sawdust that has been moistened will absorb dirt and dust.
: Ice Storage
To insulate ice, you can use saw dust. Adding layers of sawdust to ice is one of the oldest methods of insulating ice. Not only can you use sawdust to store ice but also to store root crops.
Dry sawdust is useful for storing root vegetables and bulbs during the winter. Add sawdust at the bottom of your storage containers, such as wooden boxes and plastic totes.
: Fake Snow
Instead of throwing sawdust away, you can turn it into fake snow. Mix equal parts of the sawdust with white paint glue.
Now you can cover Christmas crafts and accessories with the artificial-snow mixture.
Dry Paint
It is possible to dispose of any leftover latex paint in a very simple manner. You cannot throw away paint with your domestic trash. Most garbage collection companies won’t allow it. Thus, other disposal measures are recommended, or best to contact your local waste department.
Mixing sawdust and paint is an easier way to get rid of old paint. You can start with one part pain and three parts sawdust and mix. After the mixture has been thoroughly combined, take the lid off the can and let it dry before throwing it out.
Sawdust cannot be mixed with latex paint. Mixing sawdust and oil-based paint is dangerous.
: Add Cement Mix
It may surprise you to learn that sawdust can be used in construction, especially cement. Mixing sawdust and cement can be used to lighten it, especially for erecting houses or cordwood walls.
The resulting sawdust mixed with cement can aid in bonding logs together. This is a sustainable method for house construction.
The mixture consists of 3 parts sawdust, 2 parts sand, and 1 part cement. The mix is durable, insect-proof, poriferous and anti-fungal.
It also doesn’t easily dissolve or decay.
: Animal Bed
You can also stuff animal bedding with sawdust made from uncontaminated wood. This is a great way to recycle it and provide a comfortable environment for your pets to rest.
You can add a layer of sawdust to the cage of your pet and then change it as necessary. It repels bedbugs and fleas.
: Cat Litter
You can also use sawdust to replace conventional cat litter, especially since sawdust can hold moisture and absorb odors. Add a layer of it to your kitty litter. You can add more sawdust to your kitty litter if you need it and then change it.
Do not use walnut sawdust for pet bedding. Walnut sawdust contains toxic elements that may harm your pets.
Furniture Stripper
You can also use sawdust to remove furniture strippers and refine wood projects. A lot of old furniture is finished with shellac, which dissolves into gunk upon application of a paint stripper.
Mix sawdust into the stripper and let it settle for a few minutes. The sawdust will absorb the stripper to make it easier to wipe the gunk off later on.
Where To Get Sawdust
If you deal with woodwork daily, you can easily get access to it. You can collect fine dust from the dust bag found on your orbital sander or dust collection system. Collect the accumulated sawdust and place them in a garbage bag.
If you don’t work with wood often, buying sawdust can also be an option. It is possible to purchase it at your local sawmill. To purchase one, you can also look online at marketplaces and businesses.
Where Can I Sell Sawdust?
It is easy to sell sawdust because of the many tried and proven ways it can be used. If you know the best places to sell sawdust, it can be a very profitable product. Online marketplaces and online businesses are one way to sell sawdust.
You have complete control over the volume of sawdust you sell and its packaging. You can make a substantial profit on high quality sawdust because of its intrinsic value.
Cautions When Reusing Sawdust
Sawdust can be used in many ways to improve your house and garden. However, it should always be treated with caution. MDF, OSB and plywood sawdust can contain chemicals that could cause harm to pets and plants.
Avoid treated wood as much as possible. Additives that may have been added to the wood can be dangerous.
This material can cause irritation to the eyes and damage the lungs so be careful. When working with sawdust, it is a good idea to use protective gear like a mask.
Conclusion
Home improvement projects that involve woodworking produce a lot of sawdust. Do not throw the pile away. You can use sawdust in your garden, home, or crafts for many purposes. If you do not intend to use it, you can put it up for sale online.
