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As energy is expensive, it can be worthwhile to compress sawdust. This can also help reduce your heating bills. We’ll explain how it works.
Compressing sawdust: What you need to know
With heating costs on the rise, it can make sense to turn to more cost-effective alternatives when trying to save energy. Wood is one of the cheaper options for heating.
- To compress the sawdust, you’ll need a press that can turn the sawdust into briquettes.
- You can choose between presses that produce one briquette or several at once.
- You will also need sawdust. It may be helpful to enquire at joinery workshops. These businesses are usually quite happy to have their sawdust taken away. It may also be worth enquiring at timber-processing businesses.
- When selecting sawdust, you should also ensure that the particles are as fine as possible, as this will improve the quality of the briquettes.
Here’s how to press sawdust yourself
To make briquettes from sawdust, you need to mix the sawdust with water.
- It is best to soak the sawdust overnight. You can then process the mixture a day later. This allows the sawdust to soak up the water overnight.
- The next day, fill the briquette press with the mixture and press it down slightly using a wooden tamper.
- Once the press is full, press the arms of the press down. If there is enough space, you can now add more sawdust. If you do add more sawdust, you must repeat the process.
- Once you have pressed the briquettes, you must ensure they are allowed to dry sufficiently before using them. A dry, well-ventilated room is suitable for drying. You can leave the briquettes to dry here for up to several weeks.
- Please note: the drier the briquettes become, the better their heating efficiency when burnt.
