What do you do with all that sawdust?

[onyxoryx]

With my new dust collector I've been amassing lots of sawdust. Now what do I do with it?

I don't have any way to burn it. Is there a constructive (pun intended) use for it? Or does it just go to the landfill?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[gfernandez]

I have woods behind my house and have been using it as mulch for nature. Better that than a landfill.

 

[awldune]

I dump it on "problem areas" of my yard where there are persistent weeds. You could probably also give some away for this purpose.

 

[jemcguire]

I've found several uses - depending on the type of sawdust in the bag. Around the house, some goes in our compost area, some gets used as mulch but admittedly most gets dumped out in the woods. I've also listed on craigslist - small machine shops have used it for oil cleanup. Farms can use wood chips for bedding, but don't want the dust.

 

[zapdafish]

I used to let the trashman take it. Once I let my parents have it for their compost pile but that was one of the few times where it was all wood with no mdf dust, ply dust or floor sweepings in it. I have a small wild wooded section behind my house that I just dump in now.

 

[NCGrimbo]

I dump mine out in the woods behind my yard.

-NCGrimbo

 

[Raymond]

Compost pile every time I clean up.

 

[JohnW]

After a larger project when I have all wood (no ply or MDF) I use it for smoking. Cherry, maple, hickory all real good for smoking meat. Other than that, it goes into compost pile.

 

[merrill77]

I put it on the walking paths in my backyard - it tends to suck the nitrogen out of the soil, thus keeping the weeds down. Also put it on muddy spots.

 

[Pop Golden]

Thanks Cris, I like the walk way idea. I think you have just solved one of my lanscape problems. I was using it on the yard, but then here in Charlotte thay pick it up as yard waste along with the limbs & leaves.

Pop Golden

 

[manfre]

It gets dumped in the yard. Where depends on whether or not it has walnut.

 

[Touchwood]

It gets dumped in the yard. Where depends on whether or not it has walnut.

Yep...walnut dust/planer shavings definitely bad mulch. Walnut has it's own natural herbicide, which you'll know if you ever go into a walnut grove in woods. Nothing else grows under those trees, just walnut.

I donate mine to the woods behind the shop, but I like the pathway idea...especially for walnut dust.

 

[Gotcha6]

Walnut is also toxic to horses. Shavings in stalls can cause mui problemos.

 

[rsaucedo]

How far out from the spot of the planting is walnut toxic or a herbicide? For example, I wouldn't mind having a product that keeps weeds from growing in the plant bed but don't want to kill the azalea in the bed. Bad idea?

 

[awldune]

I wouldn't put fine sawdust in a flowerbed regardless of the wood type. I dump it in the woods where there are noxious weeds like wisteria, poison ivy, etc.

 

[bobby g]

I give it to a friend for his horse barn. No walnut of course.

bobby g

 

[onyxoryx]

Thanks to all of you for your ideas. I will probably spread the sawdust on the paths through my woods. And thanks for the warning about walnut.

 

[richlife]

I either use mine for pathways or dump in the "stump dump" from when we cleared to build the house 20 years ago. That dump has rotted away to just mounds and weed trees now. I'd suggest on those walkways, you keep any walnut out from under even large trees.

OBTW, scrap cherry, oak, maple, etc (not BW) always gets custom made into chunks for the grill and smoker. Hardly ever cook without it.

Rich

 

[chris_goris]

I live in a wooded area, but I take out the edge of the woods and dump it. Then i get out my back pack blower and make it disappear... like magic!

 

[merrill77]

I'd suggest on those walkways, you keep any walnut out from under even large trees.

Many trees are tolerant of walnut, so results will vary. The end of this article has lists of some plants and trees that are sensitive to walnut and those that are tolerant of it:

http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/fruits/blkwalnt.htm

It also has some good technical info on the toxin in question (juglone).