Compressed Sawdust Blocks vs. Real Firewood

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The great thing about the sawdust bricks is that they're making use of what's normally just waste.

When comparing wood species for heat production, it’s important to remember that a pound of any wood ,regardless of species, creates the same amount of heat measured in btu’s. The moisture content is the big variable because the moisture has to be boiled out of the wood and ends up going up the chimney as water vapor. You will note that the heavier species seem to give off more heat but that is because of their density. Weight is the best way to compare how much heat you will get from a volume of wood as long as the moisture content of the two species are equal.

Hi Adam , just found you today. I’m one of those 70 year olds that has mobility issues and can’t chop or carry wood anymore for my wood burning stove. I haven’t used it for a few years. So for me these bio bricks seem to be a great alternative for me. I thank you for this video. You really explained everything very well. Thanks!

I'm going on 75 and still go out into the woods and cut firewood and come home and split by hand with a maul. Yes, I enjoy the outdoors and the physical activity. It keeps me going -- I have about 2 to 3 yrs worth of firewood and still go out when I find decent wood. Nice video!!

‘I’d think about using the sawdust bricks, if I was seventy years old’. Hey, ease up on the ageism Adam ! Being 73 years old I greatly enjoy felling, bucking, splitting, stacking, drying and finally burning my own firewood. Nothing like it for a feeling of accomplishment/cheating the system by obtaining ‘free’ fuel/having a gentle, gym membership free, workout. You have a great channel, keep ‘em coming.

My brother bought 2 pallets of Bio Bricks and loved them. The company pulled up to the house with a truck and Forklift and drove them right into his garage. No mess and no bugs👍

Hey, I’m 77 years old and I still cut my own firewood and run my own sawmill. You’re only as old as you feel and think. Greetings from northern Idaho.

Well I am 70 and I cut my own firewood for over 50 years and most of that time I enjoyed doing it but now I have a Furnace a Wood stove and a Pellet stove. I now purchase my firewood already split and seasoned for at least a year after being split. I pay some local Amish boys to unload and stack at least 2 tons of pellets plus 2 pallets of these fire bricks into my Mud room so I can burn wood or pellets all day and late at night before this Old Man turns in I put 8 to 10 bricks on the hot coals and my house stays comfy warm all night. Thanks for the Video Young Man and enjoy everything in life and don't blink because 70 will creep up on you faster than you can believe.

I mix in the blocks with firewood throughout the winter. They're nice and burn clean with very little ash. Very easy to get started. Menards in Ohio has these packs for around $3.50 each which I think is a really good value.

I relied on bio bricks alone for a winter in Vermont, they work well but it's a nightmare to start the fire without wood, I think it doesn't last as long if you dont have a nice bed of coals from wood. The bricks wont make a bed of coals because they desintegrate.

In my (admittedly limited) experience, when sawdust is pressed, one can add a binder like paraffin lamp oil, or just wax from candle stubs, etc- it's a DIY Duraflame log, and if one has access to sawdust, it's basically free. I've tried it with moderate success. Thanks for the tips. I used a bench vise and a shop made mold to make a few a while ago- I think it worked only due to adding the binder. (The one made with bacon grease smelled great, too 😃)

I definitely appreciate you testing this for us. I am a 66 yo woman and while i still can chop wood my goal is to live independently as long as possible and am looking to things i can implement that will enable me to do so. I will start making these with waste products and while i like the crackle of a wood fire, creating these in advance of need will ensure that even if i dont want to use them today, if i have problems hauling wood tomorrow i will still have the ability to heat my home and reduce waste at the same time.

You are right! Most people would not take the time to compare each type of fuel’s burn time and average temperatures. Maybe not even the manufacturer. What you did was to do the homework and to provide the rationale for people contemplating the purchase of enviro bricks as a heat source. Great job Adam!

Adam, your comparison videos have a lot of value for those who cannot do the work. Keep up the good work!

Well, I for one, really enjoyed your test. I'm 78 years old and have always cut split and burned my firewood. I averaged about 4 cords/year, but sometimes had to buy some locally, if my work week and other activities didn't allow for me to get all my own cut. But this past year, I bought one cord in the spring, and bought these fuel blocks to try out. And I have to say, I agree with everything you said. Even though I am lucky to be in pretty good shape, at my age I wanted to start taking it easy, hoping to prolong my health. (Sold my 2 Stihl chainsaws and bought an electric chainsaw for emergencies). Using the fuel blocks, mixed in with the firewood I bought, worked great. I will prolly buy another cord, or two, this May, and order a pallet of the 12 pack fuel blocks, because they burned so well. The bonus for me is that my wife can easily handle the blocks, where some of the firewood pieces were awkward and heavy for her to handle. BTW, I use a propane combi-boiler when it's too warm out to start a fire but chilly inside. YMMV. Thanks

Swinging an ax splitting your own wood and enjoying the warmth. Cathartic, relaxing, and satisfying.

A number of my friends ask me why I bother to do certain things. I do it because I'm naturally curious. I just want the answer. I think what you do is great because you seek answers to what are very simple questions. At the very least, you are setting yourself apart from a lot of other content creators. Keep up the good work.

I got a pallet of these bricks 2 year ago. Had them stacked outside under a lean too. long story short we had a heavy rain storm with high wind, and they literally doubled in size and never really dried out again. I'm now back to real wood.

My grandpa used to collect sawdust from work and local factories and pour it in to large cardboard tubes compress it with a hammer and board. Burns long time and starts easy