How To Use Sawdust

At The Wood Project we have a huge amount of saw dust that we collect via our duct extraction system, it shoots straight into 1m square bulk bags.

Our sawdust is made up mostly of fresh cypress shavings from the mill and mortise machine, and a small amount of hardwood sawdust from the industrial sander. It’s clean shavings (untreated) which can be used straight away. Keep reading below for a myriad of ideas on how you can use it in and around your home and garden.

For your Garden

Sawdust in the garden; it is just another ingredient that enriches your compost when used in the right amounts. You don’t need to add too much as it can decrease nitrogen levels in your soil, however adding sawdust to your compost pile will add some nutrients, aid in decomposing the other materials, and aerate the soil.

Sawdust can also be used as a weed suppressor – soft underfoot, amazing to smell and visually pleasing, you can use it along garden paths and other weed prone areas. Similarly it can be used as mulch. Add a layer of cardboard or newspaper underneath the sawdust to help retain soil moisture and keep the weeds at bay.

For home

Composting toilets, yep! They are fast becoming a thing, and saw dust is a main component in perfecting the balance of the system. These units process waste via oxygen, heat and dry resources such as woodworking leftovers to create a safe, sanitary fertilizer with zero water or power waste.

Safe paint disposal: Throwing away leftover paint with the garbage is generally not allowed by most councils, and you should never pour the toxic material down the drain. To save time and energy transporting unused paint or stain to your local hazardous waste facility, you can tip sawdust into the can and let it sit, uncovered, until the paint solidifies and hardens. You can then safely throw the paint can in the rubbish without worrying about contamination.

For your Pets

Pets! Guinea pigs, chickens, rabbits and goats can all benefit from using sawdust in their pens, for bedding or lining the cage – sawdust is light and easy to spread.

It can also be used as a natural kitty litter, because it soaks up moisture and absorbs odours, simply add a layer to your cats litter tray and change it out as needed.

For your business

Spills; Mechanics and other industrial services can use saw dust to clean up spills from oil, paints etc, due to its high absorbency it is ideal in this area.

So there you have some ideas on how saw dust can be useful to you, please reach out if you would like to get involved with using saw dust on your property or in your business!