How to Make Fire Logs out of Leaves

Leaves fall every autumn and then the major cleanup-around-the-yard process begins. But what if the leaves you collect could be repurposed and made into fire logs instead of making their way into the seasonal yard waste collection trucks? It is common knowledge that dry leaves burn easily, so an economical home heating solution is to make fire logs from them. Peter Morrison, a British inventor, took the concept to action by developing the low-profile, renewable and energy-efficient Leaf Log. You can save a lot of money by making your own fire logs with leaves from your backyard.

Rake
Blower/mulcher
Trash can
Large mixing bowl
2-quart plastic drinking pitcher
Potato masher
Newspaper
Twine
Cornstarch
Flour
Salt
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Rake your leaves into small piles around the yard. Look at the size of your blower/mulcher bag and make the piles about that size.
- 2
  Set your blower/mulcher to its mulch setting. Turn it on and guide it over the pile as it vacuums up the leaves. The machine chops the leaves as they pass through it and then dumps them into the collection bag. Dump the mulched leaves into a clean trash can and cover it until all of your yard's leaves are mulched.
- 3
  Make a non-toxic homemade glue. Mix together one part flour, one part cornstarch, a little salt and four parts water in a large container. Stir for a few seconds and set aside.
- 4
  Fill a large bowl with mulched dry leaves. Coat it with a small amount of the glue mixture, just enough for it to have some of the glue coating. Toss the leaves well for an even coating.
- 5
  Line the 2-quart plastic pitcher with three layers of newspaper. Scoop the leaf mixture into the lined pitcher. Press down the leaves with a potato masher and add more leaves. Alternate adding more leaves and pressing them down until the pitcher is full and compacted. Place a weight on top and let it sit overnight.
- 6
  Slide the fire log carefully out of the pitcher the next day. Wrap twine around the newspaper to hold the log together. Set it outside in the sun, or in a well-ventilated space, to completely dry.
- 7
  Set the leaf fire log inside your fireplace, and light it to start a fire. How well your log is compacted will determine how long the log burns.

How to Install Fire Logs

What Type of Rocks are in a Fireplace?

Fireplaces