How to Turn your Christmas Tree into Firewood

Cutting your tree into firewood is a useful way of disposing of it. There are a couple of considerations you will need to observe though.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pruning shears
• A sharp hand saw or chainsaw
• A tape measure
• Sawhorses
• Clamps

1. After you have removed all the decorations, lay your tree on the sawhorses in an open outdoor space. Using the pruning shears, cut off all of the smaller upper branches and put them in a plastic trash bag.

2. Once you have cut off all of the "pruning shear size" branches, look for the larger branches which would be useful as kindling. Cut the tiny needle carrying branches off of those, and then saw them off and put them in a pile. When you have finished this step, all you should have left is the trunk. Clamp this to one of the sawhorses.

3. Measure the width of your fireplace grate, you don't want any logs larger than that. Then measure the length of the tree trunk. Divide the tree trunk length (in inches) by the fire place grate length (also in inches), and round that number up. For instance, if you get 5.3, round up to 6. Then take the length of the trunk (again in inches) and divide that by the number you just calculated. This is your log length.

4. Mark the trunk every log length with the saw. Don't worry about odd shapes or partial branches. Cut the trunk through on those marks, and pile in a dry place for storage. The wood will need to season for a year. cut and stack the kindling size branches on top of the logs. Be sure they are stacked where they can't get wet.

5. Use in one of next years fires. Enjoy the pine scent, and the satisfaction.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean sap off of your hands with WD-40.
• Also clean your pruning shears and saw with WD-40, and leave a film of it on them.
• Use the sawdust mixed with white glue to make wood putty. Store in an airtight container.
• Use the pine needles as compost.
• Be sure the tree trunk is secure while sawing. It helps to have someone hold it too.
• Never put dry pine needles into a lit fire (or many of them in a fire you are about to start). They burn VERY quickly and will flash fire.
• Stack your woodpile out of the way of kids and animals (and termites).
• If using a chainsaw (recommended), Use extreme caution especially while cutting sideways (you knew that :-)).