How to Make a Paper Log Roller
Paper log rollers are logs made out of paper for use in a fireplace. Using your old newspapers or office papers is the cheapest way to keep a fire burning in your fireplace. Paper log rollers are easy to make and burn for hours at a time. You can make a paper log roller using materials you probably have around your home.
Things You'll Need
- Garden twine
- Fondue gel
- Scissors, heavy duty
- Paper sheets from used newspapers or office recycling bin
- 10 feet by 10 feet of floor area to work on
Instructions
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Lay your paper sheets out on your floor, overlapping the sheets halfway across the one next to it. Cover the entire 10 by 10 foot area. Make sure you're on a floor surface that can get wet, such as tiled floor or concrete. Doing this project on wooden floors could damage the wood.
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Use your fondue gel to adhere the sheets together. You should end up with one whole joined sheet of paper in your 10 by 10 foot area.
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Cut 10 rectangular sections from the single large paper you've made. Each section should be one foot wide.
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Make a tiny fold at one end of each roll. Roll each section as tightly as possible.
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Tightly tie a length of garden twine on each side of each roll to secure it.
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Let the log rollers dry for at least two months in a cool, dry area.
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Tips & Warnings
Your logs will dry faster if you make them during the dry season of the year in your area.
Do not use your hands to adjust paper roller logs after igniting your fireplace fire. Logs that may not be burning at the ends are too hot to handle safely.
It's important to not burn your logs until they're completely dry, as burning damp logs can cause a large amount of creosote build-up. Creosote will build up to a certain extent in any fireplace using any type of logs. Cleaning your fireplace once a month if you use it daily---or as needed if you only use it occasionally---is the best way to avoid creosote build-up. Ignoring creosote build-up can lead to a chimney fire.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit fireplace image by askthegeek from Fotolia.com
