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Can You Burn Wood That Has Nails in It?

can you burn wood with nails in it

In acquiring firewood, sometimes we come across palettes or logs with nails in them.  The wood itself is a great hard or softwood that’s perfect for a fire, but the nails can be concerning.  Is this safe to burn?  Can you burn wood that has nails in it?

Yes, it’s fine to burn wood with nails in it.  In most situations, the nails will simply fall into the ash.  But, you’ll have to clean this out later.  That said, there are a few precautions to take into serious consideration.

Burning wood at home or during a camping trip is a relaxing way to unwind and stay warm.  But, in order to burn a fire, we have to be responsible about it and make sure we’re exercising the utmost caution.  The last thing anyone wants is to have a fire intended for peaceful tranquility turn into a fiery, unpredictable nightmare that gets out of control.

Can You Burn Wood With Nails in a Fire Pit?

Yes, you can burn wood with nails in a fire pit.  Just follow the guidelines above.  Make sure the piece of wood isn’t riddled with nails and that the wood is dry.  Only remove nails if many are present on the wood. 

If you plan on burning a super hot fire that’s big and billowing, remove the nails ahead of time.  Higher temperatures could turn the nails into dangerous, scalding projectiles.  Home fireplaces usually don’t get hot enough to warrant this kind of caution.

Can You Burn Palette Wood With Nails in It as Firewood?

It’s okay to burn palette wood with nails in it but there are some caveats to using this.  First, you have to make sure the wood isn’t stained, painted or contains some other chemical finish.  These things can present a health risk when burning it, for humans and animals. 

The smoke will billow with unknown and unidentifiable toxins and poisons.  If you have any doubts whatsoever, leave it alone; don’t take any unnecessary risks for the sake of burning a fire.  It’s better to exercise caution if you’re unsure.

If you’re certain the wood isn’t treated with any chemicals, then it will be fine to burn it even if there are nails.  Make sure to follow the guidelines above; the wood shouldn’t be wet and remove nails if there are a lot on the surface of the wood.

Precautions to Take When Burning Wood

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Wet or Fresh Wood

Make sure the wood isn’t wet.  Wet or fresh wood holds a lot of water, which can create a danger with crackling, popping and, sometimes, exploding.  If the wood fibers are densely packed and it’s wet or fresh, you may want to either wait until the wood is dry or remove the nails. 

Otherwise, this could present a danger of turning the nails into fiery, hot projectiles.  These can spew from the fire like an unintended and uncontrollable fireworks display.  It’s not advisable to wait and see whether this will happen or not.

Nail-Riddled Wood

If the piece of wood has a lot of nails all around it, regardless of wetness, remove the nails to be sure.  You don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to safety.  But, if there are only a few nails, you should be fine to burn it without having to remove them.

Cutting Nail-Ridden Firewood with a Chainsaw

Also, if you have to cut the wood with a chainsaw, attempt to remove as many nails as you can before cutting.  If the chainsaw comes into contact with even one nail in the right way at the wrong moment, it can create an insurmountable hazard. 

Nails have the potential to fly and zing by in an unpredictable way.  This can cause you or someone else to incur a severe injury.  It could even end up fatal if you aren’t careful. 

Now, if the nails aren’t going to be in the vicinity of where you’re cutting, you don’t have to remove the nails.  For instance, if the nails are at the end of a log and you’re cutting down the center, you don’t need to pry them off.

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How Do You Remove Nails From Firewood?

You can remove nails from your firewood either before or after you make a fire.  The choice is yours, so you’ll have to decide which method you want to do.  But this will be dependent on the wood’s wetness and the amount of nails present. 

Removing Nails Before a Fire

Try to remove nails ahead of building a fire in the case of wet wood and/or if the wood has many nails.  If some of them are stubborn and don’t want to come out, it should be okay.  But you do want to try and take out as many as you can. 

Waiting Until the Ashes Are Cool

Otherwise, you can wait until the fire has long extinguished and become a pile of ash.  Many people tend to opt for this because it’s easier and safer in the long run.  Here you have two options:

  1. Take a strong, powerful magnet and run it over the pile of ash to pick up the nails.  You may have to do several passes to get them all.  Discard or recycle the nails.
  2. Depending on your setup, sweep the area with a dustpan or remove the ash pan.  Then dump it in the garbage or recycling bin; away from tires and bare feet.

Some people like to dispose of fire ashes in their gardens, compost piles or as a substrate for their driveways.  Do not put a pile of ash with nails in them on driveways, yards, walkways or other heavy traffic areas.

Using an Ash Vacuum

If you’re at home and you have an ash vacuum, do not use it if there are nails in your fire pit or fireplace.  The nails will, more than likely, damage the vacuum.  At the very least, the nails could get stuck in the pipes, tubes or other mechanisms where having a puncture could prove to be detrimental.

Final Thoughts

So, yes, you can burn wood with nails in it.  In most cases it should be fine to do so without too much concern or worry.  But, you’re going to want to use your best judgment and exercise the utmost caution when you come across firewood that has nails in it.  Whether putting it in a home fireplace or a fire pit outdoors, ensure the wood isn’t too wet and that there aren’t too many nails riddling the piece of wood.  If all is well, go ahead and burn it. 

As long as you exercise caution and make smart decisions, burning wood with nails in it shouldn’t present a problem most of the time. But, if you want to build a huge, hot one in your fire pit, you should remove the nails to prevent any chances of unnecessary danger. 

Likewise, if there are a lot of nails or if there are nails in the path of the wood where you intend to cut with a chainsaw, remove the nails beforehand.

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