Are you planning to burn bamboo but do not know if it is safe or not? To help you get started, we have shared this guide to burning bamboo. We have shared important tips and information that you can refer to before you start burning bamboo in your backyard. Check out the rest of the article below for helpful details.
Is it okay to burn bamboo? Bamboo burning is okay as long as it is done properly. Bamboo burns faster as compared to hardwood and also generated more heat. However, you should avoid burning bamboo in a fireplace inside your house because there are a lot of trapped airs in the bamboo which can lead to steam building and cause large pops and explosions as it burns. This can be dangerous especially inside the house. Make sure to split the bamboo before burning it.
Bamboo is a sustainable and renewable plant that has many uses. Aside from being used as a raw material for many eco-friendly products, it can also be used as firewood and fuel. Is burning of bamboo harmful? What are the benefits of burning bamboo? These are some of the questions that we will answer in this article. As you read, you will learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of burning bamboo. Let’s get started!
Does Bamboo Burn Easily?
Bamboo burns easily and quickly. Hence, you need to need more of it to produce the same heat as hardwoods. Bamboo also burns faster as compared to wood so make sure that you can an eye on it if you want the fire to last.
Is Burning Bamboo Harmful?
Burning bamboo is not harmful when done properly. The major danger is that bamboo can pop and whizz when burned like a fireworks display. This is caused by the air that expands inside the internodes of the bamboo and is released with a bang. If you burn bamboo, see to it that there is enough space for the sparks to fly.
Does Bamboo Explode in Fire?
Bamboo can explode in fire. Bamboo grows quickly which traps a great amount of air in its stalks. When heated, the air will expand and compress within the stalk. When green bamboo is carved up and dropped into the fire, the air that is trapped inside will also get heated, compressed, and will eventually burst the bamboo with a loud bang. We have also written this article that discusses why bamboo grows so fast. You can check out the article for an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Does Bamboo Pop When Burned?
The popping sound that comes from bamboo when it is burned is caused by the air that is trapped inside it. Because of the way that the bamboo grows, there can be a lot of air that gets trapped inside it. This can lead to steam building and causes large pops and explosions as the wood burn. This can be dangerous especially if you are burning bamboo indoors.
Can You Burn Bamboo Outside?
You can burn bamboo outside. It is recommended to burn bamboo outdoors rather than indoors because of the sparks and tiny explosions that come from it. Make sure to cut the bamboo nodes off and burn them separately.
Does Bamboo Catch Fire?
Bamboo is considered a flammable plant. They grow tall, dry, and close together which can spread a fire quickly. When planted in a hot and dry area, all bamboo species are considered fire-prone. This is without exception. While bamboo is diverse, they share more or less the same fire-prone characteristics. All species of bamboo form tight clusters of culms that tend to accumulate decay-resistant, dead material, and hinder the removal of internal dead culms.
Moreover, bamboo sheds dry shaded-out leaves all year while restraining dead leafless twigs. Culm sheaths and leaves can also get caught in the dense clumps and dead culms that are often buried which makes them difficult to remove. Having all of these easily means that there is a lot of dry and easily flammable fuel that can trigger and spread a fire. Take note that the bigger in thickness and size of the cluster of bamboo, the more it can be able to spread the fire. While some species of bamboo have thin and short culms that have less fuel volume, they still lose moisture quickly when exposed to hot dry winds.
Advantages of Burning Bamboo
Bamboo quickly gives off a lot of heat, is easy and convenient to use, and burns with other wood which makes it great for burning during campfires or used as firewood. Check out more about these advantages below.
Easy to Use
If you have bamboo growing on your property, you can use it as a cheap alternative to firewood. Bamboo is free and easy to process. Make sure to split the bamboo to avoid pops and explosions that come from the air that is released from the inside of the bamboo. It is easier and faster to split bamboo as compared to hardwood. You can also check out this article that we have written titled, can you use bamboo as firewood? We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.
Heats Up Quickly
Bamboo has an impressive heat output. It gives off a lot of heat quickly which is perfect during the winter. If you want to avoid sitting in a chilly space while waiting for the wood to heat up and provide warmth, you can choose bamboo for quicker results.
Convenient to Use
Bamboo burns hot and easy. It can also be available in limited amounts so it is the best alternative to wood. Since it provides heat quickly, it can help the other wood that you placed inside the stove or fireplace to catch fire faster. While bamboo burns out relatively quickly, it will do its job in producing fire and warmth. Bamboo scraps are also ideal to be used as kindling.
Burns with Other Woods
The good thing about bamboo is that it can burn with other woods and can keep going in the fire. Because it burns faster, bamboo will provide the initial fire and will light up other woods.
Disadvantages of Burning Bamboo
The main disadvantage of burning bamboo is that it can explode when not properly used so you need to be very careful in using it. Moreover, bamboo also burns fast which is a disadvantage if you want the fire to last. It also produces a lot of ash.
Can Explode if Not Properly Used
A lot of people are scared of burning bamboo because it can explode. No one wants to experience an explosion in their home. This is also the reason why it is recommended that bamboo should be burned outdoors. Because bamboo grows fast, there can be a lot of air that gets trapped inside the bamboo. This causes steam to build up when bamboo is burned and causes large pops and explosions.
This can be dangerous when you are burning bamboo indoors and using it on your stove. It can result in broken stove glass or creosote fire. Make sure that you split the bamboo in half so that there are no closed airbags that are trapped inside the stems before you burn it. Use a regular ax to split the bamboo as they are quite easier to split as compared to wood. On the other hand, you can use efficient tools like a bamboo splitter or hatchet if you are working with big amounts of bamboo poles.
✅ Video – Burning Bamboo
Apple Valley Farm shared the video below on YouTube. In the video, bamboo is burned. You can hear the pops and explosions that come from the bamboo. Also, you will see the ashes lifting in the wind like the bamboo burn.
Burns Fast
Another disadvantage of burning bamboo is that it burns fast. It can be inconvenient to use it as your only source of burning material because you will need to feed the stove to keep the fire burning. A simple solution would be to use bamboo with hardwoods that are slow-burning.
Produce a Lot of Ash
Bamboo produces a lot of ash as compared to hardwoods. This means that it will take longer to clean and dispose of the ash when you burn it indoors.
Burning Bamboo for Fuel
Bamboo can be used as fuel. It is a renewable source and is easier to work with as compared to wood. Bamboo is considered a miracle plant when it comes to helping the environment. It is widely used as an alternative to plastic and pesticide rich-cotton. Bamboo is a superior material that can be transformed into everything. So, there is no question that it can also be used as fuel.
Why Burn Bamboo for Fuel?
The reason for burning bamboo is the same as any other biomass fuel production. Rather than burning fossil fuels that take millions of years of geological pressure, biomass can grow annually under the sun and rain. Corn, wood logs, and help are common examples of biomass. Because of how fast it grows, bamboo is considered an ideal resource for biomass.
Bamboo is a grass that is sustainable and regenerates without the need to plow the fields and sow the seeds. If you cut down bamboo and harvest it, the complex roots system of the bamboo remains alive and intact which can produce new shoots. Moreover, bamboo produces 30 to 35 percent more oxygen as compared to trees. You can also check out this article that we have written titled, is bamboo a tree or grass? We have shared more information about bamboo.
How to Burn Bamboo for Fuel
Same as the conventional power plant, the idea is to create heat that can be used to turn turbines. Generally, the heat will boil the water and create steam which turns the blades of a turbine. Energy is generated as the turbine spins. Bamboo is also used to heat oil which evaporates and turns the turbines in the same way.
Conclusion
You have reached the end of this post that talks about burning bamboo. We hope that the information that we have shared has helped you learn more about bamboo burning, especially its advantages and disadvantages. Make sure that you properly burn bamboo by splitting it up before burning to avoid an explosion. It is recommended to burn bamboo outdoors where it is safer. Thank you for reading!