# Bio bricks I tried them



## mpillow

We cut our own firewood but I had been curious about bio bricks so I bought a 40# pack to try ($7). 
They are certainly good for a few reasons...

A ton or 4*4*3 pallet equals a cord of wood...less space
Way cleaner
Easier to handle
Light easier...no kindling needed

They do burn hot too...less ash and creosote

Best of all they fir in my baby cook stove and burn longer than the small wood I have to feed almost continuously....tiny firebox!


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## AngieM2

What is a Bio Brick?

It sounds good.


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## Wisconsin Ann

AngieM2 said:


> What is a Bio Brick?
> 
> It sounds good.


http://www.biopellet.net/
pressed fiber, basically. sort of a huge wood pellet. super dry.


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## AngieM2

Thanks Ann -

If I had a stove/fireplace those would sure be less messy. 

Learn about something new everyday!

Angie


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## seedspreader

What's the "ton" cost?


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## Cabin Fever

mpillow said:


> We cut our own firewood but I had been curious about bio bricks so I bought a 40# pack to try ($7).
> They are certainly good for a few reasons...
> 
> A ton or 4*4*3 pallet equals a cord of wood...less space


It would take fifty 40# packs to make one ton. That's equal to $350/cord. I'm thinking that's getting pretty close to the cost of electricity. And, I'm sure LP gas or natural gas would be cheaper on an equivalent cost basis.


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## seedspreader

Cabin Fever said:


> It would take fifty 40# packs to make one ton. That's equal to $350/cord. I'm thinking that's getting pretty close to the cost of electricity. And, I'm sure LP gas or natural gas would be cheaper on an equivalent cost basis.


I assume, maybe wrongly so, that like pellets they are cheaper by the ton. That's what I was wanting to find out also.

You just can't beat wood for the price.

If ease is my biggest concern, propane would be the way to go for us.

I had to come back to this and finish this thought out though. If the price was lower, and the minimal space and ease of clean up, I can see an advantage of having some on hand and continuing to use your wood stove, which could revert to regular wood anytime... a definite advantage over propane.


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## mpillow

I think its $250 a ton(bulk purchase)....same as pellets...same as a 2yr dry cord of hardwood

the best part is that its recycled and you can by a USA (by)product to heat with..

My parents and my MIL have reached the age where firewood is hard for them....but these are easy and small so they can still enjoy the fireplace/woodstove or have heat that is more easily managed during power outages


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## seedspreader

Wow, so 2 yr. Dry cords are $250 in Maine... YIKES! If that was the case I can see why people would buy the Biobrick.


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## mpillow

2yr old cut split and delivered...$250
A full cord not a face cord

Tree length green $120...


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## seedspreader

Just bought 3 cord of split seasoned wood (of course I have to pick it up myself) from the Amish for $300.00


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## mpillow

There are amish around here now but they are not selling wood and I don't think it would be that cheap. My husband deals with a lot of the amish at work...none are selling wood...

Good for you! great price...I'm jealous!


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## seedspreader

mpillow said:


> There are amish around here now but they are not selling wood and I don't think it would be that cheap. My husband deals with a lot of the amish at work...none are selling wood...
> 
> Good for you! great price...I'm jealous!


Yes, I am blessed we are surrounded by a bunch of Amish and cash is king with them.

Now if I buy it on the market, I can get a cord of seasoned delivered for anywhere between 180 - 200.


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## Spinner

I discovered that they are only available in some of the NE states. 

I called Steven at Bio Bricks and ask a few questions. He said they have sold some equipment to someone out west who is manufacturing them under another name. So, anyone interested in these bricks might find them in your area under a different name. 

I like that they don't produce a stream of smoke out the chimney. Would be great during a major SHTF when you don't want to advertise your location. I wish I had a few pallet loads of them stashed away.


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## mpillow

Propane is not cheaper here in Maine unless you reach the "commercial" volume...we have a propane furnace and hot water heater and kitchen range at our camp in the western mtns and its expensive!!....we heat with wood primarily there too but the furnace is nice if you arrive at 20 below and it takes both heat sources to heat the mass of the cabin up...

I do think these biobricks will take off....so keep your eyes open outside of New England...
ask your local hardware store (I got mine at a True Value) to consider carrying them


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## manygoatsnmore

Those sound a lot like Presto Logs - used to be made around here by Weyerhauser. They were round, about 6" diameter and a foot or so long. I don't think they make them any more, but you used to see them in ricks outside stores all around this area.


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## tab

We pay $400.00 per load of logs which is about 16 face cord. Of course there is a lot of work to get it cut and split.....


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## FourDeuce

mpillow said:


> I think its $250 a ton(bulk purchase)....same as pellets...same as a 2yr dry cord of hardwood
> 
> the best part is that its recycled and you can by a USA (by)product to heat with..
> 
> My parents and my MIL have reached the age where firewood is hard for them....but these are easy and small so they can still enjoy the fireplace/woodstove or have heat that is more easily managed during power outages


Recycling is generally good, but I wonder if they're careful about what wood they recycle or just take any wood they can. If there's any pressure treated wood in the mix, I'd prefer to avoid burning it. They use a lot of chemicals to pressure-treat wood.


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## mpillow

I believe it is all hardwood from flooring companies....

100% kiln dried hardwood...


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## spiffydave

Anyone know of a similar product sold currently in the western U.S.?


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## texican

What kind of tree's do the bio bricks grow on? Can I collect them free?

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I've been told that I'm too tight fisted for my own good... spending money is hard for me.

Just a few weeks ago, an oak tree in the back yard dropped a limb... that probably has at least a quarter cord in it. Will wait till it gets cold before sawing it up.


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## whodunit

Red fir is going for about $150 a cord, sometimes delivered, sometimes not. You can get lodge pole for as little as $110 a cord.


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## raybait1

A cord of wood here delivered has never been higher than $120. You can usually always find it for $80. Since Ike blew through here the bottom has fallen and I'm seeing it at $65.

Cant imagine paying 300+ for a cord of wood.


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## stanb999

Not to throw a wrench... 


How can a ton of wood = a cord? Not possible. 

Wood has 8000 btu's per pound. So a ton is 16 million BTU's.
A cord wood will give you about 6000 btu per pound (this takes into account the in cord wood water burning off). The average weight of a cord is around 3000 lbs so your btu's are about 18 million. If seasoned real well or with real good hard woods like oak, hard maple, or ash the btu's would be being even higher. Some cases 25% higher.

At $250 it's very expensive.


Think COAL...

16,000,000 Btu's even in Maine, delivered buy the bag would be....$221.

This assumes a 345 per ton delivered. This is available from Storer Lumber in Waldoboro,Maine.


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## soulsurvivor

I'm ready to throw a little girl tantrum because I can't find a local dealer for anything like a bio brick. I want something I can keep inside the house to use when it's like zero and below outside. Something that won't hatch out bugs as they warm up inside the wood when I bring it indoors to wait its turn for the woodstove. Something "less" messy! Something easier for me to handle. 

From what I've read, I could purchase a pellet burning basket to place inside the woodstove that would allow burning the small pellets. That's not what I want though. 

I did find a good online link for discussion about using wood pellets. Lots of folks comments are there about all the good and bad of using pellets, along with which brands work best for them, etc:
http://www.woodpelletinfo.com/wood-pellets


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## mpillow

sorry stanb I'm not a fan of coal at ALL!

We had a coal stove for one year growing up and I was miserable...the dust, dry heat and my dad's constant worry about gas buildup...

My brother who is a master oil burner and sells heating oil uses coal....good for him! Not for me...

Here's the heat value comparison...
http://searchwarp.com/swa445372-Firewood-Heat-Value-Vs-Biobricks.htm

I suspect you folks in warmer climates pay less because of lack of demand....come to Maine in Jan. and compare your oil bill and quality of heat to that of a woodstove and you'll soon see why wood heat is preferred...and people will pay for it to be warm when winter storms knock out the power.
"seasoned" wood is considered anything down for 9 months....2yr dry wood is nearly impossible to buy....we buy a 16 cord truckload every other year or so....we use about 5 cord a winter


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## Danaus29

Around here there is a product available called DuraFlame. Pretty pricey though, $21.99 for a 6 pack at Meijer. They say one burns for 3 hours, at those prices electricity is big $$$$ cheaper! Even with their $12 off a 2 pack coupon.

I may look into buying some in spring when they go on 75% off clearance but for now I have a lot of elm that needs to be cut, plus a bunch of 2x8's I picked up out of someone's garbage.

ETA, except for ds's room, the bathroom for 2 days, and one day in the livingroom I have not had the heaters turned on yet. And it's been cold and damp since late August.


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## goatlady

I was looking at those Duraflame logs just today BUT they very specifically state do NOT use in a wood STOVE they are for fireplaces only! [I would LOVE a pallet or 2 of those F\Biobricks but darn it not available in this area.


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## soulsurvivor

I discussed this with DH when he got home from work last night, and he said that he didn't want to burn the BioBrick because of the heat factor and that those would burn too hot for our stove. What? So, are the BioBrick similar to the DuraFlame in that they burn too hot for a regular wood stove? DH said that a stove that burns coal could also burn the BioBrick because those stoves are built to withstand the more intense heat. But we don't have a coal burning stove, just a wood burning stove.


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## stanb999

soulsurvivor said:


> I discussed this with DH when he got home from work last night, and he said that he didn't want to burn the BioBrick because of the heat factor and that those would burn too hot for our stove. What? So, are the BioBrick similar to the DuraFlame in that they burn too hot for a regular wood stove? DH said that a stove that burns coal could also burn the BioBrick because those stoves are built to withstand the more intense heat. But we don't have a coal burning stove, just a wood burning stove.


These bio blocks aren't the same as Duraflames...

Biobricks are compressed wood only. Burns like a piece of wood.

Duraflames are compressed paper and wood with paraffin to keep it burning. Burns like a candle. 

The issue with putting these in a wood stove is not that they burn hot. It's if the stove gets hot, it will melt out the wax and at least make a mess, at worse if the stove is really hot. It can make a small explosion. If enough of the wax gets vaporized and the air mixture is right. BOOM!!! Well more of a POOF.


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## mpillow

Our woodstove is thin sheet metal with firebrick(halfway up inside stove) and a grate and ash pan....Shenandoah wood/coal

photo of stove http://www.winslowsupply.com/Heating.htm

you're not supposed to load above fire brick, they are made for wood stoves! but you have to use common sense...

and these are certainly NOT duraflame logs....


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## Danaus29

I won't be buying any duraflame then. No fireplace and I don't want ick in the woodburner. 

Funny, nothing on their website says not to burn any of the products in a wood stove.


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## goatlady

C&P directly from the Duraflame company website, FAQ #1...
"DuraflameÂ® firelogs are Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Classified for use in zero-clearance manufactured metal fireplaces and are suitable for use in all types of traditional open hearth fireplaces. DuraflameÂ® firelogs should not be burned in wood stoves or wood stove fireplace inserts. Check for the UL-Classification mark on the package before buying. For more information about the wide range of fireplaces available today, visit the HearthNet web site."


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## Danaus29

goatlady, found the info. Thanks.

Stax can be used in a woodstove though.


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