Do you get tons of newspapers, newspaper ads and other papers to your home? A great way to recycle these papers and have some fun at the same time is to turn them into Recycled Newspaper Campfire Logs. These logs will burn nearly as long as a regular wood log, they are easy to make and are a great way to re-use those old newspapers around the house. Oh, and it is a great craft for you kids to get involved with as well.
First you will want to round up your materials:
- Old Newspapers. Roughly 7 sections (sports, business, ect.) make 1 newspaper log.
- A Tub Of Water. I use a large Rubbermaid tub instead of the sink. This way I don’t need to fold the papers to put them into the water.
- A Metal Rod or Dowel. A metal rod will work better than a dowel, it slides out of the newspapers easier.
- Folding Exterior Table is Optional.
First take all of your newspapers and divide it into sections such as the sports section, the variety section and the business section. These sections are perfect to leave together to make newspaper logs. Leave them folded in half as well.
Next fill up your Rubbermaid tub with water. I use a Rubbermaid tub instead of the kitchen sink for two reasons. The first is because to fit these newspapers into the sink I would have to fold them and this makes it harder to make a great log. Second, I do this outside, too messy for indoors.
Put your newspapers into the tub of water without taking apart the sections. Leave the sections folded in half as well (which I think is roughly 15 inches), this makes for the perfect size log. Leave the newspapers in the water for about an hour. The newspapers should be falling apart when they are ready.
Take the sections of newspaper out one by one and lay them them on the concrete (or table) with about 50% overlap from one paper to the next. Lay down 7 sections of newspaper (six if they are thick and 8 if they are skinnier).
Next take your metal rod and use it to roll up the newspaper into a neat log. While rolling press rather hard to squeeze out as much water as possible and make the log very tight. When you are done rolling, slide the metal rod out of the center of the newspaper, be careful not to crush this center hole as it will serve two purposes. If you have to, you can use a wooden dowel but the downside is that wood is rougher than metal and the wooden dowel will not slide out of the newspaper as easily as a metal rod. The purposes of the center hole are that it will help dry the log faster and help it burn faster.
Once all of your logs are completed you will need to let them dry for about a week. If you have them in front of a fan or in the Sun it should be much quicker.
These Recycled Newspaper Campfire Logs burn just like a regular log so you will need to use kindling to get your fire going and add these in just like any other log.
And there you have a fun and simple way to recycle your newspapers and save yourself from buying those expensive $7+ wood bundles when camping.
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Hey there, I’m Ryan, the face behind Beyond The Tent.
With decades of camping experiences, my journey into the wilderness began on the rustic trails of a farm in southern Minnesota, where my childhood was filled with explorations and camping by a picturesque river.
My family’s adventures across the United States, from the majestic Colorado mountains to the serene national parks and the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota have given me a broad perspective. With each journey, whether in state parks or private encampments, and through the homely comfort of our camping trailers, we’ve amassed a trove of stories, experiences, and invaluable camping wisdom.