Can old homeschool papers be used as paper kindling?

[Pen]

For a Woodstove. I know colored print newspaper and glossy paper not supposed to be used because of toxic ink etc.

But can white, graph or lined  8 1/2 by 11 paper with or without writing (usually pencil sometimes ink) be used up as paper kindling safely? And effectively?

TIA

[Storygirl]

Try it with a small amount of paper first. A few years ago, I thought I would burn our old homeschool papers in our fire pit, and our first attempt produced a plume of black smoke, so we stopped. I was surprised, because we were only burning paper, and nothing like a workbook cover. Perhaps there was something in our particular batch of paper that was noxious that would not be in yours, so it's worth trying.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Storygirl

[Pen]

6 hours ago, Seasider too said:

Well I happily burned the big Spelling Power book once the last kid was done with it, but that was out in the back yard. Pretty sure that’s not what you’re talking about. 😂

 

No - indoors wood stove. 

 

5 hours ago, Storygirl said:

Try it with a small amount of paper first. A few years ago, I thought I would burn our old homeschool papers in our fire pit, and our first attempt produced a plume of black smoke, so we stopped. I was surprised, because we were only burning paper, and nothing like a workbook cover. Perhaps there was something in our particular batch of paper that was noxious that would not be in yours, so it's worth trying.

 

Single test page outside sounds like good idea. 

[kbutton]

If your stove has a catalytic convertor, don't burn much at once. A little to start a fire is okay.

If your stove doesn't have one, just realize that paper creates a lot of soot and such--you might want to burn a really hot fire after burning a bunch of paper (this goes for any kind of "small" stuff you're burning--twigs, pine cones, etc.). Generally, a hot fire = less yuck building up in the chimney to catch fire up there.

You can also get those "cleaner" logs to use after burning junk. 

A little each day to start a fire is not going to hurt anything though.

23 hours ago, Storygirl said:

Try it with a small amount of paper first. A few years ago, I thought I would burn our old homeschool papers in our fire pit, and our first attempt produced a plume of black smoke, so we stopped. I was surprised, because we were only burning paper, and nothing like a workbook cover. Perhaps there was something in our particular batch of paper that was noxious that would not be in yours, so it's worth trying.

Unless the fire is already quite hot, big hunks of paper won't burn well. Just like some wood burns slow and moderately while other wood burns fast and hot, other substances are the same. I think with books, it's a density thing--no air between pages, so the fire "slows" down--corrugated cardbook burns better/faster than something like a cereal box because there is airspace. Pine is a wood that tends to burn fast and hot because of the sap. Wood from fruit trees is the same. Hardwoods burn more slowly and evenly, and you don't have to feed the fire as much.

I am not really a pyromaniac--I just grew up with a woodstove and had one in my own home for 13 or so years.

[Soror]

I was going to post what kbutton did, you cannot burn big stacks of paper. If it is shredded or torn to pieces, crumpled even that would help. I don't think it would work very well though.

[Pen]

43 minutes ago, soror said:

I was going to post what kbutton did, you cannot burn big stacks of paper. If it is shredded or torn to pieces, crumpled even that would help. I don't think it would work very well though.

 

1 hour ago, kbutton said:

If your stove has a catalytic convertor, don't burn much at once. A little to start a fire is okay.

If your stove doesn't have one, just realize that paper creates a lot of soot and such--you might want to burn a really hot fire after burning a bunch of paper (this goes for any kind of "small" stuff you're burning--twigs, pine cones, etc.). Generally, a hot fire = less yuck building up in the chimney to catch fire up there.

You can also get those "cleaner" logs to use after burning junk. 

A little each day to start a fire is not going to hurt anything though.

Unless the fire is already quite hot, big hunks of paper won't burn well. Just like some wood burns slow and moderately while other wood burns fast and hot, other substances are the same. I think with books, it's a density thing--no air between pages, so the fire "slows" down--corrugated cardbook burns better/faster than something like a cereal box because there is airspace. Pine is a wood that tends to burn fast and hot because of the sap. Wood from fruit trees is the same. Hardwoods burn more slowly and evenly, and you don't have to feed the fire as much.

I am not really a pyromaniac--I just grew up with a woodstove and had one in my own home for 13 or so years.

 

By “kindling” I meant single pages wadded up to get fire started before small wood is added. 

Normally unprinted newsprint is what I use.  

I have almost none.  I am wondering if I should buy plain newsprint - versus using some paper that I would otherwise put in recycling.

I’m not trying to dispose of material by burning it in the Woodstove.  Most goes to recycle if done and not reusable.  Cardboard, most especially if printed like a cereal box, isn’t supposed to be used: toxins in ink, creosote from materials.  

Pine needles aren’t supposed to be used because of resins and sparking. 

[kbutton]

I think you can use small amounts for that. We did all the time, including in our fancy stove with the catalytic converter. 

Best kindling ever: leftover bits from someplace like a truss fabricator--ends of 2 x 4's, and such. You can use a small hatchet or the claw side of a hefty hammer to split them along the grain. They light fast and start burning hot to warm up the firebox quickly.

My DH tended to like newsprint or other light paper crunched up and stuffed in a toilet paper tube.