char:charcoal_making

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char:charcoal_making [2025/12/03 18:36] – Simon Grantchar:charcoal_making [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Charcoal making+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]] and [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. 
 +====== Charcoal making ======
  
 ![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/charcoal.jpg) ![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/charcoal.jpg)
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-## What is charcoal making?+===== What is charcoal making? =====
  
 Charcoal making involves burning wood whilst controlling the amount of oxygen present. Very little oxygen is allowed in, and the slow burn results in a product (charcoal) that burns at very high temperatures, but produces very little (if any) smoke. Charcoal is one of the oldest commodities in the world. It provided the heat to smelt metals like iron and copper - so without it, the bronze age, iron age and industrial revolution wouldn't have been possible. Nowadays, charcoal is produced in metal kilns, but originally it was made in earth clamps by piling up wood, covering it with turf to control the ingress of oxygen, and burning it slowly. Charcoal making involves burning wood whilst controlling the amount of oxygen present. Very little oxygen is allowed in, and the slow burn results in a product (charcoal) that burns at very high temperatures, but produces very little (if any) smoke. Charcoal is one of the oldest commodities in the world. It provided the heat to smelt metals like iron and copper - so without it, the bronze age, iron age and industrial revolution wouldn't have been possible. Nowadays, charcoal is produced in metal kilns, but originally it was made in earth clamps by piling up wood, covering it with turf to control the ingress of oxygen, and burning it slowly.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Starting to stack wood in the kiln, with kindling in the middle. +_Starting to stack wood in the kiln, with kindling in the middle._
 </caption> </caption>
  
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-[Coppicing](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/woodland) was the usual way to provide wood for producing charcoal in a perpetually recurring cycle - but alas, as with most resources, it was over-exploited and resulted in massive deforestation in Europe and North America.+[Coppicing](/wodl/woodland_management) was the usual way to provide wood for producing charcoal in a perpetually recurring cycle - but alas, as with most resources, it was over-exploited and resulted in massive deforestation in Europe and North America.
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Three kilns during a burn.+_Three kilns during a burn._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-Charcoal has traditionally been used for [blacksmiths'](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/blacksmithing) forges; for drawing; as an ingredient in gunpowder; as a [soil](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/soil) additive; for filtration; and for cooking. Nowadays most charcoal is used for barbecues. Charcoal briquettes are made by compressing charcoal made from sawdust etc, along with dust and a binder; lump charcoal is just the raw product from burning hardwoods.+Charcoal has traditionally been used for [blacksmiths'](/blck/blacksmithing) forges; for drawing; as an ingredient in gunpowder; as a [soil](/soil/soil) additive; for filtration; and for cooking. Nowadays most charcoal is used for barbecues. Charcoal briquettes are made by compressing charcoal made from sawdust etc, along with dust and a binder; lump charcoal is just the raw product from burning hardwoods.
  
-## What are the benefits of charcoal making?+===== What are the benefits of charcoal making? =====
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Lifting the lid after the burn.+_Lifting the lid after the burn._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-- Provides a market for poor-quality wood, although there's much more of a market now for firewood, due to the recent increase in the use of [wood stoves](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/wood-stoves)+- Provides a market for poor-quality wood, although there's much more of a market now for firewood, due to the recent increase in the use of [wood stoves](/wdst/wood_stoves)
  
 - Buying locally-produced charcoal reduces the transport involved with imported charcoal, provides local employment and supports the local economy - Buying locally-produced charcoal reduces the transport involved with imported charcoal, provides local employment and supports the local economy
  
-- Helps manage [woodlands](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/woodland); woods need to be thinned to produce a wide range of products, including timber, firewood and charcoal+- Helps manage [woodlands](/wodl/woodland_management); woods need to be thinned to produce a wide range of products, including timber, firewood and charcoal
  
 - Locally-produced charcoal is a renewable, sustainable resource because the carbon released on burning is balanced by the carbon taken up by growing trees, and so cooking over charcoal saves on non-renewable fossil fuels - Locally-produced charcoal is a renewable, sustainable resource because the carbon released on burning is balanced by the carbon taken up by growing trees, and so cooking over charcoal saves on non-renewable fossil fuels
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-## What can I do? +===== What can I do? ===== 
-### Getting started+==== Getting started ====
  
 You can make charcoal for your own use, and there is a small but growing number of people doing it commercially. It would be difficult to make a living from charcoal burning alone, but it could work as one element of a woodland business such as tree surgery, hedgelaying, forestry contracting, timber products, courses, firewood etc. The biggest market is for barbecue charcoal (and there are a few specialist suppliers of artists' charcoal). You can make charcoal for your own use, and there is a small but growing number of people doing it commercially. It would be difficult to make a living from charcoal burning alone, but it could work as one element of a woodland business such as tree surgery, hedgelaying, forestry contracting, timber products, courses, firewood etc. The biggest market is for barbecue charcoal (and there are a few specialist suppliers of artists' charcoal).
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 <caption> <caption>
-Freshly-made charcoal.+_Freshly-made charcoal._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Lifting the charcoal out of the kiln with a fork.+_Lifting the charcoal out of the kiln with a fork._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-Start by attending a [course](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/charcoal-making/directory/courses) to see how it's done and to have a go. [Here's more detailed information](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/charcoal-burning-the-basics-of-a-burn/) about the burn itself.+Start by attending a [course](/char/charcoal_making) to see how it's done and to have a go. [Here's more detailed information](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/charcoal-burning-the-basics-of-a-burn/) about the burn itself.
  
-Then [buy a kiln](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/charcoal-making/directory/products-services), or if you only want a small one, you could convert a 45-gallon oil drum. There's an explanation of how to do this in _[Coppicing and Coppice Crafts](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/charcoal-making/books)_ by Rebecca Oaks and Edward Mills. But you have to learn the art of charcoal making by actually doing it. Charcoal burning a scientific process, but there are so many variables, that it really does become an imprecise art.+Then [buy a kiln](/char/charcoal_making), or if you only want a small one, you could convert a 45-gallon oil drum. There's an explanation of how to do this in _[Coppicing and Coppice Crafts](/char/charcoal_making)_ by Rebecca Oaks and Edward Mills. But you have to learn the art of charcoal making by actually doing it. Charcoal burning a scientific process, but there are so many variables, that it really does become an imprecise art.
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 - moisture content of the wood; - moisture content of the wood;
 - how wet the ground is and whether it's free-draining or not (clay soils can be problematic, as a huge amount of water is driven off during the burn, and it has to go somewhere); - how wet the ground is and whether it's free-draining or not (clay soils can be problematic, as a huge amount of water is driven off during the burn, and it has to go somewhere);
-- the wind can inject unwanted oxygen; you can put [hurdles](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/categories/hurdles) around the kiln, although this is more of a problem on open land than in enclosed woodland;+- the wind can inject unwanted oxygen; you can put [hurdles](/hrdl/hurdles) around the kiln, although this is more of a problem on open land than in enclosed woodland;
 - the time of year; - the time of year;
 - how much oxygen you let into the burn; - how much oxygen you let into the burn;
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 <caption> <caption>
-Biscuit tin of twigs for making artists' charcoal: before burn.+_Biscuit tin of twigs for making artists' charcoal: before burn._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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-### Regulations & other people+==== Regulations & other people ====
  
 Talk to the planning department of your local authority first. You don't need formal planning permission to site your kiln, as it will be temporary, but the local authority won't like it if local residents complain about smoke in their house or garden. The planners probably won't know much about charcoal burning, so you might like to invite them and show them a burn. It pays not to get in their bad books. Talk to the planning department of your local authority first. You don't need formal planning permission to site your kiln, as it will be temporary, but the local authority won't like it if local residents complain about smoke in their house or garden. The planners probably won't know much about charcoal burning, so you might like to invite them and show them a burn. It pays not to get in their bad books.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Biscuit tin of twigs for making artists' charcoal: after burn.+_Biscuit tin of twigs for making artists' charcoal: after burn._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 You need to get insurance before starting charcoal making. If you already have insurance for your business or for your woodland, then you can add charcoal burning to it. You need to get insurance before starting charcoal making. If you already have insurance for your business or for your woodland, then you can add charcoal burning to it.
  
-### Managing the burn+==== Managing the burn ====
  
 There are usually 4 inlet ports and 4 outlet pipes on a kiln. Typically, pipes (or chimneys) are 5" (13cm) diameter. The inlets are at ground level. These are to control the oxygen input, by covering or partially covering the end of the inlet with a house brick or soil. A burn with a 6ft (2m) diameter ring kiln, approx. 1m high could take around 10 hours, depending on the variables above. Ideally, wood should be up to 4-5" (10-13cm) diameter, or up to 3" (8cm) for a small kiln / oil drum. There are usually 4 inlet ports and 4 outlet pipes on a kiln. Typically, pipes (or chimneys) are 5" (13cm) diameter. The inlets are at ground level. These are to control the oxygen input, by covering or partially covering the end of the inlet with a house brick or soil. A burn with a 6ft (2m) diameter ring kiln, approx. 1m high could take around 10 hours, depending on the variables above. Ideally, wood should be up to 4-5" (10-13cm) diameter, or up to 3" (8cm) for a small kiln / oil drum.
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 <caption> <caption>
-Bagging the finished charcoal.+_Bagging the finished charcoal._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 <caption> <caption>
-Bag of Devon lump barbecue charcoal.+_Bag of Devon lump barbecue charcoal._
  
 </caption> </caption>
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 [Here's some more detailed information](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/charcoal-burning-the-basics-of-a-burn/) on the burn. [Here's some more detailed information](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/charcoal-burning-the-basics-of-a-burn/) on the burn.
  
-### Buying charcoal+==== Buying charcoal ====
  
 If you want a more sustainable product, look for lump charcoal, which is made from wood only. Briquettes can contain anything from limestone and borax to sodium nitrate and lighter fluid. If you want a more sustainable product, look for lump charcoal, which is made from wood only. Briquettes can contain anything from limestone and borax to sodium nitrate and lighter fluid.
  
  
 +===== Forum =====
 +
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening).
  
-## Further resources+It is also in the section [[gt:power|Power & heating]] (Forum: [Power & heating](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/power)).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [Basics of a burn](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/land/charcoal-making/further-info/charcoal-burning-the-basics-of-a-burn/) 
 +- [Coppice Products](https://www.coppice-products.co.uk/product-type/charcoal-bio-char/) - listing of local UK charcoal producers 
 +- [How to make charcoal at home](https://prepperswill.com/how-to-make-charcoal-at-home/) 
 +- [Charcoal production using a transportable metal kiln](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Charcoal_Production_Using_A_Transportable_Metal_Kiln_1980.pdf) 
 +- [Art, science & technology of charcoal production](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Charcoal_Review-iecr03.pdf) 
 +- [The story of charcoal](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Charcoal-Making.pdf) 
 +- [Charcoal burning in Anglo-Saxon England](https://www.regia.org/research/life/charcoal.htm)
  
-**Thanks to Maurice Pyle of [Woodsmith Experience](http://woodsmithexperience.co.uk/shop/category/charcoal-kilns-equipment) for information, and Maurice Pyle, [Ecclesall Woods Crafts](https://www.ecclesallwoodscraftcourses.co.uk/) & the [Bulworthy Project](https://bulworthy.uk/) for images.** 
  
  
-![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/pete-anna.jpg)+===== Related topics =====
  
-Anna and Pete Grugeon are partners in [Bulworthy Project](http://bulworthyproject.org.uk/), the main income of which is from charcoal production. They have been teaching charcoal making since 2010 and have acted as consultants on sustainable charcoal production projects in the UK, Costa Rica and Nigeria. They're passionate about the role charcoal production can play in sustainable land management.+- [Chainsaws](chsw:chainsaws) 
 +- [Tree/woodland management](wodl:woodland_management) 
 +- [Gasification](gasf:gasification) 
 +- [Blacksmithing & farriery](blck:blacksmithing)
  
  
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
-_Date on Lowimpact:2013-01-31_ 
  
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  • Last modified: 2025/12/03 18:36
  • by Simon Grant