If you plan to go camping or make a fire pit in your backyard, and don’t have any kindling readily available, you might be asking “can cardboard be used as kindling?” Worry not, because we’ve gone ahead and answered this question for you!
You can use cardboard as kindling, but, be careful not to use the one that has a plastic residue on it because it can lead to chimney fires.
Now that we’ve established that cardboard can be used as kindling to start a fire, let’s take a look at how you can do so. If you are inexperienced, it can be quite dangerous, but, following our steps should help you start a fire using cardboard.
Cut the Cardboard in Small Strips
After you find some leftover cardboard, cut it into small strips. Once you successfully cut it, place the strips in the fireplace loosely. Make sure that you crisscross the strips or they won’t burn properly. You can also add newspaper for a better result.
Once you have placed everything, place logs on top of the cardboard in a crisscross fashion and light the cardboard. You should continue gently blowing on the cardboard to make sure that it doesn’t stop burning.
Adjust the Cardboard Strips
Once you successfully start a fire with cardboard, use a stick or a poker to adjust the strips into place. If you accidentally placed a larger piece of cardboard, we suggest that you take it out with the poker and cut it into smaller strips before putting it back in. Also, make sure that the strips are in place or they might get blown away by the wind.
Do Not Use Large Cardboard Pieces
This tip is extremely important to follow or the fire will not burn and it will get smothered. Make sure that you do not use any large piece of cardboard, and even if you accidentally place it in, use a stick to remove it.
However, if you cannot cut the cardboard in small strips for whatever reason, make sure that you poke holes in various areas of the large piece. Doing so will ensure that oxygen passes through and allows the fire to continue burning. However, if given the option, we always recommend that you use strips instead of a large piece of cardboard.
Things to Consider When Burning Cardboard
Now that we know cardboard is a good kindling and how to use it, let’s discuss some safety tips.
First of all, if you have any other viable kindling, always use that instead of cardboard. Since it is laced with chemicals, burning it will release them in the air and cause harm to you if you inhale them.
Secondly, do not use big pieces as the fire can spread and you won’t have control over it. Plus, due to its lightweight, cardboard can fly away with the wind and catch fire to other things as well.
This is how you can make pressed cardboard kindling at home:
Conclusion
There you have it, we answered if cardboard can be used as kindling or not. If you do not have any other option available, you can now successfully use cardboard. However, be extremely careful since there is a lot of safety hazard that comes with it.
