Many people use sawdust in their dachas: their use is due to the availability and low price of this material. Sawdust can be bought inexpensively at the nearest sawmill, or obtained as waste during construction work on your own summer cottage (then its use will not entail any cost to your wallet at all). If there is too much sawdust in the country, some people throw it into the fire and then use wood ash as fertilizer. But this is not the best disposal method.
Sawdust as an element of compost
Sawdust is a natural concentrate of nutrients: nitrogen, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, microelements. To make them available for use by plants, it is necessary to first compost them.
Plants only assimilate rotted organic matter well. If you introduce fresh sawdust into the ground, the processes of their decay will lead to rapid proliferation of soil microorganisms, which will begin to actively consume soil nitrogen, taking it away from vegetables, berries and flowers. It is better to put wood waste in a compost heap at your dacha.
Wood itself can rot for years. Excellent compost matures in one or two seasons. The secret of its quality is the multi-layer laying of components, with the addition of plant residues, organic waste, manure, droppings, peat, ash, dolomite flour, phosphate fertilizers, earth with earthworms. The resinous components of pine sawdust inhibit microbiological transformations, and the use of special environmentally friendly catalysts (Baikal, Siyanie, Flumb Super, etc.), as well as regular shaking and moderate moistening, will help to spur them.
With the quick processing method, sawdust is moistened with a urea solution (a glass in a bucket of water), placed in containers such as black plastic bags and kept for at least four weeks. Waste from deciduous trees matures faster.
Advantages and risks of sawdust processing business
Having decided to organize production for processing wood waste, you need to objectively assess the pros and risks of this business. The advantages of production include:
- A large selection of processing equipment, with the opportunity to purchase new production lines or buy inexpensive used semi-automatic units.
- Simple technology and no need for special training of operating personnel.
- Low price of raw materials, which, subject to regular pickup, can even be obtained for free.
- A wide market, the possibility of long-term cooperation with both individuals and organizations that consume processed sawdust in the production process.
Among the difficulties of such production is the seasonality of work when it comes to processing sawdust into fuel, as well as dependence on the raw material base. Therefore, experts advise registering a business after concluding a contract with suppliers of raw materials and wholesale buyers of finished products. You also need to be prepared for high competition in the fuel market.
Purchasing cheaper used equipment has property risks - breakdown of installations will cause production to stop. Therefore, it is worthwhile to provide for the possibility of promptly performing repair work and storing running spare parts in a warehouse.
Sawdust in addition to seedling soils
In a substrate with “sawdust compost”, seedlings of flowers, vegetables, rosettes of strawberries, any young seedlings and cuttings feel great. The use of fresh waste leads to pallor of the leaves, but it is good to germinate cucumber seeds in them, as well as “drive out” strong seedlings of potatoes and dahlias, getting backlog in time. In this case, the resinous components will give a bactericidal effect.
Entrepreneur registration
If you decide to start a business seriously, then you must register with the tax authorities. For a small production, registering as an individual entrepreneur is enough: it takes a minimum of time and money, and also allows you to work according to a simplified scheme. If you are opening a full-fledged workshop or factory, and also plan to work with another person (two or more people will invest in the business), then it is easier to register as an LLC. This is a little more complicated and expensive, but in the end you will be able to divide the shares according to the investments and appoint a manager who can manage the entire business. It will also be possible to sell an LLC as a ready-made business, whereas this is not possible for an individual entrepreneur.
Attention:
To register an individual entrepreneur, you just need to pay the state fee and submit the necessary documents. Registration of an LLC is more complicated and requires minutes, drawing up a charter, etc. You can order its creation from intermediaries to save time and nerves.
Using sawdust mulch
It is very widespread to use sawdust (preferably rotted) in the country as a bedding on the surface of beds and tree trunks (after planting garlic and onions, sowing seeds, on seedlings, under bushes and trees, etc. - in a layer of several centimeters to two or three decimeters) from spring to autumn, all season. One agricultural technique solves many problems:
- Smoothes out temperature changes in the root zone,
- promotes the development of feeding roots,
- maintains soil capillaries and moisture balance,
- minimizes erosion and prevents the appearance of “crust”,
- protects “humus factories” - earthworms and microscopic organisms,
- makes it difficult for some pests to escape from the soil (raspberry beetle, moth, etc.),
- prevents “dirty splashing” during rain and watering, inhibiting the spread of harmful fungi and bacteria,
- Gives flower beds and beds a well-groomed, beautiful look.
This is not a complete list of “dividends” from such a simple and cheap “investment”.
Payback period
The payback period directly depends on how well you organize your business and how you work. It’s impossible to give exact numbers here, since the starting data is unknown, but in general, the profitability of this business is 30–40%. Let's consider an example of launching pellet production. The total launch costs are 1.3 million rubles. With proper organization and sale of 100% of finished products per month, you will earn about 150 thousand net, minus wages and taxes. Thus, all expenses made will pay off within 8–9 estimated months, but in fact the payback is delayed for 11–12 months, after which the enterprise begins to generate a stable profit.
A delay of 2–3 months in payback is due to the fact that you are unlikely to be able to sell all the products immediately, there will be overlaps and delays in the process, problems with employees will arise, some equipment will break down, etc. If we consider the production of filler for cat litter made from sawdust, then the payback will occur in about 5-6 months, only the profitability of this business is approximately 40-60 thousand per month net. If we talk about insulation, then the payback is virtually instantaneous, from the first order. Essentially, you simply deliver the raw material to the site, mix it with lime and other antiseptics, and pour it between the walls. When producing chipboard-fibreboards, payback usually occurs in 15–18 months, and average monthly earnings are about 150 thousand rubles. In the production of building materials, payback occurs in 3–5 months with average earnings of 40–60 thousand rubles.
Path covering
Sawmill waste is a cheap material for quickly covering paths in the countryside (and it prevents many weeds from multiplying). Often used by owners of swampy areas and high beds. And in any garden in rainy weather it is convenient not to slip through the mud - everything is clean and tidy. During periods of drought, “inter-bed moisture accumulators” prevent the soil from drying out.
Production process
To produce briquettes or pellets from sawdust, you can use almost any waste from the woodworking industry. This could be slabs, shavings, trunks, lump waste or wane.
The entire production process can be divided into 2 main stages:
- Preparation. Sawdust or lump waste goes through a grinding stage in a chipper. As a result, it is possible to obtain chips with a fraction of 5-30 mm. After this, the raw materials are processed in a drying machine and the chips are re-crushed to a fraction size of 1 mm.
- Pressing. The crushed wood chips are driven through a sawdust screw press. In this installation, rectangular or cylindrical briquettes are formed using binders.
Thermal insulator
In areas with cold winters, loose dry sawdust is an excellent shelter for winter garlic, perennial flowers (irises, lilies and many others), shrubs (roses, hydrangeas, clematis, grapes). The only important thing is timeliness (not too early) and good protection from moisture (covering the top with film, roofing felt, etc.).
Some shrubs and trees bloom too early in the spring and regularly lose their ovaries due to sub-zero temperatures. If the tree trunk circle is covered with a thick layer of sawdust, this produces a thermal insulation (cooling) effect, and the plant “wakes up” later.
In regions with snowy winters, snowdrifts on the northern side of dacha buildings store cuttings prepared for spring grafting, as well as rose seedlings. The early melting of snow is held back by a large pile of sawdust poured on top.
Selecting a room
To start sawdust processing as a business, you will need a spacious room with an area of at least 120 square meters. m. The building must have:
- a large workshop in which the production line will be installed;
- storage space for sawdust and finished products;
- equipped office;
- bathroom
To start the equipment, access to a 380 V (100 kW) power supply is required.
If the building is owned by an entrepreneur, then utility bills should be taken into account. About 70-100 thousand rubles are paid monthly for renting a workshop.
Litter for animals and birds
Fresh and clean (sometimes steamed) deciduous sawdust is an excellent bedding for cages, pens, aviaries, barns, where poultry and animals live on the site (ducks, chickens, rabbits, pigs, nutria, horses, etc.). The substance is environmentally friendly, safe, inexpensive, lightweight, moisture-absorbing, convenient for cleaning and useful disposal. And a similar “feather bed” in a dog kennel provides warmth in cold weather.
Other ways of using our diverse material are worthy of mention:
- The base of high ridges,
- backfilling a country toilet,
- fuel for homemade heating boilers,
- source of smoke in a home smokehouse,
- stuffing of insulating mats, decorative pillows and country upholstered furniture,
- garden scarecrow filler.
Capital expenditures
Capital costs are generally understood to be those expenses that are necessary to start an enterprise. These are one-time expenses.
| Expenses | Sum |
| Purchase of equipment for fuel production, installation, launch | 5,000,000 rub. |
| Purchase of a forklift | 900,000 rub. |
| Office equipment | 500,000 rub. |
| Repair of office and workshop, ventilation, electrical installation, additional costs | 1,000,000 rub. |
| General capital expenditure | RUB 7,400,000 |
Material for construction work
Sawdust is a time-tested, environmentally friendly, affordable, cheap natural material, filler and insulator. Once upon a time, walls were plastered with a viscous mass of small wood waste and manure. And today the roof of the bathhouse is insulated by covering the floor of its attic with these materials mixed with water and clay. The inside walls of houses are filled with sawdust, cement, clay, adding ash, vitriol, lime, boric acid (to protect against rotting, fire, mice and bugs).
Blocks made from homemade sawdust concrete can be used in the construction of various buildings at any dacha.
Step-by-step instructions for starting a sawdust processing business
For a business to be profitable, it is important to take into account all the conditions on which the implementation of a business project depends. First of all, you need to draw up a competent business plan.
Drawing up a business plan
What should be included in a business plan:
- determining the amount of start-up capital, searching for sources of investment, the possibility of lending;
- channels for obtaining raw materials;
- description of the production premises;
- list of machine equipment, the possibility of its purchase, transportation and installation;
- registration of an enterprise, choice of ownership form (individual entrepreneur or LLC) and taxation system;
- staffing schedule;
- terms of launching the enterprise into operation;
- marketing plan and sales channels for finished products;
- risk analysis.
Selection of raw materials
Production will be most profitable if the raw material base is located close to the enterprise. In addition, this will allow for uninterrupted supplies of raw materials. The source of raw materials can be:
- furniture factories,
- sawmills, sawmills;
- woodworking factories.
In such industries, sawdust is considered waste, its cost is 50-100 rubles/m3; to obtain raw materials, you need to organize pickup. If wood processing plants are located at a remote distance, evaluate the feasibility of the idea. Transport costs have a significant impact on the profitability of production, and the final product may not be competitive.
Preparing and arranging the premises
To process sawdust, you will need a room in a permanent building with an area of at least 150 m2. It should house a processing workshop, a storage area for raw materials and finished products, as well as household and utility rooms. Production will require communications, including 3-phase electrical networks from which the machines operate.
When equipping production areas, it is necessary to observe electrical safety measures and have primary fire extinguishing equipment.
Necessary equipment for sawdust processing
Technical equipment is the most significant expense item, which includes the cost of purchase, installation and commissioning of machines. Depending on the profile of the processing shop, it can be equipped with the following types of machine tools:
- semi-automated lines for the production of finished products;
- crushers, mixers, dispensers;
- drying units;
- presses (hydraulic, screw, shock-mechanical), granulators;
- storage bunkers, cyclone devices;
- conveyors, packaging machines, etc.
The choice of equipment depends on the profile of the enterprise. The total machine park can cost from 2 to 10 million rubles. To reduce costs, you can purchase used equipment or lease machines.
Hiring staff
One of the advantages of the business is the simple management of technical equipment , which does not require special training for operating personnel. Therefore, finding workers to service the machines will not be difficult. You will need one equipment adjuster, several foremen to service the machines, a warehouse worker, a driver, and possibly several general workers.
The staffing table is drawn up taking into account the productivity of the machines and the specifics of production.
You will need an accountant to maintain financial records. Compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards is ensured by a full-time cleaner.
Search for clientele and ways to market products
The company's clients can include individuals, owners of cottages and country houses, as well as organizations (boiler houses, factories that use heating technology, construction companies, etc.).
As a rule, the bulk of the profit comes from wholesale buyers, so you need to look for them especially actively.
To do this, you can participate in exhibitions in your region, connect social networks and the media. If the company has the opportunity, you can hire a sales representative who will promote finished products on the market and look for interested customers. It is important to find distribution channels in advance.
Registering a business, obtaining licenses and permits
Production specializing in the processing of wood waste is classified as a small business. Therefore, it is more advisable to register a business as an individual entrepreneur . It makes sense to register an LLC if an entrepreneur plans to open a large production facility, or if the company has several founders.
Law No. 99-FZ “On licensing of certain types of activities” does not include enterprises engaged in sawdust processing in the list. Therefore, such activities do not require licensing.
If a business is registered using the individual entrepreneur system, to complete the documents you will need an application to the tax service, photocopies of your passport and a receipt for payment of state duty. To register an LLC, you will need a company charter, as well as a decision of all founders and organizers of the business.
Growing mushrooms on sawdust
Did you know that oyster mushrooms can be grown in the most common sawdust? The substrate is prepared from large hardwood sawdust and straw (you can use feed or sunflower seed husks), mixed in a 3:1 ratio. The components must be processed: soak the mass in hot water for 3-7 hours, maintaining a temperature of 60°C.
Then, when the substrate has cooled, it needs to be squeezed out and placed in layers in a thick transparent plastic bag, sprinkling each layer with crushed mycelium. Several small holes are made in the bag. With proper care, mushrooms will grow in 40-45 days.
Taxes
When opening a company that produces sawdust briquettes, you need to pay attention to the way of doing business. This will affect the tax features and capabilities of the company.
Experts advise registering an LLC - this legal form means a limited liability company. This type of business will allow the company to cooperate with both individuals and legal entities. Thanks to this, the scope of sales of finished products will expand significantly.
According to the requirements, the company owner will have to pay several types of taxes:
- VAT - 18%;
- on the amount of profit - 20% (here the amount of profit received by the company is taken into account);
- income tax - 13%;
- on property - 2.2% (tax is paid taking into account the value of the purchased property);
- social payment - 34%.
DIY sawdust concrete
This environmentally friendly, durable and frost-resistant material is used for the construction of houses and country houses. To make it you will need a concrete mixer. The sawdust is dried and sifted through a sieve with 1x1 cm cells, then mixed with cement and sand. Next, you need to add limestone or clay dough to the mixture and mix, pour water in several stages (after each portion, the mixture needs to be mixed).
Amount of ingredients for medium-density sawdust concrete: 20 kg of sawdust, 20 kg of sand, 10 kg of cement, 15 kg of lime (clay).
Effective fertilizer recipes
Sawdust material is cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin. In a dry mixture, the elements are poor; they try to absorb more useful elements from the soil. But when combined with other components, such as peat, grass, minerals, etc., they increase beneficial microflora for plants.
With the help of sawdust, the soil becomes airy and loose. Therefore, the soil is saturated with nitrogen and optimal aeration occurs. This means that the supply of nutrients will be ensured every time fertilizing is applied.
More than two dozen recipes are offered to create a fertilizer mixture. The only downside is the length of the wait.
With ash
The method has been used for a long time and has earned the trust of many generations. It is better known as a substance for creating warm beds. To make the mixture, gather the ingredients:
- zinc sulfate, potassium sulfate – 1 tsp each;
- urea, superphosphate - 1 tbsp. l.;
- boric acid – 1.5 tsp;
- wood ash - 2 cups for the second layer; 1.5 cups per sq. m. for the first layer;
- sand - 1 bucket;
- humus or peat - 5 buckets;
- plant remains.
The first layer is laid in the trench. Ash is poured on top according to the meter. The second layer should already be mixed. To do this, connect from larger to smaller quantities. The warm bed is ready.
Organic enrichment
Organic plant additives are considered more useful and beneficial for the farmer. Compost is made using sawdust.
They offer 2 options for preparing enrichment:
- Classic. Vegetable and food waste is combined with cattle manure and bird droppings. Mix everything and leave to infuse. As a result, we obtain a high-quality carbon substrate. Suitable for 85% of crops.
- We prepare a hole of at least 1 m. Fill it 75-80% with sawdust. We fill the mass with wood ash. The preparation time takes up to 1.5-2 years. To improve the quality of the compost, the mixture is stirred regularly.
We use fresh sawdust
Wood processing will help in the germination of seed material. Fresh waste is suitable for this, not mulch or compost. Prepare a wooden container. Sawdust is poured into it (layer 3-5 cm). The seeds are laid, and the same layer of sawdust is covered on top.
Cover the box with film, but take into account that air must pass through. Place in a dark place until the first shoots appear. The room should be warm and the humidity low. The method is suitable for the winter, since the seed material will not develop too quickly.
What harm can they cause?
Sawdust is definitely beneficial for plants. With its help, the quality of life of cultures will improve, but one should not forget about the disadvantages of using it. It takes time to get a positive effect. This is what is most often forgotten.
Fresh wood cannot be used. Reason: soil oxidation in a short period of time. Sawdust in its pure form is not used, as it is not a fertilizer. On the contrary, it absorbs minerals, vitamins and beneficial microelements, thereby depleting the soil.
It is especially important to choose the right type of sawdust. If you take a mixture of wood waste of unknown origin, there is a risk of contaminating the crop with infections and diseases. And most importantly: shavings from different trees have a special effect on plants. Not everyone can accept deciduous or oak. Therefore, the type of waste is extremely important.
Interesting fact! Wood shavings obtained from coniferous trees prevent infection by pathogenic microbes. This happens due to the oils released by sawdust. The strong smell repels most pests.
Common Mistakes
Starting to use new methods in the garden to improve the quality of the harvest is always difficult. Mistakes are made not only by beginners in the agricultural business, but also by experts.
And the first mistake is to pour undiluted sawdust onto the soil. Even when creating row spacing, it is worth adding minerals, which will also flow along with the rain to the roots of the plants.
The second significant mistake is the use of unrotted thyrsus for insulation of fruit and berry crops. It takes time to process it. Readiness is checked by color: dark brown indicates the result has been obtained.
To prevent sawdust from having the opposite effect, you should not use it loosely. Laying such sawdust on the soil promotes greater freezing of the plant's root system.
Search for a market for products
There are two options for selling products:
- organization of a retail point of sale;
- wholesale sale.
To promote the finished product, an advertising campaign is required. If you are primarily targeting companies, you will need to attend trade shows and send out commercial proposals to potential clients in your region.
You can order and pay for a commercial on local television and radio. Ads should be placed in newspapers. A good way to attract potential clients is by advertising on social networks.
If the sales market in your area is oversaturated, it is better to look for clients in other areas.
