5 handy uses for wood chippings this Autumn

Have you recently completed some garden maintenance work, like removing tree stumps, fallen branches or organic debris from your property? Maybe you’ve got some excess wood pallets from a project you’ve completed, and you’re wondering what to do with all the wood. One of the best ways to recycle it is by turning it into wood chippings!

Wood chippings are especially helpful during this time of year, as they can be used in many different ways around the garden and home. It’s an eco-friendly, practical and cost-effective solution for dealing with excess wood!

How to turn your excess wood into chippings

If you have excess wood that you need to transform into wood chippings quickly and easily, a wood chipper is just what you need. At Smiths Hire, we offer a variety of wood chippers for hire, so you don’t have to worry about the cost of buying one yourself. We have a range of options available in our tool hire arsenal, including the Compact HD Petrol Wood Chipper, which is perfect for compact spaces, and the Heavy Duty Green Waste Shredder, which is great for more heavy-duty work. We also offer towable options, such as the Towable Wood Chipper / Shredder. All of our wood chippers are easy to use and exceptionally reliable. Simply feed the wood into the chipper and wait for it to work its magic, and you’ll have your wood chips in no time!

5 great ways to make use of your wood chippings

Once you have your wood chippings ready to go, there are several ways you can use them to improve and maintain your garden during the colder months. They can help protect your plants while adding aesthetic appeal to your outdoor space. So, to help you make the most of your wood chippings, here are our top five tips for repurposing them.

Never too mulch

When it comes to protecting your garden in winter, many think of preserving well-tended plants from harsh temperatures and frosts. Covering your plants with wood chippings, or as it’s also known, mulch, provides much needed insulation against the changing temperatures of autumn, retains moisture to keep your plants happy and healthy, and gradually enriches the soil as it decomposes, making it an excellent fertiliser. What more could you ask?

Enhance the safety of your paths

Wood chipping pathways not only add a beautiful touch to your surroundings, but they also offer a rustic charm that blends perfectly with the autumn scenery. These pathways are not just visually appealing, but they also provide a more comfortable walking experience. The natural texture of the wood chips offers stable and secure footing, which makes your paths much safer during wet weather and icy conditions. This feature is especially useful if you need to work on your projects in any weather condition, be it rain or shine.

Great for animals

Wood chippings are an ideal option for creating a comfortable and natural environment for small pets like guinea pigs and rabbits, barn animals or even birds. These chippings are a perfect bedding material, providing a warm and inviting shelter. They offer a soft and insulating surface that is perfect for nesting boxes or animal enclosures. The natural properties allow them to offer:

• An eco-friendly and comfortable environment for many animals
• A comfortable material for farm animals, pets and birds to create their nests/bedding
• A warm and safe space over the winter months – perfect for farms

So it’s well worth collecting your wood chippings and saving some extra money! Some extra tips for wood chippings include the fact that they help absorb unwanted odours, making them ideal for use around your compost area, and they serve as a great fire starter both inside your log burner and for your yearly bonfire. This time of year, there’s nothing quite like a roaring bonfire, but getting it started can be a challenge, but not when you have wood chippings to hand. With a handful of this helpful fuel, you’ll get your fire roaring in no time!

Those are our top tips for your wood chippings – not bad for excess material if you ask us! If you think you could benefit from any of our wood chippers, or if you have a supply of excess wood you’ve been waiting to shift, then feel free to get in touch.

At Smiths Hire, we’ve been providing quality equipment and tool hire services to the DIY and trade sectors for more than 50 years, operating from 16 tool hire depots across the North West and Yorkshire, including several in major hubs like Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.

If you have any questions regarding wood chippers or any of our other products and services, don’t hesitate to give our friendly team a call on 0333 323 2100. We’re always on hand to help!