Burning waste material on a concrete pad

[wrath]

I have a dilemma. I have a fairly large yard that has been for the most part abused by the previous owner and their kids (and going by quantity, maybe distant relatives). Thankfully, they were pretty lazy and didn't go far into the woods to dump their stuff. I have found some "yardwarming presents" in the back 20 acres but nothing too terrible.

I found the reason they dumped it all: the extremely high cost of taking it to the waste transfer station. It is cost prohibitive for me to take it there also.

Anyway, I'd like to burn most of it. It is for the most part various demolition materials from rotted out decks, broken picnic tables, dilapidated doghouses, et cetera. Nothing scary, just full of nails so I don't want to burn it on the ground and too big to fit into a 55 gallon drum or a fuel oil tank. I have a source for propane tanks so I could cut the end off a 500 gallon tank and use that but propane tanks are irritating to move around.

I've heard of places that burn stuff on some kind of special concrete pads so they can scoop up the leftovers and dispose of it properly. I haven't been able to find a high-temperature cement in sufficient quantity to be able to make a 8'x8' pad to burn the junk on. Plus, I'm not sure if it is designed to take that much heat. Buying firebrick is too expensive for something that is going to see weather... and dealing with trying to scoop up stuff on loose firebrick is just as bad as cutting up the items to stuff in a burning barrel.

The hillbilly in me is contemplating cutting the roof off a Suburban or a full size van and using that to burn on. However, the concrete pad would probably make more sense and pass the wife eyesore-itivity test better.

I'm sure someone else has come across my issue and there has to be a relatively easy way to deal with it. Any ideas?

 

[Toddao]

Just burn it on the ground. Clean up is easy with a leaf rake and shovel. Or FEL . If it is grass it will grow back , if it is your parking area just look for nails after .

 

[bearcreek paul]

Just burn it on the ground. Clean up is easy with a leaf rake and shovel. Or FEL . If it is grass it will grow back , if it is your parking area just look for nails after .

That's what I did with my old garage,also used a magnet for missed nails.

 

[MarkV]

A few sheets of old tin roofing make a good burn platform and help contain the nails.

MarkV

 

[Uncle Doug]

I just drag or push every thing into a pile and burn as is. Sort out the metal scrap after resale. Use a nail magnet or scoop every thing up with a FEL.

 

[wrath]

The soil here isn't real conducive to burning. There isn't enough clay to keep it on top. It's mostly sand, loam, and rocks. The driveway has a 5 year old layer of crushed concrete on top and it explodes nicely when you burn on it.

The water table is pretty high here, my well is only 45' down and about 150' from the house down the hill the water table is exposed and it has yet to freeze this winter whereas both the creek and the pond have. About another 150' past that is a creek. I'd rather keep whatever I burn out of the water table.

I already found out that at least one piece of wood had aluminum roofing nails in it. That was pretty disappointing.

I hadn't thought of using a piece of metal roofing. Maybe I'll be able to find some for cheap. My yard is very metal-poor. Seems like someone went through and took all the metal for scrap.

 

[dmccarty]

If you are only going to burn once or a few times it is hard to see how the dump fees will exceed the cost of a concrete pad.

Since you are concerned with the water table I assume after the fire burns out you will dispose of the ash.

I would just burn the pile after a rain and dispose of the ash, nails, etc.

Later,
Dan

 

[wrath]

What it would cost to go to the waste transfer station I could buy a used backhoe.

The ash is probably going to have at least some bad stuff in it. I've been trying to burn that stuff in a burning barrel.

I'm also going to have a fair amount of random brush I'll be burning for quite a few years so it'd be nice to have something I don't have to worry about grass fires with.

 

[Mace Canute]

It is for the most part various demolition materials from rotted out decks, broken picnic tables, dilapidated doghouses, et cetera. Nothing scary, just full of nails so I don't want to burn it on the ground and too big to fit into a 55 gallon drum or a fuel oil tank.

I'd rather keep whatever I burn out of the water table.

I'm also going to have a fair amount of random brush I'll be burning for quite a few years so it'd be nice to have something I don't have to worry about grass fires with.

It sounds like most of what you are going to burn is wood. If there's anything like asphalt shingles or old tires, separate them and haul them to the dump or just stock pile them. I think you are overly concerned about having something to contain the fire...on top of the dirt would do just fine...just MAKE SURE the fire can't spread!

I seriously doubt you would have any problems with the ash contaminating your water supply, unless runoff took it to the well and it seeped down besides the casing instead of through the earth where it would be filtered out. Wood ash is often used in the garden as a fertilizer or soil conditioner. After the fire has cooled down, you could go through it with a GOOD magnet to pick out all the ferrous material and eyeball the rest for anything non ferrous, then spread the ash around on areas that could stand a little fertilizer.

If you're going to have a burning, it might not hurt to check with the local "powers that be" about what your requirements are, i.e. notification of the local fire department, if there is one. Around here, if you don't notify them of a planned burning, and they respond to it because somebody calls it in, there's a bill attached for wasting their time. There may or may not be some regulation on when and where you can burn or what you need to have on the spot to contain or fight a fire if it gets away on you. Just saying.

 

[flyingcow]

Just for sh!ts and giggles..see how much a roll off will cost. Might look expensive at first, but but burning is quite time consuming and down right messy/nuisance for everyone involved. That old wood(and other junk) will not burn easy. Shop around, look at all disposal companies. Flexibility in drop off and pick up, on your part could help keep costs down. In this state, if your caught burning anything without a permit, you'll get a summons. If it's got shingle,tires, etc it will get real expensive.

call a local contractor, you'd be surprised what you can get rid of, for good old hard cash.