Can You Burn Acorns in a Fire Pit or Stove?

When fall arrives, and acorns start falling, many people find themselves with an acorn excess. Burning acorns sounds like one of the most obvious solutions to get rid of them. 

However, some items cannot be easily burned in a fireplace. That’s the case with acorns; burning them is not straightforward. 

We will explore different ways of burning acorns and discuss the most practical and safest ones.

Are Acorns Flammable?

The first thing we have to look at is whether acorns are flammable or not. To ensure we are all on the same page, let’s first have a look at the definition of flammable. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines flammable as “capable of being easily ignited and of burning quickly”.

According to that definition, acorns are not flammable, as they aren’t easily ignited and do not burn quickly. It takes a long time for raw acorns to be consumed by fire.

Should You Burn Acorns in a Fire Pit?

Burning acorns in a fire pit is possible, but it’s not practical. That’s because it takes a long time to burn. If you have acorns in large amounts, you will lose days of work throwing them at the fire pit and continuously checking if they are already gone. It will take effort and patience.

Will a leaf blower make the acorns burn faster?

A leaf blower will accelerate the acorn burning process in the fire pit, but it’s still not ideal. In the first place, it won’t be a game-changer; it won’t speed it up considerably.

The safety aspect is also something that you should consider. When using a leaf blower, fire sparks may cause other fires. 

Does pouring kerosene help burning acorns?

Pouring kerosene on acorns is not a good strategy. It does not accelerate the burning process by much, the smoke is uncomfortable and unhealthy, and finally, it can also be a fire hazard.

The Best Way to Burn Acorns

There are some good practices that you can follow to burn acorns efficiently.

1. Dry the acorns

Before burning them, make sure you dry the acorns. It’s hard for fresh acorns to burn, and drying them will do wonders. As we suggest in our post about drying acorns, one of the best ways is to leave them for a few days under the sun.

2. Crush the acorns

Crushing the acorns before burning them is an excellent way of making sure they burn entirely and in a faster way. Try to chop them the size of a nail, or even smaller. If you have ever tried to burn whole acorns, you will see that this step will make a big difference.

Bonus tip: Make sure there are no pesticides on the shells.

Think if you or someone else used pesticides in that area. If there are pesticides on the acorn shells, the smoke will be dangerous for you and possibly your neighbors. In that case, you should soak them for a couple of hours and only then dry them.

Can Acorns be Used as Wood Burner Fuel?

Acorns can be used as fuel for your stove to keep the house warm. They take a long time to burn and hold the heat quite well.

As I mentioned before, you should dry the acorns before placing them in your stove, because fresh acorns are difficult to burn. But if fuel for your stove is what you want, it’s better not to crush them, to delay the process. 

If you place half a bucket of dry acorns on your pellet stove, you’ll keep your fire going for the whole night.

Do Acorns Explode or Pop When Burned?

Unlike chestnuts, acorns do not explode or pop in a fire. They will burn until they become ash. 

When it comes to acorns becoming popcorn when burned, it’s just a myth. An acorn won’t ever turn into popcorn, whether in a fire or a microwave.

That kind of fictional phenomenon happens mostly in animation movies, in comic scenes, as you can see in one of the Ice Age movies.

Conclusion

Burning acorns on a fire pit can work, but you should follow some procedures, such as drying and chopping them.

If a fuel source is not what you are looking for, and you just want to dispose of them, burning acorns may be too time-consuming. There are other ways of getting rid of acorns that will be faster and easier.