Wood Chips

Wood Chips are small to medium sized pieces of wood that are formed by chipping or chopping larger pieces of wood such as trees, branches, logging waste, stumps, roots and wood waste.

Wood chips are used primarily as technical raw materials for wood processing. In industry, processing of bark chips is often separated after the logs are peeled due to differences in chemical properties.

Wood chips are also used as landscape and garden mulch , for water conservation, weed control, and reducing and preventing soil erosion. Wood chips when used as mulch are at least three inches thick. It has a mixed reputation in gardening.

It has been promoted for use in habitat restoration projects. When ramial wood chips decompose, it improves soil structure, permeability, bioactivity and soil nutrient availability.

Wood Chips can also be used to infuse flavor and enhance the smoky flavor in grilled meats and vegetables. Several different wood species can be used depending on the type of flavor desired. For a light, sweet fruity flavor, applewood can be used, while hickory provides a smoky, bacon-like flavor. Other types of wood used are cherry, mesquite and pecan.

Wood chips are traditionally used as solid fuel for space heating or energy generation to produce electric power from renewable energy .

The advantage of wood chips is cost, the advantage of wood pellets is controlled fuel value. The use of wood chips in automatic heating systems is based on powerful technology.