I have just unpacked a fountain that was shipped to me using burlap bags as padding. I must have about 50 sacks that used to have cocoa beans in them. They have been slit down the belly to dump out the beans, so they are not easily reusable as bags. Is there any other use for them? polishing tile grout is one that I can think of. Any others?
Does anyone in North New Jersey want them for free?
Bob Chapman
Listeners write in about fireplaces affecting family harmony and bionic suits, before asking questions about brick steps, ground-source heat pumps, and building a dome greenhouse in Maritime Canada.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Good for keeping concrete moist during curing.
Absolutely! I've found quality burlap like that, not the box store type is the only thing that works right for patching and rubbing concrete walls. I've tried rags in a pinch and it isn't the same.
Also have used burlap to lay down on slabs, water soak, and cover in plastic for slabs requiring an extended wet cure.
Reminds me of when my older brother taught me to swim by throwing me into the lake. The hardest part was getting out of that gunny sack. :)
BruceT
Edited 6/3/2009 8:01 pm by brucet9
Keeps the birds off new grass seed. It rots away in time.
Filter fabric for muddy runoff.
And my favorite from when I did a stint at Colonial Williamsburg, my wife made CLOTHES outta burlap for tradition garb...my idea of fun? 98 degrees and 99% humiddity, pushing a hand plane or saw wearing a burlap shirt.
Ok, not quite feed sack burlap, but some seriously uncomfortable fabric.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"
Jed Clampitt
View Image
You worked at Williamsburg? Cool!
I've thought I'd like to work part-time at some living history museum when I retire. Hopefully, I'd be the master, and be able to order all the workers around. <G>
Yeah, back in late 80's sometime, just one spring /summer season. More or less an apprenticeship, lousy pay, long hours. Took the bus from Pa. on Tuesday night, worked Wed-Sun. Came back Sun nights about every other week.
Met some right cool craftsmen tho', Underhill was an icon there then. Killed a lot of goatskins of wine. LOL
About the time the Carter Plantation was being redone. IIRC, seems like a lifetime ago.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
View Image
My son is tentatively lined up to be an apprentice potter at a local living history museum this summer.
stephen
Is he an artist? What does he want to get out of the apprenticeship?
there's a place in north NJ, Peters Valley, that has several different types of craft programs. One of them is pottery. There's a large Japanese style kiln, that uses wood for the heat. It's supposed to be quite a project to fire the pottery work with that.
Burlap is good for wrapping around rootballs of trees for transplanting, held on with 12 penny nails. And like others said, it is great for rubbing grout off of tiles.
If only they'd cut the sacks open at the top, then you just make a 5" slit at each side at bottom and a slit in middle of end not opened and you have a shirt--kind of rough, but...in this economy could outfit all your kids and the neighborhood kids for school next year for basically nothing! And, they'd smell nice and chocolatey!
I see Sphere beat me to the last suggested use!
Edited 6/3/2009 8:12 pm ET by Danno
Me and Mrs. Bob have been discussing this, and I have some ideas.
Years ago I converted heavy duty cabinet into a gun cabinet, I used a 3m brand of spray on glue to secure burlap feed bags to the interior as a liner inside. My first intent was just to keep from dinging up the guns if they bumped the walls. It really ended up looking cool.
Mrs. Bob says it can be a log carrier for fir wood.
She really emphasizes check out what it might sell for on ebay or something like that. She sold used flour sacks once for $12 each and they were paper. Heck the logo's might be what sells.
Try targeting craft junkies.
But then again you might be like me and only want ideas and are not looking for the best way to get rid of them, but use them practically.
Anyway my 2 cents.
It is a shame that all the people who really know how to run this country, and run it right, are busy, cutting hair, driving taxi's and trucks!
I believe George Burns said something to that effect.
It is a shame that all the people who really know how to run this country, and run it right, are busy, cutting hair, driving taxi's and trucks! I believe George Burns said something to that effect.
Sounds like something he would have said as "God" in the movie "Oh, God!" (I think he also said, in that movie, something about the TV evangelists should have been something more useful, like shoe salesmen!)
makes for a great (and relatively cheap) mulch/cover for new grass seed.
Only catch is you need a reel mower to mow it for about a year. If you use the power mower it'll suck the burlap into the blades causing a headache for you.
I use them for putting on top of my line on our salmon Boat.
Keeps the heavy mono from the sun..
Wet the bags and put them over the line.
soaked in water, used to wrap foil wrapped meat for pit BBQ
If you do any furniture making or refinishing, and you need to do a "filled grain" finish on porous materials burlap is what we used to used to remove excess fill after it cured.
wallpaper....
TP for unwanted house guests...
Towels for same...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
When using frogs for bass bait they keep great in burlap, just keep it damp and the croakers are happy. Most fun is hook em thru the lips, throw em out with no weight and wait for the big splash.
Todd
Back in the 70's when barnwood was the thing for paneling, I used burlap for the ceiling on a room that I barnwooded. Looked cool!!
Good for cleaning the faces of common brick, terra cotta tile and stone. After striking the joints, wait until the mud on the units starts to dry. Then start rubbing. At first, stay awat from the joints. Later, as the mud begins to set in the joint, begin to rub carefully along the edge of the joint. Patience is necessary.