The coffee bean appear as an irony of sorts for coffee enthusiasts. Coffee beans produce the best brewed coffee when processed by coffee presses and grinders. Incidentally, coffee beans also produce some of the most unflattering waste products in coffee grinds. Coffee grinds appear as slimy crumpled husks that hug the surface of a coffee press’ brewing chamber. Instinct tells most people to instantly toss such unsightly objects in the trash bin but you might be surprised with what the makeshift world has in store for the humble coffee grind.

Coffee grinds are actually useful since they can be processed into good substitute items. Creative product developers use coffee grinds to create remarkable items like plywood, fireplace logs, and fertilizer. You can try your hand in making these items and who knows, you might discover even more uses for coffee grinds.
A Few Cups for Your Fireplace

Environmentalists resort to coffee grinds for fireplace logs that emit more heat and less carbon monoxide than traditional logs. After observing the heating properties of coffee beans, researchers discovered that coffee grinds could very well act as a substitute product for fireplace logs. The Java log was eventually developed and is currently sold commercially by fireplace retailers.

In your case, you have three good options if you want to have your own coffee grind-based fireplace item.

• Purchase a Java Log or Java Wood Chips – Aside from their notable burning features, Java logs and Java wood chips are some of the cheapest combustion systems for fireplaces. Java logs are practically made with a cheap material, coffee grinds, and can be processed with relative ease. You can purchase a good amount of Java logs without really making a dent on your weekly budget.
• Make Your Own Java Log – Instead of tossing your coffee grinds in your wastebasket everytime you brew coffee, you can turn them into a Java log. All you need are your carpentry tools and some carpentry skills to transform the unattractive coffee byproduct to an elegant fireplace log.
• Make Your Own Java Wood Chips – Java wood chips are even easier to build than Java logs since they require less coffee grinds. You simply have to process and put together a few handfuls of coffee grinds then you’ll have a fine set of fireplace chips. These items may not be as efficient as Java logs but they certainly burn better than traditional fireplace logs.

How to Make a Java Log/Wood Chips

Despite of the huge difference in appearance, coffee grinds are easy to process and put together to form a fireplace log. Just be precise with each step and you’ll be making fireplace items in no time.
Materials Used:

• coffee grinds (about 2 or 3 bags worth)
• metal wire
• candle wax
• car jack
• varnish
• paintbrush
• soap
• cutter (if necessary)

Gather Materials

If you do not have a good supply of coffee grinds, you can ask your coffee-loving neighbors for coffee grinds. You can also ask for grinds from coffee shops, which can sometimes entail small fees. As for the other materials required, they are either readily available or found in most hardware stores.
Prepare the Grinds

After brewing coffee on your press or grinder, collect the coffee grinds and wash them with soap and water. Make sure that you remove the sticky ooze from each grind since the gooey fluid can interfere with the grinds’ combustion. Once done, dry the grinds thoroughly with a towel.

Assemble the Log

With all the grinds cleaned, your next step is to put the log together. Get your coffee grinds and mix them with liquefied candle wax. Once done, mold the ‘grind-wax’ mixture to form your Java log. Press the mixture with a car jack then bind the log with a metal wire. If you plan to create Java wooden chips, use a cutter to slice the log into several pieces. Bind each piece with a metal wire.
Finishing Touch

Now that your log is ready, the only procedure left is to make your logs or chips look like real wood. Apply a few layers varnish to your log. You can add patterns to the log’s surface if you want to stylize your log. When the varnish dries, your Java log is ready.
Coffee Wood

Plywood is the versatile ingredient of home components and household items. Expectedly, this inexpensive plank of wood is a common element in most construction projects. Most people purchase plywood to construct wooden structures or to mend wooden items. Versatile and cost-effective as plywood may be, there is actually another item that offers more durability at even lower costs. Look no further than the brewing chamber of your coffee press for the answer.

When properly processed, coffee grinds can also act as a good substitutes product for plywood. The husks of coffee grinds are more durable than plywood. The fibers of coffee grinds are also laced with oil, which keeps coffee-based boards from getting brittle. If you have a good supply of coffee grinds at home, you can create boards for your sturdy wooden items.
Materials Used:

• coffee grinds (5 bags worth)
• hammer
• chisel
• wood glue
• sander (or sandpaper)
• soap and water
• towel

Coffee…More Coffee

Making plywood boards require quite a number of coffee grinds. If you are not willing to buy a truckload of coffee beans, you can simply ask for coffee grinds from coffee shops and your neighbors. Once you have gathered at least five bags worth of coffee grinds, you can proceed to your home’s restroom and begin the washing phase of this DIY project.
Wash and Grinds

Gather your entire supply of coffee grinds and wash them with soap and water. Make sure that you remove the gooey coffee oil since it can mar the consistency of the coffee board’s surface. Once done, dry the coffee grinds with a face towel and grab your home’s toolbox.
Assemble the Board

Use your hammer to throughly flatten each coffee grind and your chisel to chip off excess amounts of husk. Once done, arrange two equally sized layers of grinds and join together using wood glue. When the glue dries, attach one layer on top of the other using wood glue. Wait for the glue to dry.
Smoothen the Board

Once the glue dries, get your sander or a few strips of sandpaper then rub the surface of your coffee board. Continue rubbing the board until the surface becomes as smooth as plywood.
The Grind Fertilizer

According to some scientists, the properties of coffee grinds can make soil richer and healthier. These people eventually tried using coffee grinds as substitute fertilizers, which ultimately proved that their findings were correct. In your case, you can strategically spread your coffee grinds throughout your lawn. You can also surround unhealthy plants with coffee grinds so that the plants will receive more nutrients.
The Lowdown

As you can see, coffee grinds are very useful. Not only do these items bring coffee drinkers to life, they also provide better alternatives for various endeavors. The coffee grind just goes to show that sometimes, the lowliest of items could have the greatest of uses. Better think twice before throwing the next item in your wastebasket.