The firewood discussion

[Zeke 5,504]

2 hours ago, 10X said:

Split wood lights a lot faster too.  Logs have the least surface area per volume of wood, and it's protected by bark.  Split wood has more surface area, and the exposed wood is a lot easier to get burning.

Thank you. @gleninjersey is acting like an unpatriotic communist!

only socialist don’t split their wood! Cause they lazy

[gleninjersey 2,139]

I see it as using my time more productively.  Especially as Tex already said logs WILL burn.  Unlike "some people" who think logs won't burn and only split wood will burn.....

[JackDaWack 2,895]

13 hours ago, Zeke said:

Thank you. @gleninjersey is acting like an unpatriotic communist!

only socialist don’t split their wood! Cause they lazy

Not gonna lie, those big outdoor wood furnaces take whole logs... I've seen guys load them with a front loader. 

 

[Zeke 5,504]

28 minutes ago, JackDaWack said:

Not gonna lie, those big outdoor wood furnaces take whole logs... I've seen guys load them with a front loader. 

 

I concur. But that’s apple’s to moonwalk Comparison 

[Scorpio64 5,147]

So, I did a little reading on firewood, this is what I found to be the general consensus among those who use firewood as their primary fuel source.

There are some woods and plants you should never burn indoors.  Softwoods, ie evergreens, conifers and soft deciduous like Larch.  They burn too fast and produce excessive smoke containing soot and creosote that can cause chimney fires.  Softwood may be burned outdoors in open pits for heat but should not be cooked over.

Under any circumstance, do not burn pressure treated lumber, any plant or tree that has the word poison in it's name, poisonous plants that don't have poison in it's name, like foxglove or oleander. Driftwood contains a surprising amount of toxins.  Rotted wood will off-gas mold, mildew and bacterial toxins.

Green wood, aka unseasoned  firewood, contains a lot of water and sap.  It will not burn efficiently, the fire will not get hot enough to produce complete combustion.  The byproduct of incomplete combustion is excessive soot and smoke.  Green wood will also hiss, snap, crackle and pop more, increasing the risk of throwing glowing embers out of the fire.

Firewood should be seasoned for a minimum of six to nine months.  The best time to split wood is during winter months when the air is driest.  Logs split in humid seasons will retain, or even absorb moisture and are prone to fungus and mold growth.  

The ideal length for logs is 18 inches, and logs greater than 12 inches in diameter should be split into pieces no smaller than 4 inches in diameter.  Larger logs are cut and split so that they will fit into a stove, fireplace or pit.  The length and diameter of split wood is subjective and dependent on the application. 

Some degree of uniformity in length and diameter helps with regulating burn rate.  Processed firewood is typically 4-6 inches in diameter.  Fatter logs may be used for longer overnight burns, conversely, thinner logs are used to make a very hot fire for boilers and other high heat applications such as blacksmithing.

Now, the question of the day; To split, or not to split?  Un-split logs are known as "rounds".  Depending on the size of a fireplace or fire box door, rounds may be as wide as 12" in diameter.  Rounds have less surface area, so they do not burn as fast.  Rounds in the 4 to 6 inch range are generally preferred over split wood in the same size range.  Whether or not to split an 8-12 inch round is a matter of preference.

[Zeke 5,504]

1 hour ago, Scorpio64 said:

So, I did a little reading on firewood, this is what I found to be the general consensus among those who use firewood as their primary fuel source.

There are some woods and plants you should never burn indoors.  Softwoods, ie evergreens, conifers and soft deciduous like Larch.  They burn too fast and produce excessive smoke containing soot and creosote that can cause chimney fires.  Softwood may be burned outdoors in open pits for heat but should not be cooked over.

Under any circumstance, do not burn pressure treated lumber, any plant or tree that has the word poison in it's name, poisonous plants that don't have poison in it's name, like foxglove or oleander. Driftwood contains a surprising amount of toxins.  Rotted wood will off-gas mold, mildew and bacterial toxins.

Green wood, aka unseasoned  firewood, contains a lot of water and sap.  It will not burn efficiently, the fire will not get hot enough to produce complete combustion.  The byproduct of incomplete combustion is excessive soot and smoke.  Green wood will also hiss, snap, crackle and pop more, increasing the risk of throwing glowing embers out of the fire.

Firewood should be seasoned for a minimum of six to nine months.  The best time to split wood is during winter months when the air is driest.  Logs split in humid seasons will retain, or even absorb moisture and are prone to fungus and mold growth.  

The ideal length for logs is 18 inches, and logs greater than 12 inches in diameter should be split into pieces no smaller than 4 inches in diameter.  Larger logs are cut and split so that they will fit into a stove, fireplace or pit.  The length and diameter of split wood is subjective and dependent on the application. 

Some degree of uniformity in length and diameter helps with regulating burn rate.  Processed firewood is typically 4-6 inches in diameter.  Fatter logs may be used for longer overnight burns, conversely, thinner logs are used to make a very hot fire for boilers and other high heat applications such as blacksmithing.

Now, the question of the day; To split, or not to split?  Un-split logs are known as "rounds".  Depending on the size of a fireplace or fire box door, rounds may be as wide as 12" in diameter.  Rounds have less surface area, so they do not burn as fast.  Rounds in the 4 to 6 inch range are generally preferred over split wood in the same size range.  Whether or not to split an 8-12 inch round is a matter of preference.

I dismissed this as balderdash. Pacific north west is all pine. Burn em hot, dry, ergo split. And seasoned for at least 6 months.

 

[Scorpio64 5,147]

2 hours ago, Zeke said:

I dismissed this as balderdash. Pacific north west is all pine.

Just some of the deciduous hardwood trees common to the Pacific NW.

Poplar

Sycamore

Oak

Numerous fruit trees

Ash

Maple

Locust

Elm

Chestnut

Birch

So, would you care to revise your statement that the "Pacific north west is all pine."?

[Zeke 5,504]

13 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

Just some of the deciduous hardwood trees common to the Pacific NW.

Poplar

Sycamore

Oak

Numerous fruit trees

Ash

Maple

Locust

Elm

Chestnut

Birch

So, would you care to revise your statement that the "Pacific north west is all pine."?

No! And @10X will back me up.

[PK90 3,570]

I use natural gas as my fuel. 

No mess. No labor. Flip a switch.

[Zeke 5,504]

49 minutes ago, PK90 said:

I use natural gas as my fuel. 

No mess. No labor. Flip a switch.

Gee, thats great! And stuff 

very germane to the discussion  

[PK90 3,570]

2 hours ago, Zeke said:

Gee, thats great! And stuff 

very germane to the discussion  

So, what was the point of your first post? There is no statement or question by you. Only a link, which is cearly in violation of the rules. @Mrs. Peel 

Seeing that you directed it to another member, this could have taken to a PM.

Oh I get it now, you're the Class Clown. 

Owned.  Beotch. 

[JackDaWack 2,895]

Wait, was this a serious discussion?

[Displaced Texan 11,731]

1 hour ago, PK90 said:

So, what was the point of your first post? There is no statement or question by you. Only a link, which is cearly in violation of the rules. @Mrs. Peel 

Seeing that you directed it to another member, this could have taken to a PM.

Oh I get it now, you're the Class Clown. 

Owned.  Beotch. 

I think that Arizona sunshine is making you a little hostile....

[PK90 3,570]

16 minutes ago, Displaced Texan said:

I think that Arizona sunshine is making you a little hostile....

When I get pushed, I push back.

[Displaced Texan 11,731]

Everyone needs to switch to Sanka...

[BobA 1,235]

[Scorpio64 5,147]

Zeke be like,

Then, PK be like,

 

And now, Scorpio be like.

 

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

And I be like: 

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

59 minutes ago, PK90 said:

When I get pushed, I push back.

Maybe I'm twisted... but I find that kinda sexy!  

[fishnut 2,358]

5 hours ago, PK90 said:

I use natural gas as my fuel. 

No mess. No labor. Flip a switch.

More time to yell at kids to get off your lawn....

10 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said:

Maybe I'm twisted... but I find that kinda sexy!  

And you think Pork Roll is called talyor ham. Yup definatly twisted 

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

21 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

So, I did a little reading on firewood, this is what I found to be the general consensus among those who use firewood as their primary fuel source.

There are some woods and plants you should never burn indoors.  Softwoods, ie evergreens, conifers and soft deciduous like Larch.  They burn too fast and produce excessive smoke containing soot and creosote that can cause chimney fires.  Softwood may be burned outdoors in open pits for heat but should not be cooked over.

Under any circumstance, do not burn pressure treated lumber, any plant or tree that has the word poison in it's name, poisonous plants that don't have poison in it's name, like foxglove or oleander. Driftwood contains a surprising amount of toxins.  Rotted wood will off-gas mold, mildew and bacterial toxins.

Green wood, aka unseasoned  firewood, contains a lot of water and sap.  It will not burn efficiently, the fire will not get hot enough to produce complete combustion.  The byproduct of incomplete combustion is excessive soot and smoke.  Green wood will also hiss, snap, crackle and pop more, increasing the risk of throwing glowing embers out of the fire.

Firewood should be seasoned for a minimum of six to nine months.  The best time to split wood is during winter months when the air is driest.  Logs split in humid seasons will retain, or even absorb moisture and are prone to fungus and mold growth.  

The ideal length for logs is 18 inches, and logs greater than 12 inches in diameter should be split into pieces no smaller than 4 inches in diameter.  Larger logs are cut and split so that they will fit into a stove, fireplace or pit.  The length and diameter of split wood is subjective and dependent on the application. 

Some degree of uniformity in length and diameter helps with regulating burn rate.  Processed firewood is typically 4-6 inches in diameter.  Fatter logs may be used for longer overnight burns, conversely, thinner logs are used to make a very hot fire for boilers and other high heat applications such as blacksmithing.

Now, the question of the day; To split, or not to split?  Un-split logs are known as "rounds".  Depending on the size of a fireplace or fire box door, rounds may be as wide as 12" in diameter.  Rounds have less surface area, so they do not burn as fast.  Rounds in the 4 to 6 inch range are generally preferred over split wood in the same size range.  Whether or not to split an 8-12 inch round is a matter of preference.

If you split with a maul/axe, you do it in the with winter because the wood is hopefully frozen..and when wood is frozen the retained moisture in the frozen log makes it much easier to split....imo 

The whole log humidity water absorption arguement i think is flawed....unless the wood is not covered and or sitting on the ground...

I like my wood a little underdone, i feel it makes my stove  a consistent burn and easy to regulate...couple that with the cat and a good coal bed, any excess moisture burns off....seems to work minimal if any creosote in the chimney.

Now what about adding some lumps of black coal on top of the wood coal bed at night...for an overnight burn in lieu of wood banking?

 

I have read there are two schools of thought on it...some yay some nay...never tried it.

[Zeke 5,504]

15 hours ago, PK90 said:

So, what was the point of your first post? There is no statement or question by you. Only a link, which is cearly in violation of the rules. @Mrs. Peel 

Seeing that you directed it to another member, this could have taken to a PM.

Oh I get it now, you're the Class Clown. 

Owned.  Beotch. 

You live in a desert dude! You need mo water not heat

[Scorpio64 5,147]

3 hours ago, USRifle30Cal said:

Now what about adding some lumps of black coal on top of the wood coal bed at night.

The only thing concerning wood coal I came across was about getting a fire hotter.  Dunno how equal volumes of wood and coal compare in burn rate.  My instinct tells me that coal will burn longer and be easier to keep going than cord wood.  When I do ribs, I can keep a BBQ fire going about 4 hours, without adding coal, using airflow control.

[Zeke 5,504]

3 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

The only thing concerning wood coal I came across was about getting a fire hotter.  Dunno how equal volumes of wood and coal compare in burn rate.  My instinct tells me that coal will burn longer and be easier to keep going than cord wood.  When I do ribs, I can keep a BBQ fire going about 4 hours, without adding coal, using airflow control.

Need distinguishing between char coal( wood coal) and actual coal from Ebeneezer Scrooge

[JackDaWack 2,895]

What are thoughts on that amish compressed wood? Its like super compressed wood dust.

Apparently its burns hot and long. 

 

[Zeke 5,504]

20 minutes ago, JackDaWack said:

What are thoughts on that amish compressed wood? Its like super compressed wood dust.

Apparently its burns hot and long. 

 

Ya and paper logs?

but they apparently are not self sufficient. More of an adder 

[Zeke 5,504]

@gleninjersey is learning sooo much 

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

35 minutes ago, JackDaWack said:

What are thoughts on that amish compressed wood? Its like super compressed wood dust.

Apparently its burns hot and long. 

 

I read those were good. Same concept as the pellets, I guess. The nice thing, I think, is that they're clean & packaged, so you could keep some in the house (without the worry of bringing in boring insects). The thought of running out into the bitter cold to get wood for the woodstove is just too, too miserable! But, that's just me... being a princess, I guess, lol. 

[Zeke 5,504]

Btw @PK90 and I cool. He loves me. He just had heat stroke 

[JackDaWack 2,895]

38 minutes ago, Mrs. Peel said:

I read those were good. Same concept as the pellets, I guess. The nice thing, I think, is that they're clean & packaged, so you could keep some in the house (without the worry of bringing in boring insects). The thought of running out into the bitter cold to get wood for the woodstove is just too, too miserable! But, that's just me... being a princess, I guess, lol. 

Its took me 3 years to strategize all of that.. 

My wood shed is now right at the end of my driveway... I pull wood twice a week with a garden cart and park it next to the door under my deck. Easy peasy

 

Its sounds miserable at first... but the warm, WARM! House is far worth it without burning a large hole in my wallet. Oil is just way too expensive to run the house at 70. I would go through 200 gallons in just Feb alone, January and March are not far behind. 

With wood only burning when im home. I go through about 400 gallons of oil a year for heat.

 

I have no idea how people heat their large houses with oil up here in Sussex. Either their houses are cold, or they are paying an enormous amount on money.