sweet chestnut questions

[mattplace]

After alot of searching, the only hardwood cordwood i can get my hands on is sweet chestnut. At £35 a ton delivered its not too pricey but is it that good a wood to sell? I know it spits etc. but its the only hardwood i can find and its reasonably priced.

 

I have done a few searches on here and it seems a good wood to mix in with other hardwoods but its all i can get at the moment!

 

Should i buy it or not??!

 

Does anyone here sell purely sweet chestnut with good results?

 

Any advice appreciated!

[Pat Ferrett]

Fine to burn in a stove but spits on an open fire. I was once told that if you put it on an open fire bark down it will still spit but the sparks wont fly outwards, never tried this out myself, any chance other members have heard the same?

[Brushcutter]

I'm burning Sweet Chestnut at the moment. The dry stuff burns like a dream but the slightly wet stuff is just naff. Think it takesa lot of drying mine was in 5' lengths for about 6 months then 3 months cut and split in the wood shed. Still quite wet so might take a fair bit of seasoning.

 

For 35 quid delivered i don't think you can go too far wrong. Thats going to be 20 quid roadside which is quite cheap for firewood. If there are anygood bits in there you could make gates and the such.

[tommer9]

It has to be TOTALLY dried out, or it is crap. Log merchants down here wont touch it in general. If they mix it in its because they have been given a mixed load and cant afford not to.

[mattplace]

It has to be TOTALLY dried out, or it is crap. Log merchants down here wont touch it in general. If they mix it in its because they have been given a mixed load and cant afford not to.

 

This is what scares me. If its crap then i wouldn't want to sell it to regular customers as they wouldn't come back.

As i posted in a previous thread, i am going to be seasoning inside a barn which may make it even longer to season. But, without it, i won't have any wood to sell (apart from arb waste) next winter! AARRRGGGGHHHH!

[sandbach-sticks]

Had 16 tonnes last year free but i had to collect it, i have sold most of it this year no complaints and am using it myself, I warned customers that had open fires that it might spit, and even they have not complained. I would offer £25 a tonne as I agree you will have to season it, but once dry it is great, I have just put some on my log burner and it is roaring away!

[sandbach-sticks]

I would say it burns quickly for a hardwood, little like willow when dry but hotter!

[CGW Chestnut]

We sell all our off cuts and waste rails etc as firewood, We just put them through the chop saw and into builders bags and the punters come along and buy them for £25 a bag fill. They fill their car boots up or we load the bags on to their trailers for em and what not, They love it.

[chestnut]

we sell mostly chestnut - and my customers love it in their woodburners - fresher stuff will spit - so we don't usually sell chestnut to people with open fires (although i have one chap that prefers it to anything else)

 

we season our sweet chestnut for 2 or 3 years - but it will burn ok with less time (but not as well)

 

don't forget that fresh cut chestnut is going to be extremely heavy - so i don't know if you will get a good deal by buying it in by weight - much better to buy the cord by volume

[mattplace]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am still in two minds whether to get it or not.

I need to let him know on Thursday so any other info appreciated.