Sticky firewood properties?

[Rentachimp]

Yoda,

 

I was thinking, believe it or not, and, since i'm getting a woodburner put in, and other people burn wood as well, that it would be beneficial to have some info in one place about good logs, bad logs and everything inbetween; a bit like 'tips' in the general thread, but with wood.

 

Maybe tips on actually lighting fires, or keeping them burning slow or hot.

 

I think a lot of people these days have lost some of the traditional knowledge, and that includes running a house fire, and knowing the best woods for the job.

 

 

I think this would be good, you see. I've done a silly poll as well; feel free to chose any of the options without fear of being persecuted for your own beliefs. It's anonymous, honest.

[andythesquirel]

You can never have too much info about firewood:001_tongue:

[David oakman]

You wont get any better than iron oak, stag headed oak, the fire will be so hot you wont get near it. If you want to keep the fire in all night last thing before you turn in put on oak logs in the round. As for lighting dry twigs or sticks as soon as this is alight put on a few pieces of softwood the resin soon gets it going then on to your prefered logs.

[treedave]

I'd be interested in some of the less "mainstream" woods / uses ie spruce knots are great on after the kindling as they burn hot and long (a crumb from the Ray Mears table).

I've already learnt of the quality firewood that is Alder, I've given it away in the past:banghead:

More gems please!

[David oakman]

Too true nothing wrong with alder i gave aload of 6 inch logs away and the people came back wanting more said they loved it.

[THE88MAN]

old hedgerow blackthorn takes some beating

[Tom D]

I've yet to find a wood that does'nt burn when properly dry. Dry poplar or leylandii ( or anything else considered poor ) will burn hotter and cleaner than wet oak or beech ( or anything else considered good ). Dont fret about the species, just make sure its dry, so lets have some drying tips..

 

I am building a proper log store this year but in the past i have used the crates that come with the Indian paving that is very popular now, they are roughly a metre square with a pallet style bottom, they are open to the wind and keep the logs off the floor.

[Steve Bullman]

how do you move them around and load etc

[Dean Lofthouse]

I've yet to find a wood that does'nt burn when properly dry.

 

Spot on Tom

[THE88MAN]

having been in firewood many years i use a simple yearly system of winter felling/coppice,cut and split in 4 feet lengths,stacked bark side up on strong pallets and as high as i can get it,processed in august/september and immediately barn stored loose,anything that aint quite dry gets re-stacked for next year,sometimes run out in feb but get no complaints