Dead oak?

[Pete Tattam]

:confused1:I have been offered several small dead oaks for firewood. They are still standing and have been dead for years. I've taken a small sample and although the wood is sound ie not pappy it is extremely light in weight. Is this a good sign or a bad sign. I know low moisture means low weight but also that wood does deteriorate as firewood over a long period. Is it worth felling and splitting or should I pass the offer?

[pembswoodrecycling]

Fell it, use it, if it's dry it will burn.

Plus light oak is probably still heavier than other hardwoods. It depends how desperate you are for it really.

[Stereo]

Is the owner desperate to fell them? Dead oaks are a very valuable natural resource for many things I believe. We leave all our dead oak standing where it is.

[Pete Tattam]

Is the owner desperate to fell them? Dead oaks are a very valuable natural resource for many things I believe. We leave all our dead oak standing where it is.

 

They are all failed young trees (about 20" diameter) that are crowded in amongst lots of other more mature trees of different species. Which is probably why they died in the first place. There are large numbers of other oaks at all stages of maturity on the 7 acre plot. These have their own supply of deadwood and there is also planty of deadwood on the ground. These trees account for only about 1% of the oak deadwood available so won't affect the fauna and flora. What I want to know is will this stuff burn effectively or will it disappear minutes after it goes on the stove? Cheers

[agg221]

20" dia is a reasonable size - on the edge of useable for other things.

 

Have you had one down yet - is there a wide band of sapwood? Oak can often develop a very wide band of sapwood (4"+ so approaching half the diameter of your 20" trees). If it's very dry sapwood this can be extremely light, and burns very fast (your straight up the chimney scenario). If it's very dry heartwood this will burn really well, fairly slowly and very hot. If the sapwood band is fairly narrow then it's worth thinking about using any decent straight bits for other things such as fence posts or even milling - 8' lenths can be very useful and should still have plenty of firewood out of the tops, knotty bits and offcuts.

 

Alec

[Pete Tattam]

20" dia is a reasonable size - on the edge of useable for other things.

 

Have you had one down yet - is there a wide band of sapwood? Oak can often develop a very wide band of sapwood (4"+ so approaching half the diameter of your 20" trees). If it's very dry sapwood this can be extremely light, and burns very fast (your straight up the chimney scenario). If it's very dry heartwood this will burn really well, fairly slowly and very hot. If the sapwood band is fairly narrow then it's worth thinking about using any decent straight bits for other things such as fence posts or even milling - 8' lenths can be very useful and should still have plenty of firewood out of the tops, knotty bits and offcuts.

 

Alec

 

The small section I've taken off does indeed have a band of very light, dry sapwood that is about 10-15% of the cross section. The rest is heartwood. I hadn't thought about other uses, I do have a mate who is into turning, he may want a load. There aren't any tops to speak of, mostly they are devoid of branches of any size. Thanks for the advice.

[WFWales]

The small section I've taken off does indeed have a band of very light, dry sapwood that is about 10-15% of the cross section. The rest is heartwood. I hadn't thought about other uses, I do have a mate who is into turning, he may want a load. There aren't any tops to speak of, mostly they are devoid of branches of any size. Thanks for the advice.

 

Rustic furniture makers love this "bone oak" - see examples - Storytelling Chair : Oak Furniture | Rustic Furniture | Woodland Furniture | Wild Welsh Wood

 

Cheers

 

M