Can wood be too old ???

[jackdaw]

For the last couple of years I've been burning some very old oak and beech. It came out of a barn at my Grandparents place (they both passed away in the last three years). The wood had been sat in the barn for at least ten years. Grandad lived to age 100 and grandmother 95, so couldn't make the fire in their later years.Thats how I know how old the wood is. It is like trying to burn bricks, however when you get it going its fantastic stuff, hot as hell and burns real slow. I get a good bed of coals from newer wood first, then put on the old stuff along with a bit of scotts on top of it, that gets it burning from the top as well as the bottom. Works a treat

 

(MC is way under 20% by the way)

 

Another great bit of advise, im only an occasional visitor to this site, not being in the trade, but its always been a valuable source of information, along with fantastic friendly guys, cheers again. :blushing:

[RobRainford]

I had firewood rejected because it had been outside for 2 years and the bark had fallen off. Puzzled me too!

[Beardie]

What do you usually burn? If you're used to stuff like ash, oak can surprise you with the length of time it takes to get going, even when seasoned.

[jackdaw]

What do you usually burn? If you're used to stuff like ash, oak can surprise you with the length of time it takes to get going, even when seasoned.

 

 

Don't burn a lot of Oak, usually Hornbeam, Birch and Aspen. I've now sandwiched it in with Hazel, looks like ( thanks to the arbtalk friendlies ) I may have found the answer. The Oak is like a piece of steel, rocket hard and that's compared even to the Hornbeam !!!