Oak. Overrated or incredibly overrated?

[Big J]

as long as its free i'm not bothered.

 

big j, i've heard that dead oaks can sometimes have the calorific value reduced because of early fungal development. not sure if its true or not but it could account for that specific tree.

 

Whilst the sapwood is indeed soft, the heartwood is completely sound. Calorific reduction might have occurred in the sapwood, but not the heartwood.

[Two Acres]

Interesting Big J, I've always found it the best firewood there is. Maybe Seventhdevil's right and that particular tree has lost some of its calroific value?

[Two Acres]

Have you checked the MC?

[oldwoodcutter]

That oak tree may have been struck by lightning at some time, rendering it useless as firewood.

[SamWhiting12]

Hate oak, I have had the same problems as you. Probably caused by only ever burning softwood, I now dont have the skills to burn oak haha

[Big J]

Have you checked the MC?

 

I haven't, but it's a hell of a lot drier than the hardwood mix from the field behind the house that was only felled 8 months ago. I would expect the oak is mid twenties and the hardwood mix is mid thirties. I have plenty of dry firewood at the yard, but it's laziness that means I'm burning wetter firewood as it's from the field behind the house (all 31 cubic metres of it! )

[se7enthdevil]

That oak tree may have been struck by lightning at some time, rendering it useless as firewood.

 

how does that work then???

[Chopper Edoff]

Chuck in a bit of some old tyre plus a dash of diesel - that should help it along

[se7enthdevil]

I haven't, but it's a hell of a lot drier than the hardwood mix from the field behind the house that was only felled 8 months ago. I would expect the oak is mid twenties and the hardwood mix is mid thirties. I have plenty of dry firewood at the yard, but it's laziness that means I'm burning wetter firewood as it's from the field behind the house (all 31 cubic metres of it! )

 

don't see anything wrong with that mate, just make sure you get the fire very hot before you put oak on. i find that once its up to temp it goes great guns...

[Rob D]

as long as its free i'm not bothered.

 

big j, i've heard that dead oaks can sometimes have the calorific value reduced because of early fungal development. not sure if its true or not but it could account for that specific tree.

 

 

 

I was thinking that. I've found dry oak to be some of the best firewood - but takes a long time to get it really dry.