what is sweet chestnut like

[Mortimer Firewood]

Lovely to process. Very slow to dry and not the finest of fuel as it's light but it burns OK

 

Sweet chestnut is anything but light very dense wood

[Woodworks]

Sweet chestnut is anything but light very dense wood

 

Burning some now and when dry it's lighter than almost any other hardwood we have here. Bliming heavy when wet though.

 

Interesting that quite a few of you really rate it. The stuff we have is not anything I would want again but wonder if there are different varieties.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Woodworks

[NFG]

Hi

 

Good for starting your fire, also makes good barrels for ageing Pineau as it adds natural sweetness

 

 

N

[Mortimer Firewood]

Burning some now and when dry it's lighter than almost any other hardwood we have here. Bliming heavy when wet though.

 

Interesting that quite a few of you really rate it. The stuff we have is not anything I would want again but wonder if there are different varieties.

 

Has some kiln dried and it was still heavy @ 20 mc burns really well though are you sure it's not horse chestnut as that drys quite light and not very impressive burning

[Woodworks]

Has some kiln dried and it was still heavy @ 20 mc burns really well though are you sure it's not horse chestnut as that drys quite light and not very impressive burning

 

Don't know to be honest. Was sold it as sweet chestnut for doing some fencing. Thinking about it the larger stuff did have twist in the grain. Thought that was indicative of sweet chestnut. The ends have an orange tinge to them. What do you reckon?

[farmer_ben]

I found when bone dry it doesnt spit at all.

[Mortimer Firewood]

Burning some now and when dry it's lighter than almost any other hardwood we have here. Bliming heavy when wet though.

 

Interesting that quite a few of you really rate it. The stuff we have is not anything I would want again but wonder if there are different varieties.

 

Don't know to be honest. Was sold it as sweet chestnut for doing some fencing. Thinking about it the larger stuff did have twist in the grain. Thought that was indicative of sweet chestnut. The ends have an orange tinge to them. What do you reckon?

 

From what your describing it sounds more like H C but I may be wrong

[Woodworks]

From what your describing it sounds more like H C but I may be wrong

 

Hope you're wrong because I have done a fair bit of fencing with it

[Mortimer Firewood]

Does it have a pink tinge to it under the bark??

[Woodworks]

Sorry for the previous derail skidzy

 

I don't know what I was on about last night doubting the species. The load I had was definitely sweet chestnut. I cut off an air dried sample and it's 580 kg m3. This fits with this guide Sweet Chestnut - Associated Timber Services Limited that's lighter than some room dried (10%) douglas fir which comes in at 612kgm3. With most wood being about the same calorific value per kg it's safe to say sweet chestnut is nothing special. There is a good reason it can be bought for £10-£15 less per tonne than typical hardwoods for burning.

 

Lovely to process

Slow to dry

Not the same caliber as ash, beech and oak