Stacking/Storing Firewood

[Gimlet]

I found another forum, I don't remember where now, which claimed that the burning of pine causes chimney fires is a myth/old wives tale. We have a LOT of red pine on our property but have only used it as campfire wood. "Popple" in the cabin, and pine in the firepit. This has been a hard and fast rule for generations. Are we goofy? Do any of you burn pine indoors in a wood stove?

Our stove is an antique cast iron front loader. SUPER inefficient, but nice that it takes longer logs so bucking them goes quicker. Some of those really nice soapstone stoves with the catalytic converters need pretty little pieces.

I've burned no end of softwood with no problems at all. One of the best is leylandii which is extremely resinous.Cut a large one down at my parent's house. Logged it and split it and left it outside for 18 months. stacked it in the shed and burned it the following winter and it burned absolutely beautifully. Hot and clean.

 

[HRPufnstuf]

Two pieces of advice are essential:

High and dry. Protected from both ground water and precipitation.

Air circulation. If possible, freestanding opensided shelter is best.

Poplar is a coarse grained softwood and particularly susceptible to moisture. It will dry quickly but it will also rot quickly. Once you split it use it, you will lose less firewood to moisture if you store it whole.

 

[bullet08]

Why, I keep mine in my wine cellar hauled there by actively working gnomes from gnome firewood guild.

Actually, only time I burn wood is on camping trips. The woods are usually either brought in, or processed by older scouts with saw. Nope, I don't let them swing axes with younger ones around.

 

[fireground_piper]

I found another forum, I don't remember where now, which claimed that the burning of pine causes chimney fires is a myth/old wives tale. We have a LOT of red pine on our property but have only used it as campfire wood. "Popple" in the cabin, and pine in the firepit. This has been a hard and fast rule for generations. Are we goofy? Do any of you burn pine indoors in a wood stove?

Technically you can, and if that’s all you have then that’s all you have. However I would advise to regularly clean your stove/chimney more often than burning hardwood. It doesn’t burn as hot and you’ll build up creosote quicker. Also don’t burn the pine needles.

 

[troutface]

A bit off topic, but don't use poplar for smoking meat. There is some argument about it being toxic for food use, but the fact that many bbq sites caution against it is enough reason for me not to use it. There are plenty of other woods to choose from.

 

[Jbrewer2002]

Some of you may find this interesting

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I found another forum, I don't remember where now, which claimed that the burning of pine causes chimney fires is a myth/old wives tale. We have a LOT of red pine on our property but have only used it as campfire wood. "Popple" in the cabin, and pine in the firepit. This has been a hard and fast rule for generations. Are we goofy? Do any of you burn pine indoors in a wood stove?

Our stove is an antique cast iron front loader. SUPER inefficient, but nice that it takes longer logs so bucking them goes quicker. Some of those really nice soapstone stoves with the catalytic converters need pretty little pieces.

We burn oak, maple and birch inside and I’d never burn pine. Cleaner burning the better, IMO, but maybe there’s “good” pine, no idea.

 

[jeff540]

I have a Pacific Energy insert and love it. 6-inch SS liner and I clean at least once a year, so pine is no problem and it lights pretty fast on last night's coals. This year's stack is a mixture of pine, maple, birch, elder, and my neighbors old Bradford pear trees that got cut down in the spring.

For storage, I keep split on pallets in back yard, 50 yards or so from house and bring in about a week's worth at a time into the garage with small tractor wagon. Drive green T-posts in the ground at the end of the row. I watch the weather and top the wagon off when everything outside is dry again. Thus, I no longer keep a cover on the pile. Just fill the wagon when the wood pile has been getting sunlight for a few days.

I didn't see hickory in the chart above - that's almost like burning coal when it's seasoned for a few years. Watch out for the Osage Orange - it'll throw sparks and can overfire your stove if not used in moderation.

 

[shanez]

Wood piles in Vegas do give scorpions and black widows a nice home no matter how you stack it. But I have electric fireplaces so I don't worry.

I do love the smell of aspen in a campfire though. It's one of my favorites.

Funny story, until I was probably about 12 I thought they were called aspirin trees and thought they were used to make said aspirin.

 

[Gimlet]

Funny story, until I was probably about 12 I thought they were called aspirin trees and thought they were used to make said aspirin.

You weren't far off. Natural aspirin comes from willow bark.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Using it is the best part - first one this fall!