WiredWriter » oak firewood http://www.wiredwriter.com Information and Resources Sun, 07 Dec 2014 17:46:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 To Make A Comfortable Fire: The Best Wood For The Job http://www.wiredwriter.com/to-make-a-comfortable-fire-the-best-wood-for-the-job/ http://www.wiredwriter.com/to-make-a-comfortable-fire-the-best-wood-for-the-job/#comments Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:11:30 +0000 admin http://www.wiredwriter.com/to-make-a-comfortable-fire-the-best-wood-for-the-job/ Continue reading →

To Make A Comfortable Fire: The Best Wood For The Job is a post from: WiredWriter

]]> The Southeast Texas 2011 summer drought has brought about the doom of many of our attractive trees, both of our loblolly pines and our many sorts of oak trees. We’ve been so busy recently helping our customers safely remove dead trees from their districts and properties. And our clients, generally being conservation-conscious, ask about putting the dead wood to some good use as firewood. Many ask, what would be best wood to use for firewood? That question can be answered in two phases: what type of wood makes for good firewood, and what process must be done to be certain that good firewood burns well.

Generally speaking, hardwoods are the best type of wood for firewood. Hard wood is a denser wood, and this means that hard wood produces more heat as it burns (called firewood btu) than does a softer wood. Softer woods burn, of course , but they generally tend to burn faster and simply not keep you as warm in the process.

Given that our two main types of trees here in Southeast Texas are the loblolly pine trees and the oaks, the oak firewood would be the most preferred wood for the fireside. Oak firewood burns at anywhere between 22 and 24 firewood btu (thermal units) per cord, depending on the variety of oak, making all varieties of oak among the best hardwoods for keeping warm. They burn clean, leave scant residue, and maybe of greatest importance, oak wood has great aroma. An oak firewood fire emits a wonderful smell, and adds a welcome dimension to the snug feel of firelight glow. Compare that with pine sorts of firewood, which on average have a firewood btu between 14 and 18 thermal units per cord, and tend to pop and fume while it burns.

Making absolutely certain that good firewood burns well is making sure it is well seasoned. Well seasoned is simply a way of pronouncing that proper firewood must be fully dry. It usually takes wood cut for fire between one and 2 years to become completely dried of internal moisture after being cut. Until the firewood is dry, attempting to burn it will end in wood that sputters and sizzles and pops thanks to the moisture that is literally boiling as it burns. It will also emit the creosote (a smoke residue) which will gunk up a chimney and become a fire danger.

So if you've got the wherewithal to split firewood and stack it for correct drying, go with oak firewood. Otherwise, ensure that you get your wood from a firewood producer who sells hardwood varieties, like oak firewood, and that he does a good job of drying his wood for sale. Then go back home and snuggle up in front of a warm and cozy fire, and enjoy some firewood comfort this winter!

Katherine Parker is the Southeast Texas Trees LLC information contributor, giving information in this submission about what wood makes for good firewood. One of the best methods to evaluate good firewood is by knowing the firewood btu of diverse trees.

To Make A Comfortable Fire: The Best Wood For The Job is a post from: WiredWriter

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