Kindling - Old Cedar Decking - Can I use it?

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davidmsem

davidmsem

Minister of Fire
Oct 30, 2014
632
New haven, Connecticut
For the past few years I've been starting fires in my open fireplace using cedar that was once the surface of my outside deck. It was stained a few times but suffered from rot where the screw holes were. It makes great kindling.

I am placing a Regency I3100 in the fireplace soon and wondering if I can use this cedar to start fires in the Regency unit? I am aware that as a matter of course burning pressure treated wood, colored ink, painted wood etc. are a big no no.

Can I use that cedar just for starting fires???

Thanks!
 
Is your deck cedar treated in any way? Was it painted? Has the sun and elements degraded any stain you used?
 
Sweet wood shed there, by the way : ) Looks a lot like ours
 
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Mellery said:
Is your deck cedar treated in any way? Was it painted? Has the sun and elements degraded any stain you used?
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It was not painted, but stained a couple of times with a semi-transparent water based stain......the sun and elements were VERY HARD on the stain as there was directly sunlight all day long on the deck.
 
I have used cedar decking to start fires for years. I did know that the stain used on the deck boards did not have any lead in that stain. If the stain/paint has lead in it I would not have burned it. Usually, the stain is weathered and almost off the cedar anyway. Right now I am using some tongue and groove cedar off a house we remodeled and that stain was almost non-existent. New cedar fall off are still my choice if available.
 
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Mellery said:
Sweet wood shed there, by the way : ) Looks a lot like ours
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Thanks!!! I just finished the woodshed a few weeks ago. Looking for ideas this is how I found hearth.com. What a great place!!!!

Can't wait until the I3100 is in!!!!
 
As long as it wasn't pressure treated and as you are only using it as kindling to start your fires, you're good to go. We are using some old redwood lattice and old cedar decking for the same purpose - I tend to split it into shards before using
 
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You'll enjoy your Regency. It's amazing how hot they get for such a small amount of wood (our firebox is about half the size of yours). On a side note, I was researching something the other day and happened across an in-depth article that showed BBB complaints on all wood stove mfg - Regency is in the top 3, so very few complaints.

And finding this web site is like winning the lottery IMHO
 
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I use cedar shingles when I can find them for free.
 
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I like that wood shed, too. But...
If you enclosed it entirely, the sun would heat it up, and the wood would dry out fast. Why not enclose the front, and you would have a solar powered wood drying kiln?

I am going to build just such a woodshed next year.
 
Simonkenton said:
I like that wood shed, too. But...
If you enclosed it entirely, the sun would heat it up, and the wood would dry out fast. Why not enclose the front, and you would have a solar powered wood drying kiln?

I am going to build just such a woodshed next year.
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I did not know that. I was planning on drying wood a season or two before moving it into the shed.
 
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You might want to do a web search on building a solar powered wood kiln. You might be 90% of the way there already.
 
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davidmsem said:
I did not know that. I was planning on drying wood a season or two before moving it into the shed.
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That's a good idea of course. Wood will season best out in the sun and wind.
I wouldn't think an enclosed shed would allow wood to season properly. IMHO.

Also,:)I would burn the cedars.
 
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CenterTree said:
That's a good idea of course. Wood will season best out in the sun and wind.
I wouldn't think an enclosed shed would allow wood to season properly. IMHO.

Also,:)I would burn the cedars.
Click to expand...

Thanks......I'm really looking forward to upgrading the fireplace to a source of heat!!! Should be installed very soon. I had to "mock up" what it might look like to gain approval (barely) for the changes.

She wanted flush, but I don't think that contemporary look would go in our colonial.

I'm excited!!! I've wanted something like this since we built the house 20 years ago!!!

2014-11-13 08.43.38.jpg
 
I am sure the little bit of retained stain(if any) from an old weathered deck will not hurt anything - especially for kindling use as it is little used and burns fast. Other opinions may vary but I would not hesitate to burn it.

As far as enclosing your shed in hopes of a magic drying machine - I do not think this would work out as well as imagined. Without some sort of fan system rotating air through your shed it would more likely become an enclosed mildew creating machine and you could sell mushrooms and fungus to supplement your wood purchasing fund.

Better to either open it up so air can easily flow through or not fill it until the wood going in is at or near the required MC for burning.
 
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It's gonna get really hot banging those drums so close to the fire though.;lol;lol;lol

--------------
That type mantel should go nice with a colonial house. IMHO.:)
 
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BobUrban said:
I am sure the little bit of retained stain(if any) from an old weathered deck will not hurt anything - especially for kindling use as it is little used and burns fast. Other opinions may vary but I would not hesitate to burn it.

As far as enclosing your shed in hopes of a magic drying machine - I do not think this would work out as well as imagined. Without some sort of fan system rotating air through your shed it would more likely become an enclosed mildew creating machine and you could sell mushrooms and fungus to supplement your wood purchasing fund.

Better to either open it up so air can easily flow through or not fill it until the wood going in is at or near the required MC for burning.
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Thanks...my plan was to put wood in the shed that is seasoned. There is good air flow that enters at the top of the back wall and passes over the top of the wood. This convection can only help.....how much I'm yet to find out.
 
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davidmsem said:
Thanks...my plan was to put wood in the shed that is seasoned. There is good air flow that enters at the top of the back wall and passes over the top of the wood. This convection can only help.....how much I'm yet to find out.
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Should be fine if its already seasoned. I do the same thing in my pole shed with only the front doors open. Haven't had any issues, and I have less air flow than you.
 
northwinds said:
Should be fine if its already seasoned. I do the same thing in my pole shed with only the front doors open. Haven't had any issues, and I have less air flow than you.
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Thanks......I'm learning......I've got to get ahead and stock up on wood.....thanks for your input. Do you have a moisture meter? I'm looking for a recommendation on one.
 
If the woodshed is entirely enclosed, with solar heat you will get up to very high temps, probably 110 degrees. This is the way to really move moisture out of the wood.
Wood is going to dry a lot faster at 110 degrees, in an enclosed shed, than it would at 88 degrees with an open faced shed.

Of course you need air movement in the enclosed wood shed. Simple. Get a solar powered attic vent fan. Install it on the outside up high on the gable end, blowing in.
Make two air exit vents right at floor level, on the gable ends of the woodshed. This way, the warmest air will be pushed down from the ceiling, will flow through the firewood stack, and will exit out the bottom.
On the cloudy, rainy days you don't want any air to move through the woodshed, and your fan won't run.

I have invented this solar powered woodshed and I believe wood will dry in 6 months or less. I will let you know.

Even if the wood shed were entirely enclosed, with only a couple of small vents, I still believe it would work well. The sides are board and batten pine and moisture can pass through the wood.
I doubt that mildew would build up, because it is going to be 110 degrees in there on any summer or spring day and mildew doesn't like high temps. Likewise, Mr. Termite and Mr. Beetle don't like high temps.

Anyway, I am going to build it, get a moisture meter, and will post results here.
 
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davidmsem said:
Thanks......I'm learning......I've got to get ahead and stock up on wood.....thanks for your input. Do you have a moisture meter? I'm looking for a recommendation on one.
Click to expand...

I do, but don't remember where I got it anymore--either harbor freight or amazon. Moisture readers are useful when you're trying to get ahead on supply. I've been three years ahead for awhile now. I haven't used my moisture reader for some time because the wood burns fine/very little creosote during annual sweeps. If you have the space and the time, getting three years ahead is the best thing you can do to make woodburning very simple.
 
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northwinds said:
I do, but don't remember where I got it anymore--either harbor freight or amazon. Moisture readers are useful when you're trying to get ahead on supply. I've been three years ahead for awhile now. I haven't used my moisture reader for some time because the wood burns fine/very little creosote during annual sweeps. If you have the space and the time, getting three years ahead is the best thing you can do to make woodburning very simple.
Click to expand...
I have the space and can make time......
 
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