Maple that's 20 years old

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Charlotte987

Member
Jan 6, 2015
101
I inherited my Gram's house, and a basement half-filled with extremely dry maple, its been down there for twenty years, some of it probably more. I've burned some of it, but it takes so long for some of it catch, (some split logs are black, almost petrified, and just smolder).

I realize that people don't want moisture in their wood, but is there a way for me to recover what seems like the petrified ones?
 
As long as the wood is seasoned, it should burn I would think. Can you throw a split at the back, and surround it with some seasoned softwood to get it going? The easier to burn wood could act as a booster and get the maple going. In theory. My theory.:p I'm still a novice, but that's what I would try.
 
Just curious--have you tried splitting any? How did it go? What did it look like inside?
 
Last edited:
Black? Basements are know for moisture. Are you sure it's dry? Just a thought. Is the black stuff a mold? Mold needs moisture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big papa, bobdog2o02 and Beer Belly
I too dealt with about a face cord of wood that was well seasoned but was so dense it simply wouldn't catch. I'm finally glad I'm through it all. What I'd do, is add it as a shoulder wood. It all made heat of course, but I'd mix it with other logs.

The others bring up a good point. Split a round and take a moisture measurement with a moisture meter ($12 or less at Harbor Freight is what I use. Invaluable tool.)
 
Just when some of us start getting proud of having truly seasoned wood to brag about Charlotte987 shows up complaining about wood so seasoned it's petrified. >>

So why wouldn't wood this seasoned easily catch? Because all the volatiles have off gassed already perhaps? Now it's practically already a coal?
 
TreePointer said:
Just curious--have you tried splitting any? How did it go? What did it look like inside?
Click to expand...
It's all split for the stoves already but I did try, first with a small hand axe and then a larger axe. It won't split, its a bit like ironwood or something. My grandparents bought this house in 1910, and lived here all of their lives, Gram passed away in 2002 and didn't use the stoves at all relying on electric heating. I wonder if some of this wood might be from that far back?
 
Are you sure it's maple, and not in fact ironwood or elm? Both are tough cookies to split. Great BTU's, but hard to light because of it. Gotta get a rip roaring one first, then add to coals.
 
bags said:
Black? Basements are know for moisture. Are you sure it's dry? Just a thought. Is the black stuff a mold? Mold needs moisture.
Click to expand...
It's really dry down there, its a finished basement. So its not mold, there's not even an insect in that woodpile, my Gram wouldn't have allowed it inside.:)
 
Charlotte987 said:
It's really dry down there, its a finished basement. So its not mold, there's not even an insect in that woodpile, my Gram wouldn't have allowed it inside.:)
Click to expand...
Can you get some pics up here so these guys can shoot you some better advice. Many here know their wood well. I know some but keep it simple with cut it and burn it. I think it would help you out. Like suggested above you may have to get the fire going with easier to burn wood and then when hot add some of your vintage well seasoned stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big papa
j7art2 said:
Are you sure it's maple, and not in fact ironwood or elm? Both are tough cookies to split. Great BTU's, but hard to light because of it. Gotta get a rip roaring one first, then add to coals.
Click to expand...
Most of it's maple, some of the smaller pieces look like ash and lilac(my Gramp got mad at Gram once and cut down an entire row of old lilac), I don't know where they would have had access to ironwood. It's doesn't grow in this area, hardwood here is maple and oak and elm and the softwood is pine and spruce and cedar. It's possible that its elm, I wouldn't recognize it, but it is really hard and I think what I'll do is use the metal splitter and wail on it with a sledge. If that doesn't work, I won't use it. I wonder if there is a way to put moisture back into wood?
 
With water. LOL! Just giving you some grief. Good Luck with your stock pile there, Eh, hoser!
 
bags said:
With water. LOL! Just giving you some grief. Good Luck with your stock pile there, Eh, hoser!
Click to expand...

Ya know, I'm wondering if I can soak some of the petrified wood in water for a few days and then dry it out a little and try splitting it, most of its stove length, so it could be used I think. Hosers in Canada are people who wear tuques, have lots of beers and give one another cigarettes for Christmas. I really don't know any;lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: bags and D8Chumley
I would let some of these others really guide you thru your dilemma here. They know wood better than I and I was kidding but when you run out of options anything is fair game. Try some of what they have said already and report back with results.

Hosers = straight up hill-billys around here and throughout the US. You have your classy country folk and then you have your people you look at and wonder how they make it thru another day.!!! What's the last thing the hill-billy said before he died? Hey Y'all, Watch this!;lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big papa
bags said:
Can you get some pics
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd like to see some of this "Blackwood' split open. Maybe it's Black Oak, Black Locust, Black Cherry or Black Walnut. ==c
 
  • Like
Reactions: TreePointer
McKeznak said:
I fit at least two out of three and don't mind either.
Click to expand...
Take off, eh? ;lol 2 of 3 here as well. No more smokes, but toques and beers abound in my corner of the great white north...
 
  • Like
Reactions: SKIN052
I drink beer and wear warm head gear in winter too. Country boy here. The hill-billys I am referring to are along the lines of ghetto thugs. Not too bright.
 
Oh I forgot to mention, you have to hang cigarettes on your christmas tree as ornaments to be an old time hoser. And you can only have one tuque and I have four. Pretty expensive christmas ornaments too, a carton of cigs up here is ninety or so canadian dollars.

So everybody wants to see pics of the wood I have? I'll recharge my camera battery and take pics in the next few days.
 
Charlotte987 said:
So everybody wants to see pics of the wood I have? I'll recharge my camera battery and take pics in the next few days.
Click to expand...
Now IF ya gotta charge batteries in a camera and you're not snapping them with a newer high speed run your life phone............ You might be a Hoser!::-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big papa
How can I not like that eh?
 
Charlotte987 said:
The original hosers in Canada were Bob and Doug MacKenzie. That's who I'm describing when I mention 'hosers.' [/quot
Click to expand...

The stubbies on the table - that's vintage hoser ;lol.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

P
Two Year Old Eastern Hophornbeam
Replies
4
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
snojetter
snojetter
Woody Stover
Confounded by damp Cheerywood! :-/
Replies
11
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
Jay106n
Jay106n
R
Help a newbie connect the dots... (Huge ash buildup)
Replies
7
Views
890
Pacific Energy
Red Squirrel
R
B
Is my wood ruined or does it need more drying? Some punky?
Replies
52
Views
6K
The Wood Shed
blades
blades
S
My first year with wood
Replies
22
Views
5K
The Wood Shed
Split
S
Top Bottom
Back