Difficulty in burning Red Oak

  • 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.
L

LSaupe

Member
Dec 8, 2007
72
Southern Adirondacks NY
Greetings All:

My second full season of burning with a wood stove. For some reason, I am having a difficult time burning red oak. All other hardwoods burn great. I am even trying to burn red oak that has seasoned (covered and exposed to air and sun, and is cracking) but still have a tough time trying to get this to burn (unless placed in a real hot stove along with other hard woods). It does appear to be dry (as evidenced by cracking and sound when hitting two together).

The other wodds burn fabulously, but the read oak gives me fits every time. All woods seasoned together on the same rack system.

Any idea's?

Larry S.
 
stack it seperate if you can and burn it 2 yrs from now, if you can.
 
Red oak takes the longest to dry. To get oak ready in one season I have 14" lengths split it small 5 inches or less at the cross section and stack in single rows. Larger splits or more than a single row will take a couple of seasons to dry. Pieces I had drying since last July were 22% moisture content in the middle. 20% or less is best for the newer stoves. Let the oak stay put for next season.
 
Red oak takes f o r e v e r to season.

Give it time - it's like money in the bank - a 2 or 3 year CD. :)
 
LSaupe said:
It does appear to be dry (as evidenced by cracking and sound when hitting two together).
Click to expand...
Cracking on the ends indicates that the wood on the ends shrunk more than the wood in the middle. As the wood in the middle dries and shrinks too, the cracks diminish somewhat. Sound is not an accurate indicator. Weight is a better indicator.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Split
Since you live in the S ADK's, may I suggest . . .

Measure up your stacks of red oak

Trade them cord-for-cord for something ready to burn . . .say . . .Aspen

Let me know how much you got and I'll be there . . . :cheese:
 
Actually I am almost finished with what I have here, but am ready to order another load for next season. Hopefully I can do this without having red oak in the mix. If not, I will let you know when it arrives and I get it sorted.

Thanks again for all the replies. Looks like I was only half way there with regard to dryness.

Best Regards,

Larry S.
 
LSaupe said:
Actually I am almost finished with what I have here, but am ready to order another load for next season...
Click to expand...
Therein lies your problem. You should have ordered up next season's load a year ago.
 
All I burn is red oak, since that is most prevalant where I live. Mine sits 2 years in the wood shed before I burn it. Get a year ahead and you will love it.
 
tutu_sue said:
Red oak takes the longest to dry. To get oak ready in one season I have 14" lengths split it small 5 inches or less at the cross section and stack in single rows. Larger splits or more than a single row will take a couple of seasons to dry. Pieces I had drying since last July were 22% moisture content in the middle. 20% or less is best for the newer stoves. Let the oak stay put for next season.
Click to expand...

That's an incredible result for red oak in less than a year. I would have expected it to still be in the 30% range or even higher. Cutting it short and lots of wind (I assume) may be the key. Most of the oak I have cut in the past was in the 20-22" range, cut long for a long box stove. It never seemed to dry for me so I gave up on it years ago. Too bad, because it's a good wood and readily available to me here.
 
Battenkiller, I agree based on my experience that cutting it short say 12" to 14" and having it in full sun and wind off the ground really cuts down the seasoning time. It may be more of a hassle to manage and load up shorter lengths, but the heat red oak gives off is fantastic.
 
LSaupe said:
Actually I am almost finished with what I have here, but am ready to order another load for next season. Hopefully I can do this without having red oak in the mix. If not, I will let you know when it arrives and I get it sorted.

Thanks again for all the replies. Looks like I was only half way there with regard to dryness.

Best Regards,

Larry S.
Click to expand...

Larry, once you get that red oak seasoned good, you won't want to trade it! It gives you a lot of heat with longer burn times. Its only drawback is the drying time; other than that it is difficult to beat for good firewood. This is just one more instance why 3 years wood supply is my recommendation. Red oak takes 3 years to season well. Also, if you have a 3 year supply on hand you don't have to make such small splits in order to get them to dry faster. The larger splits also will give you a longer burning time.
 
LSaupe said:
Actually I am almost finished with what I have here, but am ready to order another load for next season. Hopefully I can do this without having red oak in the mix.
Click to expand...

Larry, I long ago started telling wood guys I don't want any red oak period, and I'm really firm about it. I'm the customer, after all. I don't buy whatever meat the store happens to have, why should I buy just any old wood? I get some initial resistance, but they usually really want the sale, and then I find out they can get their hands on some ash or hickory or hard maple or maybe even some black locust. Some of the best wood dealers are the ones that will work with you. They usually cut from multiple wood lots, and they all know it takes three years to season oak, so telling them you'll go elsewhere to get what you need actually makes you seem pretty savvy, maybe even ensures you get a full load. Sometimes they want a bit more money, and I gladly pay them for the extra effort. I get a lot more bang for my buck with ash at $175/cord than oak at $150/cord if both are only seasoned for a year.

Of course, if you have the money and storage space, go for the oak to lay down for the future. But treat it like Paul Masson wine, and don't burn it before its time.
 
Battenkiller said:
LSaupe said:
Actually I am almost finished with what I have here, but am ready to order another load for next season. Hopefully I can do this without having red oak in the mix.
Click to expand...

Larry, I long ago started telling wood guys I don't want any red oak period, and I'm really firm about it. I'm the customer, after all. I don't buy whatever meat the store happens to have, why should I buy just any old wood? I get some initial resistance, but they usually really want the sale, and then I find out they can get their hands on some ash or hickory or hard maple or maybe even some black locust. Some of the best wood dealers are the ones that will work with you. They usually cut from multiple wood lots, and they all know it takes three years to season oak, so telling them you'll go elsewhere to get what you need actually makes you seem pretty savvy, maybe even ensures you get a full load. Sometimes they want a bit more money, and I gladly pay them for the extra effort. I get a lot more bang for my buck with ash at $175/cord than oak at $150/cord if both are only seasoned for a year.

Of course, if you have the money and storage space, go for the oak to lay down for the future. But treat it like Paul Masson wine, and don't burn it before its time.
Click to expand...


I have been asking for stuff other than oak... people in these parts think i am crazy!.. funny thing is sitting on 6 cords of oak for next year and beyond, finally found a guy who can bring me oak, ash, maple mix for 100 bucks... will be trying him on sunday!
 
iceman said:
I have been asking for stuff other than oak... people in these parts think i am crazy!.. funny thing is sitting on 6 cords of oak for next year and beyond, finally found a guy who can bring me oak, ash, maple mix for 100 bucks... will be trying him on sunday!
Click to expand...

Wow, what a price! At $100/cord, I'd buy 3 years worth and separate the oak out. I pay $175 for straight ash, so getting any at $100 per would be like a gift.
 
Been heating this joint with red and white oak for twenty four years. Burned my first ash and maple this year.

Folks, you can have that crap. I will stack it at the curb for you.
 
I have a bunch of burr oak on my property and around the area and it burns really nice. I think it seasons a bit faster than red oak because it's ready to go after 24 months .
 
iceman said:
I have been asking for stuff other than oak... people in these parts think i am crazy!.. funny thing is sitting on 6 cords of oak for next year and beyond, finally found a guy who can bring me oak, ash, maple mix for 100 bucks... will be trying him on sunday!
Click to expand...

Hey now... is that the guy in Agawam? Dont go buying it all now. ;)

Message me with that info if you fell alright about it! Theres a guy in agawam too.

:)


-josh
 
BrotherBart said:
Been heating this joint with red and white oak for twenty four years. Burned my first ash and maple this year.

Folks, you can have that crap. I will stack it at the curb for you.
Click to expand...

No doubt oak's great stuff, especially white oak. But I'm only 58. I'd like to burn something before I retire. ;-P
 
BrotherBart said:
Been heating this joint with red and white oak for twenty four years. Burned my first ash and maple this year.

Folks, you can have that crap. I will stack it at the curb for you.
Click to expand...

?!?!? - I hope that's a joke! I'm planing a nearly 100% ash season next winter, while my red oak, maple, beech, etc. gets a full 2.5 years before burning. I've heard ash is quite good. Cheers!
 
That's it, all you guys keep telling the forest pros oak is no good. . .drive the price down far enough and I can buy it up :lol:
 
One thing is for sure no matter what any body says, ash and oak are both very good wood, I am surprised that so many people have trouble with the oak, that is the main wood I have used for 30 years and have never had a problem getting it dry enough to burn. There are so many varibles to the wood drying that it is hard to pin point the issues people have with it. Once you burn dry oak you will be a believer and you can be saved.
 
I am in my second year of burning and ran out this year. Had to get about 1/2 cord from my father in law, who is hard core wood burner for 40 years. 10 cords in reserve. 1/2 cord of at least five year seasoned oak... it's like having an ice cold Sam Adams after a lifetime of drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon.
 
BrotherBart said:
Been heating this joint with red and white oak for twenty four years. Burned my first ash and maple this year.

Folks, you can have that crap. I will stack it at the curb for you.
Click to expand...

Oh I don't know . . . not having much oak on the family land I'm kind of partial to ash and maple . . . it's my two go-to woods for heating in the dead of a Maine winter . . . seems to work fine for me . . . in fact if I could only burn with one wood it would probably be ash.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Caw
Burning Boxelder
Replies
26
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
Caw
Caw
D
Free scrounge but should I take it?
Replies
16
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
sneefy
sneefy
E
To Cover or Not To Cover?
Replies
33
Views
5K
The Wood Shed
TheElementalCashew
TheElementalCashew
M
FPX42 Apex Burn times
Replies
14
Views
547
Travis Industries: Lopi, Avalon, FPX
Mooch
M
7
Quadrafire Pioneer ll Burn time
Replies
4
Views
621
QuadraFire
73PowerStroke
7
Top Bottom
Back