Burning Punky wood

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Kenster

Kenster

Minister of Fire
Jan 10, 2010
1,705
Texas- West of Houston
I realize that punky wood is not ideal but I seem to have quite a bit of standing dead oak and hickory that has about an inch think "punkiness" around 14-18 inch good solid wood. Any reason why I shouldn't use it? It will definitely burn. I've been bucking, splitting and stacking it. Should easily be ready for this upcoming winter.
Any problems with burning punky wood?
 
Kenster said:
I realize that punky wood is not ideal but I seem to have quite a bit of standing dead oak and hickory that has about an inch think "punkiness" around 14-18 inch good solid wood. Any reason why I shouldn't use it? It will definitely burn. I've been bucking, splitting and stacking it. Should easily be ready for this upcoming winter.
Any problems with burning punky wood?
Click to expand...
That isn't enough to have much effect on the overall quality of the wood.
 
heck split it and most will fall off!
 
When I first really got into the art and science of wood burning last year, which led me to this website, I kept seeing the term "punky" but didn't know what it was. However, without being told, once I saw "punky" wood I knew exactly what it was. Some down wood I've found has a real thick layer of punk but the heart of the log is like iron! A lot falls off when I split it and I skin some off with a hand axe.
I have found that very dry punky wood lights very quickly and helps get the fire going nicely whereupon it burns down to the 'good' wood.

Does that make any sense?
 
That inch of punk could have dangerous mold spores. Bring it over here so that I can safely dispose of it for you.
 
BURN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Again, I have never seen a cold fire!!!


KC
 
except for the punky part absorbing water like a sponge as mentioned above, it can be a little messier than bark.
A little easier to sweep under the carpet than bark, actually. :)

I usually have a few splits and branches from the red oak and cherry that get cut up here that have a little bit.
I've saved some that was almost 50% punky when I was short. I'd probably leave that( the 50%) to rot today being a couple years ahead. Once I have cutting time into something it gets split and stacked.
 
Cut, split and stack oak around here and usually within a year it will have that 1" of punk on the outside. It doesn't hurt a thing except for perhaps making a bit more of a mess when taking the wood indoors and loading the stove. It burns just fine.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
Cut, split and stack oak around here and usually within a year it will have that 1" of punk on the outside. It doesn't hurt a thing except for perhaps making a bit more of a mess when taking the wood indoors and loading the stove. It burns just fine.
Click to expand...

That's like a little parka of kindlen for the oak logs. Droppem in the firebox and WHOOF! Sets the heartwood ablaze and keeps things rolling.
 
We have a lot of punky wood that we burn. It is from some wind storms a few years back. Biggest thing I see is it needs to be undercover like mentioned above it absorbs water like a sponge. The least amount of rain and it`s soaked.
 
Just a little punk . . . I'll leave it on and make sure it stays dry so it doesn't sop up the water like a sponge . . . if dry it burns great . . . sometimes I'll take a few minutes and hack off the punk with an ax or hatchet.

A lot of punk . . . the wood stays in the woods to become tree fertilizer.

About the only disadvantages of burning punky wood as I see it is the potential mess, it can suck up and retain water easier and it will burn rather quickly . . . however, if the wood is kept dry and is only a bit punky I wouldn't worry about burning it.
 
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