Birch

[Jack Straw]

Well we can all agree that the first log is White Birch. A logger buddy of mine says the second log is Black Birch, it smells minty. He says the third log is yellow birch. What say you?

 

[gzecc]

I'll agree with all.

 

[midwestcoast]

I say your logger friend is right

 

[BobUrban]

Yup

 

[Nixon]

+4,! Get all the black birch you can . Burns close to what oak does ,"seasons" a bit quicker . The only draw back is you need to split it farly quickly ,or it'll tun to mush fairly fast .

 

[Riggs]

how "quick" is quickly when it comes to splitting black birch...through i friend i was just offered to come and remove a whole bunch of black birch trees standing on his property...there are at least 15 of them...all have diameter of at least 23" about 4 feet off the ground. so i'm happy to say the least but i need to give myself enough time to split/stack back at the house and he needs them gone ASAP. plus...i'm not sure i even have enough room for all that wood. i'm guessing that's close to a cord per tree or maybe slightly more than a cord...correct?

 

[BobUrban]

You have time. Get the wood into rounds and stacked off the ground. It will last long enough to get it split. Depending on your available tools - splitter - get it done over a weekend. By hand - get it done over a few weeks taking it a little at a time. Keep it all stacked off the ground and you will be fine. Never turn down free "high BTU" wood or the wood Gods will scorn you!

Be careful and have fun.

 

[Riggs]

thanks Bob..good to know. usually everything gets split within a few weeks...but this might run me in the 3-5 week range because of all the wood...but i think i may have just secured my 2015-2016 wood needs so i'm HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

 

[ScotO]

Your friend knows his birch trees! I love that minty smelling black birch. Birch is one of those woods that, when split and stacked, I'd be top-covering pretty much right away. Just the top.
It'll still season fairly quick and it won't punk out that way. Just my two cents.....

 

[peakbagger]

Not sure about black birch but if you run the saw the length of the trunk about 1/4 inch deep, white or yellow birch wont rot quickly. I have processed logs like this that have sat on the ground for two seasons and it was fine. If the tress are much over 10" I usually score them in two locations. A bonus is the bark peels off in a minute and box of two of birch bark for starting fires is one step away from using kerosene.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

thanks Bob..good to know. usually everything gets split within a few weeks...but this might run me in the 3-5 week range because of all the wood...but i think i may have just secured my 2015-2016 wood needs so i'm HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

Riggs, just remember how good birch bark is for holding water and making canoes. It is this great thing about the bark that also makes it a bit touchy for firewood. It won't let out hardly any moisture and if you watch in the woods, birch will rot from the inside out. It will do the same thing in your wood pile. But if it is split within a couple months you should be fine. Peakbagger also gave the other option for birch.

 

[Jack Straw]

So, is the moisture issue a problem all 3 species I have? Should I split the smaller logs? Will the small unsplit logs rot even stacked?

 

[midwestcoast]

So, is the moisture issue a problem all 3 species I have? Should I split the smaller logs? Will the small unsplit logs rot even stacked?

Yes, yes,and possibly. It's best to get all birch split, or get the bark scored/removed.

 

[Wood Duck]

All birches tend to rot faster than most other woods. White Birch is the worst, but they all rot faster than you'd like them to. Black and Yellow Birch are both great firewood, White Birch is also good, but a little less dense than the other two.

I agree that your friend knows his birch trees.

 

[Woody Stover]

i'm guessing that's close to a cord per tree or maybe slightly more than a cord...correct?

I'd guess maybe two thirds cord on a 23-incher.

 

[firefighterjake]

As others have said . . . sounds like your logger friend knows his stuff.