Do you burn pine and hardwoods? Need some suggestions.

[mbcijim]

I've never had pine before and have 1 cords of pine to split now. I usually burn Oak/Ash/Maple. I only burn 3 months a year because I have geothermal and the $50/month I'd save by burning in the shoulder seasons just isn't worth it for me. So do I suck it up and burn just the pine in the shoulder season? Do I mix in the pine with my hardwoods (I can easily do that, it needs to be moved twice till it gets to my woodstove) and burn it in the depths of winter? I'm 3 years ahead I don't need it I could use it as my campfire wood too. All my options are open just looking for a suggestion.

 

[Agent]

I burn nothing but pine and it works just fine - If you really want to just use it up though, burn it during days when you are home, and keep to your hardwoods when trying to get long burns.

 

[CTYank]

I've never had pine before and have 1 cords of pine to split now. I usually burn Oak/Ash/Maple. I only burn 3 months a year because I have geothermal and the $50/month I'd save by burning in the shoulder seasons just isn't worth it for me. So do I suck it up and burn just the pine in the shoulder season? Do I mix in the pine with my hardwoods (I can easily do that, it needs to be moved twice till it gets to my woodstove) and burn it in the depths of winter? I'm 3 years ahead I don't need it I could use it as my campfire wood too. All my options are open just looking for a suggestion.

1. I'd be totally amazed if you had actual "geothermal" heating in PA, like in Iceland and New Zealand, vice ground-loop storage. Unless you live in Centralia

2. Pine is useful for kindling, quick-burning by itself or mixed in. I go for ALL. The really good stuff will get better biding its time.
Why close any option that benefits you?

 

[firecracker_77]

i don't know that the modern stoves have the same creosote issues where pine becomes a problem.

i was curious about the not being worth the trouble comment. i am addicted to fire...always have loved it. i have natural gas here, and it's cheap relatively. i'm not sure i save anything by burning, but those flames and the heat it throws off are intoxicating.

i have a client who owns a tree service who has a renovated farm house with geothermal. the guy has a gigantic pile of wood for selling to customers, but doesn't want to burn as the geothermal is really cheap.

 

[firefighterjake]

Well if you're not going to burn the pine in the shoulder seasons . . .

1) Use it as kindling or for starting the fire as it should allow you a relatively quick start and give you a half decent bed of coals.
2) Use it for those occasional days when you just need a quick, hot fire to warm the place up.
3) Use it when you're home . . . realizing that you may need to load a little more often compared to using all hardwood.
4) Mix it in with the "good stuff" . . . one or two pieces on the bed of coals to get things going in good shape with the hardwood on top.

 

[firecracker_77]

Well if you're not going to burn the pine in the shoulder seasons . . .

1) Use it as kindling or for starting the fire as it should allow you a relatively quick start and give you a half decent bed of coals.
2) Use it for those occasional days when you just need a quick, hot fire to warm the place up.
3) Use it when you're home . . . realizing that you may need to load a little more often compared to using all hardwood.
4) Mix it in with the "good stuff" . . . one or two pieces on the bed of coals to get things going in good shape with the hardwood on top.

really good advice...i'd save it for getting your fires re-ignited from coals. that's what i use my non-treated pine lumber scrap for. takes right off and coals quickly.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

i don't know that the modern stoves have the same creosote issues where pine becomes a problem.

i was curious about the not being worth the trouble comment. i am addicted to fire...always have loved it. i have natural gas here, and it's cheap relatively. i'm not sure i save anything by burning, but those flames and the heat it throws off are intoxicating.

i have a client who owns a tree service who has a renovated farm house with geothermal. the guy has a gigantic pile of wood for selling to customers, but doesn't want to burn as the geothermal is really cheap.

Here we go again. I hope that some day people will stop with the pine/creosote thing. It is nothing but an old wives tale as pine does not cause creosote.

 

[Oregon Bigfoot]

I agree with Dennis. Unseasoned wood causes creosote. It doesn't matter what kind of wood.

Oregon Bigfoot

 

[mbcijim]

CTYank, yes you're correct I have what you call ground loop storage.

Firecracker, if I had my woodstove going today (46* right now), my house would be 75*. Stove's in the basement. At most the geothermal cost me $100/month in the shoulder season and more likely $50/month. I love my stove, it is my hobby, but the house would be too warm and too much running up & down the stairs and restarting fires, etc... 3 months a year my heat cost me $200, which is enough for me to light the fire. Ex-wife refused to have the woodstove on the first floor. Notice the "ex" part.

Everyone else - thanks for the tips! Not 100% sure what I'll decide I need to let it dry. Definitely make some of it kindling. I think I will keep it separate so I can choose later.

While we're on the creosote subject, since I never had pine before, how long should I season it? My hardwoods all season 3 years (because I am 3 years ahead at this point). Can I burn it sooner?

 

[Agent]

If it's all split, I'd bet you could get away burning it with one year of seasoning.

 

[Woody Stover]

I split some Red Pine into small kindling. I use it to start top-down fires from a cold start, or else to get a reload going in a hurry.

 

[fossil]

I mix my seasoned Pine in with the rest of my seasoned Pine, and that's what I burn whenever I burn...shoulder season, head season, leg season, whenever. Rick

 

[Gasifier]

If your pine is c/s, then stacked outside and allowed to dry for a year, it will be fine. +1000000 on the fact that Pine does not create creosote. To much water in wood creates creosote. The reason so many people think Pine creates creosote is because so many people burned Pine that was not seasoned long enough.

 

[Gary_602z]

Hey mbcijim, For 50.00 a month it sounds like that you are burning for the ambiance and the heat is just a bonus! In that case just burn whatever you have as long as it is dry.

Gary

Oops, I just read your post again and it was 50.00 in the shoulder season. Never mind what I posted and just send me a bottle of Grey Goose! :lol:

Gary

 

[PapaDave]

I mix my seasoned Pine in with the rest of my seasoned Pine, and that's what I burn whenever I burn...shoulder season, head season, leg season, whenever. Rick

Too funny.
Glad you're an equal opportunity burner. :lol:

 

[PapaDave]

I'd "season" it until it's DRY. But, that's me.
Around here, that's somewhere around 6 months, if summer, but longer could be better.
I don't know how long it takes to dry it in winter, but I'm doing that to some right now, so I'll know better whenever I check it.

 

[Kenster]

I had about half a cord of pine that I cut up and removed from a neighbors yard where it had been on the ground for about two years. It's less than 10% MC. I've never burned pine before. Love the stuff. I use it to get my fire going really good and hot before I start adding my oak. The pine is also great for getting the fire going again in the mornings.
Just toss a couple of small splits on the coals. Add a bit of air and away we go....

 

[red oak]

Pine will definitely be good after a year - maybe sooner depending on where you are. If I split pine in the early spring I have no qualms about burning it in 6 months. I generally use it for kindling/firestarter but occasionally will mix it in with the hardwoods. I generally don't like to fill the stove up with pine only because it burns really hot but I'm sure that's just me. Many out west burn almost exclusively pine and have no problems. And no creosote either!

 

[MarkinNC]

It has been so mild down here I have mostly burned pine and poplar this year to take the chill off the house. I use pine (and other softwoods) for cold starts and to take the chill off the house. I rarely reload with it. There is no reason to let it go to waste

 

[SolarAndWood]

Pine split in the Spring is good to go that Winter. I wouldn't waste the real estate for any longer than that.

 

[Wood Duck]

I like to add a plit or two of pine to a load of oak to get the fire hot more quickly. I like mixed loads of wood becasue it seems like different woods give off gases at different rates, and mixed loads give a more even secondary burn. Pine mixes wil with hardwood for a nice long burn. Pine is also great kindling.

 

[Hass]

Here we go again. I hope that some day people will stop with the pine/creosote thing. It is nothing but an old wives tale as pine does not cause creosote.

Stop with these lies savage... Pine DOES cause an incredible amount of creosote in your chimney!! you should drop it all off in my yard preferably pre-split, and I'll dispose of it properly.


That being said, I have a couple cords of cottonwood and pine to burn this year. I've been burning some pine to get fires going, then using cottonwood after that. Cottonwood seems to start on fire rather slowly... Pine will light right up though. I'm getting 26+ hour burns on it all, so it's good enough for me!

As far as creosote from pine goes, the majority of people around here strongly believe it causes more creosote. Some say poplar causes chimney fires too. My father and grandfather both tried to tell me not to burn pine because it cause a lot of creosote in your chimney. Both of them are old time wood burners, they don't do it any longer though. People here don't even try to sell Pine, they just give it away. Especially after wind storms, they just buck it up and toss it by the road. Some people even offer to deliver the wood to get rid of it. It's treated like the plague around here.... Which is absolutely good news for me.

 

[RNLA]

Backwoods savage (Dennis) Does it again. Season the wood! I thought I had it worked out too till I came here.... Pine too with the other 7-8 species I have in my piles!