Is there a good reason to de-bark wood before burning?

[CowboyAndy]

i take mine and strip the bark off, run it over a belt sander with progressivly finer paper starting at 20 grit finishing with 2000, then use the router to carve grooves and use square dowels to construct mega firewood like the way they put together log homes. then i use a no voc varnish to achive a glass look with 8 coats, 1500 grit in between. then once thats done i put them in their custom built "wood warmer", using down comforters to make sure they stay warm.

i always make sure i am wearing my tux when i put them into the furnace.

 

[kenny chaos]

You win.

 

[firefighterjake]

Wow . . . a debate on whether or not to burn bark-less, naked wood . . . is there a link here to the thread on talking to trees?

Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.

----

On a serious side . . . do folks actually have the time and inclination to strip off the bark? Egads . . . if folks have time to do this and are doing this out of a fear of bugs, "excess" moisture and more room for more wood I may suggest they consider taking up some more OCD like activities like looking for four leaf clovers in a clover field, counting cars going through an intersection or watching paint dry. Egads . . . it's all wood and it all burns . . . I mean, if it's falling off the split, sure, I might huck it into the wood, but I certainly don't have time to denude each and every stick of wood.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.

Don't let your beech hear you talking to a maple like that.

 

[smokinj]

i take mine and strip the bark off, run it over a belt sander with progressivly finer paper starting at 20 grit finishing with 2000, then use the router to carve grooves and use square dowels to construct mega firewood like the way they put together log homes. then i use a no voc varnish to achive a glass look with 8 coats, 1500 grit in between. then once thats done i put them in their custom built "wood warmer", using down comforters to make sure they stay warm.

i always make sure i am wearing my tux when i put them into the furnace.

thought i was the only one doing that

 

[Danno77]

when i split wood with my Fiskars the bark flies off of the entire round and lands 30 feet away in the flower garden in 2" size nuggets for mulch.

 

[maplewood]

If my bark can come off easily, I take it off. Loose bark holds moisture. But it it's on solid, I leave it, whether I split it or not.
2 cents.

 

[kenny chaos]

I did a little snooping and guess what?
I found that oaks are dying in Pa (home of orginal poster) and special procedures (including debarking) are recommended to prevent
the spread of disease to nearby trees on nearby property.
I also see problems in other states with elm and ash and that some municipalities 'mandate' debarking, yes, even of firewood.
Leave the fiskars for the tool polishers and get yourselves a spud.

 

[velvetfoot]

On a serious side . . . do folks actually have the time and inclination to strip off the bark? Egads . . . if folks have time to do this and are doing this out of a fear of bugs, “excess” moisture and more room for more wood I may suggest they consider taking up some more OCD like activities like looking for four leaf clovers in a clover field, counting cars going through an intersection or watching paint dry. Egads . . . it’s all wood and it all burns . . . I mean, if it’s falling off the split, sure, I might huck it into the wood, but I certainly don’t have time to denude each and every stick of wood.

I get my wood from the garage in my stocking feet in the middle of winter. When I put it in there, I look at each and every piece, brush them off, and pry off loose bark. I'm ambivalent about the whole thing and I'm sure it's not foolproof, but it's just so darn convenient.

 

[Ratman]

Wow . . . a debate on whether or not to burn bark-less, naked wood . . . is there a link here to the thread on talking to trees?

Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.

----

On a serious side . . . do folks actually have the time and inclination to strip off the bark? Egads . . . if folks have time to do this and are doing this out of a fear of bugs, "excess" moisture and more room for more wood I may suggest they consider taking up some more OCD like activities like looking for four leaf clovers in a clover field, counting cars going through an intersection or watching paint dry. Egads . . . it's all wood and it all burns . . . I mean, if it's falling off the split, sure, I might huck it into the wood, but I certainly don't have time to denude each and every stick of wood.

Hey Jake I'd like to sponser you at our weekly 4-leaf clover lovers club. The meeting is in-town, Tuesday evenings at the intersection of maple and beech, you know, next to Egads Paint Store.
I guess I just like my wood to burn clean and guess what; I have all kinds of time to do all kinds of real cool things also.

 

[Inwo]

when i split wood with my Fiskars the bark flies off of the entire round and lands 30 feet away in the flower garden in 2" size nuggets for mulch.

Wow I thought that was the only one that was happening to...

 

[Danno77]

when i split wood with my Fiskars the bark flies off of the entire round and lands 30 feet away in the flower garden in 2" size nuggets for mulch.

Wow I thought that was the only one that was happening to...

nope, that's a standard feature on all Fiskars splitters.