The bark is falling off!!!!

[ikessky]

I decided I better bring my wood home before the snow starts flying, so I made a trip out to the stacks and started loading. As I did, I noticed that most of the bark is falling off my splits. Now, in the past, I've had some pieces that lost their bark, but never white ash. Last night, almost all my white ash lost it's bark as I loaded the truck. Maybe it seasoned longer this time or maybe this was a better drying year. Whatever it is, I'm encouraged that my wood supply this year is better than ever.

 

[Battenkiller]

What time of year was it cut? Bark retention has more to do with the time of year it was cut than with it's age. Backwoods Savage here on Hearth has some white ash about nine years old and the bark is still very tight to the wood, almost welded in place. It was stored outside all that time with only the top covered.

 

[ikessky]

I guess that could be. I don't really remember when it was all cut. More than likely in the spring/early summer of last year though. Either way, I'm happy with my wood supply. No bark means less mess in my basement and any wood with surface moisture will dry out even quicker in the furnace room.

 

[Battenkiller]

I guess that could be. I don't really remember when it was all cut. More than likely in the spring/early summer of last year though. Either way, I'm happy with my wood supply. No bark means less mess in my basement and any wood with surface moisture will dry out even quicker in the furnace room.

Plus, more real fuel fits in the stove and less ash at the bottom to take out.

 

[zzr7ky]

Most of my Ash will lose it's bark. The same cambrium layer that the EAB likes to eat will eventually dry out, rot, etc and let go.

I'm haulling severl cords now that I left in the woods last year. The Spring rains and Summer heat put me behind schedule. It's all Ash and I have to shovel the bark out of the truck bed with a snow shovel! It'll make for some nice clean splits after splitting and a season or two of drying.

I'll surely miss all this Ash. The EAB killed everything ofer 8" or so in diameter.

MikeP

 

[CountryBoy19]

I'll surely miss all this Ash. The EAB killed everything ofer 8" or so in diameter.

MikeP

Yup, it's sad to see them go so fast. Despite treating all of his yard trees, dad has now lost 2 of 6. My brother lost both of his Ash yard trees (they were big ones). It's a shame really... And to think that the spread of this would have all been extremely slow if people wouldn't unknowingly transport this horrible pest all over the country. You can see it on the map. Everywhere there is a campground is where EAB pops up. Indiana DNR just made a new regulation that ALL firewood brought to a state park must have the bark stripped off.... it's a little bit late for that... most state parks are already infected now.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most of my Ash will lose it's bark. The same cambrium layer that the EAB likes to eat will eventually dry out, rot, etc and let go.

I'm haulling severl cords now that I left in the woods last year. The Spring rains and Summer heat put me behind schedule. It's all Ash and I have to shovel the bark out of the truck bed with a snow shovel! It'll make for some nice clean splits after splitting and a season or two of drying.

I'll surely miss all this Ash. The EAB killed everything ofer 8" or so in diameter.

MikeP

There is the key. As BK stated, our old ash still has all the bark. However, wood that we cut in 2009-2010 had lots of bark peeling off as we split the wood. Simple reason is that the wood was dead when we cut it on 2009-2010. Now all our ash is dead. Guess what we'll have lots of...

 

[ikessky]

Bringing back an older thread of mine. I started bringing wood home again this year and in the first truck load, I think 95% of the splits had zero bark on them. I got thinking that another reason for this could also be that my FIL's processor could help to loosen the bark when the trees are going through the roller wheels.

 

[bogydave]

I think it's drier & also the insect damage has some effect.
Let us know if it burns better.

I've noticed that after the 3rd year, bark on my birch gets loose & starts falling off when thrown around.
I "assume" it even drier & the wood has shrunk but the bark hasn't so it gets loose.
Not that I have much 3 years seasoned birch but the times I have, I noticed the bark getting loose.
Different wood, with a totally different bark though.

 

[Gark]

Seems that for the stacks that were top-covered, the splits held their bark quite a bit more than some 'experimental' uncovered stacks. I wonder if there is any rational reason for this, or is it just my imagination? I'm comparing white oak covered vs. white oak uncovered stacks. Both were harvested from the same tree at the same time.

 

[cptoneleg]

Seems that for the stacks that were top-covered, the splits held their bark quite a bit more than some 'experimental' uncovered stacks. I wonder if there is any rational reason for this, or is it just my imagination? I'm comparing white oak covered vs. white oak uncovered stacks. Both were harvested from the same tree at the same time.

Let us know how the covered uncovered Oak turns out, I.m betting there is no difference after three yrs. I let mine sit (uncovered) in single rows 3 yrs then to the woodshed.

 

[Wood Duck]

I find that my oak (white, black, red, chestnut) loses its bark if it sits near the top of the stack and is exposed to sun and rain. If it is lower down in the stack it is much more likely to hold its bark. If I move it to the top it will lose its bark in a few weeks or months. This oak was all from storm damaged trees that fell in October a few years ago.

I think it seasons a lot better without the bark.

 

[CageMaster]

i don't mind when the bark falls off, just speeds up the drying process, certain species of poplar we burn seem to dry much slower with the bark on...almost like it creates a vapor barrier to hold moisture in.

 

[ikessky]

I'm not concerned about the drying process. This is the second summer that it has sat split and stacked. What I don't care for is the mess that I end up dragging home and into my basement because of the bark. Also, I can't store all my wood in the basement anymore, so some of it ends up sitting behind the house. It gets covered with tarps, but still manages to get some snow and ice on it. You'd be amazed at how much moisture that bark holds once that stuff gets thrown into the furnace room and thaws out.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm not concerned about the drying process. This is the second summer that it has sat split and stacked. What I don't care for is the mess that I end up dragging home and into my basement because of the bark. Also, I can't store all my wood in the basement anymore, so some of it ends up sitting behind the house. It gets covered with tarps, but still manages to get some snow and ice on it. You'd be amazed at how much moisture that bark holds once that stuff gets thrown into the furnace room and thaws out.

Nope. Would not be amazed at all.

 

[Wood Duck]

I can go out to the stacks on a dry day like today and find moisture under the loose bark on the firewood. It hasn't rained much for several days here, but the bark holds the moisture extremely well.

 

[BoilerMan]

If you think about it, that is what the bark is supposed to do for the tree. Hold the moisture in, and keep the bugs out.

TS