When Loading - Are you a bark up or bark down kind of person

[NothingLikeWood]

Just wondering if you get more out of your wood (with a coal start) when you load a split with NS bark down. We're experiencing the true cold of winter this week and I'd like to get the most effective burn with the longest length possible. We are experimenting with bark down and are able to bring the flue up to temperature just a bit slower than with bark up. I "think" the bark down loads are lasting a bit longer but I am not sure as we've only been doing it for the last two loads.

I know its always bark down with an unsplit small round but we decided to split most of our wood in May so that it would get the best dry possible. We only have a few choice rounds that didn't split (but the attempted split end did help with the drying) for these cold nights.

So.....has anyone tried the bark down method and is willing to provide some insight as to its effectiveness? Thanks in advance!

 

[PNWBurner]

I load EW rather than NS but bark towards the draft definetely takes off slower than bark facing towards the back.

The bark seems to insulate the wood and slow down the burn for a bit. I imagine it would do the same thing in your NS orientation with the bark down.

 

[iceman]

i try not to burn wood with bark... makes a lot more ash from what i see.... so usually i take it off before i bring it in the house... but for those piecse that don't usually bark down... i dont why .. never even thought about till you brought it up.. but mine goes down

 

[wood spliter]

I load bark up on a morning start with coals thinking it lights quicker. Afrter that what ever way I can fit the most in. I also try to have no bark on if possiable.

 

[BrotherBart]

I will have to pay attention and get back to ya. Never have given it a thought.

 

[bogydave]

Since none of my wood is the same size or shape, How ever it fits best is how it goes in.
Don't seem to mater, the birch bark takes off in a short time.
What do you do with the small round pieces that don't have to be split ?

 

[Corey]

Wood side down if I want a fast light, bark side down if I want a little delay - like if the house is already up to temp and I'm loading for overnight.

 

[LLigetfa]

However the puzzle pieces fit together. Bark direction matters not to me. I imagine that with some species of wood it would matter.

 

[caber]

Depends on the coals. Lots of coals = back down. Cold start = bark up. I always felt I could start the fire faster and easier with the bark side up if I am starting from scratch. I do usually try to remove the bark if I have the time and inclination. Makes it cleaner when storing in the house or on the porch.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Experiment: the next time you try to light an outdoor fire, which way would you lay the wood? I'm betting it is bark up simply because the bare wood will start burning much, much easier than lighting the bark. However, if you have a good coal bed you can do either way. By habit, I always load with bark up or bark to the side.

 

[Highbeam]

We are currently burning some old douglas fir. The bark can be a few inches thick. The bark seems to swell up and buckle when it burns and I don't want this expansion directed into the glass or into the fiber baffle ceiling of the stove so I purposely place the bark away from those things. Other than that I don't worry about it unless I am trying to restart a barely burning fire and then I put the wood to the coals for rapid startup.

 

[firefighterjake]

Normally whatever way that fits for me . . . but if I stop to think about it . . . which is rather rare . . . the thinking part that is . . . I try not to think too much being a firefighter . . . I most often end up with the bark up . . . but in reality find that it doesn't really matter a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Patapsco Mike]

You know what they say- Bark up, happy pup. Bark down, dog will frown.



Just made that up. I never pay any attention. It's all going to burn.

 

[SteveKG]

Ummm, some have a whole lot of time on their hands!