Bark. A question just out of curiosity

[My Oslo heats my home]

This year I scored 4 cords of seasoned logs from a guy that had fallen into tough times. He was about to foreclose on his house and called me to buy his wood supply. He had all rounds stacked onto pallets, this stuff was about 2-3 years old and in good shape. When I brought it home and was splitting, most of the logs lost its bark before or while splitting. Does anyone do anything like this in order to remove the bark?

 

[jdp1152]

I just let it fall of and throw in the woods. Was restacking a few cords to the back of my house and almost all the red oak and norway maple bark was coming off. Occasionally I might scoop it up into a milk crate for fire starter, but no so much anymore

 

[n3pro]

If the bark falls off or is starting to come of I remove it. I been surprised how much moisture stays between the bark and the wood, however I don't go through any real extra effort to debark.

 

[swagler85]

If the bark falls off or is starting to come of I remove it. I been surprised how much moisture stays between the bark and the wood, however I don't go through any real extra effort to debark.

+1

 

[bogydave]

Bark starts to come off over time.
Wood will dry faster if it split so I always split & stack ASAP.
I've never left it in rounds until the bark got loose.

Wood type?

Some woods if split & dried, the bark stays attached well. Bark is BTUs

 

[Wood Duck]

I am sure it would be much better if all of my firewood had no bark on it. The bark holds moisture against the wood for a long time after a rain. However, unless the bark gets loose by itself, there isn't much I can do about it. I try to remove all the loose bark.

 

[Locust Post]

I have always thought the bark made for a little more ash build up. May just be that I am delusional though.

 

[jdp1152]

I have always thought the bark made for a little more ash build up. May just be that I am delusional though.

No idea about ash build up...I'm sure someone here has done a few tests. I do know it results in easier hiding of bugs and more clinkers for clean out.

 

[Trilifter7]

If the bark falls off or is starting to come of I remove it. I been surprised how much moisture stays between the bark and the wood, however I don't go through any real extra effort to debark.

+2

 

[lumbering on]

Bark up or Bark down?

(for our norwegian friends)

 

[HDRock]

I am sure it would be much better if all of my firewood had no bark on it. The bark holds moisture against the wood for a long time after a rain. However, unless the bark gets loose by itself, there isn't much I can do about it. I try to remove all the loose bark.

Not only that the bark harbors bugs, I don't mind a stack of no bark wood in the house.
If it is loose at all, I get it off, and burn the bark outside

 

[Billybonfire]

When walking round checking my stacks, I have got into the habit of picking off loose bark if I see any.
Like others have said I think it helps seasoning and keeps bugs out of the house.

Billy.

 

[firefighterjake]

Never had a bug problem due to bark . . . and the wood generally is pretty dry regardless of the bark as it sits outside for a year and then inside the woodshed for another year before burning in Year 3.

That said, after a year or two outside . . . or sometimes while splitting the bark comes off . . . while I don't actively de-bark it, if the bark comes off or is wicked loose I'll just toss the bark around my stacks to act as a mulch to keep the grass and weeds down.

 

[Trilifter7]

Never had a bug problem due to bark . . . and the wood generally is pretty dry regardless of the bark as it sits outside for a year and then inside the woodshed for another year before burning in Year 3.

That said, after a year or two outside . . . or sometimes while splitting the bark comes off . . . while I don't actively de-bark it, if the bark comes off or is wicked loose I'll just toss the bark around my stacks to act as a mulch to keep the grass and weeds down.

I do the same. It does make a great ground cover!

 

[lumbering on]

Nobody burns the bark?

Isn't that wasted BTUs?

 

[Trilifter7]

I just don't like the mess bark leaves. I've also heard it leaves more ash in the stove, that's not confirmed though

 

[katwillny]

I use the bark as a method to control weed growth around the wood pile. But most of it goes in the woods.

 

[albert1029]

I just burn it it the fire pit..don't get much, harvest mostly dead BL that hasn't any bark...had Elm bark that burned real good...

 

[fossil]

If it stays on, it rides the split into the stove. If it falls off, it adds to the ground cover. I don't do anything to intentionally de-bark firewood, nor do I collect up the fallen off stuff to burn. Rick

 

[MrWhoopee]

If the bark is loose, it comes off easily during splitting. Otherwise, it goes on the stack and usually loosens by the time the wood's ready to burn. I use the heaviest plates of douglas fir bark (3/4 in. thick) as ground cover under my stacks, adding a new layer each year. I just discovered that it burns very well in my chimnea, along with the splitter driblings. Long burning and plentiful, a waste product has now become fuel.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes, you will get more ash from the bark. No, I would not do anything extra to remove the bark. If it falls off, that's okay. If it stays on, that's okay too.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Locust seems to drop the bark very fast. I can't recall ever burning any locust with the bark on.

 

[red oak]

Nobody burns the bark?

Isn't that wasted BTUs?

I do. If it falls off, I collect it in a few bins and give it the summer to dry, then use it as kindling. I should say the kids collect it as that's a job they've inherited! I also burn a fair amount in campfires.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I just let it fall of and throw in the woods. Was restacking a few cords to the back of my house and almost all the red oak and norway maple bark was coming off. Occasionally I might scoop it up into a milk crate for fire starter, but no so much anymore

Jdp, I like your profile pic, nice stacks you got there.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Bark starts to come off over time.
Wood will dry faster if it split so I always split & stack ASAP.
I've never left it in rounds until the bark got loose.

Wood type?

Some woods if split & dried, the bark stays attached well. Bark is BTUs

A majority of the bark coming off is coming from red oak. The score has red & white oak and some sugar maple. The maple bark is coming off from the edges only, red oak is all coming off, in sheets so to speak.