Got a lead on some Beech

[Niro]

I saw a post on online of a local older woman whom had a beech tree cut down and was offering the logs as firewood for free to anyone that was interested. I responded and went over there with chainsaw and trailer. I cut up all of it for her and fit what I could in my small utility trailer. I told her I might be back but it all cut up in case another person wanted it and she said she will hold it for me till the weekend.

My question is beech good for firewood? I've not burned it before. Should I go back and get the rest? (another 2 trailer full).

 

[stoveliker]

Yes. Burns like oak, but dries in a year. Go get it!

 

[Eman85]

Great firewood, does make fluffy ash. I've burned plenty and would take all I could get.

 

[Niro]

Thanks, I'll get there tomorrow , scoop up the rest.

 

[peakbagger]

Since I do not routinely have access to Oak, Beech is my deep winter long burn wood. It can be difficult to hand split. If there is any beech bark disease it will rot quicker if not covered.

 

[brenndatomu]

Yes, go get it all!

 

[Caw]

What's the address? I'll go get it all cleaned up and prepped for you 😜

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks, I'll get there tomorrow , scoop up the rest.

So just as a heads up.. When you score wood and your not sure.. look it up on a BTU chart.. Im pretty sure beach is in the area of about 23 million BTUs per cord.. thats good as compared to say poplar which I believe is like 14 million BTUs per cord.. The only real deciding factor of weather or not to use a specific species is BTUs.. and if you get enough heat to make it worth your while to take it, process it, and store it. If Im in the woods taking trees and I have a choice of wood, Ill always take the higher BTU stuff.. if im cutting log length and Im in an area with say maple or white oak.. the maple stays.. or gets sold to someone else..

Heres a beach score from the othere week

 

[peakbagger]

My wood lot is predominantly beech. Unfortunately most of it has beech bark disease. Unfortunately access is poor to much of it but whenever I need wood, the beech I can get to gets cut. I have run a few logs through my friend's sawmill. No matter how good thegrain looks, and taking precautions, its loves to twist and split.

I just got some dye to go with heribicide to do some major hack and squirt timber stand improvement. The prior owner tried girdling and it was only partially successful. The beeches clone themselves from the roots of trees that were cut down or damaged, so they can regenerate faster than the other types of trees on the property. Hack and squirt applies a low concentration herbicide to intentional scars in the base of the tree which then travels into the roots and kills them along with the main stem of the tree. This opens up the canopy for other species to move in. Sad to say the biggest impact will be long after I am gone.

 

[thewoodlands]

I saw a post on online of a local older woman whom had a beech tree cut down and was offering the logs as firewood for free to anyone that was interested. I responded and went over there with chainsaw and trailer. I cut up all of it for her and fit what I could in my small utility trailer. I told her I might be back but it all cut up in case another person wanted it and she said she will hold it for me till the weekend.

My question is beech good for firewood? I've not burned it before. Should I go back and get the rest? (another 2 trailer full).

Get all you can, you won't be disappointed.

 

[trailrated]

Beech is my choice of wood. Good heat and seasons quick. Only downside is fluffy ash but not a big deal.

 

[CincyBurner]

is beech good for firewood?

Beech grows in sw Ohio, but it's not a predominant species in our firewood stream.
I've loved how it burns - nice and steady.
However, it's surprisedly tough to hand split. Being in oak family I thought it would split similar. Not so.

 

[Niro]

Got it!

 

[fvhowler]

I always judge a free score by species, ease of access and how far away. Sounds like you had a great score. Beech is good stuff.

 

[peakbagger]

Fine looking logs, I would have dropped a few off at my friends portable sawmill and run a stack of boards and dried them. Sure they like to twist but sometimes then do not.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

looks like quality wood.. good score.. split it now.. it will be ready by fall

 

[peakbagger]

looks like quality wood.. good score.. split it now.. it will be ready by fall

Unless the OP has a solar kiln, that will not be ready for the fall of 2023 for a modern stove. I burn a lot of beech and it requires two seasons of proper drying. Its dense wood and takes awhile. Whenever I try to push it by burning early, I regret it, it just sits there and smolders.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Unless the OP has a solar kiln, that will not be ready for the fall of 2023 for a modern stove. I burn a lot of beech and it requires two seasons of proper drying. Its dense wood and takes awhile. Whenever I try to push it by burning early, I regret it, it just sits there and smolders.

Its amazing how different some areas are.. my beach will be ready by fall if I split it now..

 

[Niro]

Its amazing how different some areas are.. my beach will be ready by fall if I split it now..

Yeah I thought about that, I ran out of dry wood this year, but last year I split a ton and now I think I'm about 2.5 years ahead now. So I won't need it by fall anyway. I plan on splitting this weekend, I'll take a reading on moisture and let you know.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Yeah I thought about that, I ran out of dry wood this year, but last year I split a ton and now I think I'm about 2.5 years ahead now. So I won't need it by fall anyway. I plan on splitting this weekend, I'll take a reading on moisture and let you know.

sweet