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rdrcr56

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Sep 8, 2006
216
Big score! well kinda, my wifes boss has about 50 dutch elms he wants removed, all are 40 to 100 feet tall. I went over today and got started, cut about a cord worth. The thing I was wondering about was if I cut it all into logs and stack them in full sun and split it all in about may or june would it be ready to burn next winter.
 
Are the trees dead and do they still have the bark on them?
 
They all have bark and as far as I know they all are live trees.
 
It's probably going to take more than a year. If you cut split and stack now you might just make it for next year. I'm not a pro on Elm though Warren is.
 
A little more information, this is in Colorado where the humidity level is always very low, dont know if that makes much differance.
 
Good luck with the elm. Its a PITA but good wood. I would season it a year and maybe 2 years for rounds then you should be good to go. If anthing check the wood after a year and see how it is. I like the elm thats been standing dead without its bark. Sounds like a good score, congrats! Didn't see the last part there. If they stay in log form I don't believe they will lose much moisture. I would cut what you need down. They say with the elm is if it stands dead with the bark, it will rot quicky, and if it loses its bark, it will hold pretty solid. We have alot of Elm that were killed with the ductch elm disease.
 
rdrcr56 said:
Big score! well kinda, my wifes boss has about 50 dutch elms he wants removed, all are 40 to 100 feet tall. I went over today and got started, cut about a cord worth. The thing I was wondering about was if I cut it all into logs and stack them in full sun and split it all in about may or june would it be ready to burn next winter.

It won't be ready. If you split it now, you might be good to go next year...the key would be if the bark is falling off. Most of the elm I get is already LONG since dead and has no bark when I cut it. Even those trees cut and split take a good 6 months to season, some of that I split last year. Now it burns great.

"Last night demonstrated why elm is a medium density wood for me. I put in two "splits" The one on the left was Locust...on the right similar size peice of elm. At 4 the locust was still nearly same size as when I put it in the stove, the elm was almost gone. So I loaded up a very large peice of ash, and went back to bed. At 7, the locust was still there and burning...the ash was almost gone... on went more elm!

Once split and seasoned, the elm burns really nice. So far this year I haven't seen the clinkers I was getting last year from it. I think it will do that when it's not seasoned enough.

Don't leave the elm on the ground to season. elm rots quickly if left in contact with the ground. If elevated it lasts a very long time.
 
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