properly season quercus, wash tannin?

[Prometeo]

HI, I'm buying 3 cordwood, quercus cerris, the seller states that it is not wrong that the wood takes some rain, to ensure that the tannin is washed out. This substance does not allow optimal combustion.
What do you think ?

 

[CincyBurner]

I think he's telling a story.

 

[Simonkenton]

A European oak tree. I doubt it is different from our American oaks. I can't imagine you need to wash the tannin out. Bizarre advice.
Oak is great firewood.

 

[Simonkenton]

ps What kind of stove do you have over there in Italy?

 

[Prometeo]

ps What kind of stove do you have over there in Italy?

yet, looking for a forum here in Italy, it is a fairly consolidated topic, it is clear that they are not talking about washing the wood, but snow and rain in the early period is the practice used for oak which is also one of the most popular firewood here. I have a european jotul f500, without tubes, without combustor, it has a row of holes on the rear that blow air towards the front

 

[spuldup]

An oak should not have tannins. Perhaps this is a translation issue. None the less, rain on wood isn't required. It will only lengthen the drying process. Here in the northeast USA, it takes 2 summers to season Oak. Depending on where you are in Italy it may only take 1 year due to the warm climate. Before you burn, check several fresh split pieces with a moisture meter. it should read under 20% with the meter set to "hardwood".

 

[ericm979]

Many oaks (and other plants) have tannins. They're mostly in the leaves where they serve to discourage animals from eating them. But tannins don't affect how the wood burns. The seller may have this belief, but it's incorrect.

 

[Prometeo]

thanks for replying everyone, so not considering the "washing" I could store immediately (that room without a door is very ventilated, also open from the opposite side) or is it advisable to leave summer out?

 

[Simonkenton]

What a beautiful load of red oak! I would leave it out in the warm Italian sun all summer. Put it in the shed in October.
I too have a Jotul Oslo, love that stove! What part of Italy are you in? You must be up north in the Alps. I doubt y'all have many wood stoves down in Brindisi.

 

[Prometeo]

What a beautiful load of red oak! I would leave it out in the warm Italian sun all summer. Put it in the shed in October.
I too have a Jotul Oslo, love that stove! What part of Italy are you in? You must be up north in the Alps. I doubt y'all have many wood stoves down in Brindisi.

Thank you, I live in central-southern Italy, in winter it is necessary to heat, an average family that uses wood consumes around 4-5 cordwood, here houses are in masonry, much less insulated than american houses as I see, however, the concept of a wood stove is rare here, mainly systems with water are used, fed with dried fruit shells and wood, housed in secondary rooms, the concept is not to have ashes, or small insects in the house

 

[ericm979]

thanks for replying everyone, so not considering the "washing" I could store immediately (that room without a door is very ventilated, also open from the opposite side) or is it advisable to leave summer out?

If you don't get significant rain in the summer then leaving the wood out in the sun will have it dry a little faster than when its stacked in the building.

I have a couple species of oak on my property. One of them, coast live oak, is very dense and takes 2+ years to dry after being split and stacked.

 

[Prometeo]

I'll do a test, partially I will put it inside and the rest outside, monitoring every 1-2 months a split inside and outside the moisture
and covering only when rains

 

[patrickk222]

Personally i say the persons givin ya some hot air ( yankin your chain , bs ya)

 

[Prometeo]

anyway in Holland especially, they also talk about this, tannin creates creosote etc... but it's probably just lack of knowledge, for example, do not consider flue temperature, or, worse, wood moisture. Do I will burn well only with this wood Or is it better to mix? The seller offered me a poplar load at half the price than this

 

[Simonkenton]

Oak is loaded with tannin and we love oak in America. The idea that tannin is harmful is simply not true. The main cause of creosote is, as others have said, wood that is not dry enough. Your oak will certainly have to dry for 2 years.
Poplar is poor firewood, especially compared to oak, I would leave the poplar alone. The better the wood, the longer it takes to dry. Your oak will dry in 2 years, and maybe 3 years. Poplar might dry in one year but it is poor firewood.

Tannin also tastes good, and I am going to roast a pig out in my yard in October, and I am going to use red oak to cook that 100 pound pig on a spit. Oak barbecue pork, mmmmm good.

 

[Prometeo]

Oak is loaded with tannin and we love oak in America. The idea that tannin is harmful is simply not true. The main cause of creosote is, as others have said, wood that is not dry enough. Your oak will certainly have to dry for 2 years.
Poplar is poor firewood, especially compared to oak, I would leave the poplar alone. The better the wood, the longer it takes to dry. Your oak will dry in 2 years, and maybe 3 years. Poplar might dry in one year but it is poor firewood.

Tannin also tastes good, and I am going to roast a pig out in my yard in October, and I am going to use red oak to cook that 100 pound pig on a spit. Oak barbecue pork, mmmmm good.

here we do this type, with rosemary and a few other spices, fantastic sandwiches

 

[TomMcDonald]

Some people, including my dad who's been heating with wood 50 years, believes that letting wood get wet whilst seasoning helps to draw the internal moisture out.
The theoretical process has been explained to me but I've since forgotten it. It sounded plausible to me but I dry my wood undercover.
I have dried stacks totally uncovered before but our summers are very hot and dry so I don't think it matters over here.

 

[stoveliker]

In Holland there are ignorant people too.
If your oak is dry enough, it'll be fine to burn alone. No need for other wood. I burned 16-17 pct red oak this winter. It took off upon reloading on coals before I could finish the reload.

Just get it dry

One does not draw out water by having water on the surface. In fact it's the opposite.

If you do not have big summer downpours, I'd leave it out and uncovered. It will still be best to get if off the ground, e.g. like it on pallets.

 

[spuldup]

Many oaks (and other plants) have tannins. They're mostly in the leaves where they serve to discourage animals from eating them. But tannins don't affect how the wood burns. The seller may have this belief, but it's incorrect.

Sorry, I should have specified there aren't significant levels in dried wood. But thank you for clarifying!

And yes, no issue with burning tannic wood (or pine as is the old 'wisdom')! 😁

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Nothing wrong with poplar. I have burned tons of it. It is less dense than oak, so less btu's per piece, but it burns well.

 

[Prometeo]

just some info, the wood I stacked in my wood shed, it is drying well, about 35 percent now, despite over 1 month of rain, humid air, I had put a piece of this wood inside the house, at the start, and humidity is as it was, or 60 percent, therefore the movement of air around the wood is fundamental!

 

[blades]

Thought I had heard every questionable story about wood used for heating, but that tannin line is brand new to me and a bunch of hogwash.