Punky pine and mixed hardwood

[Skier76]

I was able to salvage a good amount of the wood that the previous owners left behind by splitting it early in the spring. However, there was a fair amount that would just chunk apart when split. For now, I have all that "punky" stuff in a heap. Is there anything I can do with this stuff? I feel bad letting it rot away, but there's no way it's going in the wood stove. I'm not even sure it would burn in the fire pit.

 

[maplewood]

I've had some of that punky stuff, too. It will burn. Just very little heat left in it.
It has to dry, but will do so quickly.
Why can't you put it into your stove? Can't you cut / break it up small enough?
I would lean towards the camp fire pit, myself. Use some cleaner heavier wood for the stove.
Happy burning.

 

[smokinj]

I have burn a very large willow in the fire pit more ash than it was worth

 

[firefighterjake]

If it's dry punky . . . save it for tinder or throw it into the burn pit for some nice summer fires.

If it's wet punky . . . toss it into the woods for compost and feed a future tree some nutrients.

 

[Flatbedford]

I got a bunch of kinda punky stuff for free last fall. I burned some if it early in the season, but gave up on it. I was burning it outside this summer, but it soaked up so much rain that I have been dumping it in the woods to make room for better wood. I feel bad about dumping about 1/2 a cord of free wood, but, with only 1/4 acre, space is at a premium, and I can't waste it with garbage.

 

[Skier76]

Thanks guys. I'll try and split some this weekend and see how it does. It does seem kinda wet; I'll have to see what effort is involved in splitting and drying it. Last time I tried, it didn't split. Rather; 6"x3" "chunks" fell off the round when hit.

 

[Flatbedford]

Or the maul just goes in and gets stuck with no splitting at all.

 

[Skier76]

And the water just oozes out at the point of impact.

 

[Delta-T]

kinda like the old "Tidal Wave" bubble gum. I tell you guys, if you keep talking up the benefits of nice dry wood you're gonna put all the ancient Smoke Dragons on the endangered species list, then where will we be?

 

[PunKid8888]

I have a small pile of that real punky stuff, cover it up so it can no longer absorb rain, then burn it once it dry in the fire pit.

 

[Archie]

If it's dry punky . . . save it for tinder or throw it into the burn pit for some nice summer fires.

If it's wet punky . . . toss it into the woods for compost and feed a future tree some nutrients.

Agree. Don't overthink it.