If I've got some punky wood...by punky I mean some rot towards the outside of the wood ....is it a must to cover the wood?
some punky
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Got Wood
Minister of Fire
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Punky wood will soak up water like a sponge but the regular hard wood will not. However, for West Virginia it would seem that it would be a good idea to cover the top of the wood piles. Never cover the sides and ends. But beware, covering with tarps is not the best way to go. We've used them but really don't like to use them and they usually end up making the place look a bit, well, not so good. I like the old galvanized roofing or fiberglass sheets or rubber roofing if you can scrounge some. If you do have to use a tarp on the top of the piles, put something solid under them so they don't touch the wood pile as that could cause some early destruction of the tarps and a real mess. Also, with nothing under the tarps, it will get wet under the tarps and then freeze to the wood. Not good as a mess is guaranteed.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
As stated punky wood tends to retain water . . . what I have done with my punky wood is either cover it up after it dries to keep it from getting wet, only use it after it has dried or actually cut off the punk if it is bad enough.
Kenster
Minister of Fire
I don't mind a little punk. ( I used to be one.) Dry punk is like a built in fire starter! But it will really soak up the water. I never cover my wood at any time of year. If punky wood gets wet, it will be dry after a few days sitting on my front porch before I bring it into the house to burn.
Got Wood
Minister of Fire
Kenster said:
Somehow I dont think your wood getting wet from rain in Texas is quite the same thing as in other parts of the country! Heck, I didnt think it even rained in Texas
Kenster
Minister of Fire
Got Wood said:
Well, it HAS rained here in the past and I don't 'spect our rain is much different from yours. Rain is Rain. Okay, I'll admit that our rain doesn't quite measure up to your ACID rain!
And I'm not losing faith that the rains will come again.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
When splitting, I try to knock the punk off whenever I can. Toss it in the pile of chunks and uglies and burn it this time of year.
Got Wood
Minister of Fire
Kenster said:
LOL... was just sitting here yesterday looking out the window at yet another rainy day. The northeast has turned into a rain forest.
Kenster
Minister of Fire
onetracker
Minister of Fire
Got Wood said:
been keeping records here where i work for 116 years
wettest august
wettest sept and
wettest year on record
the 5 wettest years have all happened since 1996.
been a crappy summer for seasoning firewood i tell ya
OT
Cluttermagnet
Minister of Fire
What kind of wood is it?
I have spent way too much time splitting off punky wood by hand with a hatchet- mostly from Oak and Cherry. I'm probably the least efficient wood processing operation on the East Coast. But that stuff is like a sponge. My wood just doesn't dry well if I leave the punk on it. Take it off and you have properly seasoned fuel in 6 to 12 months, no matter how wet the wood started out. I'm not saying you can't burn punky wood. I've done it both ways. If you keep it free from rewetting by rain, it will eventually season. I mostly prefer to remove the punky wood however. To each his own...
That's the big advantage of deadwood, depunked or otherwise. It seasons faster. As usual, the deadwood is going to help me get through this coming season if it's a real cold one again. Wood I have plenty of, but mostly Oak that will need 1-3 more years before it is ready. (I have some White Oak rounds right now- that's the 3 year stuff- not even split yet). For well- seasoned wood, I'm a bit marginal, but my situation is improving week to week. I just got some lovely deadwood Locust this fall, on two different occasions. That stuff will burn well this year and is about as good as Oak.
I have spent way too much time splitting off punky wood by hand with a hatchet- mostly from Oak and Cherry. I'm probably the least efficient wood processing operation on the East Coast. But that stuff is like a sponge. My wood just doesn't dry well if I leave the punk on it. Take it off and you have properly seasoned fuel in 6 to 12 months, no matter how wet the wood started out. I'm not saying you can't burn punky wood. I've done it both ways. If you keep it free from rewetting by rain, it will eventually season. I mostly prefer to remove the punky wood however. To each his own...
That's the big advantage of deadwood, depunked or otherwise. It seasons faster. As usual, the deadwood is going to help me get through this coming season if it's a real cold one again. Wood I have plenty of, but mostly Oak that will need 1-3 more years before it is ready. (I have some White Oak rounds right now- that's the 3 year stuff- not even split yet). For well- seasoned wood, I'm a bit marginal, but my situation is improving week to week. I just got some lovely deadwood Locust this fall, on two different occasions. That stuff will burn well this year and is about as good as Oak.
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