What is the best Oak to burn?

[RayBurner]

Red, White or Black ?

 

[Pallet Pete]

Love all Oak its the drying time that sucks.

Pete

 

[begreen]

Dry oak is the best to burn, be it black or red, pin or white.

 

[BrotherBart]

Whichever red or white oak tree on my place that blows down or dies.

But red is my favorite. Not because of how it burns but how it splits.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Oh Lord, I really, really, really wish I could lend some input on this one.

 

[Thistle]

White Oak.Sometimes Bur Oak (in the White Oak group) is a bit denser,so that can vary a little.

Roughly 90% of the wood I cut year round is standing dead & deadfall.Of that amount,easily 60% is Red or Black Oak.Remainder is 30% mixed White/Bur Oak,Shagbark Hickory,Mulberry,Elm etc.

 

[lukem]

White burns best. Red splits best and dries slowest. Black is basically red.

 

[tfdchief]

White Oak is my favorite

 

[ddddddden]

Love all Oak. its the drying time that sucks.

+1
Un/fortunately (depending on your perspective) oak, in it's infinite variety, seems to be the dominant hardwood around here. No ash. No hard maple. No osage.

If I were in your neck of the woods, I'd be looking for some of that dead ash.

 

[red oak]

The BTU charts say white oak is a bit denser, but I prefer red because it splits easier, and I haven't noticed much difference in the heat output.

 

[Pallet Pete]

The BTU charts say white oak is a bit denser, but I prefer red because it splits easier, and I haven't noticed much difference in the heat output.

Red Oak likes Red Oak ! lol

Pete

 

[Locust Post]

Red Oak likes Red Oak ! lol

Pete

Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak. Say that 10 times fast.

 

[Thistle]

Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak. Say that 10 times fast.

 

[ScotO]

I love all oak, but I'm partial to white. Smells great when C/S/S'ing and burning.....
Most of the white oaks I get have big straight trunks....which is great for splitting and making the cross-tied ends when stacking. And I usually get at least ONE good saw log out of those trees.......got one this weekend!!

There were three nice saw logs on the tree. Two of them turned into benches around the firepit at our Scout camp!

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/weekend-outing-with-the-kids.108027/#post-1415336

 

[Pallet Pete]

Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak. Say that 10 times fast.

i think i blew a blood vessel in my eye tryin that one ouch !

Pete

 

[Foragefarmer]

+1
Un/fortunately (depending on your perspective) oak, in it's infinite variety, seems to be the dominant hardwood around here. No ash. No hard maple. No osage.

If I were in your neck of the woods, I'd be looking for some of that dead ash.

You forgot no locust. i have a huge osage on my place but it would have to die for me to turn it into firewood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I like both white and red but we have mostly red and pin oak on our place. Drying time is not a concern here. I'll give it 10 years to dry if it needs it.

 

[firefighterjake]

Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak. Say that 10 times fast.

Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.
Red oak likes Red Oak but Red Oak also likes dead Oak.

Red rum. Red rum. Red rum. Red rum. Red rum.

 

[fabsroman]

White burns best. Red splits best and dries slowest. Black is basically red.

And that is exactly what I was going to say.

 

[gmule]

Oh Lord, I really, really, really wish I could lend some input on this one.

he. he. we pine burners can only dream about burning the holy grail of wood.
Of course after spending years of learning how to get the longest burns from pine we may not be able to burn oak.

 

[ohlongarm]

Red, White or Black ?

Any oak as long as it's got 3 years drying time on it.

 

[lukem]

Any oak as long as it's got 3 years drying time on it.

I checked some of my 2.5 year oak this weekend. Based on how it was burning I thought it would ready fairly high on the FH MM...but it came in at 15%. I checked a freshly cut, freshly split oak and it read "OL". Yes, I resplit both.

I was surprised to see 15%...thought it would be higher based on how long it takes to get up to temp in the stove...but I guess I'm spoiled with the stuff I have burned the past couple winters (cut standing dead, darn near petrified, stacked in wood shed for 2 years, black locust, red elm, and hedge).

 

[jdp1152]

The free kind is the best kind

 

[bogydave]

Oh Lord, I really, really, really wish I could lend some input on this one.

+1

I think "dry oak" was the best answer so far

 

[Paulywalnut]

The best oak; 3 Years c/s/s.