Locust or Red Oak? have the option to buy acord of locust @ 200.00/cord seasoned 1 year, is it a better burning wood than red oak? Oak is all I have burned so far. (yes I know I'm spoiled)
which wood?
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Get some of each! Actually, take a maul with you and split a few splits of each in half. Check the moisture inside with a meter or by holding the fresh cut up to your cheek. Take the driest wood.
Good price! Like BG says, take the driest. It'll probably be the locust, which is on par with oak (but dries quicker). Both very dense, high BTU per cord. You'll still be spoiled. In fact, you might not want to go back to oak!
You shouldn't go wrong with either one. The oak will take a bit longer to dry but it sure does hold a fire a long time.
I burned some locust last year that was at least five years old( thats how long i,ve owned the place) it was the best wood i have ever burned, i do have twenty to thirty of them still around and coming down for firewood. Everyone told me it wasnt very good for burning but i like it better than oak.
This link (broken link removed to http://chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm) says red oak is a little lower in btu's per cord (4.8 million) than black locust. I have burned both and I think the locust coals a little better. From what I have seen of NY firewood prices I suggest you buy a few years of both if the cash is available. Kept dry they will store a long time and prove their worth.
coolidge said:
Not good for burning ! Those people should not be listened to Locust is a fine wood for burning right up there with oak ,Hickory, birch apple and ash . Stack the oak loosely to keep it from rotting from the high moisture and it will last for years.
Back to the original post I would take the locust because it dries quicker but if you can make a deal both would be great.
That's an excellent price so close to the Big city...I'd get all I could afford at that price. If I had the room to stack it I'd even go to the bank for a loan.
Tony H said:
If you want to keep the locust coming prune off branches in the early spring that are about 2' long and stick them at least a foot into the ground. (A stake from an old horseshoe game makes a good hole for this). The prunings should sprout and become trees. A guy in my area logs his land and black locust for fence posts every 8-10 years. Some cut trees resprout on their own and others he plants to keep the rotation going. But then he has the land to do that.
Buy a cord of the Locust to 1.) See how you like burning it. 2.) Stack it and see what that guys calls a cord of wood. 3.) See what he calls seasoned wood.
Thanks for the replies, I have bought wood from him before, he invited me to inspect the locust which I will do today, he is right on with his cord amounts but the red oak I have gotten from him is useable but not ideal, its good to hear the locust dries faster, if it looks good I'll take it. Also, believe it or not we are not that close to the "Big City" we are in the middle of wine country baby!
my neighbor cut down some dead standing locust a couple years ago I and I got the wood good stuff I gave some to a friend who was impressed also and saw the difference and as for oak well come on that's a no brainer as long as you season it u can't go wrong . Its my favorite ...... Where I live there's allot of oak..
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