Winter Wood

[Beardog]

I have 3 cord of 3 year seasoned oak and locust loaded up for the cold weather, what do you prefer to burn of the two? I like locust since I've had it before, but haven't had any 3 yr seasoned oak yet. Looking forward to some long burn times and good heat with either species.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Burn the Locust, the Oak probably isn't dry yet.

 

[bogydave]

Don't have either type here.
I'd burn the locust, it has less moisture from the get-go & will be drier than the oak.
What type of oak? The red oaks are the slowest to dry. White oak should be primo after 3 years

 

[weatherguy]

Id burn the oak now and mix oak and locust when the real cold gets here, the oak should be just fine after three years.

 

[gzecc]

I agree with mixing it with the locust. More oak in the daytime, more and bigger locust for overnights.

 

[ScotO]

I love 'em both. But locust wins in the longevity department no matter which way you slice it. It burns long and hot, and leaves a great coal bed. I like to mix the two, as was mentioned above. Oak likes to take off quick and hot, the locust is a little more sluggish to get going. And if you've had that oak split and stacked for three years, it should be ready to rock!

 

[PapaDave]

Unless it was sitting in a swamp or 90+ humidity those 3 years, the oak's gooder to go.
The weather hasn't been real bad yet...here, so I'd save the good stuff (whatever that is to you), and burn the rest now.
I'm still mixing in a bit of soft stuff with the oak during the day and bigger oak for overnight.

 

[Beardog]

Thanks. I'm sitting on roughly 11 cords right now, and the 3 year old stacks are 90% oak/locust. Been tossing in cherry and maple up to this point, but that is running low at this point. Need some cold weather!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Beardog, that is one of those wonderful questions! Oh how many of us wish we had both oak and locust. Or even one or the other. You can't go wrong with either of those woods so just burn and be happy.

 

[Wood Duck]

I don't see a big difference between the two woods when I burn them. Both are among the best for long burning and lots of BTUs, although both are a little slow to start. If you have to start new fires, I'd save some lighter wood to mix with the oak and locust when you're starting.