Wood that doesn't want to burn.

[cat fever]

Was wondering if anyone could explain this.

I have lots of firewood. Some of it could be 20 years old. (time of cutting) I am now trying to burn it. The wood is dry (always under cover) not rotten in any way. Not sure what type of tree it came from other than to say some type of pine tree that grows in the Utah area.

The wood only burns with lots of air sometimes I even crack the door open on the wood stove. I do have some wood I cut this year and it burns like it should. At least like you would expect.

So the question is; does wood change chemically somehow to change it's burning ability with age?

I'll add, this isn't my first rodeo burning wood, been doing it my whole life. I'm 57 next month.

 

[Industrial Toys]

They say that firewood looses it's BTU value over time. But house framing and furniture doesn't deteriorate. So I am a little confused. Some wood just required a good hot fire to burn and will continue to make a good fire if you keep feeding it. But throw a piece on some so-so coals and it goes out.

I burn mostly ELM. I should get a moisture meter to better know what's what.

 

[RNeumann]

Fuel moisture or wood moisture is going to drive the burn rate. Their isn’t a real chemical change that occurs.....other than mold growth.

Without a moisture meter you won’t know for sure. But you having to leave the door open, which means the wood needs more O2 and heat would be a good indication. Im betting the wood has more moisture and or mold than you think.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I got a whole bunch of really old maple kept in a garage. It does burn, but has lost a lot of weight. Some, I think had dry rot too. You see the White dust.

 

[TnAndy]

I got a whole bunch of really old maple kept in a garage. It does burn, but has lost a lot of weight. Some, I think had dry rot too. You see the White dust.

Lot of times that is something like powder post beetles.

 

[clemsonfor]

Nope, a 100 year old home burns as hot as a 200 year old home as a 10 year old home if construction materials are the same.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I worked in old houses as an electrician many years ago and at times you could take a ten inch screwdriver and poke it right through a floor joist, being just a planed down tree. So what caused that?

 

[/pine]

Lot of times that is something like powder post beetles.

Andy...How do you treat powder post beetles?...they are terrible here and we are currently having to send our lumber off to a kiln...

 

[Egon]

Was wondering if anyone could explain this.

I have lots of firewood. Some of it could be 20 years old. (time of cutting) I am now trying to burn it. The wood is dry (always under cover) not rotten in any way. Not sure what type of tree it came from other than to say some type of pine tree that grows in the Utah area.

The wood only burns with lots of air sometimes I even crack the door open on the wood stove. I do have some wood I cut this year and it burns like it should. At least like you would expect.

So the question is; does wood change chemically somehow to change it's burning ability with age?

I'll add, this isn't my first rodeo burning wood, been doing it my whole life. I'm 57 next month.

You got mouldy dry looking wood.

 

[TnAndy]

Andy...How do you treat powder post beetles?...they are terrible here and we are currently having to send our lumber off to a kiln...

It's tough, for sure. I've heard you can spray a really toxic insecticide on the fresh sawn wood, and also treat the ground you are stacking it on if you plan to let it air dry in one place a while, but I've never done it. Other than move it to a heat kiln, I simply have taken my chances. Oak seems to be the worst for me about getting them.