Burning Pine

[Mike PA]

I've decided that I really like burning white pine and prefer it to hardwoods, in some ways. I've always burned pine, but just mixed it in with other stuff. This year, though, I have about a cord of it split and stacked, separated from the other wood. Lately, we've been using it when my wife gets home from work to get the fire going and get the house heated quick. It sure works great for that - much better than oak. The oak lasts a lot longer, but the pine gives its heat up quick. Plus, give it an angry enough look and it catches on fire.

Anyone else do this? I guess I'm going to be looking for a few pines a year, now.

 

[Woodcutteranon]

I don't have too much problem with pine but then again I have an OWB. For me pine never seems to split as easy as I think it should...and the tar/sap can really become an annoyance.

Just watch out for the sparks shooting onto your carpet or the creosote in your flue.

I love the smell of the smoke though. And...hey if its free...more power to you.

 

[Mike PA]

I agree, the pine should split easier than it does, but it is very knotty.

Stove sits on a concrete floor - no problem with sparks.

Creosote won't be an issue. This wood is dry and it burns hot. If I tried to get a long burn out of it and damped the fire down, it may be an issue.

 

[Jon E]

I stack my pine right in with the other hardwoods in my woodshed, treat it just like everything else - split, seasoned and stored under roof. A chunk of that tossed onto a bed of hot coals catches fire instantly. If I forget to feed the OWB sometimes, and there's only a few small coals buried in the ashes, a few small pine limbs will get the fire going from not much more than a quarter-sized chunk of coals. Problem is the stuff burns way too fast, so I only mix with hardwoods in the winter, I have a separate stack of dry pine slabs I burn in warmer months to heat water.

It's better than basswood, anyway.

 

[slofr8]

I do the same thing only with Popple. Mostly considered a junk wood, I find that properly seasoned it gives a fast hot fire, much like you describe. I just top off with Beech and Maple before going to bed. I have a wood lot and can cut any thing I want. The Popple is plentiful and easy to work up. I suppose it takes more room to store a given amount of "BTU's" but it works for me.
Dan.

 

[mdotis]

Boxalder

I do the same thing with box alder. In fact it sounds almost exactly like box alder. All of the different kinds of wood have their place in the vast world of wood burning. The key is to figure out how each different kind of wood that you have access to burns and then use it at the correct time to keep the house nice and warm. I think that is why I like burning wood it is a never ending learning game. Oh and it is free heat

Korey

 

[Mike PA]

I do the same thing with box alder. In fact it sounds almost exactly like box alder. All of the different kinds of wood have their place in the vast world of wood burning. The key is to figure out how each different kind of wood that you have access to burns and then use it at the correct time to keep the house nice and warm. I think that is why I like burning wood it is a never ending learning game. Oh and it is free heat

Korey

I agree completely. Funny thing is that I've been burning wood for a long time and just now figured this out! I can be a little slow on the up-take sometimes.

 

[MJR]

I have been burning 50% hemlock all winter with no problems. I like the spark show with the glass door.

 

[knockbill]

i also have a bunch of 2 year old hemlock, and use it on teh warmer days or for starting fires fast,,, don't know that i'd seek it out again, with all the oak available here, but this was a big dump truck load that a tree guy dumped in the driveway,,, i couldn't turn it down!!

 

[CrappieKeith]

If a guy seasons pine to the point that the bark is falling off it can burn pretty clean.

 

[myzamboni]

I've been burning mostly pine (with a little sweetgum). The pine splits I like are the ones with the crystallized sap. The stuff takes off like it was soaked in gasoline.

 

[Metals406]

Being as that we only have Fir, Larch, and Pine for firewood here. . . It's what we burn.

If you can keep it round (not split) you get a long burn from it all.

If I stick 5" rounds in the firebox, I'll get an all night burn and then some. It's a wives tale IMO that softwoods are a hazard to burn, or burn up too quickly.

I have an older Shenandoah R65 wood/coal stove, I have no creosote problems at all -- ever.

 

[MJR]

I am amazed on how much water a chuck of seasoned hemlock will/can absorb. I see this as the major “problem” with it.

 

[Mike PA]

Old wives tale about the creosote - absolutely. People around here would think I am nuts for burning pine. Just considering burning pine might plug my cap

 

[Metals406]

Old wives tale about the creosote - absolutely. People around here would think I am nuts for burning pine. Just considering burning pine might plug my cap

I only clean my chimney once a season. . . And even then it's only got light ash in it. I suppose it's because I have a fairly efficient stove. I know a couple people with stoves that don't breath properly, and they have to clean creosote once a month to keep the pipe open. . . Not sure if hardwoods would do the same thing or not?

A good stove is half the battle IMO.

 

[Mike PA]

Hardwoods can cuase creosote just like softwood. Its all about the condition of the wood and the temperature of the fire. If both are good, it doesn't matter what you burn.

 

[Metals406]

Hardwoods can cuase creosote just like softwood. Its all about the condition of the wood and the temperature of the fire. If both are good, it doesn't matter what you burn.

:agree2:

 

[1harlowr]

Lower burn temps cause cresote. Pine burns quicker than say oak. If the fire gets low on fuel=cresote. Oak keeps a higher temp for quite awhile longer. Pine has more sap than most hardwoods. So if pine isn't seasoned and burns out quicker, more cresote is created.

 

[RacerX]

I do the same thing only with Popple. Mostly considered a junk wood, I find that properly seasoned it gives a fast hot fire, much like you describe. I just top off with Beech and Maple before going to bed. I have a wood lot and can cut any thing I want. The Popple is plentiful and easy to work up. I suppose it takes more room to store a given amount of "BTU's" but it works for me.
Dan.

I've never heard the term "Popple" is that a slang word for poplar?

 

[flotek]

you guys up north and out west can have that landfill debris called pine ill take my beech maple and oak over that go-for wood anyday.(sorry had to rub it in,i needed to vent today ) but it should be noted all wood has the capability to make creosote ,it comes down to moisture content ,wet wood is wet wood no matter if its fir or hickory.