Birch Questions

[sdt7618]

ok so I have got access to a " fair" amount of Silver birch.:biggrin:

From what I figure it will rot pretty quick, so here's the dilema, do I take it cut it, split & stack( on pallets) and hope it last till 2013/14 or do you guys figure it will dry out enough to burn the tail end of 2012/13 season? should get it next week so will have most of the summer and fall

Don't want to turn away free wood, but also don't want to bust a nut cutting/splitting etc only to have a pile of bark next year?

don't need if for this year as have enough for the next season and beyond, but it's free!!!:hmm3grin2orange:

Steve

 

[Rockland Farm]

If it was a easy score you might as well grab it . Birch will last longer if split and stacked up off the ground. But I know what you mean about it going bad relatively quick compared to other wood . It would probably be ok to burn by the end of next season if you can keep it in the sun and wind over the Summer and Autumn . I would think you could always sell it also .

 

[Whitespider]

I don't know much about..... errrr... I don't know anything about Silver Birch, but...
Paper Birch, split and stacked in an open sunny area will stay good for 2 or 3 years at least.
And (I know I'm gonna' take some heat for this because of my many other posts about woodsheds) Paper Birch stacked out of the rain under a roof where it can receive plenty of air movement on both sides of the stack will stay good for even longer.
At the Minnesota lake home, Dad has some split Paper Birch stacked (so both ends get air) under a lean-to that's been there over five years, still good solid firewood.

 

[blackdogon57]

Birch rots quickly when in log form, especially the big diameter stuff. When cut, split and stored off the ground it will last at least a few years. I sell a lot of birch to customers who ask for it specifically (mostly city people). If cut and split in the winter and stacked on pallets it is usually ready to burn by late summer.

 

[logbutcher]

Pooched

While it's tough to agree with Spidy :help: , firewood under the right cover will season and last longer. Your Dad is right on.

Most birches rot because the bark is waterproof. Amerindians used it for canoes, roofs, cooking pots, clothing. Near 1/3 of our yearly firewood is Paper Birch since it grows fast here, is a "pioneer species" in open cuts, but is tolerant of other trees outshading it .

What is done to prevent "pooching" ( Maine rotting ) of the Paper Birch or others with a tough bark is to score the trunk below the bark. I do it while bucking.
Scores are doubled on the trunk for DBH over 18". Scoring works well for some of our rare oaks, or thick barks such as locust.

BTW: On the so-called "dead" wood. There's dead rotten, and there's dead standing with some solid wood inside. There's almost no BTUs in wood that's rotted through to punk. Waste of time no matter how green it makes one feel. For example, pulp mills (paper) won't take softwoods that are even beginning to rot or with disease.

JMNSHEO

P.S. How'd I do ? Just back from Gologit's Banned Camp; so gotta be careful what is said. The boy got it in for me. Maybe this will do me in again. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ShaneLogs]

I would get it, If you cut, split, stack and keep it covered from the rain and lots of sun light when the sun is out, It should dry out quick and burn good.

 

[rmount]

I have NO experience with silver birch, but I understand it is very similar to our white, or paper, birch. If so then if it is cut, split, stacked off the ground in single rows with good sun and wind exposure there is no reason it shouldn't last a couple of years. As others have suggested, for unsplit rounds or limbwood score or split the bark to let the moisture out.

 

[haveawoody]

No silver on this list but it would be in the middle of this btu list somewhere.


Birch, Black 26.8 Easy Low Mod Slight Excellent
Birch, Grey 20.3 Easy Low Mod Slight Good
Birch, Paper 20.8 Medium Medium Few Slight Fair
Birch, White 20.3 Easy Low Mod Slight Good
Birch, Yellow 23.6 Easy Low Mod Slight Excellent

species-BTU-split-smoke-sparks-smell-quality.

Decent firewood, get it split and dried quick as it likes to rot if damp for long.

 

[sdt7618]

well the trees are down and cut to 36" lenghts ready for me to pick up, can' get easier than that, gonna cut them 18" and split 4 ways. stacked on pallets. won't say no to free, easy wood!

 

[gloud]

I had a large silver Birch I cut down 2 years ago in 20" lengths on the far side of a brook. Just finally got around to walking it over the brook. It was in a lot better shape than I figured it would be. Only 1 round was rotten the rest split up and where nice and dry inside. So I would say as long as you split and stack with a tarp on top it should last a few years. (get it off the ground too. )