A farmer just outside of town stopped in today after work wondering if I would be interested in a cottonwood tree that he had fell down 2 years ago. I am not short on wood and though I have never burned cottonwood, it seems from the board that most people bypass it. Anyways I agreed to go out and look at it and if nothing else help him cut it up just to be able to work the saws a little. Was surprised to find a two trunk tree uprooted, bark off, held off the ground by the rootball and it seem to be fairly solid. About 20' on each trunk a bit bigger then a basketball at the trunk to about a volleyball at the end. Finally to my question if this isn't rotten would it be dry enough to throw in my OWB now or will there be to much moister in it yet? My thought is if it is not ready to burn now I will probably let it go not wanting to store it for a year.
Bark Off Cottonwood
- Thread starter Dogsout
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TMFARM 2009
Addicted to ArboristSite
it may have high moisture in it. just because it soaks up like a sponge.
that said, if you can keep it high and dry for a month or two, it should be good to go.
i have burnt my fair share of cottonwood.
that said, if you can keep it high and dry for a month or two, it should be good to go.
i have burnt my fair share of cottonwood.
Cottonwood is near the bottom of the chart however I won't turn down drive to firewood as long as it's solid.
I thought there might be a chance seeings how there was no bark that it would not hold its moister since it has been held up off of the ground all this time. Your comment above leads me to believe that I will leave it be and let him burn it on his wood pile.
gunnusmc03
Addicted to ArboristSite
Its gopher wood. Throw in a arm full and gopher another. Burns fairly quickly.
How thick is the bark? If 3" or more, it's very desirable for wood carving. Probably not thick enough on a 20" tree.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
It's what we use to heat the shop. Burn roughly 3 truckloads a winter, so 25-30 ish cords.
Read thread title. I know a lot of you cut and use this for heat. I was not really asking if you could burn it, more towards if this is still in log form in the current condition could I just saw rounds off and toss them in my OWB. (Would it be dry enough) TMFARM pretty much answered that question with his "it may have high moisture in it. just because it soaks up like a sponge". Again I have more then enough seasoned wood now but I just thought if the rounds were good to go right off the trunk I would burn them now. The last thing I want to do is take up space and store them for any length of time.
I read the title, just thought the bark might be laying on the ground and salvageable. Could be worth some money. http://www.cottonwoodbark.com/id79.html
I dont think anyone will be able to tell you how much moisture it has just from your discription over the internet. To me it sounds like the most ideal situation, no bark/leaves and it uprooted and off the ground. You might want to go make a cut and find out yourself how dry it is/isnt. You might be suprised and find its dry as paper. Maybe tell the farmer your only interested in it if its dry and cant tell unless you go cut some of it. Let him know you'll take the tree off rootball and if its dry you'll take it. If its wet you are going to leave it.
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You were there, shoulda cut a chunk off and see what it looks like. I burn lots of poplar and don't have an issue with it. This time of year I would just toss it in and burn anyway, not a real big heat demand and all you have invested is your time and some fuel. Poplar dries fast if you can get it split up quick. I burn skids just because the price is right, free for the taking but I have to take them all so I keep the good ones to go under firewood crates and the crappy ones get cut up and thrown in the own. Just cut up 4 skids last night, it'll heat my water for a couple of days.
MontanaTed
Addict
I've cut and burned Cottonwood for the past two years in my garage shop. I have found that if it's either standing dead or wind blown it's usually pretty dry. it does absorb water but I have found that it's usually from the end grain or open grain.
I would think it'd be just fine for your OWB. I'd go cut it and see what's it like. Like others have said, it's not the highest quality wood for burning but works especially if its free, I always tried to mix some other wood in with it.
I would think it'd be just fine for your OWB. I'd go cut it and see what's it like. Like others have said, it's not the highest quality wood for burning but works especially if its free, I always tried to mix some other wood in with it.
Well I was going to try and cut a couple of rounds and check the moister, but when I pulled in the yard the farmer and his son had already went to work and cut this up and had it ready to go. OK so I guess my decision has been made for me. First round I grab I know right away this thing has to be 40% water yet. I weighed as much as a wet oak round. The good thing is these rounds were solid as a rock with no rot. So now my question to the cottonwood cutters is do I drag my splitter down to my shed and split these right away or do I let them set for a while before I try and split these to dry them out. Or does it not make a difference either way.
Split it now and get it drying.
I have burned some blow downs that been dead for a few years and burned right away.
Of the 2 dead ones I cut up a few weeks ago, one was nice and solid and pretty much ready to burn. Other was getting a little punky n had moisture. Splir and see what inside like.
I dont mind burnin it. Not the best, but mix it in and good to go
Of the 2 dead ones I cut up a few weeks ago, one was nice and solid and pretty much ready to burn. Other was getting a little punky n had moisture. Splir and see what inside like.
I dont mind burnin it. Not the best, but mix it in and good to go
MontanaTed
Addict
I'm really surprised that it is wet as it is for sitting for two years, but then again i forget what wet/humid areas are like. Living in MT I take for granted the dry weather.
