How to tell what's pine?

[curdy]

OK, so I cut a bunch of trees down, mostly oak and maple...but there were some pine trees in there too. Now my understanding is that pine really shouldn't be burned in a stove or fireplace. I found this out after I chopped up the pine and mixed it in with the big pile I have. My guess is there's 3 pines in the mix of at least 25 other trees. Is it really going to be that big a deal if its mixed in? One good thing is that I haven't split it yet, so all the pine is still in rounds...problem is it look so similar to the maples we cut. I burn outdoors too in either a pit or bonfire, so I figured if you all think its not a good idea to burn it indoors, I'd seperate the pine. If that's the case, what's the best way to tell the difference!?

 

[skwerl]

smell

 

[BostonBull]

It will most likely depending on the temp have pitch coming from th wounds (cuts).

 

[jp hallman]

OK, so I cut a bunch of trees down, mostly oak and maple...but there were some pine trees in there too. Now my understanding is that pine really shouldn't be burned in a stove or fireplace. I found this out after I chopped up the pine and mixed it in with the big pile I have. My guess is there's 3 pines in the mix of at least 25 other trees. Is it really going to be that big a deal if its mixed in? One good thing is that I haven't split it yet, so all the pine is still in rounds...problem is it look so similar to the maples we cut. I burn outdoors too in either a pit or bonfire, so I figured if you all think its not a good idea to burn it indoors, I'd seperate the pine. If that's the case, what's the best way to tell the difference!?

Sure you can burn the Pine. Hundreds of thousands of cords of Pine have been burned in this country. The majority of the wood we burn here in the high desert is Pine. Burn it! Burn hot, burn clean.

 

[curdy]

I actually tried smelling it already...didn't really smell anything, no sap either. I'll probally end up just burning it with everything else.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Don't burn it! It's DANGEROUS! Burning pine is like playing with nitroglycerine! It will burn your house down, and probably your cousin Alf's too! Even though he lives in another state!


Next time call me - I'll come get it and take it away so you don't hurt yourself.


And burn it myself.



http://www.woodheat.org/contact/faq.htm

 

[Newfie]

The bark really shouldn't look anyhting like maple or oak, not even close, but in the event that you are species challenged and smell(pine is very distinctive) or pitch aren't giving you the clues you need then I would suggest looking for the brancg whorls. A hardwood will have a random branch pattern for the most part and have few lower limbs. The pine will have evidence of where the limbs grew out in a pattern around the circumference of the trunk and has substantially more limbs than the hardwoods.

 

[smokechase II]

Oak and maple wood are distinctly different than pine. You should be able to tell the difference by just looking at the end grain/bark.
If that doesn't work. trying lifting up equal sized pieces. Your back will point out the oak etc.
Pine burns hotter, so you have to pay attention to flu temperatures. But it is a fine firewood, now that it is in your woodpile.

 

[Freakingstang]

All the pine I've cut has been extremely sappy and had a distinct evergreen smell to it when still green. It is ok once it is dried. It will burn fine, but it burns much hotter than a hardwood. Keep an eye on the temps.

 

[treeseer]

Pine burns hotter? I know it burns faster, but i also know it provides a lot less kilocalories pre volume that oak and maple.

 

[pmuscato]

I've used Pine in the fireplace, but i mix hardwood with it at 1 pine to 3 hardwood. I heard oak burns hotter and burns off the resin so as not to tar up the flu. Just use clear pine not fatty pitch wood. Oh and have your fireplace sweeped now and again. All burned wood gives off soot.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Pine burns hotter because it burns faster. Throw a piece of oak into the fireplace and it will be there in 60 minutes, still glowing red. Throw in pine, and it will be gone in 10 mins.

Pine actually contains more energy per unit weight than oak. Its just that oak is better because its way denser.

I use pine to start the fireplace, and then harder woods for the rest of the evening.

-D

 

[BlackenedTimber]

i dont think that you will have issues with the ratio of pine to oak/maple, just keep your stove and chimney clean, and season the wood for more than, oh, i dunno, 3 days, and you should be fine... As far as not being able to tell what is pine and what isnt, it's just my opinion that If you can't tell, dont cut it down in the first place. Call blueridgemark so he can give you a hand.

 

[Sheshovel]

I use Pine to get my fire going and build up coals for my Oak to burn,wood is the only soarce of heat I have,a woodstove

 

[Newfie]

OK, so I cut a bunch of trees down, mostly oak and maple...but there were some pine trees in there too. ...problem is it look so similar to the maples we cut.

Makes me wonder how you knew what species of trees you were cutting down if you can't differentiate in the woodpile?

 

[LightningLoader]

Maybe whoever cut the tree down took away the pine instead of cutting it into firewood? Do you think that's possible. I can't imagine anyone not being able to see and especially smell the difference. Pine has bark that is kinda like a bunch of sheets of brown paper stuck together.

Anyway, I've heard of people catching thier chimneys on fire from burning too much pine over the years and then the resin igniting. The incidents likely involved lighter knot too, which burns even hotter than normal pine and may have been what ignited the fireplaces. I just can't normal pine being that much of a problem though.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Anyway, I've heard of people catching thier chimneys on fire from burning too much pine over the years and then the resin igniting.

Urban legend. Don't clean your chimney "over the years" and you can have a chimney fire using ANY wood.

 

[LightningLoader]

Floridians don't know that they're supposed to clean their chimneys

Urban legend. Don't clean your chimney "over the years" and you can have a chimney fire using ANY wood.

I guess that explains it. Here in central fl we aren't very familiar with cold weather protocol. We mostly use the fireplace when it gets to about 50 degrees, not because it's so cold, but because it's our big chance to bring a bonfire inside. I don't think that I know of anyone that has ever actually gotten out a chimney sweep around here and cleaned the fireplace, so general neglect was probibly the cause of the 2 chimney fires that I heard about.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

when I burned wood (it heated everything, the house, the hot water... everything) we had to burn year round. I cleaned my chimney once a season (4 x yr), and never had any issues. Its kinda like changing oil to me. you drive alot, you change alot... only drive a little, then not so much...

 

[curdy]

Thanks for all your advice and help. Let me clear up some things though, because a lot of your replies are making me out to be a complete idiot.

I know what all look like and the weight diffference. The wood has been very wet from lots of rain, and a little muddy from moving them. The pine and maple was rather young, making the bark apear rather similar (looking at what's left of some of the trunks).

The major thing is that the pine could very well be at the very bottom of what is a big pile, so I've most likely been moving different types of maple and trying to figure out if its pine. That would explain the lack of sent too. The more I think about it, I'm 99% sure that's the case

Anyway, the amount of pine is so minimal, I'm not really concerned now that I know its not that big of a deal to burn it.