White Birch in outdoor wood boiler

[MNBobcat]

2 years ago I bought oak for $85 a cord in 8 foot lengths. Last year it was about $100 a cord.

I found a guy this year who will deliver 10 cords, 8 foot lengths, of a 50/50 mix of oak and white birch for $100 a cord. I've never burned white birch in an outdoor boiler and I don't know if it will go 12 hours like the oak or not. It is smaller diameter than the average oak log.

I want to make sure I'm not buying lousy wood. If I hold out for all oak, I'm not sure of this year's prices and I could end up finding nothing. What would you do? What is your experience with white oak?

The birch was recently cut. Not seasoned.

 

[cantoo]

Recently cut doesn't sound so good especially for the oak. Didn't we just drop a train load of crude oil off near you somewhere?
I burn a bit of birch and it burns decent but I don't have a lot of it.

 

[Erik B]

@cantoo The derailment was between Nelson and Alma, Wisconsin. About 18,000 gallons of ethanol leaked from the tank cars and dumped it into the Mississippi but we are being told that will not hurt the enviromment.

 

[MNBobcat]

yep...floating Ethanol in the river.

I don't care about green oak. That burns fine. But I don't know anything about this birch or if its a good price.

 

[cantoo]

Well I hear that ethanol is pretty watered down anyway.
Sounds like the price of logs is up abit everywhere this year and wood is "scarce" so price is up. I sold a few logs last year and it's a lot of work for a little money. I bought logs a few years ago and was paying 100 a cord back then, same guy still sells wood but it's 120 a cord and no promise on when or if he will deliver. Might want to jump on it while you can and keep an eye open for another supplier and get a year ahead if possible.

 

[benp]

Paper birch holds moisture like a champ.

I cut up some 2 year old 100" Birch lengths this fall and they were still wet. Actually everything I have cut except for pine that has been old 100" lengths is still wet.

It needs to be split to dry quicker. I split all birch 6" and up for this reason.

If your boiler is forced air, that helps a lot. A naturally aspirated one one like a central, yeah i'd be mixing with some dry wood.

It's no oak but it's not basswood either.

 

[svk]

Once split, paper (white) birch dries quickly and burns well.

Come a bit further north where the oak peters out and white birch and red maple are the standard firewood. You do come across a little yellow birch too which has the same btu rating as oak.

 

[Marine5068]

I tend to burn some White and Yellow Birch when I can cut it for free.
Burning a tree full of it right now that I processed last year.
The White Birch needs to be split and dry stacked right at time of blocking it up as it will hold moisture and stay wet.
I burn it with a mix of birch and other hardwoods.
White birch won't burn as long as other hardwoods, but Yellow is great hardwood as SVK states.
It's ok, but I wouldn't pay Oak prices for it.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

If I could buy logs at $100/cord delivered I'd be telling him to keep the loads coming!

 

[Rev]

What would you do? What is your experience with white oak?

@cantoo The derailment was between Nelson and Alma, Wisconsin. About 18,000 gallons of ethanol leaked from the tank cars and dumped it into the Mississippi but we are being told that will not hurt the enviromment.

now that's what I call a derailment

 

[cantoo]

Rev, I'm no expert but pretty small leak I guess. Unless it's in your backyard.
A DOT-111 tank car, specification 111A100W1, constructed by fusion welding carbon steel. This car has a capacity of 30,110 US gallons (113,979 L; 25,071.8 imp gal), a test pressure of 100 psi (690 kPa), a tare weight of 65,000 pounds (29,500 kg) and a load limit of 198,000 pounds (89,800 kg).

 

[svk]

FWIW my friend just bought 25 cords of wood in 8 foot lengths for $95 a cord in northern MN south of Virginia. He just tells the logger how much he wants and takes what they give him. Last year it was birch and tamarack, this year it was ash. He's heating a shop and two houses so he will use 20 plus cords in a winter.