Awesome score! Beech is my primary wood due to the abundance of it around here and great BTUs. As others have said, it can go bad (relatively) quickly when on the ground (or even standing dead) however it doesn't rot overnight. Also as others mentioned, it doesn't always split as cleanly as other woods due to twists and knots. I fill a lot of ugly bins with beech. With that being said, here it usually dries within a season so it's an excellent option versus oak. This beech blowdown (pics) came down back in the spring and I got to it on May 8th. Bucked the (heavy) rounds and watched them roll a loooong way (that hill is a lot steeper than it looks in the picture). Largest round was 24" in diameter. Finally got around to splitting them last week (glad the tractor grapple finally got here) and there was minimal punkiness to the rounds. Whatever there was, appears to have been preexisting (not because they sat for a few months). Overall I think you will be pleased with adding beech to your inventory. I'd take it any day over most other hardwoods.
Yes. Beech will rot if left on the ground but it does not rot quickly compared to birch. But split and stack it and it will keep for years. Good thing too because it is not a fast drying tree (one factor in why it can rot so fast).
Yep. Have to remove the dog fence on the other side of the house. Didn’t even bother looking. The homeowners said it would be no problem they’d do it. The bucket truck came through that side. Just looking from the road should be no problem at all. Probably go in and cut for a few hours one day and then drop the fence and haul out 2-3 trailer loads. I did tell them if I was to take some it wouldn’t be all of it. Thinking just some of the bigger, straighter pieces of trunk. The big crotches I’m not too interested in. They’re very happy with anyone wanting to take any of it Big pile of larger branches off to the side not in the pic I could use to fill a trailer load to max. Thinking if I get some of those larger trunks out other people might not be so apprehensive about going in there for the more standard fare. Biggest problem is they certainly have more than one dog using that backyard as a toilet LOL They seem to like the flat lawn which is a minefield. Winch trailer helps a lot in a situation like this. No walking down that hill with rounds just pull the logs onboard and drive away.
I find American Beech to be one of the fastest drying woods I can get my hands on. If cut and split late winter/early spring it will dry to 10%-13% moisture by October/November. A lot of people seem to be thinking of Blue Beech(Ironwood) which does take a lot longer to season than American beech. American Beech is my favorite wood to get and burn-I've turned down red oak in favor of beech in the past and would do so again if I had to choose between the two!
Yeah the little bit of beech I've gotten here that was still good dried fairly quick. Once it was split. Dead standing I won't waste my time with. If there's any spalting in it at all I leave it be. I wouldn't leave it sitting in rounds unsplit too long either.
I guess we disagree on a couple things here. Beech around here certainly won't dry in 6-9 month. However blue beech dries super fast and it will also go punky faster than birch. If I cut blue beech it gets burned the following fall (usually cut in winter).
That is a real problem with beech, They send out runners underground that continually pop up. Cut one down and you get dozens of new ones springing up all around the stump. Can be several feet away from the stump. Cut those suckers down and they send out more runners. Near impossible to get rid of them.
Yup we definitely disagree but it's all good. Up here in the Northeast Beech(American) season's super fast.It's one of the three woods I'd burn after only one season of drying-Ash/Cherry/Beech. But Beech is by far the best.
Yes I noticed that entire hill side is a tangle of slightly exposed beech roots. I imagine it will be a jungle of shoots this time next year. Noticed the same on my property. Have just one big old beech at the far corner of the property in a fairly tractor unaccessible area. Noticed this spring there’s 100’s of little beeches springing up underneath. A maple and sassafras came down in that area opening up the forest floor to light. Bang they are taking off.
Thats an interesting perspective on blue beech. I call it musclewood. I have a few wheelbarrows full of that from little saplings that got crushed. Nothing big enough to bother splitting. Never considered it may rot faster than anything else. I’ll have to keep an eye on it. Luckily it’s scattered on top of a hickory stack so it’s easily available.
All sounds/looks great jo. Work boots and dont look down is what i do. Great wood and good your helping them out with keeping their pooches safe.
Might have to break the work boots out of retirement. Fortunately they don’t seem to poop on the hill. Just need to back the trailer up and avoid it from the cab to the trailer It is pretty thick on the flats tho. Didn’t wear my shoes into the house after snapping that pic.
Spring time is even better.2 Pyrenees at one time. Did i ever mention me flipping off the back deck into Emma's fun? I stunk bad.
