I have used slab wood. It works but you can’t go to far from the stove as it burns up quick. If it was all I could get I’d burn it but for me at the moment it’s more work than it’s worth.
Thanks that is interesting. I can understand that because the pieces are smaller they would burn up faster. I was wondering if there was more creasote because of the extra bark?
I did not see any slab wood in that video..... Seriously, if I had a load, I'd keep it for shoulder season wood. Dried properly, I imagine creosote wouldn't be an issue. A cord of that covered would be nice....no splitting, just cut and stack.
We burned lots of it when I was a child, Dad was a steam engineer at a small saw mill and he would sort out the good wood as it came into the boiler and stack it against the brick work of the boiler to dry.
I got 3 bundles of slabs 5 years ago and used them during the shoulder season. Pros: they dry fast, they were relatively cheap. Cons. They can burn very very hot, there is a lot of surface area, almost too hot the stove could possiblt run away. Always loading the stove, short hot fires. I saw some ads this year and asking prices were $50 a bundle, which is way too much money for was they are. Last time I paid 40 for 2 and the guy asked me if i would just take another for free to clear up more space by the sawmill. If i were behind on dry wood I would probably buy some again but otherwise I wouldn't. I have a few oak pallet manufacturers in the area and mill end cutoffs are a much better value but take much longer to season.
Like has been mentioned, its a good option if you are behind, or in a bind...but only if they are free, or real cheap. Most of it is thin and burns fast...but every once in a while you'll run into a chunk that still needs split. I personally find it hard to cut it into any kind of consistent firewood lengths...end up with lots of shorts. And the random shapes make it hard to stack too.
I got oak slabs for free for a while , I would save the (few) fat ones for overnight. The bark just produced a little more ash. Most fell off though so it produced soil. I burned just bark for a couple days - too much ash. Plus it really needed to be stacked and dry - something I just couldn't be bothered doing.
I haven't burned it for probably 30 years or more. Now that I have a mill I've been thinking why not, at least for the shoulder's. Yesterday was on and off showers and I started to fill a rack. I am concerned that it might burn too fast with all the surface area (in my boiler). It'll end up starving for oxygen and then catch up causing a "puffing" that likely to make it leak smoke. Our boiler is inside the house, a double edged sword. Wonderful to tend to and the latent heat is in the right place, but without careful operation it can be a touch smokey.
I buy bundles of oak slab wood. $25 per bundle. Just bought 12 bundles for $20.00 and he will call when they are banded and he has two as that is all that fits on my 24' gooseneck flatbed. Wouldn't want it for zero or below weather, if covered is nice to finish filling the boiler or when having to start a new fire. Our stove will take 4' material on bottom half, I cut them at 3' for manageable size. Odd balls get thrown in a regular stack of uglies and burnt first.
Just mix a little slab wood into each std firewood load, it'll be fine...I have the same issue with mine if I load a ton of really small and really dry stuff...not an issue when you just mix a lil in though...
