I've been a wood burner ever since I was 22 years old and now I'm 54 All my burning days, I've never burned pine, up here in CT, everyone says you shouldn't burn pine. No sooner did I join FHC I started hearing about pine use. So let me get this straight......... You can burn pine in a fireplace insert and if so, is there any special care that needs to be done in the seasoning process, or is it just Cut, Split, Stack, Dry and use? I thought I knew everything about heating my house with wood, but I've learned so much more in the short amount of time I've been with the FHC.
Cut it split it and stack it in a breezy sunny area, leave it either top covered or not, and let it sit 1+ years and you'll be fine. I use it for kindlin' and during shoulder season. The key is like all wood, cutting it, splitting it, and stacking it.
You got it. Took me a bit to gets used to the idea but now I've found pine can be handy stuff. Need a short hot fire for a cool day? Pine. Need to get a coal bed going quick on a cold start? Pine. Here in the northeast I get mostly White pine, it dries pretty quick and I like having some around so I don't pass on it. Eastern red cedar serves a similar purpose for me.
Be careful how much you put in the first time as it burns hot, fast and with a bit of flame. I like to season it for a year but I've never tried less than that, that I know of. I find I have to set the input draft a bit lower than with hardwood.
I usually use it to start the fire. Its burns really fast and gets really hot in seconds. I usually dry it for about 1 1/2 years and i keep it top covered..
If I coundn't burn pine it would have to be sage brush. I just sweep the chimney ever 4 to 6 weeks. Burning two year old c/s/s with a moisture content of 8.3
bbqhunter, I hale from east texas and people there rarely burn pine. There's way too much hardwood. Once I moved out west, I found that pine is mostly what's burned. Hardwood is scarce and expensive. Ponderosa pine, cedar, and aspen are available from national forest fuelwood areas for $20 per 5 cords. The moisture of softwoods here is normally low, but I still season what I cut at least a year. However, I do miss those great long burns with red oak.
I am burning a load western white pine in my insert right now, it has been css for 3 years now, first year just stacked uncovered than I put it in my shed the 2nd year. It was ready to burn after the 1st year though as the stuff seasons quick, key is to get it undercover if you live in a wet environment I got, a big load of it a few years back on a C/L score and have been using it for kindling and shoulder season wood
Pine is fine. The closest any "wild" White Pine is to me is a couple hundred miles or so to my NE.But occasionally I get some locally from old trees that were planted for shade 75-100 years ago.Have just a handful of it left from tree service score in Feb 2013 & also about a half pickup load I grabbed a few blocks away on Craigslist last June.That will sit another year until its ready. Great for short quick hot fires in Spring/Fall,startups on cold winter mornings & always welcome for kindling even though I have plenty of other already.Lots of Eastern Red Cedar/Juniper grows around here too,though its rarely seen for fuel.I use that for the same purposes when its available.
Good to hear another pine convert! I love pine… Here in michigan we have tons of pine trees and people literally give them away. I find at least a truck load a month free and I love it. It burns very hot actually a little to hot if you don't watch it.
I burn pine in the shoulder season only, added to some of the softer hardwoods. There's nothing wrong with burning it, just make sure it's dry. Good thread
Ok then, if my brothers at FHC say it's ok to burn the pine, that's good enough for me, thank you for clearing that up. Now what is the "Shoulder Season?
Spring and fall when its not winter cold but defiantly chilly. Its when you need a quick burst of heat but not to burn all day long.
Theres parts of the country where thats all that grows too. Lots of pine burners here. You need to split and dry it properly just like anything else. Mine sits for 2 years split and stacked and it burns fabulous and clean after that.
I have to say that I LOVE pine! It chews up a good two or three months of burning for me when I have it on hand. I would say that with white pine you can sneak by with 9 or so months of seasoning (we're pretty much in the same geo area). It is really a useful part of any woodpile - save your red maple for later in the year and your oak for even later. It's also great for when you get home from work and just need a three or four hour burn before ya load up with oak for the night. Or when we get one of those wicked cold snaps and you have too many coals but need more heat? Pine to the rescue! Please don't spread the word too much up here in New England or it's gonna get harder to get a hold of
The only problem with pine is that it burns a little hotter and faster than hardwood, so you'll have to get used to it if you have burnt only hardwood for 33 years.
Now I'm really catchin on to this pine stuff and this post hit the nail on the head or filled in all the blanks for me, as these are some of the issues of I have, but now know that the pine will come to the rescue for me, now I get it. I have to say it again..... I've been heating wit wood since I was 21 yo and now 54, and I thought I knew it all, but .... FHC has really educated me, a big THANK YOU ! I gotcha on the shoulda season, it's like today here in CT, Jan 4th, 2015 ........ 50 degrees.
