Hej hej all u people, I got a question about dead standing pine trees, i got a lot of them here standing on my property. ( i think there must be at least a 100 here) Is it any use for fire wood? And do i need to dry them first before trowing them in the burner? I hope i can use then , so i can mixed it with some bursh trees. I love fire wood that i can use right away! Not having my 3 year plan going yet! Have a nice day people!
First off let me say welcome to the club! nice to meet you! I live in the Canadian Rockies and have access to standing dead lodgepole pine, larch, firs and spruce all of which are coniferous trees. I have harvested all of these trees from standing dead and find that most of the time they are ready to go. It really depends on how long theyve been dead. If they still have red needles on them then they will still likely need a bit of time. If its been dead for a few years it should be pretty good. I brag that I can drop trees in the bush and then burn them that evening in my wood stove. Often I will find the part of the tree closest to the ground needs a bit of drying which makes sense but the rest will likely be ready to go. Often you can tell a pine tree is nice and dry because it will have a check mark that runs a good length up the tree. I love your stack by the way!!
Ha! Nice fish! Yes, you can burn pine, in spite of it's taboo in areas dominated by hardwoods. There is no more creosote in pine compared to other woods. As with all types of firewood, you should always ensure that it's seasoned properly. Chances are, with standing dead pine, a lot of it will already be pretty dry. If you can't tell whether it's dry enough, there are cheap moisture meters available that can eliminate the guesswork. Ideally I like my wood to be under 15% MC.
Heres a picture of some lodgepole pine that I harvested from standing dead this summer. My moisture meter was around $25-$30. The reading is taken from the center of a fresh split round off of the same tree. You can see the check mark I was describing. I would say its ready for the stove!
I'm not so sure about Pinion pine, I might be wrong, I clean out the chimney every 4 to 6 weeks just to be sure. I really don't care for chimney fires.All the wood that I cut is dead or down or some is even heat treated from fires.
Yes, sorry but, you're wrong. Creosote is unburnt particulate matter that condenses out of the wood smoke, and smoke is of course produced by burning any kind of wood. Therefore, creosote buildup has less to do with "what" you're burning, but rather, "how" you're burning it. The problem isn't the wood, it's the smoke. If your stove (yes even a "smoke dragon") is still smoking after the first 1/2 hour or so, you are not running it right. Not only are you causing creosote buildup in your chimney, you're wasting heat energy. Under the correct conditions, all of this smoke would combust inside the stove and provide heat for your home.
Yep Pine is fine to burn. I cut dead standing just like Sean and burn about 1 1/2 to 2 cord a year. I only clean my stove and pipe once a year. I have very little creosote build up.
Thanks Sean, that area is about 10 miles south of me, it was one of my favorite places to ride my horse in before the fire about 10 years ago.
I'll keep on doing what I do about cleaning (DEFUSING) my chimney. I'll reevaluate the way I burn Pinion pine (over 30 years now) and the way I start a fire. Pinion unlike Tamarack heats up VERY QUICKLY! and can raise the temperature of my stove pipe to 500° before I'm aware of it. All that said Pinion is my go to wood when it's REAL COLD. Thanks! Shawn Curry
Hey Bert do ever get any Cedar down there where you are. The type of cedar that looks sort of like your Pinion pine. I have some here but have not burned it yet, still seasoning.
That is pretty much all we burn down here, Pinion Pine and Juniper. The smell is fantastic, but I go through it pretty fast. Luckily, we don't get super cold, so it all balances out. Oh, and before I forget my manners.........Welcome, Duvekot! Glad to have you, and your fine photos!!
