It seems I see more people online revering red oak as firewood versus white oak. What's your opinion on that? In charts, looks like white oak is superior for btu content. What makes one better than the other? BTUs, splitting, smell, sparks, size of trees, etc.
Red oak can dry quicker than white, due to the cell structure. Most BTU charts show oak as the same or almost indiscernible BTU amounts for white or red. Both split easy. The smell though... Red oak smells like poop when fresh split. White oak smells great though. A little like vanilla.
I think of red oak as more like vomit than poop in the aroma department. six of one, half dozen of the other comparing the two though to me otherwise.
Ok compare and contrast. All oaks fall into two categories red and white. Yes I am sure, it's either red or white, no argument. White are defined by smooth lobed leaves and they have tyloses in the xylem cells of the wood. These close them off and limit the flow of moisture. This is what makes them preferred for whiskey barrels. Red oaks have bristle tipped leaves, meaning they have a point, yes they all do. While water oak may look smooth st some point it had bristle tips growing or some leaves on the tree do, maybe sprouts or sun leaves, or some shade leaves but all of them won't have them. Both wood have the dead give away of oak the Rays which grow perpandicular to the growth rings and can be seen when you cut a log off. White oak is denser and therefore heavier. Usually is more expensive on the stump and at the lumber yard. White oaks are the preferred acorn of many wildlife species. Both species grow in similar sites with major variances between the different species of each group. But there can be both red and whites found on mesic and xeric sites. I'm sure I have missed something's. It's been a few years and I am typing fast inon my phone. I hope that answers your questions though! Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
I find this sentence interesting as just last week, I saw someone say a water oak is a red oak and that surprised me, the leaves sure look like it's a white oak. The wood can sometimes def look like red oak. Anyway, so, it's a red oak family tree. We have a lot of water oaks in my town and it's actually the most common oak, seems to me. They grow big, but now, the big ones are all starting to die. Might just be their natural age. Probably 100 years old and older. They sometimes have an awesome, limb-free trunk and I see quite a number with a straight trunk of 12-16 feet, maybe 30 inch DBH and more; it's a shame it doesn't make great lumber. I've read that it's just ok, not great.
I love the smell of both fresh split. Never got the vomit/urine comments. To me red oak smells wonderful when cut/split and it’s my favorite firewood.
Yes it's for sure a red oak. Look at an eprcormic branch. That's a branch that shoots off the main trunk when exposed to light, as if one had a tree fall next to it that now put more direct sunlight on the trunk. Or look at a very young tree, you will see bristle tips on the leaves..aka points. Water oak is a younger lived species of the oaks I believe. It does tend to die sooner than other. It also is one of the faster growing species which makes people think that an 85 year old water oak "must be at least 150". Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
I'm in the "oak smells like chit" category. Maybe not actual crap, I just don't personally like the smell of it and think it smells bad. Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
And once in awhile you find a red oak that stinks more than normal. Old timers refer to them as pizz oak. Saw some logs on the side of the road two days ago. Stopped to look and as soon as I opened the door it smelled like the nastiest dive bar I’ve ever been in. The Purple Cow. The whole area just reeked of decades old, never cleaned men’s room. When that bar finally closed they took the entire building down. Some things just can’t be saved. On the bright side oak tends to lose that odor as it seasons. The Purple Cow, not so much
I'm in the group that does not mind the smell of red oak. I remember cutting lots of it when we were logging and again at the mill. I never minded it at all but many do. Then again, many like the smell of cottonwood and I don't.
HAHA The red oak smell! That's EXACTLY how my wife described it- but I guess I'm showing my true colors because I thought it smelled pretty good.
I don't mind the smell of red oak, but I like white oak much better. However, neither one is high on my list of favorite firewood, mostly because the stuff takes forever to dry. If I want an amazing scent and high BTU content I'll go cut a black birch.
Most of the wood I have access to is red oak. In my experience red splits a bit easier than white and I did not notice a difference in drying time or heat output. I love the smell of both. The smell of red oak makes me think of cool fall mornings and splitting firewood with my dad - treasured memories.
I think red oak splits a tad easier than white. Don't think red oak smells bad at all. It certainly has a unique smell to it though. But then I don't think cilantro tastes all that much like soap. Up until last year most of the white oaks were healthy and you just didn't get any to burn. Three or four years of gypsy moths hitting them hard has reversed that trend for right now. Some died a year ago and I had two die this Spring. Leafed out about half way and just ran out of energy. I'll be white oak rich next Winter and the year after.
Too much cilantro (or stems) and it’s almost stink bug-like. I love it though. I agree that red splits a little easier. My splitter only needs to go about 1/2-1” and most rounds come open with ease.
