I have a choice of starting on cutting/hauling/splitting/stacking a downed red oak or a downed hackberry. After researching both firewoods, the numbers indicate hackberry is the better choice by a large margin. By the numbers: I maintain six 26' rows of drying/dry firewood and no more since that is what my shed holds. Most or almost all resources and my own experience shows red oak drying in 2-3 years while hackberry dries in one year. Meanwhile, red oak produces heat (or weighs) around 15% more than hackberry. As such hackberry uses drying space more efficiently. If red oak dries in 2 years, I produce 1800 pounds per year of dry firewood using 3600 pounds per dry finished cord. If red oak dries in 3 years, I produce 12oo pounds per year of dry firewood. Meanwhile, hackberry would produce 3100 pounds of dry firewood if it dries in one year, the weight of one dry hackberry cord. Both weights and drying times come from the reference section of FHC and drying rates, lb/yr, are based on the volume limit of six 26' rows. I have burned both in the past. Red oak coals better and hackberry produces heat faster. Producing enough heat to keep up with our furnace blower is a consideration on cold days. Using the same analysis, I should cut/haul/split/stack both downed white ash and dead red elm before going to the red oak.
Given sufficient rack space and wood ready for this year and next, I'd get the red oak css'd first. It takes the longest to season, so get it started.
I have these two choices and some nice days coming this weekend. Meanwhile, the dead red elm which did dry in one year is burning very well these recent weeks. I feel odd going against conventional oak wisdom to get hackberry and keep going over the numbers... so the post. I will be off cutting hackberry unless someone shoots holes in my numbers.
Id get he oak first as MikeInMa said. Then get the rest. Hackberry rather scarce around here. Havent seen one in years.
The only way I would go by your numbers is if I was limited on space to stack and dry. I burn oak and hackberry. Hackberry is getting burnt now, oak will be in the stove in January. I understand you have your own system so the numbers make sense but I’d put the oak up first and the hackberry would get 2 years css.
Geez you really spent a lot of time thinking that through... I think maybe you're over analyzing it...I just cut, split and stack whatever hardwood is in front of me, then burn it when it's ready. I'd just stack them both if I were you
That's me. My brother-in-law and I each installed a double wide garage door header about the same time. His sagged, mine didn't. I always check the numbers. Snow could kill my cutting at any time so I am more thoughtful about each load this time of year. No one else has touched the hackberry despite it's roadside location.
That's what I'd do. Why not get both? I mean I get the logic iowahiker , but most people would take the oak before the hackberry. The better BTU oak is typically harder to find, and when it's up for grabs, the oak will go first. I find that the lower BTU wood that dry quickly are readily available any time.
My take is your shed holds about 9 cords depending on stacking height. If you burn less than 3 cords per year get the oak! If you burn 4 plus cords get the Hackberry! With a cord or so of oak to use during really cold spells.
Basically the same reason why I drop doug fir or maple for plum. Although the difference in use is which is going to be used quicker or more carefully. I can burn doug fir all day long but plum would give me a different heat and its got multi-uses. Can’t do that with fir. Analysis for this doesn’t seem overboard, you’re with others here who share similar thoughts and compile that data like you do. Check out the stoves threads. Your Hackberry will suffice but if you can manage to grab the red oak, why not do that if the snows hold? The least you can do is overlap your red oak and let it rollover for another oak you Plan on harvesting this spring and fill the gap...
I plan to cut the hackberry this weekend. Sounds heretical but oaks extra 10-15% dry weight/heat does not seem worth the long.... drying time. Oak will only come home if the snow holds off.
Red Oak vs Hackberry? get the red oak css first since it takes longer but, the answer is...get both...
It's an interesting thread. I made a thread on Sugarberry a few weeks ago. It looks almost same as hackberry. Splits SO easy, haven't burned it yet. We have tons of these trees around here. It splits so easy, I will seek more.
