Thank you to all who voted. Voted has ended, and we have a clear victor. Congratulations to Red Oak for his win as “King of the firewoods” with 38 votes. Also rounding out the podium in second and third were White Ash with 31 votes and White Oak with 28 votes.
Looks like I should be raising the prices on my red and white oak. And thanks to sirbuildalot for doing this. It was interesting to see why people prefer some woods over others.
I was secretly hoping all along Red Oak would prevail. It’s always treated me right, and has been a solid performer. It doesn’t get a lot of love due to its longer drying time, but it splits great, stacks nice, is readily available, is fairly rot and bug resistant, throws a lot of heat, and lasts awhile in the stove.
I thought the slow drying (and for some people, the smell) would put RO in second to Ash...looks like I had it backwards.
I sure does last. Here's a piece of red oak that fell from the main trunk a couple years ago, after being dead in the tree for several years. It has such an interesting look to it That's the closest it's gotten to being burned. Not sure I want to burn it though. I didn't cut it to look that way, intentionally. I cut the fallen branch and as I was gathering pieces up, I noticed that one, and put it aside.
As you can see from my username red oak has been my favorite firewood for years. With what I have available it puts out the most heat by far. But I’ve really cone to appreciate white ash lately as it splits just as easy and dries in a fraction of the time. I live in Virginia and we don’t have very cold winters so white ash can do good for me most of the time. I don’t know which one I’d pick if I had to pick one.
Ash will be in the arboriculture history books next to American Chestnut, Canadian,Carolina Hemlock, American Elm and Red Oak will still be heating your house.
From what I read they think ash will survive...just not gonna be anywhere near as plentiful as it is now for the foreseeable future.
Well, I guessed it right. I said RED Oak would be the winner. I voted for 3 horses, the other two being Black Locust and White Oak. I didn't vote for Ash because I have not knowingly ever burned it. I not even sure I would know it when I see it in the woods. But I might start looking for it, and give it a try. It's just that there is enough standing dead RO, that I have never needed to look much farther, except for Black Locust this year, because we are cleaning up a bunch of it. I have a fair amount of Black Cherry this year because I had several saw mill log ends available to me, but I would never hardly cut it myself and that's the one tree you don't want to cut down in cow country, because if a cow eats the wilted leaves it will kill them, sometimes.
I think it serves a higher purpose as a conversation piece. With the amount of "regular" firewood you have, I think this chunk that stood the test of time should enjoy retirement indoors for a long time to come. But that's just me.
After cleaning up a bazillion acorns in the fall, you'll wish you never see another red oak tree! I'm completely surrounded by them on all sides. Other stuff too, but plenty of mighty oaks. There's one a couple houses up with a massive oval shaped trunk and 3 large stems well over 24" each reaching skyward. There was a 4th stem on that tree but it rotted and got lopped off. I'll have to post a picture of it.
I'm sorry man. No one should have to go through what you've endured. Cheer up little buddy. Someday you'll come visit the east coast, and see what the fuss is all about. You wont be disappointed either. All the fantastical tales, myths and legends of the mighty Oak are indeed true. After all it was Thorin Oakenshield, was it not. Not Thorin Locustenshield
