# Scrub Oak BTU?



## gizmos (Nov 19, 2011)

Hi
I've been searching for any information on scrub oak. I guess it's also referred to as Gambel Oak. There are so many different kinds of Oak and the information is not consistent. Anyway, there is about four cords worth of scrub oak that a guy needs cut up and hauled off. The trunks are only about 6" to 10" in diameter. Is it worth the work? What's the BTU on Scrub Oak? 

Thanks for the help


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## Adabiviak (Nov 19, 2011)

Definitely worth it... I don't think there are any oak species that have 'low' BTU ratings. Free? Heck, I'd burn Willow if it was free.


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## jatoxico (Nov 19, 2011)

We have a species around here we call scrub oak. Doubt it's exactly the same but our's is a tenacious slow grower that can tolerate lousy conditions. Can be a small medium tree or bush. I'd have no problem burning it, it is pretty dense.


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## mdocod (Nov 19, 2011)

The "scrub oak" we have in this part of the country is a shorter sort of bush/tree that grows in dense "groves" and/or bush like configurations. ~6" is about as big as the trunks get here, most are smaller. Very rugged slow growing hard would as I recall (probably one of the few "hard woods" that grows naturally in some places around here). The trunks generally grow very ragged in all sorts of directions with tons of knots and Ys and such that would make splitting very interesting (I would suggest just burning the rounds). Personally I would happily burn the stuff if given the opportunity to pick up a decent load of it. Falling a grove that hasn't been maintained with proper trimming of the undergrowth would be an interesting chore though.


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## bogydave (Nov 19, 2011)

What other choices do you have to cut?
IMO, any wood is worth the work if it's reasonably available.
It's all BTUs


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## Kenster (Nov 19, 2011)

The scrub oak around here is pretty bushy and not very tall.   The trunks should burn nicely but I wouldn't take the trouble to trim all the brush off for the small amount of wood you get.  Too labor intensive for the payout.   I assume he's giving you the wood as payment for your labor in cleaning up the place?  Not worth it!


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 20, 2011)

Oak is oak; oak is good firewood.


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## DanCorcoran (Nov 20, 2011)

I Googled "Gambel oak btu content".  The first result (link below, bottom of page 2) shows the BTU content of Gambel oak to be approx. 13,000 btu/pound.  Not very difficult to find...

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/wy/information/docs.Par.9500.File.dat/wynf-0017.pdf


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## Beer Belly (Nov 21, 2011)

Adabiviak said:
			
		

> Definitely worth it... I don't think there are any oak species that have 'low' BTU ratings. Free? Heck, I'd burn Willow if it was free.


I just turned away a whole F350 Rack Body Truck loaded with Willow logs 'cause I heard Willow was junk wood


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## tpikaart (Nov 21, 2011)

I've seen btu's for gambel oak reported at just above 30 (mil. per cord).  It's dense stuff!  I cut lots and love the 6-8" trunks--no splitting!


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