# Ack! My wood is moldy!



## Woody Stover (Sep 6, 2012)

Since the moisture has returned and we've gone from a desert back to a jungle, I guess all the micro-organisms have re-emerged. Most of this fungus, mold or whatever it is, is mainly on the sapwood. The White Oak was a blow-down that was only there a few months before I cut it up. Wouldn't have thought that the mold could get into the wood that fast. We've had a lot of rain recently, and the wood that got wet had the most mold on it. Some Red Oak that's been drying a couple years didn't have much of anything on it. It was covered pretty early on, though, a few months after it was stacked. It was also standing dead so it may not have had much mold in the sapwood...too dry. Heartwood grows little or none of the mold. I guess I'll be covering my freshly-split stuff ASAP.

*White Oak which hasn't been covered yet.*






*Here's some Cherry that's been drying for two Summers. The end that's not covered and got wetter looks to have more of the mold on it.*


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## smokinj (Sep 6, 2012)

Looks like you better give all that away!


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## Jags (Sep 6, 2012)

Don't sweat it.  It'll all burn.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 6, 2012)

I wouldn't worry a bit about it Woody. How much rain have you got in the last couple weeks?


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## etiger2007 (Sep 6, 2012)

more btus lol


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## weatherguy (Sep 6, 2012)

Oaks notorious for getting moldy, Not sure you can prevent it, I have things growing on my oak that Ive never knew existed, it all goes in the stove to get burned.


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## JoeyD (Sep 6, 2012)

Honestly I think you are looking at a real health concern there. I am trained in hazmat and can properly dispose of that, for a fee of coarse.

Seriously though, I have had the same mold and never paid it any mind. I wonder if a fungicide would get rid of it or if that would make things worse when you burn it.


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## etiger2007 (Sep 6, 2012)

When snow flies it will probably be dead anyways


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## red oak (Sep 6, 2012)

Some of my wood, especially the oak, gets that same kind of mold.  Never had any problem with it before so I think you'll be fine.  I guess putting it in a shed where it's completely dry would prevent it?


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## Woody Stover (Sep 6, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> I wouldn't worry a bit about it Woody. How much rain have you got in the last couple weeks?


At least 4". We sure needed it, but it seems the mold loves the humidity and the 90+ temps.



JoeyD said:


> I wonder if a fungicide would get rid of it or if that would make things worse when you burn it.


I'm not allergic to mold. My only concern is a possible masking of the combustor due to a foreign substance (fungicide included.) One poster hinted at that a while back and it sounded like he had some background in the wood decomposition aspect, anyway. I wish I had never read that post.  I think at worst, I would have to give the combustor a rinse with the hot vinegar/water solution. No big deal, but still... What I might  do is just brush off the majority of the mold as I bring the wood up to the on-deck stack.



etiger2007 said:


> When snow flies it will probably be dead anyways


Yeah, I'm going to stack any Oak in the Fall when it's cooler and the mold won't grow, and hope that it will have dried enough to discourage mold growth by the time it warms up in the Spring. But if I can get better top-covers, I think that will control the mold no matter when I stack. I've got a line on some metal roofing but I don't know when that's going to be available. I have some rubber mats that I'm using now but I think the roofing will work better as far as keeping the wood dry.


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## Woody Stover (Sep 6, 2012)

red oak said:


> I guess putting it in a shed where it's completely dry would prevent it?


No shed yet.  Besides, I would need a helluva shed to house the 10+ cords I have on hand right now.


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## Woody Stover (Sep 6, 2012)

red oak said:


> Some of my wood, especially the oak, gets that same kind of mold.


Most of what I have here is Red/Black Oak. The next few I'm cutting have been down a while so I'll probably lop off the sapwood. The mold doesn't seem to grow on the heartwood.


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## red oak (Sep 6, 2012)

Woody Stover said:


> No shed yet.  Besides, I would need a helluva shed to house the 10+ cords I have on hand right now.


 
Woody you certainly do not NEED a shed, as I don't think the mold is really a problem at all.  I have a small amount of wood I keep under my deck so I have some covered at all times and it gets no mold.  I think the only way to really prevent the mold is to keep the wood totally dry.


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## rideau (Sep 6, 2012)

JoeyD said:


> Honestly I think you are looking at a real health concern there. I am trained in hazmat and can properly dispose of that, for a fee of coarse.
> 
> Seriously though, I have had the same mold and never paid it any mind. I wonder if a fungicide would get rid of it or if that would make things worse when you burn it.


 Don't use a fungicide.  That growth will dry up as the air gets drier.  Be sure you let air get to it.  It'll be no problem burning.


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## ScotO (Sep 6, 2012)

I think alot of that is more of a fungus than a mold, something that is normal (especially on the ends of the oak), mainly at the sapwood. We get flourescent orange-looking mushrooms that grow on dead and decaying red oaks in late June- early July (chicken of the woods). You dip them mushrooms in eggs and batter, fry 'em up and MAN ARE THEY GOOD! Just remember, never eat something unless you know it's safe...


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## gzecc (Sep 6, 2012)

You may have spread that mold not utilizing safe cutting technique. Next time use a bar condom and you won't spread the mold from round to round. Don't for get to also wash your hands.


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## Woody Stover (Sep 7, 2012)

Scotty Overkill said:


> I think alot of that is more of a fungus than a mold, something that is normal (especially on the ends of the oak), mainly at the sapwood. We get flourescent orange-looking mushrooms that grow on dead and decaying red oaks in late June- early July (chicken of the woods). You dip them mushrooms in eggs and batter, fry 'em up and MAN ARE THEY GOOD! Just remember, never eat something unless you know it's safe...


It feeds our stoves, and feeds us too?? Will the wonders of wood never cease? 



gzecc said:


> You may have spread that mold not utilizing safe cutting technique. Next time use a bar condom and you won't spread the mold from round to round. Don't for get to also wash your hands.


I was cutting so fast, the bar was smoking. I figured that was hot enough to sterilize it. I had gloves on, but maybe I need surgical gloves. A mask couldn't hurt, either...


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## etiger2007 (Sep 7, 2012)

Woody Stover said:


> At least 4". We sure needed it, but it seems the mold loves the humidity and the 90+ temps.
> 
> I'm not allergic to mold. My only concern is a possible masking of the combustor due to a foreign substance (fungicide included.) One poster hinted at that a while back and it sounded like he had some background in the wood decomposition aspect, anyway. I wish I had never read that post.  I think at worst, I would have to give the combustor a rinse with the hot vinegar/water solution. No big deal, but still... What I might do is just brush off the majority of the mold as I bring the wood up to the on-deck stack.
> 
> Yeah, I'm going to stack any Oak in the Fall when it's cooler and the mold won't grow, and hope that it will have dried enough to discourage mold growth by the time it warms up in the Spring. But if I can get better top-covers, I think that will control the mold no matter when I stack. I've got a line on some metal roofing but I don't know when that's going to be available. I have some rubber mats that I'm using now but I think the roofing will work better as far as keeping the wood dry.


 
Yeah I landed some metal roofing about two weeks before we got some rain and it kept it dry.  I have no mold on any red oak in the stacks.  Good luck let us know how it goes.


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## smokinj (Sep 7, 2012)

My white oak done the same thing and that was before the rains started. Got another baby 47 incher for this weekend. (That is my new limit)


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## ScotO (Sep 7, 2012)

smokinj said:


> My white oak done the same thing and that was before the rains started. Got another baby 47 incher for this weekend. (That is my new limit)


Remember, smokin ......pics or it didn't happen!


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## smokinj (Sep 7, 2012)

Scotty Overkill said:


> Remember, smokin ......pics or it didn't happen!


 
How about it looks just like this to the inch. But this time it is trunk only! WootWooot! Baby 460 got back!


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## CageMaster (Sep 7, 2012)

thats an awesome looking pile of wood


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