# Oak smells like POO



## Big Donnie Brasco (May 25, 2013)

I have never split oak before but today I split a full cord with my fiskers!

I was a bit intimidated by the big rounds versus my tiny splitter but we got it done!! While I was cutting, my neighbor that had been mowing her yard came over and said that she thought she'd run over some dog poop because of the smell! It was the oak! It was nasty smelling inside! About an hour later my wife hollered from INSIDE the house "what is that nasty smell".... it was the OAK!
I'm not complaining, just curious if this is normal?

Split about 20 rounds!!... and got the years first SUNBURN


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## StihlHead (May 25, 2013)

Yah, there are many threads here on this forum on how fresh split red oak smells, or stinks to some. I think The Overkiller(TM) has posted about it a lot.

It does not smell like shyte to me, though it can be pungent. It fades in time.


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## Big Donnie Brasco (May 25, 2013)

yea, I wasn't worried about burning it I was just caught off guard by the funkiness!


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## paul bunion (May 25, 2013)

Dog poop comes to my my nose also.   I think pin oak smells the worst.  But any of the red oak family definitely can have that funkiness to it.  

I bet it was fun knocking them apart though.  So much fun with those big rounds when they split 97% apart and are only held by a few splinters and you can whack them 3 more times into a bunch more pieces before they fall over.


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## HDRock (May 25, 2013)

White oak I got smells like vinegar.
I have noticed the poo smell in the wood shop cutting kiln dried red oak lumber


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## Hogwildz (May 25, 2013)

Smells like nasty socks to me.


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## NH_Wood (May 25, 2013)

I must have a problem - I love the smell of fresh split (red) oak - I can just sit in the stacks and whiff away! Cheers!


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## jackatc1 (May 25, 2013)

I find oak to be a clean natural smell.
Like scotch it's an acquired taste.
I like both


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## webby3650 (May 25, 2013)

That Oak smell is like $$$ to me! I happen to love the smell.


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## Big Donnie Brasco (May 25, 2013)

my back and sunburn tell me that I should have only split HALF a cord


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## Woody Stover (May 25, 2013)

A couple of weeks and the stench will be lessened considerably.


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## StihlHead (May 26, 2013)

jackatc1 said:


> I find oak to be a clean natural smell.
> Like scotch it's an acquired taste.
> I like both


 
Scotch _is_ oak flavored aged vodka. Seriously, that's what it is. Nothing like a good single malt.


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## Jon1270 (May 26, 2013)

I like the smell, too.  I wonder whether there's something genetic going on, like with cilantro (which tastes like soap to a significant fraction of the population).


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## jeff_t (May 26, 2013)

Smells like hard work done, to me.


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## ScotO (May 26, 2013)

StihlHead said:


> Yah, there are many threads here on this forum on how fresh split red oak smells, or stinks to some. I think The Overkiller(TM) has posted about it a lot.
> 
> It does not smell like shyte to me, though it can be pungent. It fades in time.


red oak is an acquired smell.  First time I ever smelled it, I was gagged out.  Now, I don't mind the smell.  But I'm also a guy who likes to take a shot of malt vinegar from time to time, I love the taste of that stuff.  And IMO, the red oaks we cut around here pretty much smell like malt vinegar!!

White oak, on the other hand, almost smells heavenly.........kinda a vanilla-ish scent when splitting......


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## Fifelaker (May 26, 2013)

I have found that Red oak around here has two smells. When fresh green it is a very dog poo when seasoned a bit it has a sweet earthy smell I like.


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## PapaDave (May 26, 2013)

It grew on me and now smells like money in the bank plus the interest/dividend is heat. Smells good when burning.
I catch a whiff even from the c/s/s stuff that's over 2 years old.
I lub it.
Big D, if you did a full cord with the Fiskars, ...
Put some spf 30 on so you don't end up with skin cancer.


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## StihlHead (May 26, 2013)

Funny... all this chat about red oak. Not much of it around here. In northern Oregon it all Oregon white oak (Q. garryana), which grows from SoCal to BC. In southern Oregon there is also a lot of California black oak (Q. kelloggii), which grows from the other BC (Baja CA) as far north as Eugene, OR. California black oak is actually a type of red oak. The only way to tell the difference between the two (when they are live trees) is that CA black has pointed tipped leaves, and OR white has rounded leaves. Otherwise they get to the same size, grow in the same form and the leaves are the same size and shape. Cutting into them, CA black has a reddish-brown heartwood, and OR white is all white. To me they smell the same when cutting, and I never really noticed any smell other than 'oak', which I like.

Of course in the Midwest and back east there may be more stinky types of red oaks. CA black oak is related to the other black oaks in the midwest and eastern US. The oak used for aging wines are white oaks. In the US, wines are almost always aged in either French oak or American oak (Q. alba). Wine aged in American oak has a stronger tannin smell and taste to it, and wine aged in French oak is smoother. I talked to a cooperage company in Napa when I was on a trip there and they said that they tried using OR white oak for making wine barrels for several years, but they said that the results were sub-par. The tannin levels are much higher in OR white oak vs. American oak and the tannins do not break down as fast with age and heat treating. That produces a rougher more astringent wine. Some wineries in the PNW are using OR white oak barrels though.

The most stinky firewood I have aging here is Leyland cypress. Stronger than western red cedar, it has more of a funky vinegar smell to it.


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## Backwoods Savage (May 26, 2013)

Can't say I ever minded the smell of oak. It is a strong odor so can be smelled from quite a distance. Every time I cut some it reminds me of when I earned a living in the woods.


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## Paulywalnut (May 26, 2013)

Am I crazy? I love that aroma. I can sniff out red oak blindfolded in the dark.
Sad when it fades away.


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## NortheastAl (May 26, 2013)

Horse pee and poo. In other words, a stable. Luckily it dies down quickly.


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## bigbarf48 (May 26, 2013)

I love the smell of red oak, very vinegar-y. Although pin oak does smell like cat crap to me


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## ArsenalDon (May 27, 2013)

Try white fir...we call it piss fir...stinks to high hell for a while....smell fades after a while


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## ansehnlich1 (May 27, 2013)

Jon1270 said:


> I like the smell, too. I wonder whether there's something genetic going on, like with cilantro (which tastes like soap to a significant fraction of the population).


 
It's gotta be genetic 'cuz red oak smells absolutely wonderful to me, in fact, I make a point of taking a big whiff of fresh split stuff from time to time because it smells that good. Weird huh?


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## red oak (May 27, 2013)

I like the smell of red oak too - a few months ago had about 3 cords that I split over the course of a week.  Was walking the dogs and realized I could smell it a quarter-mile from the house!


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## Shane N (May 27, 2013)

Reading the first few responses made me think I was the only odd one that loves the smell of freshly cut/split red oak. Glad to know I'm not the only one with great tastes (smells?).


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## StihlHead (May 27, 2013)

Jon1270 said:


> I like the smell, too. I wonder whether there's something genetic going on, like with cilantro (which tastes like soap to a significant fraction of the population).


 
Not unlike eating asparagus and then peeing. Though that is a weird combination of genetic factors. Only certain people with a specific gene can break down asparagus into their smelly components. On top of that, only those with another specific gene can smell the results of that chemical breakdown. What's more, they are separate genetic aspects, and the two "abilities" aren't always present or lacking in one person. Some can make it, but not smell it, some can make it and smell it (like me), some do not make it and still smell it (in SOs I presume), and some can do neither and wonder what the fuss is about.


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## StihlHead (May 27, 2013)

I love the smell of red oak in the morning.




It smells like victory...


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## Isaac Carlson (May 28, 2013)

I did not read every response, so no flaming.  Here is my 2 cents.

Oak can have a fungus or bacteria in it that smells like poo.  It is called "piss oak".  There is also "piss elm".  There are varying degrees of stink-ness.  I take a very good whiff after felling just so I know if I should store it inside or out.  Clean, healthy oak smells great.  I LOVE the smell of good oak.  I have also had REALLY BAD piss oak.  Had to burn the whole tree outside in a bonfire because it was so bad, and I don't waste wood!  It smelled like raccoon crap and dog pee mixed with something nasty.  BAD.  I try not to mess with the bad stuff, but if it is tolerable, I keep it.

I hope this helps  you guys out.  It is not "bad" oak, but it does smell bad.


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