# Is there a good reason to de-bark wood before burning?



## dave11 (Oct 2, 2009)

My chimney guy, who's very nice but considers himself the fountain of all knowledge, suggested to me that if possible, I remove the bark from all firewood I burn, unless the wood hasn't seen rain/water for many months. He says that bark acts a sponge, and will hold on to recent water, whereas the underlying wood is slower to absorb (and of course slower to dry). He says this moisture will accelerate creosote in the liner, which I think we all agree on, though I've never seen this particular issue addressed here or elsewhere.

I do remember reading somewhere though that bark "contributes" to creosote formation, and so should be removed, though I'm not sure if anyone knows that bark burns any dirtier than the underlying wood. 

So there's two issues: Does bark hold on to recent moisture more than the hard wood, and does it burn dirtier than the wood?


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## smokinj (Oct 2, 2009)

I guess theres some truth to that if your throwing in wet wood the bark may hold it a little longer but dry stil dry


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## efoyt (Oct 2, 2009)

I think it would take longer to debark my wood that it took to cut, split, move, and stack?


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## LLigetfa (Oct 2, 2009)

Ease of debarking would depend on species as would the propensity to creosote.  Bark will soak up rain and it also slows the drying of the wood which is why I split everything that can be split.  Ash, I leave the bark on but Birch I will strip off as much as I can when I split and then more of it after it has seasoned.


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## dave11 (Oct 2, 2009)

Rex said:
			
		

> I think it would take longer to debark my wood that it took to cut, split, move, and stack?



Well, I'm new to all this, and it sounded like a lot of work to me, though the wood I have now is pretty dry, and the bark is partly off already. The rest could be probably knocked off without too much trouble. 

But I can see his point somewhat. If you have seasoned wood sitting outside, any small amount of rain or snow can soak into the bark pretty easily, and not dry out for a while. So it could end up in the stove. And it wouldn't be caught by using a moisture meter, which is just reading the underlying solid wood, which is very slow to change in either direction.


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## dave11 (Oct 2, 2009)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> Ease of debarking would depend on species as would the propensity to creosote.  Bark will soak up rain and it also slow the drying of the wood which is why I split everything that can be split.  Ash, I leave the bark on but Birch I will strip off as much as I can when I split and the more of it after it has seasoned.



Are you leaving bark on the ash though mainly because it's harder to remove? 

We have mainly oak, maple, and cherry here, which seem like they'd be fairly easy to strip, when properly dry.


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## karri0n (Oct 2, 2009)

I don't try to take the bark off when I'm loading up the wood box from the pile, but if the bark is wet, which you can feel, I'll pull it off as I'm loading the stove, and put the bark into my kindling box. It seems to me the wettest part of the bark is not the outer surface, but the surface where the bark is attached to the log. Once removed from the log, It dries within a day or two, and makes decent kindling in my opinion. I'm generally burning red oak, so the bark falls right off if the wood is try. If it was some wood that's holding onto its bark, I don't waste my time trying to pull bark off, I just throw it in. The minimal amount of water will boil out pretty quickly. I mostly do this for a free source of kindling.


As to dry bark not burning as cleanly - biomass is biomass, and the fire being above 1500 degrees is what makes for a clean burn. Sounds to me like a similar myth to "you can't burn pine because the pitch will clog up your chimney"


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## gzecc (Oct 2, 2009)

I think its nonsense to remove the bark.  He is looking for an out, so when you have creosote build up. He can say "have you been removing the bark?  Season your wood and your bark appropriately, it won't be a problem.


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## LLigetfa (Oct 2, 2009)

gzecc said:
			
		

> He is looking for an out, so when you have creosote build up. He can say "have you been removing the bark?


I'm confused.  Why would a sweep need an out?  If there is creosote, it's certainly not his fault and it's money in his pocket.

I try to stay years ahead and store my firewood in the wood shed so the bark is as dry as can be.  That said, I still strip the bark off of Birch.  If I stored wood outside and burned it same year I would take off whatever bark comes off easily.


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## gzecc (Oct 2, 2009)

Probably a stretch, I thought he installed the liner.  Reread and see he only cleaned it.


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## dave11 (Oct 2, 2009)

gzecc said:
			
		

> Probably a stretch, I thought he installed the liner.  Reread and see he only cleaned it.



It didn't seem like he had an ulterior motive for saying it. I think he's convinced it's true.

But I think he might have a point. If the bark has seen rain/snow recently and not had a decent amount of time to dry, it's probably retaining a good bit of water. I was able to squeeze a good bit of moisture out of some bark in my woodpile even though it hadn't rained here for days and the wood seemed dry on top, especially the thicker bark.


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## Danno77 (Oct 2, 2009)

I move my wood so many times that if the bark is gonna come off it will. Generally, it's been my experience that if the bark is still hanging that tight onto the wood then it's not worth the effort to try to get it off. if it falls off then there's a good chance that it is a little wet, just like you propose. let it dry out near the stove and throw it in later. no harm, no foul.

nobody will argue that bark doesn't absorb and hold moisture more than the wood, it's just a question of how big of an issue it is.


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## TreePapa (Oct 2, 2009)

I debark wood when splitting IF the bark comes off easily. Debarked wood seems to season a little more quickly.

If the bark is still on, I will sometimes debark it before bringing into the house, again, if the bark comes off easily. Mostly so as not to be bring bark mess, and any critters who might be just under the bark, into the house. Also in my FP, the bark sometimes does not burn quite as well as debarked wood.

Lastly, if I had birch, I would take the bark off and keep it for tinder but I don't know of any other species for which the bark would be worth keeping.

Peace,
- Sequoia


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## PunKid8888 (Oct 2, 2009)

karri0n said:
			
		

> As to dry bark not burning as cleanly - biomass is biomass, and the fire being above 1500 degrees is what makes for a clean burn. Sounds to me like a similar myth to "you can't burn pine because the pitch will clog up your chimney"



So would this mean that if you stripped bark and then let it dry, you could potentionally burn it for heat.  maybe in-between good wood burn cycles as to not load up on just bark. 

I ask because the wood I have split recently all had thick bark just peeling right off.  I peeled it off just because it was so easy and I figured the more wood exposed the faster trying, regardless.  So I actually have a bunch of bark that is pretty dry, and I was wondering if I could just burn it. Kinda like eating the crust of the pizza, it may just be the Dough, but hell its still food so why waste it.


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## karri0n (Oct 2, 2009)

PunKid8888 said:
			
		

> karri0n said:
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I think this would be akin to burning cardboard. You COULD do it, but it's gonna burn up quick and make lots of ash. That's why I just use it for kindling. It doesn't have the density of the actual wood, so it starts faster and burns shorter.


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## ksting (Oct 2, 2009)

If it falls off while splitting or stacking, great!  If not, don't lose any sleep over it!


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## peakbagger (Oct 2, 2009)

I know some folks who used to get the cores from veneer mills. Basically a big round dowel with zero bark. They claimed a much lower ash content and faster drying.


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## burnt2perfection (Oct 2, 2009)

ksting said:
			
		

> If it falls off while splitting or stacking, great!  If not, don't lose any sleep over it!


Best answer. :coolsmile:


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## CowboyAndy (Oct 2, 2009)

the only reason i would consider removing the bark is because the wood itself tends to ignite easier than the bark. but its really not a big deal for me. if the wood is seasoned properly, the bark should be almost falling off anyways with some species, like maple.


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## LLigetfa (Oct 2, 2009)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> I know some folks who used to get the cores from veneer mills. Basically a big round dowel with zero bark. They claimed a much lower ash content and faster drying.


I support their claim.  Back in my youth I scrounged lots of Birch cores from the plywood mill.  Some of them were big rounds that had a soft centre and got rejected when they spun out on the lathe.


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## Slow1 (Oct 2, 2009)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> I know some folks who used to get the cores from veneer mills. Basically a big round dowel with zero bark. They claimed a much lower ash content and faster drying.



That sounds like good stuff to burn.  I bet they were consistent in size too - easy to stack and the heart of the wood is the hardest isn't it?


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## CowboyAndy (Oct 2, 2009)

bark does have ALOT to do with drying, as does surface area of exposed wood. 

barkless wood WILL dry faster, but is it worth the effort if you have to take it off? try to take bark off freshly cut sugar maple.


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## kenny chaos (Oct 2, 2009)

Yes, don't ever burn a log that has bark on it, especially the new epa stoves.
Please, somebody shoot me.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 2, 2009)

I've never purposely taken bark off of any log for firewood as I see no need for it. If the bark falls off, that is okay but I certainly would never try to take it off just for burning. 

Some use bark for kindling but I've never found it all that great. The stuff that falls from our wood gets thrown into a pile. We use some for mulch and some just gets hauled to the woods and thrown into a water hole.

As for the bark soaking up rain etc., isn't that one of the big reasons we cover the TOPS ONLY of the wood pile after the first summer? If the top of the pile is covered, then there should be no concern there as only the sides of the piles will get hit with some rain and that little bit won't matter at all.


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## JotulOwner (Oct 2, 2009)

I like to remove the bark before bringing the wood into my home. That way, there is less chance for insects to get into the house. When the bark is loose, I just rip it off and brush the other crapola off the split before tossing it into the container I use to carry it in the house. That's just me. It's easy and makes less mess to clean up in the house.


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## Corey (Oct 2, 2009)

Silliest thing I've heard of (so far today).  If the bark did fall off, I'd pick it up and throw it in the fire - those are free btu's going to waste. Actually, that is usually my October and most of November wood - pieces of bark, chips from around the splitter and scraggly pieces of wood which can't be stacked. If the bark was wet, I'd just burn some other wood.  Bark is like a sponge and will soak up water - but just like a sponge, it dries out pretty quick, too.


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## quads (Oct 3, 2009)

If there is bark on the tree when I cut it (many I cut don't have bark on them anyway), and if the bark is still on it after sitting in a stack for five years, and even if the bark falls off in my wood box in the house, it still goes right in the stove with all the rest.  Don't know if burning bark is right or wrong, and I've never heard of purposely not burning it, but that's how I do it.


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## kenny chaos (Oct 3, 2009)

Some of you wish you could've tasted the meat that was cooked over bark this summer.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 3, 2009)

I took the bark off of all pieces I could, even using a small pry bar and brushed off each piece before bringing into the garage to stack (about 4-5 cords), for the last two years.
It takes a lot of time.  I did find some little ants under bark.  I don't recall much carpenter ant action under the bark, but maybe.
Again, very tedious.  Then you have to do something with the bark.


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## dave11 (Oct 3, 2009)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> I took the bark off of all pieces I could, even using a small pry bar and brushed off each piece before bringing into the garage to stack (about 4-5 cords), for the last two years.
> It takes a lot of time.  I did find some little ants under bark.  I don't recall much carpenter ant action under the bark, but maybe.
> Again, very tedious.  Then you have to do something with the bark.



It seems a few folks at least here are doing the same. There seem to be a few definite advantages, such as eliminating most insects, faster drying, and easier lighting. Beyond that, it might lead to less creosote in the chimney. Too bad there's not a quick and easy way to debark the stubborn ones.


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## Avitare (Oct 3, 2009)

new to the forum

I cut the logs to length in the spring and split months later (next years + wood) 

The bark falls right off  (Maple) and the Ash seems to stay put.  Years ago I tried burning the dried pile of bark and confirmed the statement of a lot of ash and not much heat.

be warm
tc


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## madrone (Oct 3, 2009)

I don't spend much time thinking about bark, much less removing it. Total waste of time.


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## Bigg_Redd (Oct 3, 2009)

dave11 said:
			
		

> Is there a good reason to de-bark wood before burning?



No


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## velvetfoot (Oct 3, 2009)

I'm just doing it 'cause I'm bringing it into the garage and I figure I might find some bugs.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 3, 2009)

Avitare said:
			
		

> new to the forum
> 
> I cut the logs to length in the spring and split months later (next years + wood)
> 
> ...




Welcome to the forum tc. 

The bark of ash usually does stay on but once the ash borer gets ahold of it, the bark falls right off. I had a big pile of it last spring after splitting. Seems I'd split a log and the bark just came off without touching it again. Weird, but the insects do lots of damage.


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## Birdman1 (Oct 3, 2009)

Don't burn bark !

It's worse than pine, you will go blind, your hair will fall out, but grow on your palms

and you could have a chimney fire or a chiminea fire if you burn it outside.

Maybe Fiskars will make a wood debarker (with shin guards )soon and save us from the evil bark.




I"m gonna go run and hide now :cheese:


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## LLigetfa (Oct 3, 2009)

Birdman1 said:
			
		

> Don't burn bark !
> 
> It's worse than pine, you will go blind, your hair will fall out, but grow on your palms
> 
> ...


You say it in jest but there is some truth to it.  It really depends on species and how the wood is stacked/stored.  When stacking outdoors I noticed that if it was stacked bark side down that rain often got trapped between the bark and the wood.  The wood then can soak up that rain slowing the drying process and creating habitat for insects.  Wood stacked bark side up might shield more from the rain if the bark is intact but having no bark is better than loose bark.

Since I eventually store my wood in a shed the bark is as dry as can be and bark of the Ash tree is not bad.  Birch bark, on the other hand, is really bad stuff, particularly the thick stuff on larger rounds.  I strip it off since half of it comes off anyway when you split and more of would come away as it dries.  Taking it off right away helps the wood dry faster and if Fiskars made a bark peeler I would stand in line to buy one.


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## Ratman (Oct 3, 2009)

Goal:No bark in the Temple = Naked Wood

Rules: Remove as much bark from each piece whenever possible.

PROCESS:
First handling (buck, split, stack) of wet wood will retain most of the bark.
Second and possibly final (final = 1 year minimum) handling of the wood should be a process where you use a tool if necessary to remove as much bark as possible.


BENEFITS:
Burns cleaner: most ash is created from the bark not the wood itself.

Dries quicker: most moisture is contained in the bark, which also acts as a barrier, preventing the rest of the wood from drying.

Less mess: there's no broken-off bark and dirt to clean up!

More storage: without the bark the quantity of wood provided will be 5% to 7% greater per cord.

Better kindling: pieces that may break-off are burnable wood, not just bark.


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## Tony H (Oct 3, 2009)

I scrape off every last bit of bark ...... yea right. Seems like a waste of time for my application with a boiler in a shed outside. When bringing wood into the fireplace I bang the pieces together to knock off the loose stuff and make a little less mess in the house.  Some woods like box elder alot falls off at the splitter I save a little for kindling sometimes but throw the majority in the burn pile or the compost pile. I tried burning it a few years ago but it just did not seem to produce a whole lot for the effort.


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## Hurricane (Oct 4, 2009)

I do not take it off and if it falls off I burn it in my EPA stove no less ! 
I must be a rebel


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## fossil (Oct 4, 2009)

I don't pay any attention to bark.  I let the bark fall where it may.  Makes a nice ground cover to keep me out of the dirt in my splitting areas.  If a split still has bark clinging to it when it's time to go into the stove, then into the stove goes the split, bark and all.  It's all fuel.  By the time I burn anything, it's about as seasoned as it's ever gonna get in the dry high desert of central Oregon.  Rick


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## billb3 (Oct 4, 2009)

Try puttying and sealing all the cracks and checks on the ends and see if you get overnite burns.


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## wahoowad (Oct 4, 2009)

I'll strip bark during splitting if it looks like it wants to come off, or is already wet underneath. I don't have a woodshed so my outdoor stacks can get wet and I've found bark does hold water longer than bare wood. But if it stays on tioght and doesn't look wet, I leave it on.

I use a machette to strip it off. Generally I slide it underneath and pop the bark off rather than whacking at it. Works well for me.


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## gzecc (Oct 4, 2009)

After I take off the bark, I usually take my random orbit sander and sand off the roughest / uneven  areas of the splits.  They prevent me from loading my racks and stove most efficiently.


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## LLigetfa (Oct 4, 2009)

gzecc said:
			
		

> After I take off the bark, I usually take my random orbit sander and sand off the roughest / uneven  areas of the splits.  They prevent me from loading my racks and stove most efficiently.


A sander is too slow.  I take off major protrusions with a hatchet.  Back when I was using tarps, it saved them from getting chafed and the wood stacks more stable.  Ja, they do pack into the stove better too but the irregular shapes are OK for daytime burning.


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## kenny chaos (Oct 4, 2009)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> gzecc said:
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Sander is too slow and a hatchet is too caveman.
Oberve the proper final steps for proper firewood.


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## LLigetfa (Oct 4, 2009)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

> Oberve the proper final steps for proper firewood.


Back in my youth, I scrounged a lot of culled Birch from the local plywood mill.  Same as your pic except they were more than 4 feet long.  IMHO that is how all Birch should be processed.

Where I work we have huge dry debarkers for the chains that feed the mill.  It does a really good job of taking off the bark which we burn in our biomass boiler but for home use, the wood has too many slivers for bare hands.


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## Ratman (Oct 4, 2009)

kenny chaos said:
			
		

> LLigetfa said:
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I like this...
Good job!


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## kenny chaos (Oct 4, 2009)

Nothing like a good "I'm more anal than you" competition but some of you guys are getting hard to beat.
Kenny Chaos


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## JoeyD (Oct 4, 2009)

I have almost all red oak and the bark can be up to 3/4" thick on some of the bigger rounds. I don't have a woodshed and only top cover, and I'm working on three years ahead so my wood will be exposed to the elements a long time. With red oak bugs seem to like living under the bark so I strip it off with my splitter if it is thick. If it doesn't pop off easily I leave it. The thinner stuff doesn't seem to be a problem. 

Now with all that said I've only been burning one year and might change my ways over time. ;-P


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## CowboyAndy (Oct 4, 2009)

i take mine and strip the bark off, run it over a belt sander with progressivly finer paper starting at 20 grit finishing with 2000, then use the router to carve grooves and use square dowels to construct mega firewood like the way they put together log homes. then i use a no voc varnish to achive a glass look with 8 coats, 1500 grit in between. then once thats done i put them in their custom built "wood warmer", using down comforters to make sure they stay warm.

i always make sure i am wearing my tux when i put them into the furnace.


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## kenny chaos (Oct 5, 2009)

You win.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 5, 2009)

Wow . . . a debate on whether or not to burn bark-less, naked wood . . . is there a link here to the thread on talking to trees?

Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.

----

On a serious side . . . do folks actually have the time and inclination to strip off the bark? Egads . . . if folks have time to do this and are doing this out of a fear of bugs, "excess" moisture and more room for more wood I may suggest they consider taking up some more OCD like activities like looking for four leaf clovers in a clover field, counting cars going through an intersection or watching paint dry. Egads . . . it's all wood and it all burns . . . I mean, if it's falling off the split, sure, I might huck it into the wood, but I certainly don't have time to denude each and every stick of wood.


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## SolarAndWood (Oct 5, 2009)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.



Don't let your beech hear you talking to a maple like that.


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## smokinj (Oct 5, 2009)

CowboyAndy said:
			
		

> i take mine and strip the bark off, run it over a belt sander with progressivly finer paper starting at 20 grit finishing with 2000, then use the router to carve grooves and use square dowels to construct mega firewood like the way they put together log homes. then i use a no voc varnish to achive a glass look with 8 coats, 1500 grit in between. then once thats done i put them in their custom built "wood warmer", using down comforters to make sure they stay warm.
> 
> i always make sure i am wearing my tux when i put them into the furnace.
> 
> thought i was the only one doing that


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## Danno77 (Oct 5, 2009)

when i split wood with my Fiskars the bark flies off of the entire round and lands 30 feet away in the flower garden in 2" size nuggets for mulch.


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## maplewood (Oct 5, 2009)

If my bark can come off easily, I take it off.  Loose bark holds moisture.  But it it's on solid, I leave it, whether I split it or not.
2 cents.


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## kenny chaos (Oct 5, 2009)

I did a little snooping and guess what?
I found that oaks are dying in Pa (home of orginal poster) and special procedures (including debarking) are recommended to prevent
the spread of disease to nearby trees on nearby property.
I also see problems in other states with elm and ash and that some municipalities 'mandate' debarking, yes, even of firewood.
Leave the fiskars for the tool polishers and get yourselves a spud.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 6, 2009)

> On a serious side . . . do folks actually have the time and inclination to strip off the bark? Egads . . . if folks have time to do this and are doing this out of a fear of bugs, “excess” moisture and more room for more wood I may suggest they consider taking up some more OCD like activities like looking for four leaf clovers in a clover field, counting cars going through an intersection or watching paint dry. Egads . . . it’s all wood and it all burns . . . I mean, if it’s falling off the split, sure, I might huck it into the wood, but I certainly don’t have time to denude each and every stick of wood.



I get my wood from the garage in my stocking feet in the middle of winter.  When I put it in there, I look at each and every piece, brush them off, and pry off loose bark.  I'm ambivalent about the whole thing and I'm sure it's not foolproof, but it's just so darn convenient.


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## Ratman (Oct 6, 2009)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Wow . . . a debate on whether or not to burn bark-less, naked wood . . . is there a link here to the thread on talking to trees?
> 
> Firefighterjake to Maple Tree: Hey Baby . . . how ya doin' . . . I think you might be a little more comfortable if I just take off your bark . . . there you go . . . yeah baby . . . you're looking good now.
> 
> ...



Hey Jake I'd like to sponser you at our weekly 4-leaf clover lovers club. The meeting is in-town, Tuesday evenings at the intersection of maple and beech, you know, next to Egads Paint Store.
I guess I just like my wood to burn clean and guess what; I have all kinds of time to do all kinds of real cool things also.


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## Inwo (Oct 6, 2009)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> when i split wood with my Fiskars the bark flies off of the entire round and lands 30 feet away in the flower garden in 2" size nuggets for mulch.


Wow I thought that was the only one that was happening to...


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## Danno77 (Oct 6, 2009)

Inwo said:
			
		

> Danno77 said:
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nope, that's a standard feature on all Fiskars splitters.


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