2 yr old Pine: Worth the Wait

[NordicSplitter]

I often read alot of threads about the negatives of burning Pine. I'm sure some of them have there merit, but this year for shoulder season I decided to burn up some 2 yr old Pine. I am pleasantly pleased. Burns fast and hot. Produces a good set of coal for my harder woods and doing work outside...smells great. I now plan on scourging for some more Pine...Let it sit for 2 yrs or so and simply enjoy.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Good thinking dzych2.

 

[thewoodlands]

I often read alot of threads about the negatives of burning Pine. I'm sure some of them have there merit, but this year for shoulder season I decided to burn up some 2 yr old Pine. I am pleasantly pleased. Burns fast and hot. Produces a good set of coal for my harder woods and doing work outside...smells great. I now plan on scourging for some more Pine...Let it sit for 2 yrs or so and simply enjoy.

Just loaded up the Lopi Liberty with Pine, wish I had more ready.

Burn On
Zap

 

[firefighterjake]

This time of year I frequently find myself thinking it would be nice to have some pine or poplar to burn instead of the other stuff I've been burning.

 

[bogydave]

I often read alot of threads about the negatives of burning Pine. I'm sure some of them have there merit, but this year for shoulder season I decided to burn up some 2 yr old Pine. I am pleasantly pleased. Burns fast and hot. Produces a good set of coal for my harder woods and doing work outside...smells great. I now plan on scourging for some more Pine...Let it sit for 2 yrs or so and simply enjoy.

"Burn no pine before it's time"

Spruce, here in Alaska. Good wood.
Shoulder season was 3 - 4 weeks ago here, I'm into the good stuff

 

[BIGDADDY]

I have a cord of pine burn able and will have 3 next year. I love pine.

 

[BrotherBart]

Two year dried pine is burning in my stove right now and has been since I started burning last week.

 

[NH_Wood]

Put aside a cord of pine last February - will burn next fall. Started bringing home loads of pine from a house about 1 minute down the road. Had some big pine dropped about 6 month ago - they just bucked it to firewood length and piled it next to the road with a 'Free Pine' sign on it - no need for me to rush, I'm the only one around here that burns pine - most folks think I'm crazy - the old myth is alive and well. Cheers!

 

[Seanm]

Is most of the pine burned out east called white pine? Ive noticed its low on the btu charts and see that not all pine is created equal. My pine is lodgepole and ive never seen the sap issues ive read on this site. When I split my pine my hands dont get sticky ever, nor do I see much sap when Im burning it. There is so much of it from blow downs and the pine beatle that aged pine isnt often hard to find. Dont have to cut it green as there is enough aged to choose from. Dave, what kind of pine do you burn up there? Im suspecting its lodgepole?? Ive noticed you burn lots of birch which is scarce around here. I see mostly pine, larch, fir and then aspens and cottonwood.

 

[bogydave]

I burn birch most of the year & spruce for shoulder wood. I'm at about 90 % birch CSS now.
I'll take aspen if & cottonwood if a really easy scrounge, if I need wood. Don't have any now.
Our wood types:

 

[firewoodjunky]

Is most of the pine burned out east called white pine? Ive noticed its low on the btu charts and see that not all pine is created equal. My pine is lodgepole and ive never seen the sap issues ive read on this site. When I split my pine my hands dont get sticky ever, nor do I see much sap when Im burning it. There is so much of it from blow downs and the pine beatle that aged pine isnt often hard to find. Dont have to cut it green as there is enough aged to choose from. Dave, what kind of pine do you burn up there? Im suspecting its lodgepole?? Ive noticed you burn lots of birch which is scarce around here. I see mostly pine, larch, fir and then aspens and cottonwood.

In New England white pines are pretty common.

White pines, red pines (norway pines), white birch, poplar, hemlock, soft maples, it's all good to me - they dramatically reduce my oak and locust consumption.

I only season my pine splits for a year.....I guess I am a slacker there.

 

[TimJ]

your wood stacks should look like a Thanksgiving day table spread............a little maple, pine, beech, oak, cherry, hickory, ash
Put it in your stove and turn the oven on low, or high
everything is good grandma

 

[basod]

Burn mostly Southern yellow pine for shoulder season. Never cut it green - too many beetle killed standing dead and debarked.

I've 2 Long-leaf pines that'll be coming down this winter - beetles got them appears.
It's closer to hardwood, slow growth & tight rings. You folks with older homes in the NE probably have it as floorboards

 

[firefighterjake]

Is most of the pine burned out east called white pine? Ive noticed its low on the btu charts and see that not all pine is created equal. My pine is lodgepole and ive never seen the sap issues ive read on this site. When I split my pine my hands dont get sticky ever, nor do I see much sap when Im burning it. There is so much of it from blow downs and the pine beatle that aged pine isnt often hard to find. Dont have to cut it green as there is enough aged to choose from. Dave, what kind of pine do you burn up there? Im suspecting its lodgepole?? Ive noticed you burn lots of birch which is scarce around here. I see mostly pine, larch, fir and then aspens and cottonwood.

I suspect a lot of folks call any softwood with needles "pine." But to answer your question . . . around here in Maine we see mostly Eastern White Pine, but there is some Scotch pine here and there.

 

[red oak]

your wood stacks should look like a Thanksgiving day table spread............a little maple, pine, beech, oak, cherry, hickory, ash
Put it in your stove and turn the oven on low, or high
everything is good grandma

I like wood as much as the next guy but I would never eat it for Thanksgiving dinner. Although come to think of it I do need more fiber.....

 

[Leslielou]

My family says that pine isn't good to burn and we shouldnt bother with it. We have access to lots of wood - choice of cherry, ash, locust, hard maple, white or red pine, hickory, walnut, etc, etc.

Should we cut pine? If you had an unlimited supply of hardwood, would you still burn pine?

Trying to decide if we should cut some on our next trip after reading this thread.

 

[BoilerMan]

WHAT????? You burned PINE????? How is your house still standing? You must have one good chimney, that can stand a chimney fire, or have LOTS of creosote........... LOL, caps added for sarcasm

TS

 

[kennyl70]

I burn pine as well, and like most the myth is alive in missouri too. So many people dont think pine is good for burning and i probably wouldnt burn it in an inside the home stove. but ows or owb, go for it. and yes if i had an unlimited supply of hardwood, which i do, i would and do still burn pine. i can not let a tree go bad and we have a few pine every other year go bad with beetles. a tree rooted is a tree not suppling heat.

 

[Seanm]

I was out today and cut up a Larch. I mentioned to my 11 year old daughter that I needed her help unloading since the rounds werent all that big. While I was putting on my boots I called for her but I couldnt find her. Turns out she was beside the house already unloading the truck!! What a good girl! Her and my 7 year old son unloaded the truck and put each round on my split block for me While out cutting my wife and I walked around and noticed one Birch (alive) standing amongst the aspens. Since there is lots of pine and other soft woods close by it makes sense for us. Im cheap so if I have to drive the truck very far it costs gas and cuts into my bottom line! To answer a recent question, if I had to burn pine with lots of hard woods around would I? Its nice to split and not to heavy for my bad back. I would love to have some hardwood though! I can only imagine how nice it is to burn! I find it interesting how long it takes to age many of the hard woods. When I told my wife today I wanted to go get the larch she asked me where are we were going to put it??

 

[kennyl70]

Seanm sounds like u have some good little helpers there.

 

[Seanm]

Yeah and they enjoy the heat of their labours!

 

[firefighterjake]

My family says that pine isn't good to burn and we shouldnt bother with it. We have access to lots of wood - choice of cherry, ash, locust, hard maple, white or red pine, hickory, walnut, etc, etc.

Should we cut pine? If you had an unlimited supply of hardwood, would you still burn pine?

Trying to decide if we should cut some on our next trip after reading this thread.

If I had an unlimited supply of cherry, ash, locust, hard maple, hickory, etc. I wouldn't bother with pine . . . except if there was one in my way or maybe I might just take one or two to make some kindling and have a little on hand for the shoulder season fires. For me, pine is like poplar, willow and other softwood -- I'll cut it and burn it with no reservations, but it's low on my "must cut" list as I would rather spend my time, energy, fuel and storage space on better wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My family says that pine isn't good to burn and we shouldnt bother with it. We have access to lots of wood - choice of cherry, ash, locust, hard maple, white or red pine, hickory, walnut, etc, etc.

Should we cut pine? If you had an unlimited supply of hardwood, would you still burn pine?

Trying to decide if we should cut some on our next trip after reading this thread.

We too have lots of pine but lots of other good wood. My thoughts is that it takes no longer, and sometimes not as long (because of all the limbs on pine) to cut the better btu wood than cutting pine. So, it seems to make more sense to cut the better wood if you have it. Here is what we did with some of our pines.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

I have unlimited access to non-treated structural pine. Next to where i work there is a roof truss manufacturer and he lets me fill my truck up whenever i want. The pieces are quite small (~12") but are obviously very dry. I use these to start my fire and sometimes for a quick burst of heat. I have to be careful not to load the stove too high as it will glow as this stuff can burn very hot.

 

[onetracker]

indeed.
i wouldn't go out of my way to process pine but i have to clean up my yard and nearby woods anyway so i'm burning it for the first time this year. and...

....I LOVE IT! i haven't touched any of my primo 2-3 seasoned hardwood yet and my house is just as warm, the glass on the stove is just as clean as with any other good quality hardwood. its so dry i bet i can light a chunk of it with a stick match. all i need is one leftover coal and i can bring a fire back to life. sure it doesn't burn long but it gets up into the 40's this time of year here anyway.

your results may vary.

bring on the winter