I have some wood that has been in my yard for a number of years so probably out of energy or am I wrong? Can I use it and if so is there any problem if it is too old? Rotted wood is the same as burned wood is what I have read but this is not rotted just really old and light in weight so will it be good for kindling or ??? I am sorry for dumb questions but I am really wanting to be knowledgeable and do the right thing. I am new to all of this( who knew) but do not want to make big mistakes. IF punky wood is good enough then I have some that I was going to dump and will use it.
Punky Wood Questions
- Thread starter sandie
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I'm waiting to see what someone adds who knows because I have the same question.
I have just been burning it when I find a piece. I put it in with a load of 'ok' wood and it seems to burn just fine too. Don't know what a whole load of the stuff would do on it's own though.
I have just been burning it when I find a piece. I put it in with a load of 'ok' wood and it seems to burn just fine too. Don't know what a whole load of the stuff would do on it's own though.
We mix "punky" wood with "good" wood. It burns up very fast so is good on the start up fire and shoulder season burning. I know of no hazard but maybe someone will beg to differ...
If it's not rotten, probably ok to burn. If it's light, as you said, probably not wet, either. Just try some. If it does ok, just use it all up.
I try to avoid burning punky wood if I have a choice. It tends to smoke and smolder a lot and it holds moisture like a sponge. Burns like a punk.
But if you have no choice, be sure it is very dry. Try to mix it with good dry wood so that it can burn hotter.
But if you have no choice, be sure it is very dry. Try to mix it with good dry wood so that it can burn hotter.
If it splits ok, and doesn't crumble or break into chunks when I hit it with the maul, then I mix it into the stacks. If not, then I leave it in the woods to rot. It burns, but doesn't last as long or give off as much heat as good wood.
Don't burn it wet, dry it out and it burns fine. It will be light and it burns quickly, but it all produces heat. I use it as starting wood and during the early season when I light a fire and let it burn out.
As long as it's dry I throw a few pieces in with a load of other wood .If it crumbles and is mushy throw it back in the wood to compost.
I've been burning very dry punky wood this fall. It burns well, but very hot. You really have to watch the stove temperature.
Yep, depends on the punkiness of the wood. Heck, if you cant even carry it cause it falls apart, no bueno. but if its still got some solidness to it, then light it up. I've found that the only wood that dont burn is no wood at all.
We intentionally harvest a lot of punky wood for campfire/shoulder season and find its perfect for the job. Yesterday was a glorious day but we were still burning. I was in an out bare back and in shorts all day assisting the wife with a project. I had to stop and admire this one block of punky wood I caught myself throwing in the fire...it was like precious jewel.
Wood lot owners should not let this resource escape them. Cleans up the wood lot for vehicle traffic and once the wood is processed and elevated the bugs abandon it entirely. Dead laying down soaking wet wood is ready to burn and light to the heft in a month or less. Even the wood that's so far gone that it can't be split without disintegrating becomes perfect for shoulder season or camp fires once it's elevated off the ground.
Of coarse if you buy wood you don't want anything punky.
Wood lot owners should not let this resource escape them. Cleans up the wood lot for vehicle traffic and once the wood is processed and elevated the bugs abandon it entirely. Dead laying down soaking wet wood is ready to burn and light to the heft in a month or less. Even the wood that's so far gone that it can't be split without disintegrating becomes perfect for shoulder season or camp fires once it's elevated off the ground.
Of coarse if you buy wood you don't want anything punky.
The previous owners left behind a lot of pine rounds that I split over the spring. A lot of them were punky...but dry. I've burned most of that stuff by now since this darn shoulder season won't end. On their own, they burn just fine. They don't put out a ton of heat, the burn pretty fast and they leave behind little to no coals. The key here is dry; the stuff we were burning felt like styrofoam.
I'm glad we didn't pitch the stuff. It bought us some extra seaoning time for our hardwoods. Plus, we can save the hardwood until it really gets cold out.
I'm glad we didn't pitch the stuff. It bought us some extra seaoning time for our hardwoods. Plus, we can save the hardwood until it really gets cold out.
I am not talking about big wood to split but rounds of about 1.5 inches like branches etc that was cut many years ago and left in yard in pile so will use like kindling?
Thanks for all the good advice always.
Thanks for all the good advice always.
Burning punky wood . . . depends on how punky the punky wood is . . .
If it's falling apart in chunks: It gets tossed or left in the woods for compost. I don't want to bother with the mess.
If it's sopping wet and holding moisture: It gets tossed or left in the woods. It's not worth it to me to attempt to dry it for use in the stove.
If it's just a bit punky or dead, say on part of the split: I'll keep it. I'll either cut off the punk or use it for starter fires . . . especially in the shoulder season.
Small branches: I tend to associate punk with larger rounds or splits . . . branches, if not squishy punky or falling apart punky . . . sure, keep them for kindling . . . providing you can get them dried out.
If it's falling apart in chunks: It gets tossed or left in the woods for compost. I don't want to bother with the mess.
If it's sopping wet and holding moisture: It gets tossed or left in the woods. It's not worth it to me to attempt to dry it for use in the stove.
If it's just a bit punky or dead, say on part of the split: I'll keep it. I'll either cut off the punk or use it for starter fires . . . especially in the shoulder season.
Small branches: I tend to associate punk with larger rounds or splits . . . branches, if not squishy punky or falling apart punky . . . sure, keep them for kindling . . . providing you can get them dried out.
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