what woods to avoid?

[elkimmeg]

wood wrapped with poison ivy or poison sumack

 

[thephotohound]

uhh, I dont know if the Trex dude was kidding!

Kidding about what? The guy was asking a question, so I answered him...

While we are talking about burning wood, I am thinking of replacing my blockoff plate at the damper. I used Enord's plans for a cardboard plate, but it doesn't seem to be working well. Any ideas?

-- Mike

That's WAY to funny! :bug:

I took my plate off altogether. It really serves no need.

 

[backpack09]

I would stay away from the wood in your neighbors wood pile...... Man could get shot doing that.

 

[myzamboni]

wood wrapped with poison ivy or poison sumack

That would be perfect for me as I am immune to the breakouts. Too bad no one in else in the house is.

 

[derbygreg]

I would stay away from the wood in your neighbors wood pile...... Man could get shot doing that.

Since none of my neighbors burn to speak of, their piles are very small and probably rotten. I live in a newer neighborhood.

The neighbors probably think I am some nut job since the perimeter of my back yard is lined 4+ feet high 3/4 of the way around with split and stacked wood.

 

[EL DRIFTO]

The only woods that are really 'bad' to burn - as others have alluded are treated woods, finished and/or painted woods, etc.

i just got some old cedar paneling out of someone's basement walls

i guess i can't burn the pieces that were stained once ??

 

[efoyt]

Burning box edler isin't bad but i'll never cut another one down. Took me as long to cut down and then cut up as 4 oaks. I also wouldn't cut elm unless you have a power spliter. And stay away from Sumac. Other then that just make sure it's dry. You might also want to stick to just hardwood if you can, i'm not a pine hater like some but it does burn different then hardwood. And wet pine is lighter then dry hardwood so it is easy to unknowingly burn pine that is not as dry as it should be.

 

[fossil]

Well, El Drifto, with your very first post, you managed to dredge up a thread from 2007. I'll move the whole thing over into the Wood Shed forum, which didn't even exist back then. I guess you've figured out the search function. Welcome! Rick

 

[EL DRIFTO]

what's worse is my first post question

now that i've read i can't use wood with any stain - FAIL

what to do with a big pile of paneling...

 

[efoyt]

I was giving someone advice to a question they asked 2 years ago. No more wine for me tonight!

 

[EL DRIFTO]

woops smileys & intro
my name is Joe
i just got my stove this month

found exactly what i was looking for
i'll be back
awesome forum

 

[fossil]

I'm using some 30-year old cedar decking split up for kindling...if it ever had any finish on it, it's long gone. But this is dimensional lumber, not paneling. Paneling has at least two strikes against it...the finish that was applied, and the glues/binders used to manufacture it. I would never ever burn any sort of plywood or paneling in a wood stove...and that goes for pressure treated wood, press-board (MDF and its ilk), anything that's been painted or stained or otherwise finished. I don't even burn cardboard (though lots of folks do), because of the glue in it. That paneling belongs in the dump, Joe...your Englander wants nothing but nice clean kindling and cordwood. It's not a trash incinerator, it's a high quality wood burning heater. Feed it right and it'll treat you right! Rick

 

[CowboyAndy]

I'm using some 30-year old cedar decking split up for kindling...if it ever had any finish on it, it's long gone. But this is dimensional lumber, not paneling. Paneling has at least two strikes against it...the finish that was applied, and the glues/binders used to manufacture it. I would never ever burn any sort of plywood or paneling in a wood stove...and that goes for pressure treated wood, press-board (MDF and its ilk), anything that's been painted or stained or otherwise finished. I don't even burn cardboard (though lots of folks do), because of the glue in it. That paneling belongs in the dump, Joe...your Englander wants nothing but nice clean kindling and cordwood. It's not a trash incinerator, it's a high quality wood burning heater. Feed it right and it'll treat you right! Rick

try telling that to my father in law. they use paper plates, and they go in there, food scraps and all. he's currently using pressure treated as kindling. he says the chemicals in it make it burn better.

i got mad at my wife the other day for putting a bunch of cardboard in the furnace. she doesnt see the problem with it.


that aside, I will burn any type of wood. my collection includes box elder, pine, spruce, aspen, birch, ash, sugar maple and hickory. I will go out of my way for the ash, maple and hickory. most of the other stuff was given to me or easily accessible where we cut. right now i am burning primarily box elder, aspen and ash. the maple and hickory is reserved for temps below 20* and nighttime. even in the dead of winter i will continue to use the "lesser" wood when i am home.

 

[firefighterjake]

Hmmm . . . another Zombie Thread . . . post dug up and brought back to life after being dead for years.

On the flip side, welcome to the forum El Drifto.