firewood identifyer

**woodwose** · 12-12-2007, 09:25 PM

I need a good internet source for identifying types of wood to be used in a fire. We have all kinds of evergreen out here.. but those spark a lot and burn up quickly. We also have other types of trees but it is difficult to identify what kinds those are from black and white photos in a book and I have read several books... but need to get out and discover what I am actually looking for and at.

**wareagle69** · 12-12-2007, 09:32 PM

i'm new to his myself at the homestead looking at the wood pile and wondering what i am looking at, the one positve id for me so far is cedar from smell and texture to finding allot of it on the property, but a good tree book wiil help must study the bark but just try typing in any type of tree take the cedar trre for example and see what ya come up with, but being able to tell what it is at the yard helps, this year we are buying full log lenghts and cutting ourselves..

**Rick** · 12-12-2007, 09:53 PM

Here is a site that offers some good information on fire wood. It doesn't tell you how to identify the type of wood but it's good nonetheless.

It's tough to identify wood without some other characteristics present unless you already know what it is. You really need to be able to see the leaves as well as the bark. I have some old Golden Guide books that I've used for hundreds of years. I don't have anything current but here is a site that rates 5 guides on trees.

http://forestry.about.com/od/aboutfo...ree_guides.htm

I hope we're talking outdoor fires here. Any resin wood like pine or cedar used in an indoor fireplace will, of course, cause creosote buildup mucho pronto and lead to a chimney fire.

**Sarge47** · 12-12-2007, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

I have some old Golden Guide books that I've used for hundreds of years.

And you're how old now???

**Rick** · 12-12-2007, 10:02 PM

I'm 20. Yep. I'll guarantee you I'm every bit of 20. I started wandering the woods when the pterodactyl was the national bird. When there was only a comet on the flag (before stars were even invented). When the National Anthem was Caw, Caw.

**trax** · 12-13-2007, 05:06 PM

and when all the trees were working on their first ring no doubt there Richard. WE, in your neck of the woods, cut some birch and poplar and leave them long enough to season if they're green, that's the best. I'm saying that thinking your area is pretty similar to where I'm from, I could be wrong on that. Easy to identify. Poplar has pale green (or white with hint of green) pretty smooth outer bark, birch comes in white with black splotches and the bark flakes easily. They both burn long and hot. Mix them up with some pine and spruce. The dry stuff obviously this winter since you're already out there.

Woodwose, follow the link I guess, I don't know what it's like where you're from.

**woodwose** · 12-13-2007, 07:22 PM

Woodwose, follow the link I guess, I don't know what it's like where you're from.

I have a picture of what it is like up here... but I can't figure out how to upload it from my computer. All I get is the window to upload from an http: . Ahhh.. here you go.. This attachment is what it's like up here in the Great Pacific Northwest..

Ah, I'll give you the bigger image... what the hey.

**RobertRogers** · 12-13-2007, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Here is a site that offers some good information on fire wood. It doesn't tell you how to identify the type of wood but it's good nonetheless.

It's tough to identify wood without some other characteristics present unless you already know what it is. You really need to be able to see the leaves as well as the bark. I have some old Golden Guide books that I've used for hundreds of years. I don't have anything current but here is a site that rates 5 guides on trees.

http://forestry.about.com/od/aboutfo...ree_guides.htm

I hope we're talking outdoor fires here. Any resin wood like pine or cedar used in an indoor fireplace will, of course, cause creosote buildup mucho pronto and lead to a chimney fire.

Once you get used to the various woods it isn't difficult to identify them even if just viewing a sample of the spit firewood without bark. It is just a matter of experience like anything else.

**woodwose** · 12-13-2007, 07:49 PM

Once you get used to the various woods it isn't difficult to identify them even if just viewing a sample of the spit firewood without bark. It is just a matter of experience like anything else.

Thanks Robert and all who responded too.. I know this is all a bunch of common sensical 'go out and look, dummy' type of info I am looking for.. I just needed a sense of direction where to find that info..

**toasta** · 12-13-2007, 08:30 PM

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**Rick** · 12-13-2007, 08:31 PM

WW - There are some woods that are pretty easy to pick out once you've seen them a time or two. Some of the others are a bit more difficult. I can still get scrambled on some of the oak types. I know it's an oak. Just don't know which one.

You can find some guides online but they aren't as detailed as the books and they walk you through the very same thing starting with the leaves. I started out with a field guide and carried it into the woods and just started looking. Once you've looked up a specie three or four times it starts getting easier and easier.

I actually have a pretty sweet racket on firewood and I'm about to let everyone in on it. The pro wood guys take all their wood to a local landfill and just dump it so it can be buried and never rot. I haul it right back out of there and bring it home. It's already cut short enough to handle. The landfill is tickled to get rid of it. Besides, they already got their money and it's just taking up room. And it doesn't cost me a dime. Check your local landfill and see if they'll let you have the wood they get. You'll be doing the environment a huge favor and get some free wood in the process. Now, if I can just get them to split it........

**toasta** · 12-13-2007, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

WW - There are some woods that are pretty easy to pick out once you've seen them a time or two. Some of the others are a bit more difficult. I can still get scrambled on some of the oak types. I know it's an oak. Just don't know which one.

You can find some guides online but they aren't as detailed as the books and they walk you through the very same thing starting with the leaves. I started out with a field guide and carried it into the woods and just started looking. Once you've looked up a specie three or four times it starts getting easier and easier.

I actually have a pretty sweet racket on firewood and I'm about to let everyone in on it. The pro wood guys take all their wood to a local landfill and just dump it so it can be buried and never rot. I haul it right back out of there and bring it home. It's already cut short enough to handle. The landfill is tickled to get rid of it. Besides, they already got their money and it's just taking up room. And it doesn't cost me a dime. Check your local landfill and see if they'll let you have the wood they get. You'll be doing the environment a huge favor and get some free wood in the process. Now, if I can just get them to split it........

problem... burning wood releases green house gasses, decomposing wood does too. Tree store mass amounts of carbon as they are growing. If any of you are familiar with the angora fireGuests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
in order to make up for the amount of carbon released during the fire
we would have to take a little more than 33,000 cars off the roads for 1 year

there is an upside to it too

you dont pay for fire wood

**Rick** · 12-13-2007, 09:16 PM

And the wood doesn't sit in a landfill where bacteria can't reach it. Hence, it doesn't decay.

**Gray Wolf** · 12-14-2007, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by woodwose

I need a good internet source for identifying types of wood to be used in a fire. We have all kinds of evergreen out here.. but those spark a lot and burn up quickly. We also have other types of trees but it is difficult to identify what kinds those are from black and white photos in a book and I have read several books... but need to get out and discover what I am actually looking for and at.

Check This out, one of the top rated books for Tree ID in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Found a reputable seller for this book, $8.20 includes shipping http://www.hotbooksale.com/p25514/A-...nd-Canada.html

**wareagle69** · 12-14-2007, 07:04 AM

just a little info with trees that are full of sap like pine, if they are dried out properly the resin is not a problem, resin is full of water when not cured and that is where the problem starts as with any green wood..

**Rick** · 12-14-2007, 09:38 AM

I stand corrected. You are right. It is the moisture content. It condenses on the cooler chimney causing the creosote buildup. Mea Culpa!

**trax** · 12-14-2007, 12:59 PM

Burn the peelings in your woodstove and it'll help clear out creosote buildup. so will getting yer butt up on the roof and sweeping the chimney a couple of times a year.

**trax** · 12-14-2007, 01:12 PM

I used to keep my house heated with wood when I lived up north. Two story, four bedroom house, just under 110 square feet. Probably burned between 10 and 12 cords every winter. I used very little green wood, on really cold nights I'd throw one or two logs on to make sure that it was still burning in the morning, mind you I never installed a damper on the chimney either. Anyway, I'd clean the chimney every spring, two stories of chimney pipe. I'd disconnect the interior stove pipe, tape it off and pull the bottom plug on the chimney pipe, tape a garbage bag on and get up on the roof and sweep. I'd get less than half a garbage bag of soot. So my basic advice is:

1. Burn dry wood as much as possible, greener equals more creosote buildup.

2. Clean the ash pan often. Your stove sucks more oxygen and burns hotter that way.

3. Burn potato peels every chance you get. I think there's something acidic in the potato peels that releases in the smoke. Whatever it is, my Mom taught me this one and I never had a problem with my chimney in the 8 years that I lived there.

4. Make sure all stove pipe joints and chimney joints are tight, and have as few joints and turns in the pipes as possible when you install. Smoke likes moving vertically, not horizontally. I know that seems too obvious to even consider but some of the setups I've seen in my life...yikes.