One of the nicest types of firewood you may burn is without a doubt oak. Oak produces more heat when burned when properly cured and kept dry since it is a hardwood with greater weight and density. Burning a cord of oak will produce far more heat than burning, say, a cord of cured fir. A firebox loaded with oak will produce more heat than softwood when used to heat a home, and it will also result in longer fires with long-lasting coal beds and radiant heat. Below are some interesting facts about Oak firewood.
Good For Heating
If you’re looking for new wood for your fireplace or stove, consider buying some good for heating oak firewood. Oak is one of the most popular woods for fireplaces, and it can be an excellent choice. Its dense, heavy composition makes it ideal for home heating. There are more than 600 different species of oak trees, and each can be up to 100 feet tall. Acorns, the first fruits of the oak tree, are produced in the fall. Oakwood tends to remain wet after the bark is removed, so you’ll need to wait a while before you can burn it. After two or three years, oak firewood can be quite usable. While this process can take a while, it’s well worth the wait. The best firewood is at least 20% dry, but it’s best to buy seasoned wood. You can purchase inexpensive moisture meters to check the dryness of split wood.
It Has A Sour Smell.
What causes oakwood to have a sour smell? Oak trees naturally release acetic acid when cut. This is a common by-product of anaerobic bacteria that causes a vinegar-like odor when burned. Often, the reason for this smell is a mixture of bacterial activity and moisture in the wood. The best way to remove the smell from oak firewood is to season it and let it dry in the summer heat.
Produces Less Smoke Than Other Hardwoods
When compared to Pine or Hard Maple, which are known to produce a lot of smoke, Oak produces remarkably little. Choose one with lower resin content if you want to reduce the smoke and sparks you produce while using your wood fireplace. Hardwoods produce less smoke than softer woods, and you can get permits to harvest your own. You can also purchase your firewood from vendors who deliver at reasonable prices. There are some downsides to using hardwoods, but they have several benefits that make them an excellent choice for a fire pit.
Easy To Split
Splitting oak firewood is easy if you start with a straight piece of wood that has few knots and no twists. The grain will show when you split the oak. Once the splitter hits the center of the log, you can slice it into two pieces. If you don’t plan to use wood for the fire, you can use it to make fence rails or boards. If you’re not confident with splitters, hire someone to split the oak.
Choosing dry wood is important, as green logs tend to be denser and harder to split. Also, green wood tends to smoke briefly before the flame goes out. To avoid this problem, choose the wood that is as evenly shaped as possible. This way, you’ll get even splits. Just remember that splits with green wood are more difficult to remove. Moreover, if you use the same splitter on different wood pieces, you’ll lose more wood than you initially purchased.
