# Rotten in center wood for firewood?



## Billy_Bob (Oct 10, 2005)

Yesterday I was bucking a 24" diameter log for firewood. This log was rotten in the center, but in good condition around that.

The log was a few inches off the ground. When the cut piece hit the ground, it broke up into about 4 pieces.

I'm thinking... Hummm, self-splitting wood! (Less work for me.)

So what are your opinions on using rotten in the center wood for firewood -vs- wood which is not rotten?

Note: As I continued to buck this log, I found a small salamander in the center rotten part of one cut. But it was about 15 ft. up from the base of the tree. The outside of the tree was quite solid and the rotten part was not hollow, so I don't know how in the heck that salamander got all the way up there?


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## Tree Machine (Oct 10, 2005)

It's dirtier, and will continue to rot unless dried thoroughly. If left to the elements, the fungus that's eaten that wood could move into the rest of the pile. There will be bugs hidden in their tunnels and you bring those back home too.

If you're going to use it immediately, or in a bonfire setting, OK. Your wife doesn't want the filth in the house, though.


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## rmihalek (Oct 10, 2005)

Don't store the rotten stuff in the house. Bring it in and throw it right into the stove. There's probably a lot of bugs in it.


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## Newfie (Oct 10, 2005)

Split out the rotten sections and stack the sound wood and you won't have any problems.


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## rmihalek (Oct 11, 2005)

I re-read my post and it sounds like I suggested to try to burn the rotten wood. I think this requires some clarification. If the wood is wet and spongy, yeah, split the good stuff away and you'll be fine. What I was thinking about was what my neighbor calls "ant wood". It's sound, burnable stuff, but filled with ant holes (or beetles or whatever). This is the stuff that I don't store in the house; I bring it in and it goes straight into the stove.


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## turnkey4099 (Oct 12, 2005)

rmihalek said:


> I re-read my post and it sounds like I suggested to try to burn the rotten wood. I think this requires some clarification. If the wood is wet and spongy, yeah, split the good stuff away and you'll be fine. What I was thinking about was what my neighbor calls "ant wood". It's sound, burnable stuff, but filled with ant holes (or beetles or whatever). This is the stuff that I don't store in the house; I bring it in and it goes straight into the stove.



I only ran into that once. Big black ants and lots of them. Didn't realize they were there until I started splitting. Pitched all that on a separate pile and brought in 1-2 pieces at a time straight into the stove.

Harry K


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## Bar Nut (Jan 7, 2006)

*Look out for the critters.*



Billy_Bob said:


> Yesterday I was bucking a 24" diameter log for firewood. This log was rotten in the center, but in good condition around that.
> 
> The log was a few inches off the ground. When the cut piece hit the ground, it broke up into about 4 pieces.
> 
> ...



I mostly burn standing dead snags cut in winter.
My experience has been that if I keep it beside the wood burner for a day, lots of Insects, Bugs, Black Carpenter Ants, Cock Roaches, Mice and Flying Squirrels will become active. Otherwise I have no problem with it.


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## Big Woody (Jan 7, 2006)

I have dealt with that exact situation numerous times on my own small property. The previous owner let a tree service friend dump a bunch of stuff and left it there for many years. 

If it has the black ants they will become apparent when you split it. I just leave it lay for a few hours (or a day) and they will usually leave (I usually knock the wood a few times to jar them loose). Let the rotten side sit up to dry and catch the sun if possible. You will have some better wood with some low quality wood attached to it. 

I have stacked it over the summer and burned it in the winter as well. When it dries it will get lighter in weight compared to normal wood. I like to use it in the earlier burning season when I want to put some heat in the house with a good fire but don't want to get the house too hot. Works great for that situation. I stack all my wood off the ground on racks and keep it covered. That type of wood usually dries really fast and I have not had a problem with fungus getting into the other firewood. No significant bug problems either. Like others I only bring any wood into the house when it goes into the stove and I don't stack it near the house either. 

I have had wood so rotten I had to haul away but this will cost money and time.


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