# White fuzz on birch firewood



## Onno (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi all,

I recently purchased a house with a fireplace and decided to burn some wood - something that I have never done before! I purchased a truck load of birch already split and stored some of it in the back porch against the wall and stored the rest in a wooden shed in the back yard. I went to get some wood from the porch today (finally starting the 1st fire) and noticed that many pieces have white fuzz growing on them. Assuming this was mould, I called a friend who told me how to store the wood outside (raised off the ground on pressure treated 2x4s - top covered with a tarp). I then check the wood shed and noticed white fuzz on the wood there as well ... so I don't think storing it inside caused the problem. Would some one please tell me what is this white fuzz and is it harmful? Will storing the wood outside solve the issue?

Thanks in advanced
Frank


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## 1project2many (Nov 13, 2011)

That wood was likely green when you purchased it and the white fuzz is mold that grows on the ends of the logs as they dry. If you don't have a mold allergy it's nothing to worry about. Once the logs are dry they'll burn just fine. There are a few things that can help reduce the occurrence of mold, though. UV light or sunshine will reduce and / or prevent many molds from growing. Also, I've sprayed the ends of the logs with acetic acid (vinegar) as it will kill mold. But this only works if the logs are close to being dry. Lysol or similar products will work also. But the best answer is to give the wood plenty of time to season and dry before trying to burn it.


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## Onno (Nov 13, 2011)

Thanks for the quick reply!

I am totally new to wood burning but I am quickly learning! I never that green wood = wood not dried out. The guy who sold me the wood told me it had been cut in 2010 and was drying out for the last year! Just have a few questions. Is there a way to know if the wood is green or not? How long will it take for the wood that I have to dry. Can't I just burn the green wood? I was looking to many fires this winter!

Thanks for your time!
Frank


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## 1project2many (Nov 13, 2011)

How well the wood burns depends on how much moisture is in it. If it's wet enough to grow mold it's generally going to make for cold, smoky fires and leave creosote in the chimney. In order to make wet wood burn you have to start a good fire that's warm enough to boil out the moisture in the wet wood. Of course, if you're using all your heat to dry the wood on the fire, there isn't much left to warm your room. You might try locating some good seasoned wood, maybe Maple or Oak, to burn with the Birch. As the heating season progresses you might be able to bring some of the wet stuff inside and leave it close to the fireplace drying out, just don't place it close enough to become a fire hazard. Birch cut in spring of 2010 should be seasoned but if it were stored outside uncovered it might not have dried much. But birch cut in winter of 2010-2011 will still be a bit green. In my experience the only times I see that fuzz growing is during the first year after I've put green wood in the woodshed. After the wood's dried much of that fuzz isn't visible.

Try starting a fire now to see how it burns. You've still got time to get more wood if needed.

Edit: Forgot to mention that dried, seasoned wood is generally "checked" on the ends. As the wood dries small splits and cracks form around the end of the log. Also, seasoned wood generally has more muted colors than green wood and often looks more gray. Here's "Seasoned Birch" found using a google images search:





View attachment 207112


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## unclemoustache (Nov 13, 2011)

Aw, shoot! Wish I would have seen this thread earlier. We could have had some fun with the noobie! We could have told him it was a rare kid of wood anthrax, and he should notify the Center for Disease Control immediately! :jester::jester:

In all seriousness, welcome to the site. Please mail your dues check directly to me at my home address. You're from Canada, so that will be $75 US. No personal checks, please. 


For drying wood, depending on the species, what size chunks it's split into and how much air it gets, whether it's covered, etc. it could be from 3 months to nearly 2 years. The thinner it's split, the faster it'll dry, and the more air it gets the better.

Here's the Big Scoop from the all-knowing Moustache of Understanding:
Split it in the sizes you want for your burning application. If you've got an Outdoor Wood Burner (OWB) then you leave big chunks. For an indoor wood stove, smaller chunks. If you know what kind of wood species you have, and when you want to burn it, then calculate how much time you have until burning season, and size accordingly. (There are charts out there that can help with that).
When stacking, get it up off the ground. Find some pallets from your local lumber company or hardware store - they're not hard to find for free. One or two pallets high is fine. Stack your wood on that, and in such a way that air can get on either side of the stack. Some guys pound poles into the ground for the ends of stacks, some guys stack between trees, and some guys stack the wood itself in such a way that it will stay up by itself.
Don't cover it with a tarp until Fall when the rains start, then just cover the tops (and a bit of the sides).

Keep in mind that burning with wet wood causes creosote in the chimney, which is the cause of chimney fires. The drier the wood, the better.


Well, that ought to get you started. Keep asking questions, and sort out the goofy answers from those other people that give them. Me, I only give the straight poop. No joking here. :msp_sleep:

Once again, welcome to AS, and may your moustache grow ever longer.


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## unclemoustache (Nov 13, 2011)

I should probably add that wood must be split to dry properly. You can't just saw in into rounds and expect it to dry well.


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## rmount (Nov 13, 2011)

unclemoustache said:


> I should probably add that wood must be split to dry properly. You can't just saw in into rounds and expect it to dry well.



Especially white birch. That bark keeps the water in the rounds just as well as it keeps it out of the canoe!


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## Fifelaker (Nov 13, 2011)

rmount said:


> Especially white birch. That bark keeps the water in the rounds just as well as it keeps it out of the canoe!


 It works better on rounds I've seen canoes leak but not seasond rounds.:msp_smile:


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## 1project2many (Nov 13, 2011)

> Aw, shoot! Wish I would have seen this thread earlier. We could have had some fun with the noobie! We could have told him it was a rare kid of wood anthrax, and he should notify the Center for Disease Control immediately!



I almost replied "When a young tree reaches a certain age it begins to go through some changes" but The Birds and Trees might not be appropriate for a family rated forum like AS.


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## Whitespider (Nov 14, 2011)

*WELCOME*

Burning wood in a fireplace is as much about the sensual experience as the heat; and burning wet or unseasoned wood in a fireplace is disappointing at best. Our family lake home is in northern Minnesota, has a fireplace, and Paper Birch is one of the few woods available on the property. Another readily available wood is Jack Pine. If you would allow me to make a suggestion… A 50/50 mix of Paper Birch and Jack Pine make a fire very pleasing to the senses, a fine balance of snap, crackle, pop, aroma, heat and flame. There should be a lot of Jack Pine where you live, and a load of seasoned Jack should be relatively inexpensive as it is often considered “junk” wood. Mix your not-so-dry birch with seasoned Jack and you’ll be much happier with your fireplace.


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