Hardwood help please

[Spotted Owl]

I need some experienced help. I had a pretty fair deal fall in my lap. As many truck loads as we want or need dropped here, length range between 30 and 40 feet diameter not sure yet.

Problem is that it is all oak with a very small amount of wild cherry and softwoods in the mix.

We live in the PNW, all we normally get to burn is fir, alder and the like. Burning almost all softwood how does hardwood compare. These loads will likely set us up all year and part of next. I can't remember a time we had the opportunity for a large amount of oak. I know that everyone around these parts very carefully and miserly burn what hardwoods they get.

This last burn season so far we have gone through just over 12 cords of fir & alder with just a very light sprinkling of oak in the mix and still burning. Having a stock of hardwood about 99% of the winters supply how would that compare to what we are used to? Are there any quirky things about oak we should know about? This set up would be the extreme opposite to what we are used to as far as what we have to burn through the season. What does 12+ cords of softwood compare to in cords of hardwood? If you can find it around here it can go for $300+ a cord split so some will be sold. I just don't know anything about burning it.

Thanks for any help

Owl

 

[upandcommer]

all wood has the same btu per pound of wood. Seasoned oak probably weighs about 2-3 times what you are used to so you will get 2-3 times the heat output per log but still the same strain on the back loading the wood box split her now and it might be ready to burn come next spring if not split and stack for the 08-09 heating season.

 

[Gark]

If you search on "Firewood BTU" in a search engine several charts should show the BTU's-per-cord of various species. Ya can calculate how much less is needed per season with those figures. I'm guessing 2/3 to 3/4 of your normal firewood volume (using oak) per winter than your pine & alder. But here we season oak for 2 summers (split and stacked) to get it dry enough, compared to softwoods which dry well enough in only one summer.

"Problem is that it is all oak with a very small amount of wild cherry and softwoods in the mix."

Hey, I wouldn't call that a PROBLEM at all. More like a great find!

 

[hanniedog]

I wish I had a problem like yours. I would have them haul in as many loads as you have room for. Then I would cut and split as fast as you can and get more hauled in.