White birch for firewood

[turnkey4099]

Tight Bark


Terrific information. I had forgotten about that tight bark holding the moisture in. Two weeks ago I bucked up a truckload of white birch and stacked the rounds. The tree was about 25 years old and threatened a house, so it had to come down.

I'll split it next week while still green. The ends are already checking up. Some peoiple use white birch logs to decorate the fireplace in the off season.

Same here. I planted one in the wrong location back in the 80s. had to remove it in 2013. Split and piled. Wasn't ready last year, will burn it this year mixed in with locust. I was surpised at how heavy it is even after drying 2 years. Bark is now falling off, no rot.

There is some satisfaction in heating a house with a tree (in my case 3 of them now) that one has planted.

Ooops, make that 4. 1 Black Walnut, 2 Spruces and now the Birch. Also have a small pile of cedar from 3 of those I planted and had to remove due to growing up in the power line.

Harry K

 

[Wood Doctor]

Birch varies substantially in heat content from one variety to the next. Black and yellow birch are probably the two best. White and river birch are at the bottom. I've actually made some really fine furniture with yellow birch. Its bending strength rivals white oak, but its grain is similar to cherry. Color is a bit more consistent than hickory.

 

[dancan]

I had a client who bought 18 pallets of bundled birch wood imported from Estonia. Paid $12000.00 for it. I kid you not.

I'll sell some bundled birch from Nova Scotia for the same price but in Canadian funds so that's a 30* discount in US funds and I'll pay the shipping ,,,,, Seriously

 

[cus_deluxe]

I had a client who bought 18 pallets of bundled birch wood imported from Estonia. Paid $12000.00 for it. I kid you not.

can i have his #? maybe he needs more haha

 

[Zale]

This guy had more money than God. He could buy the whole forest if he wanted to.

 

[Marine5068]

Here's a part of ad from Edmonton ,
FIREWOOD CHOICES ARE
POPULAR $175.00 PER CORD BAGS $4.50
SPRUCE/PINE MIX $250.00 PER CORD BAGS $5.00
TAMARACK $325.00 PER CORD BAGS $6.00
BIRCH $400.00 PER CORD BAGS $7.50

I think that they are quite proud of their birch (yes it's white birch ) and delivery is extra .

I'm selling lots of bagged Poplar campfire wood right now for $4.00/pellet bag full.
I also burn White birch as lots of people around here throw it away and don't want it for firewood.
The bark is incredible fire-starter.
Gotta cut split it fresh as you can and keep it dry dry dry.

 

[svk]

I've heard if you sell birch in an area where it doesn't grow you can get a huge premium as its a "pretty" firewood. I'm talking $300 a cord all day, every day.

It's the gold standard where I'm at. There are a few better species but they are hard to find. Everything else puts out less btu than white birch.

 

[chucker]

I've heard if you sell birch in an area where it doesn't grow you can get a huge premium as its a "pretty" firewood. I'm talking $300 a cord all day, every day.

It's the gold standard where I'm at. There are a few better species but they are hard to find. Everything else puts out less btu than white birch.

! steve, you need to start an oak plantation for seed ... harvest the corn's to become a investor of the future of hardwoods in a soft wood area?? you never know where it might grow? maybe....

 

[rarefish383]

I like to mill the bigger stuff. This is one piece I was going to use in the deck of my Lickity Split wood splitter. But I sold it before putting the new deck in, Joe.

 

[Snocat3]

If it was in my yard it would make my wood pile. If it was in the woods I would leave it. Too many other good choices around here to bother with that junk.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I haven't had a problem with it rotting...

Rotting i mainly a problem on brich long logs. If already cut into short log firewood, and stored for good seasoning and ventilation, it is less of a problem.

 

[turnkey4099]

If it was in my yard it would make my wood pile. If it was in the woods I would leave it. Too many other good choices around here to bother with that junk.

I'll be burning some birch for the first time this season. Had to remove one I planted too close to the house. Based solely on density I suspect it is a far piece off from being "junk". A chunk weighs almost the same as a chunk of locust.

Harry K

 

[tramp bushler]

When the choices are only . White spruce, black spruce , poplar/aspen , and cottonwood.
White birch wins . to speed up the drying process, stack all birch with the bark down and the split side up . The wood is porur and allows water vapor to excape relatively quick . Whereas the bark is water proof as has been mentioned. . Split side up , bark side down . . All split wood dries faster that btw
. Especially decidous species. but conifers benifit from that stacking method also.

 

[Weber_Steaks]

This is my first post as a new member here.....last weekend I had a dead white birch cut down, along with 4 other trees, including two large ash trees.....but here is my birch pile

 

[Weber_Steaks]

Here is a better pic of the birch

 

[svk]

This is my first post as a new member here.....last weekend I had a dead white birch cut down, along with 4 other trees, including two large ash trees.....but here is my birch pile

Welcome to the site!

 

[Weber_Steaks]

Welcome to the site!

Thank you !, just took some better pics, heard the native Americans and early settlers used the bark from white birch as paper, to write on.....not sure if true but I can see it being done.

 

[Erik B]

If you will be burning the birch you had best get it split and under cover and out of the elements. Birch will go punky from the inside pretty fast.

 

[peakbagger]

That birch is already starting to rot, split it in quarters asap. If you wait until a birch has crown die back its already starting to rot. If you drop it when its healthy and split it quick its great wood. If you can split it right a way, running the saw along the length of the trunk a couple of times will delay the start of rot.