# Question on wood - rotting



## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

I just made an offer on a 40ac place in Ozark County, MO.

While walking the property, we were sad to see at least a dozen large (18 - 24") oaks had been knocked down by Hurricane Ike last fall.

The trees are mostly on well-drained soil, and on slight (10% or so) slopes. Some are involved with other trees and are even partially off the ground.

I am wondering how long these oaks might survive as firewood under these conditions? I am thinking leaving them intact will keep the max amount of moisture (and hopefully rot) out? Or would it be better to cut and split the wood, then stack off the ground and cover?

Truth is, it will be 8 years before I am living up there....I may just need to sell it or let it rot?

Thanks for your thoughts on this,


Tim


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

I have read that rotting wood is more harmful to the environment than burning it. Why not get some exercise, enjoy this new property while you cut the rounds? Then as you split it you may as well make some money on it, could easily sell it to others who need it. It may still be viable just the way it is for a lumber mill. Look into that if you don't want to split it to sell and want some cash. Then again you could offer to allow some family that needs wood to do the work for the wood...that involves a bit of trust... No reason to just let good wood rot....there is a use for everything.... We live where it is humid and a one year downed tree cut in rounds is what I am burning right now as I write. So hot I had to choke it back a bit.... Good for you on your new acreage! Lucky man! As for how long the wood will stay good for firewood....well we stored rounds for years in our woodshed but it has a cement floor, a roof and three sides with an open front. To manage that size acreage, there will be wood removal necessary from time to time anyhow and you will never need to worry about firewood for your needs....you will be overflowing!  Those probably won't be the only trees to come down and you will need to thin trees also to manage your own forest. My neighbor across the way lost one of his trees the other day and it wasn't that windy. Alot of rain in the Pacific Northwest in the past few years resulted in some bad flooding, not on our property though and trees were falling down in cities and all over from the soggy soil that the more shallow rooted trees were in.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Shame to cut 18-24" oak into just firewood....you'll get plenty from the upper laps and such.....skid them out and have a portable sawmiller come saw them into lumber.

Build yourself a one or two of these with some of the lumber and you can store the firewood for a LONG time....


3 cord shed:


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## artificer (Feb 26, 2007)

If the wood is in contact with the ground, its going to rot. May take a while, but it will eventually. You mention selling it. If you can get some money for the wood now, with little labor, I'd say thats the best bet.

If you can't sell it, I would find a place to store it, and cut/split/stack the wood, and make sure its covered well. In 8 years when you need it, it will be wonderful firewood... as long as it is kept dry.

Michael


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

romysbaskets said:


> I have read that rotting wood is more harmful to the environment than burning it.


give me a break..... just where do you think soil comes from if not composting carbonaceous materials!

As for the original question, if you are not gonna be there for 8 years, I believe you will be wasting your time cutting firewood now as it will deteriorate over time, however, cut this year and burnt next year or the year after and it is well seasoned, and will be dry and offer a less smokey fire [great for campfire wood]

if the trees are not on the ground, they tend to rot less fast, bark off less fast, and retain less water from passing storms. 

if you can log it yourself and cut it up you at least know it is there and you did not make a mess of the ground, take other trees not really in the way of getting those in need of removal [you may have to take a couple out to get to the ones needing removal anyway, and others will grow back to replace those taken unless you intentionally clear the ground]

like another poster said, you can get quite a bit of lumber from those down trees, unless they are to far rotten already which i doubt if only blown over a year or two. and there are portable sawmills all over the ozarks.... some of which are members of the Forestry forum out of Michigan, but has members from all over the world on it!

William
Idaho


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I've seen firewood that had been kept out of the weather that was still good after at least 40 years.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

It'll all eventually rot down, enriching the soil... however, the heartwood may take half a century to totally disappear. I've got some oak 'bones' my father pushed over one weekend when someone made the mistake of leaving the dozer keys in the dozer (when they were doing a pipeline)... back in the early 70's. They're hard as steel... would 'smoke' a chainsaw blade, so I just leave em in peace.

As long as the logs weren't shattered or split, I'd take em to a bandsaw miller and get some lumber cut. (Have three barns full of the stuff... it's treasure!)


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2010)

I am sure you plan on grilling out Sometime in the next eight years.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Oak will last for years, especially in a dry climate. I've reused oak poles that have been in the ground for decades. Since you have 8 years cut a little now and then. By the time you move you will have years worth of firewood piled up.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

TnAndy said:


> Shame to cut 18-24" oak into just firewood....you'll get plenty from the upper laps and such.....skid them out and have a portable sawmiller come saw them into lumber.
> 
> Build yourself a one or two of these with some of the lumber and you can store the firewood for a LONG time....
> 
> ...


Wow Andy.Thats about the best wood shed I have ever seen.Moveable too.
My dad was born and lived in White Rock NC.They moved to Parrotsville and Greeneville.
I have lots of kin up that way.Used to live in Dandridge,moved to the Plateau 15 years ago.
My dads kin were some of the first to settle Franklin when it was frontier.

Backwoods (Hugh Shelton)


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