burning douglas fir.

[Fisherman Mike]

Morning Men..

 

I've secured a large quantity of douglas fir offcuts from a building job we have completed (roof Purlins and Beams) which is 8 x 10 and 8 x 12 section.

 

I intend to rip it down with the chain saw and split it...I reckon I will have enough for my 5KW wood burner for a couple of seasons.

 

Question is how does it burn ?.. Its a softwood essentially but it is slow grown because its come from Canadian Lumber stock.

 

I've read contrasting reports on the web ranging from "to be avoided" to " excellent for burning in small wood burners" to " the best softwood to burn in wood burners "

 

It was supplied with an 6% moisture content but suspect that its probably more in the 15 -20% range now as its been stored outside un covered.

 

I intend to store it in the garage and let it dry out a bit before burning. Seems a shame to burn it as its a lovely timber but the off cuts are all less than about a meter long.

 

Any one have any experience with Douglas Fir or opinion.

 

Thanks as always

[Gimlet]

My brother burns it on his stove, but his flue is outside the building and is steel all the way up. If it gets gummed up he revs his fire up red hot and burns it out. Not an approach I'd recommend! Certainly not for me as my house is thatched. Seasoned sawn off-cuts will be far less resinous than logs but I'd burn it sparingly mixed in with hardwood. It burns quite hot, but quite quickly, it is resinous and it produces large sparks which can carry beyond the chimney.

I get quite a lot of softwood - fir and western ceder - come my way from a saw mill and I use it as kindling rather than logs. It splits easily and catches superbly. For logs I stick to hard wood. The odd few chunks of softwood which are too tough to split for kindling I mix in with the hardwood, but as I say, very sparingly.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Gimlet

[Archie-fox]

As said it's very dirty and takes longer to dry out, I've just burned a little this winter and I can't burn it on its own I need to add some hard wood to it to build up the heat so it will burn...apart from that it's ok..

[paul99]

We survived most of last winter burning it. Of course hardwood is always better but we had the chance of several winters worth of several types of softwood majority being douglas for nothing which had already been limbed up and stacked up around for 3 years already so literally just needed blocking up before being ready to use. The only thing we found was that it burnt quickly and left behind fine white ash which would eventually build up and choke the fire - from a efficiency point of view that's probably ideal but in a grateless woodburner with no ashpan etc it meant much more regular cleaning out. Multifuel stoves like our new one would make that small niggle irrelevant.

 

I think too many people get hung up on only using a specific type of wood - mostly from hearsay based on the sayings of old when modern woodburners or even enclosed fires weren't available. There are very few types of wood that when seasoned for long enough will not burn especially when used in a modern woodburner designed to burn hot with excess air. If the price is right go for it and as suggested above just use it to bulk out your hardwood.

[Andy RV]

It will be fine, it won't burn for as long as the hardwoods but if it's free then it doesn't matter does it? Burn it hot and you'll be ok. People in Scandinavian have been burning softwoods for thousands of years and they seem to manage ok.

[spandit]

I doubt the moisture content has gone up that much. Free wood gives off the most heat anyway

[Cranfield]

From the "best logs" guide.

 

"Douglas Fir: Poor. Little flame or heat."

[kent]

What a shame, have you looked at the cost! I should save it for a use full purpose even at 1mtr long. The Scandinavians do burn such woods true but they also air dry it for many,many years first outside.

[team tractor]

Most timbers are 10 % plus if not 16+ and doubt it was that low . We burn everything at work that we use inc sapele , oak, Doug fir, red deal , iroko, idigbo etc . Softwoods burn hot and yes I know Douglas fir is a hardwood

[pestcontrol1]

il burn most on my multi fuel burner from soft wood off cuts (untanalized) to hardwood and very cheap anthersite which is the only thing that i have to pay for so to speak (bottle of scotch) and there is one thing you can be sure of.

It all makes ash

[Fisherman Mike]

Most timbers are 10 % plus if not 16+ and doubt it was that low . We burn everything at work that we use inc sapele , oak, Doug fir, red deal , iroko, idigbo etc . Softwoods burn hot and yes I know Douglas fir is a hardwood

It was because I ordered it as such it needed to be kiln dried to 6% for structural use to limit shrinkage, splitting or shaking.

 

I've actually just tried some of the drier pieces this afternoon, it seems to burst into life with a lot of flame early and spits a little until it gets going and then seems to settle down and burn quite hot with a low flame.

 

seems ok

[Fisherman Mike]

What a shame, have you looked at the cost! I should save it for a use full purpose even at 1mtr long. The Scandinavians do burn such woods true but they also air dry it for many,many years first outside.

Yes I'm construction estimator by profession... it cost us £804 per m3 kiln dried in long lengths. I would estimate I have about 1.5m3 of offcuts from about 250 up to 900... its been outside a while and has started to turn and I cant think of a useful purpose for it or I would save some. Expensive for fire wood though I agree.!

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Good to see you recycling it though!

[spandit]

I cant think of a useful purpose for it

I'd say burning it is quite useful!

[pestcontrol1]

ummm let it waist till you can think of a use or keep your house heated its ahard one

[flynny]

Fm,

 

I'm a construction site manager ,and all the off cuts of timber get put aside for me, it's all kiln dried building timber,( bone dry) as you said it has to be to build with,

 

Get it while you can mate, it all burns, ok not like a fuel, like logs do, it burns very bright and very fast .

 

Who cares when it's free and you have a rake of it,

 

Atb

 

Flynny

[old rooster]

Probably find it makes a mess of the glass in the burner doors Mike but nothing a bit of elbow grease won't get off.

 

You may need to keep the chimney swept a bit more often.