Off-cuts as log burner fuel

[RockySpears]

  Plenty of knowledgeable people here so ....   Is using timber off-cuts ok for a logburner?  The wood is obviously kiln dried, but is there anything else about it that makes it unsuitable?  Local timber merchant is selling rubble sacks of off-cuts as fuel, so wondered about its suitability.  I have some felled trees drying out, but not yet dry enough, some is even green when split,

Thank you,

RS

[Ian willetts]

As long as it’s not tanalised or treated eg fence materials it should be ok 

[London Best]

I used it for years, until my supplier put a log burner in his workshop.

[Tonka54]

11 minutes ago, RockySpears said:

  Plenty of knowledgeable people here so ....   Is using timber off-cuts ok for a logburner?  The wood is obviously kiln dried, but is there anything else about it that makes it unsuitable?  Local timber merchant is selling rubble sacks of off-cuts as fuel, so wondered about its suitability.  I have some felled trees drying out, but not yet dry enough, some is even green when split,

Thank you,

RS

There are a few interesting comments about who burns what in this older thread : 

Personally I used any wood offcuts or scrap wood I could get. On the proviso that it was clean and dry, unpainted and untreated.

Just be aware that purely burning wood tend to soot up your flue/chimney quicker than using a solid fuel.

[walshie]

The best wood is free wood. Second best is cheap wood. 

[RockySpears]

  Cheers all, it kind of made sense, but wanted to hear it from the collective horses mouth.

  Do people use a moisture meter for their logs, especially ones you collect yourself?  Or is it "two years and it's done",

Cheers,

RS

[yates]

As already been said. If it’s not been treated it’s okay. Some treated woods are quite toxic and you breathe in the fumes when the wood burns plus it puts extra soot in the chimney 

[Walker570]

It also splits up to make excellent starting wood.   Must admit to chucking the odd piece of tanalised on my wood burner but to date no ill effects after 40 odd years.

[billytheghillie]

30 minutes ago, RockySpears said:

  Cheers all, it kind of made sense, but wanted to hear it from the collective horses mouth.

  Do people use a moisture meter for their logs, especially ones you collect yourself?  Or is it "two years and it's done",

Cheers,

RS

Get a meter, as they are not dear.

[Stephen-H]

I use the wooden pallets I get from work they are heat treated & burn lovely use the lats cut down into kinderling & the strong blocks act as logs once it's up & burning I shut all the vents down & let it just tick over 

[Dougy]

Blimey checking moisture content before burning. Never thought burning would start to get techy. 

 

[markm]

I use off cuts, a good friend gets them from a pallet manufacturer. Some is kiln dry (They burn too fast and too hot) others are soaking (they basically make smouldering smoke bombs) - but a mixture of the 2 works well. 
 

I only have a single story twin wall, it stays clean as it doesn't have time to cool done before it’s out the top. 
 

I’ve burned pallet blocks and no issues. The only issue is mine is a multi fuel stove so the nails block the grate. 

[paul1966]

I'm burning pallets at the minute but they burn quickly so you are forever filling the stove up, i have just got just over a ton of seasoned wood so will see how long that lasts, cost £90 so better last a while.

[RockySpears]

6 minutes ago, markm said:

The only issue is mine is a multi fuel stove so the nails block the grate. 

  I have a few large magnets I use to pick up cartridges, so will just run that over the ashes first.

Stove fan and moisture meter on way.

8 minutes ago, markm said:

I only have a single story twin wall

The bungalow life?  My second will be like that, front room is up a chinmey, pot lined.  Just as well as the could not pull the flue liner round a particularly tight bend,

RS

[Stephen-H]

The fan stoves are on offer at the moment in lidl spotted them the other day down the dad aisle of random ****.

[team tractor]

I sell a wheelie bin full of oak , mahogany, pine off cuts at £15 each at our workshop and I’m  struggling to keep up with the demand . 

[London Best]

15 minutes ago, team tractor said:

I sell a wheelie bin full of oak , mahogany, pine off cuts at £15 each at our workshop and I’m  struggling to keep up with the demand . 

I was allowed to collect a two ton four wheel trailer used as a rubbish skip for hardwood off cuts every time it was full for FREE!

Those were the days.

Edited December 22, 2021 by London Best

[billytheghillie]

1 hour ago, Stephen-H said:

The fan stoves are on offer at the moment in lidl spotted them the other day down the dad aisle of random ****.

Yes, i love mine, sure it makes a difference, but others differ.

[hod]

I was quite picky with what I burned when we first got ours. Now, not so much. 

3 hours ago, walshie said:

The best wood is free wood. Second best is cheap wood. 

This is where I’m at.

[mowdy]

The main problem with burning tantalised /treated  wood is that it can often release cyanide from the burning wood along with other dangerous chemical cocktails that can build up as a residue on the stove and flue even when the smoke goes up the chimney.

ideally wood should have below 20% moisture content for a clean burn otherwise your burning wood and making steam and tar that can block the flue over time . All types wood have different calorific values as well.

Mowdy

[London Best]

4 hours ago, walshie said:

The best wood is free wood. Second best is cheap wood. 

Second best is never good enough!

Free wood only for me. If I have to pay for wood I will switch on the central heating.

[mel b3]

I'll burn anything that'll burn 🔥 😳.

[harrycatcat1]

12 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

I'll burn anything that'll burn 🔥 😳.

You are not alone 👍

I have also brought brushes to clean my chimney liner myself, just fasten them to a cordless drill.

[mel b3]

7 minutes ago, harrycatcat1 said:

You are not alone 👍

I have also brought brushes to clean my chimney liner myself, just fasten them to a cordless drill.

I clean my own chimneys too , I clean them about three times each winter , but get very little out of them . I do run my log burner very hot though. I've never had a liner , as I've never felt the need for one. 

[team tractor]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

Second best is never good enough!

Free wood only for me. If I have to pay for wood I will switch on the central heating.

Unfortunately I run a business tho  👍. I give it my friends in the summer but come winter it pays for my diesel to get to work 😎