Deadwood to Firewood
Have any trees that look like this in your yard? They might be dead. Okay, let's be real. They are dead. Can you guess Atlanta Tree Professionals thoughts on the matter?
Yes, it is time to cut them down...
Then what? One great way to put an old, dead tree to use is to dry it
and use for firewood, or even wood chips for barbecuing.
If you are wanting to turn your tree into firewood, the most
important thing you need to do is make sure that the wood is dry or
“cured.” Burning wood that is not
properly dried results in smoky fires that don’t burn for very long. Burning wood with high moisture can
also cause a build up of a chemical called creosote which can build up and
ignite major fires (which you don’t want
in your home). Save those for the firepit when you invite the neighbors for
When drying your wood, the goal should be 20% moisture
content. You can check the
moisture level in wood by using a moisture meter, which you can find in most
hardware stores. Most wood needs
to be stored from 6-12 months to be fully dried. Here are some tips to get your wood cured:
1.
Cut the wood into the right length so it fits in
your fireplace and/or fire pit well.
Try to cut the wood into the same size pieces to make for easier
storage.
2.
Split the wood before you stack it. Aiming to cut the wood into pieces with
a diameter of six inches or less is a good goal.
3.
Store the firewood off the ground. Having the wood six inches off the
ground allows the bottom of the wood pile to dry. You can do this by having the wood on a rack or arranging
branches at the bottom of the pile.
4.
Cover the top of the pile, but leave the sides
exposed. The best material to do
this with is by using a heavy duty, clear, plastic tarp. This allows the sunlight in but keeps
the moisture out.
Once dried out, or cured, this firewood will be perfect for
your winter fire! If you like to
grill out, you could even use your dried wood for wood chips for your next
barbecue. Some trees that are
great for wood chip use are Hickory, Oak and Pecan.
If all of this sounds great but you need help cutting the
tree down, give Atlanta Tree Professionals a call! We are located in Sandy Springs, GA and our
service area reaches Marietta, Atlanta, Decatur, Acworth, Kennesaw, Alpharetta
and more.
