Oak firewood

Oak firewood is not commonly used, but consumers should know more about oak firewood. It is necessary to analyze their advantages and disadvantages. Of the practical properties, it should be noted the burning temperature of chopped wood and how much 1 cubic meter weighs.

Chopped oak wood has a high combustion temperature and significant heat transfer. Combustion takes a very long time. You can store oak wood for a long time. The excellent heat dissipation is due to the considerable thickness of the fibers. When they burn, the oxidative reaction is violent. Combustion is uneven. The flame will go out. However, after some time it will flare up with renewed vigor.

Oak wood is very dense. Loading weight 1 m3 - 470 kg. For popular birch firewood, this figure is 450 kg, and for pine only 360 kg. But in practice, the moisture content of the fuel and how tightly it is stacked are of great importance. In any case, due to the smaller size, chopped firewood is laid out more densely - both in the car body and in the warehouse there are more of them than round logs.

Weight 1 cub. m of oak is:

• at a humidity of 15% - 700 kg;
• at a humidity of 100% - 1160 kg;
• with a content of 40% water - 820 kg;
• with a moisture saturation of 50% - 870 kg;
• with 80 percent humidity - 1050 kg;
• fresh (70%) - 990 kg;
• with a moisture content of 60% - 930 kg;
• if the concentration of water is 25% - 740 kg;
• for oak with a moisture content of 30% - 760, and with a moisture content of 20% - 720 kg.

You cannot limit yourself to the general recommendation to choose the most dry firewood. Yes, they are better to handle and burn more efficiently. However, chopped oak wood will have to be selected more carefully. We must see if the crust falls off too easily. This usually indicates an excessively long storage in the warehouse. A good log does not have fungal areas. Any decay is also unacceptable.

The shorter the wood, the better. With a length of up to 350 mm, they are almost guaranteed to dry out, even if the summer is relatively damp. Good oak wood for heating is at least 80 years old. Oak trees that are too young provide poor fuel. It will be hard to ignite and burn very slowly. When burned, such wood gives off a sour smell.

Optimal for splitting oak wood is to cut the logs through the center. Instead of an ax, it is more correct to use a combination of a sledgehammer and wedges. It will be preferable to cut the wood into shortened lengths beforehand. Both when sawing and when splitting, it is necessary to achieve the most even edge. It is not only more convenient and allows you to compactly lay out firewood, but also safer - there is less chance of getting splinters. The deck height should be moderately high. Otherwise, the wedges or cleaver may bounce off. Splitting on the ground, concrete or asphalt is not only dangerous, but downright tiring. If possible, felling should be done in frosty weather.

There are a few more recommendations:

• use comfortable and tightly closed clothing when chopping and carrying firewood;
• lay the woodpile not on the ground, but on a wooden or plywood flooring;
• use stacking, cage or circular laying methods;
• apply a canopy or tarp;
• exclude mixing (placing in one woodpile) old and new, high-quality and moldy firewood;
• dry wood on warm days under awnings or in well-ventilated rooms.

The high calorific value makes it possible to use oak wood for heating conventional stoves. They are environmentally friendly. They can be used to heat a sauna, and this is even welcomed, because a burning oak exudes a unique aroma. It is associated with the atmosphere of a pristine forest. In addition to a pleasant experience, aromatic substances:

• relieve the condition with a cold;
• help fight cough;
• improve the work of the respiratory system;
• positively affect the condition of people suffering from hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders.

Of course, all this cannot replace a full-fledged treatment. But as an ancillary measure, applied with caution, it works well. Fireplaces can also be stoked with oak. This wood, due to its pleasant aroma, is also suitable for barbecue.