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Whether you buy firewood from a dealer or cut it up yourself, chances are you've come across a piece or two of rotten firewood.
Should you burn this rotten or punky wood?
Compared to solid, well seasoned firewood, the rotten wood is definitely less desirable.
Although it might not burn as well, some firewood that has a small amount of rotten material can still be used.
One important thing to consider is where the rotten material is at.
Is the firewood rotten in the middle heartwood?
Or is the outer sapwood rotten?
The difference between the two could dictate whether or not you want to use it.
Some trees like oak can lay on the ground for a while and still be okay to use.
The outer edge of the wood known as the sapwood will become punky or rotten, but the inner heartwood remains solid.
Generally, if the heartwood is still solid a little rotten sapwood on the outer edge will not render the wood useless.
How Can You Tell If The Wood Is Rotten?
Firewood that isrotten will exhibit some of these signs:
- Soft and spongytexture
- Easy to penetrate orcut through
- Black fungus isvisible
- Wood appears darkerin areas that are rotten
Can You Burn Rotten Firewood?
You can - but it’snot recommended.
Rotten wood is not only less dense than solid wood, meaning itwon’t produce as much heat, but it can producecreosote and gum up your chimney because rotten wood is typicallywet.
Not only that, but burning firewood that’srotten won’t smell good - and it’s not great for yourhealth.
A little rot here or there is not problematic, but a fully rotten logis.
Can Burning Rotten Wood Make You Sick?
One of the biggestreasons that most experts recommend not burning rotten firewood is that it canmake you sick.
Just as you shouldn’tburn firewood that was ever treated with paint, stain, or glues, you alsoshould not burn wood that has rotted.
That’s because it can produce a horribleodor and can also release fungus, mildew, mold, and bacteria that is not onlyrepugnant to inhale but also bad for your respiratory tract.
If you have asthmaor allergies, it can trigger these or make them worse.
At the very least,burning rotten firewood is a good way to give yourself a stuffy nose orheadache!
Things To Consider With Rotten Firewood
If you're out cutting firewood and you cut into a log that is rotten in the center, chances are you should just leave it.
Rotten firewood contains a lot of moisture.
The rotten wood soaks up water from the ground and atmosphere like a sponge.
Wet wood will smolder and smoke potentially causing creosote to build up on the inside of your chimney.
Never bring rotten wood into your house.
The decaying material inside the wood is probably full of insects.
When you bring the wood into your warm house, you increase the chances of these insects invading your home.
Firewood that contains rotten heartwood produces less BTUs than good quality firewood.
The fungi growing inside the wood have decreased the properties that allow the wood to effectively burn.
If you buy firewood make sure it's solid.
If you buy a lot of firewood, it's not uncommon to have a few pieces that are a little spongy.
A couple of spongy pieces are probably fine, but if several pieces are bad you should consider buying different wood or at least receive a discounted price.
How To Stop Firewood From Rotting
If you’re reading this article and already have a large pile of rotten firewood on your hands, unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to help you - skip to the next section!
But if you’re wondering how to prevent firewood from rotting in the first place, there are a few tips you can follow.
First, remember that in order for wood to rot, it needs oxygen, wood, moisture, and warmth.
You’ve got to eliminate some of those factors to prevent the rot.
Store your firewoodoff the ground so that moisture in the soil does not cause the wood to rot.
Increase airflow by stacking the wood or consider covering it with a tarp toprotect it from the moisture, too.
Ventilation is key, which is why drying firewoodoutdoors is essential - but you also need to make sure it is somewhat protectedfrom the elements.
A three-sided shack works wonders for seasoning firewoodwithout allowing it to rot.
What Can You Do With Rotten Firewood?
If you have a large pile of firewood that’s rotted on you, don’t despair - there are a few ways you can make good use of it.
One of the easiest things to do is just burn it outside - and don’t stand nearby while you burn it.
Of course, if only a bit is rotten, you’re totally fine to burn it indoors by mixing it in with higher-quality wood (or after cutting off the rotten pieces).
Outdoors, you shouldn’t have a problem burning wood that’s even extremely rotten.
You won’t have to worry about creosote build-up here.
Just try not to breathe it in andremember it’s definitely not going to burn as well.
There are other waysyou can get rid of it, too.
Consider chipping it up to use as mulch or let ittotally rot down in a compost pile.
You can often dispose of it at a landfillor composting facility or, if you have a large tract of property that you own,you can leave it in the woods to serve as valuable habitat for mammals, birds,insects, and soil borne organisms.
Just don’t stash it near your house - that’sa good way to encourage pests to visit.
Overall
If you come across firewood that only has rotten material on the outer edge, make sure it's dry and mix it in with other higher quality wood.
If the entire piece of wood looks rotten, especially the inner heartwood, don't use it.
