Burning Wood With Nails? 62 Most Correct Answers

Pallets, lumber, and other scrap wood that has been cut and dried are indeed good to burn (as long as you are absolutely sure they have not been treated with chemicals like arsenic or methyl bromide, which are very dangerous when burned). But are they easy to transport?

Don’t move dear firewood;

I have a question about timber transport. I will be camping in NC this weekend and was wondering if lumber that has been kiln dried and milled is ok for transportation. I have a source of old shipping pallets and I want to use them for firewood. Could there be problems using scrap wood?

Many Thanks,

tony

Dear Tony;

Great question. Despite drying and milling, old shipping pallets harbor some risks. For one, pests like the sponge moth (found in NC and surrounding states) lay their egg cases on almost anything that is outside. So if you’re moving cut pallets that have been stored outdoors for a few years, there’s a chance this pest will make its way to your favorite campsite. In addition, old pallets in particular have a good chance of having been gassed with the chemical methyl bromide in the past. This isn’t a chemical you want to breathe in – it’s a known carcinogen – especially if you’re trying to enjoy the fresh air of the great outdoors. Last but not least, campsites sometimes don’t allow outside wood, especially such scrap wood. Sometimes that’s from pest threats, and other times it’s from nails, staples, and staples injuring workers cleaning fire pits regularly.

So my advice is that scrap wood and cut pallets can be burned at home if you are 100% sure they haven’t been treated with wood preservatives or methyl bromide, but it’s still not advisable to bring with you camping.

Oh, and last but not least, laws vary greatly from state to state. You don’t say where you’re from, so I can’t comment on whether or not it’s illegal to bring lumber into North Carolina from your starting location. But it could be. And that’s not a good scenario!

Thanks for reading and asking!

by Nick Gromicko, CMI®

Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to burn only one type of fuel. As general purpose incinerators, these devices can pose the following hazards:

Harmful vapors can escape into the living space. Even the most efficient fireplaces vent directly into the living space while opening and closing for cleaning and fueling, exposing everyone in the home to potentially dangerous fumes.

Harmful fumes will escape to the outside. Most newer fireplaces and wood stoves are excellent at venting smoke and fumes outside, but the problem doesn’t end there; This pollution continues and pollutes the air in the home and the surrounding area.

Burning unsuitable fuel can cause mechanical damage. Chimneys can become lined with debris from inappropriate items, which can lead to a dangerous chimney fire. The fumes from certain objects quickly wear out sensitive components, such as B. catalytic combustion in wood stoves.

Read the following guidelines to better understand what is and is not safe to burn in a fireplace or wood stove.

What can be burned in a fireplace?

dried, cut firewood. An adequate fuel supply consists of a mixture of hardwoods such as maple and oak and softwoods such as fir and pine. Softwoods ignite quickly and are useful in the early stages of the fire, while hardwoods provide a longer lasting fire and are best used after the chimney has been preheated. Despite the different burning properties of hardwood and softwood due to differences in density, the thermal energy released when wood is burned is the same regardless of the wood species. To dry wood, it should be stacked in an open area to allow the sun to warm the pieces and the breeze to wick moisture away. Poplar, spruce and other softwoods usually dry quickly, as does small-split wood. Sufficiently seasoned wood has a moisture content of less than 20%, which can be checked by the following indicators: The wood has darkened from white or cream to yellow or grey. There are cracks or cracks in the end grain. A hollow sound is produced when two pieces of wood are struck together. You can split a piece and feel whether the new surface is wet or dry. The wood does not hiss when burning. You can check the moisture content with a moisture meter.

pallets. In general, pallets are safe to burn in fireplaces, although those treated with the fumigant methyl bromide (marked with the initials MB) are not safe to burn. In addition, pallets may have been exposed to a variety of chemicals during use. Aside from these concerns, pallets produce a hot flame because they are typically very dry and their segments are thin. When cutting pallets, be careful of nails as they can damage a saw blade. They can also end up with nails in your ashes, which should be disposed of well away from roads and driveways.

fallen branches. These can generally be collected and used for lighting provided they have been given time to dry.

Wood collected from housing estates. If it really is rubbish and not someone’s property (including the contractor), using cleaned wood that has been put away for housing developments is good for burning. Try to get it before the non-lumber grade wood is compacted into massive piles and burned by the contractor as a means of disposal.

firewood. These artificial logs burn relatively cleanly and release less ash than their natural wood counterparts.

What should never be burned in a fireplace?

painted wood. Paint contains heavy metals such as lead, chromium and titanium, which are used to create the various paints. These metals, especially lead, can be toxic if inhaled in small amounts. If you are unsure if your paint contains lead, contact your InterNACHI inspector at your next scheduled inspection.

pressure-treated wood. Wood is commonly made resistant to fungi and insects by the addition of copper, chromate and arsenic in a process known as CCA treatment. The CCA treatment puts approximately 27 grams of arsenic in each 12-foot 2×6, enough to kill about 250 adults, making it illegal to burn pressure-treated wood in the US. Vaporized CCA wood, known as fly ash, is extremely toxic; In one case, as reported by the American Medical Association, a family was afflicted with seizures, hair loss, debilitating headaches, fainting and nosebleeds from fly ash released when they unknowingly used CCA wood to burn in their fireplace. Even the family’s houseplants and fish succumbed to the noxious fumes.

Plywood, chipboard, chipboard or OSB. These artificial woods release formaldehyde and possibly hydrochloric acid or dioxin when burned. Some states have banned the burning of some or all of these artificial wood products.

rotten, diseased or moldy wood. This wood does not burn as long as normal wood, can develop unpleasant odors when burning and bring insects into the house.

damp wood. Wood with a moisture content of more than 20% burns inefficiently and contributes to increased chimney creosote build-up and air pollution.

allergenic plants. Urushiol, the chemical that causes the typically minor allergic reaction when skin is exposed to poison ivy, poison sumac, or poison oak, is far more dangerous if inhaled. Urushiol is not destroyed by fire and can quickly cause life-threatening shortness of breath if any of these plants are burned.

dryer lint. While it’s often used effectively as a fire starter, lint can contain a variety of dangerous chemicals that come from your clothes and fabric softener.

Garbage. Never incinerate household waste as it contains a number of potentially hazardous materials and chemicals that will react in unpredictable ways when burned together. Newspaper ink, plastic, aluminum foil, plastic bags, and anything else that makes up your particular junk can create a deadly chemical cocktail.

driftwood. Wood found on the shores of an ocean or salty lake releases salt when burned, which quickly corrodes any metal and etches the glass of a wood stove or fireplace. Catalytic converters are particularly susceptible to salt corrosion. In addition to possible damage to the stove or chimney, the EPA claims that driftwood releases toxic chemicals when burned.

In summary, only use approved and suitable fuel to burn in your fireplace or wood stove as certain items should never be burned as they can cause problems ranging from minor irritation to a dangerous health hazard to your family.

Did you know that some wood burns faster than others? Or that your firewood should have a moisture content of less than 20%? Here, veteran sweeper Richard Bryan, operations manager at Wilkins Chimney Sweep, gives us his guide to best incineration practices.

So let’s start with the “bad guys”, which you should definitely not burn on your open fire or in your stove.

First, avoid any type of fir tree, e.g. Pine or Leylandii. Secondly, do not be tempted to burn waste wood, i. H. old fence panels, pallets, etc.; These were probably treated with wood preservatives during their manufacture, which can give off noxious fumes when burned in any type of volume. Firewood contains large amounts of sap, even when dry, and this sap can turn into creosote (tar) when burned, which collects inside your chimney and can easily ignite, causing the dreaded chimney fire. Also watch out for burning chipboard or MDF. These were made from resin which, when burned, produces toxic gases that are harmful to the environment.

Bad Wood: Pine. Leylandii. Old wood. pallets. Fir. fence panels. chipboard. mdf

So those are the “no’s” to figuring out what to burn and why.

The very best wood to burn is a well-seasoned log of hardwood. Seasoned logs were stored in a relatively dry environment for 6-12 months prior to burning. Hardwood species include ash, beech, oak, and birch; Most fruit tree wood also burns well

But which wood burns best?

For a regularly crackling fire, look out for ash or beech logs. Both of these types have a more “open” grain, which means they burn well. Ash is the best “all-rounder” and burns well with little smoke. Birch has an “open” grain and therefore burns very quickly, meaning your woodpile will quickly shrink as you feed your hungry fire. Oak, on the other hand, has a much “narrower” grain and burns slower, saving trips to the woodpile and pounds in your purse. However, oak should be seasoned for 12 to 24 months before firing.

Good wood: hardwoods such as ash, beech, oak, birch

I heard my logs have to be “dry” before I burn them, is that correct?

Absolutely; Burning wet logs is one of the main contributing factors to chimney fires, so it’s important that your wood is properly dried. When you burn wet logs they cause a build up of combustible creosote/tar inside your chimney which can ignite at any time. serious stuff.

So how do I save my logs?

First, we recommend felling and felling (cutting into trunks) hardwood trees and then keeping them in dry conditions until season for at least six months, longer if felled in fall or winter. Check with your wood supplier and make sure you only buy well-dried (seasoned) wood.

Once you have them home, if you keep them in the garden, they should be covered with a waterproof cover (tarp, etc.) and stacked to allow air to circulate around them. If you store them off the ground, on old pallets or similar, the ones at the bottom of the stack will stay dry.

I am concerned that my logs are not properly “dry”. How do I find out if they are and how do I solve it if they are “wet”?

For safe combustion, logs should have less than 20% moisture content; If you have one, a moisture meter is an accurate way to measure this.

If you don’t have a moisture meter, and let’s face it, most of us don’t, simply bring the logs in and dry them in a warm room or on a fire for a few days before use. This will ensure they are as dry as possible. BUT – don’t store them too close to an open fire or wood stove – they are flammable!

So if I make sure my logs are nice and dry, I probably don’t need to have my chimney swept as often?

No! We generally recommend that you have your chimney swept mid-season and at the end of the burning season if your fireplace or wood-burning stove will be used regularly throughout the winter (i.e. 4 or more times a week), but that really depends on what is burned .

This also applies when coal is burned on open fires or multi-fuel stoves. As a precaution, however, you should have your chimney swept at least once a year.

answers

The burning sensation is caused by the bit rubbing against the nail. Make sure you don’t use it in a back and forth motion, but go in one direction and at the end of the pull, lift the bit off the nail and return to the side of the nail you started on. And you might be applying more pressure than you think since you’re using abrasive belts instead of carbide. Carbides are more aggressive and require less pressure, while abrasive belts require a little more pressure to do the same job.

My biggest recommendation is to take an e-file course so you can see these techniques in person and learn some tips and tricks. — Laura Campos of Gainesville, Florida, has been a nail technician for 19 years and is a master electric file.

Use an e-file on yourself to find out how much pressure is needed, and before you begin, let the client know you know if they’re uncomfortable. They’ll appreciate that and tell you when they’re feeling something instead of just sitting there and dealing with it. This will let her know that you care about her well-being. Believe me, it’s a big plus in their eyes. — Donna Schur is the owner of Nails by Donna in Huntsville, Texas.

Question: When UV gels “burn like crazy” under the UV lamp, are students told it’s because the gel is “bad”? In my opinion the problem is more related to the way the gel is used during the application. What do you think?”

Answer: I agree. When properly applied and cured, UV gels can become warm. However, they should NOT “burn like crazy”. Of course, this assumes that students are using a high-quality, branded UV gel that is well-formulated and properly applied. And then of course cured in the right lamp according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Manufacturers take steps to ensure their UV gel doesn’t “burn like crazy”. When someone is getting this amount of excessive heat then it appears they are NOT applying and/or curing properly.

Excessive heating can occur if the UV gel is applied too thickly or cured in an unsuitable nail lamp. These are the two most common reasons for this. When the “right” thickness of UV gel is applied, they can get warm. If the application is too thick, however, more heat is released and the nail can become very warm. If you are also using a nail lamp that emits too much UV energy to cure this UV gel, then overheating will very likely occur. That’s because a symptom of overcuring a UV gel is the release of excessive amounts of heat.

This type of burning can cause the nail plate to separate from the nail bed. This creates an open space called onycholysis. Once onycholysis occurs, the nail bed can later become infected. It can eventually lead to complete loss of the nail plate if care is not taken to reverse the condition. Once onycholysis occurs, the nail plate should be kept short and clients must be careful not to injure them until they can grow out again. When the hyponychium seal is restored under the free margin, the nail plate should continue to grow normally. Depending on the severity of the onycholysis, it may take a month or two for this condition to resolve on its own. During this time, clients should be instructed to wear gloves, keep their nails clean and dry, and do everything possible to prevent the nail from catching on objects that could pry back the nail plate and lead to even more nail bed separation. Keep the nail plate short to avoid additional damage.

The other possible reason why the UV gel is feeling too hot could be that the nail bed has been friction burned from overly aggressive filing techniques. This often happens when nail technicians use cumbersome filing techniques. In other words, too much downward force is being applied to the nail file. Using an electric file improperly on the nail plate can cause friction burns to the nail bed. Friction burns cause the nail bed to become hypersensitive, even at normal and acceptable levels of heating that are not usually a problem. The customer’s natural nails should be filed gently and carefully and not treated roughly when filing. Also make sure to apply UV gels in thin layers and cure them with the right UV nail lamp to ensure proper curing.

Overview of onycholysis on the hallux (the big toe). What is onycholysis? Onycholysis (on-uh-coll-uh-sis) is when a nail (nail plate) on your fingers or toes separates from the skin it rests on (the nail bed). It usually only affects one nail. Who is affected by onycholysis? Onycholysis affects everyone. However, it is more common in: Individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB).

Adult.

People who have psoriasis, lichen planus, a nail fungus, or tumors in their nail beds. How common is onycholysis? Onycholysis is common and generally lasts for several months or over a year. Any conditions affecting the skin under your nails will eventually cause onycholysis. How does onycholysis affect my body? Onycholysis causes your nail to separate from the nail bed. It usually doesn’t cause pain.

Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms of onycholysis? Symptoms of onycholysis include: Nails detaching from their nail beds.

Hard thick nail beds.

An abnormal border between the pink area of ​​your nail and the white edge of your nail. The edge may appear wavy and the white areas may be thicker in some places and thinner in others.

Discoloration of your nails and nail beds. They can appear gray, green, purple, white, or yellow.

Dents or dimples (cupuliform indentations) in your nails.

Brittle nails.

bleeding under your nails. Onycholysis isn’t usually painful, but what’s causing your onycholysis can be painful or irritating. If you have onycholysis from injury or fungal infection, you may experience pain and irritation. What are the most common causes of onycholysis? The following are common causes of onycholysis: Injury (trauma): Injury to a nail or the area where your nails start to grow (nail matrix) can cause onycholysis. You can injure these areas by poking or hitting your nails, wearing shoes that are too small, or even soaking your nails in water for too long. Regular visits to a nail salon for manicures can also cause onycholysis. Manicurists use a lot of force to trim, buff and polish your nails. Even tapping your nails on a hard surface for an extended period of time can cause onycholysis.

: Injuries to a nail or the area where your nails start to grow (nail matrix) can cause onycholysis. You can injure these areas by poking or hitting your nails, wearing shoes that are too small, or even soaking your nails in water for too long. Regular visits to a nail salon for manicures can also cause onycholysis. Manicurists use a lot of force to trim, buff and polish your nails. Even tapping your nails on a hard surface for an extended period of time can cause onycholysis. Reaction to chemicals: Chemicals in nail polish, nail polish, nail hardener, nail polish remover, and artificial nails can cause onycholysis.

: Chemicals in nail polish, nail polish, nail hardener, nail polish remover, and artificial nails can cause onycholysis. Fungal Infections: Fungal infections occur when fungus gets between your nail and your nail bed, usually through cracks or cuts in your finger or toe. Fungal infections cause your nails to become thick, yellow, and may have white spots and streaks.

: Fungal infections occur when fungi get between your nail and your nail bed, usually through cracks or cuts in your finger or toe. Fungal infections cause your nails to become thick, yellow, and may have white spots and streaks. Medications: Chemotherapy and some medications that cause photosensitivity can cause onycholysis. These drugs include tetracycline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), psoralens, and oral retinoids (vitamin A derivatives).

: Chemotherapy and some drugs that cause photosensitivity can cause onycholysis. These drugs include tetracycline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), psoralens, and oral retinoids (vitamin A derivatives). Nail Psoriasis: Nail psoriasis causes changes in the structure of your nails that can include onycholysis. Onycholysis rarely affects all of your nails. The following can cause onycholysis in all of your nails: Iron deficiency: Iron deficiency is when you don’t have enough iron in your diet. Iron deficiency can also cause anemia.

: Iron deficiency is when you don’t have enough iron in your diet. Iron deficiency can also cause anemia. Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism causes your thyroid gland in your throat to produce and release more hormones than your body needs. Hyperthyroidism can also cause a rapid heartbeat, unexplained weight loss, increased appetite, and anxiety. Is onycholysis a fungal infection? No, onycholysis is not a fungal infection. However, fungal infections can sometimes cause onycholysis. Is onycholysis contagious? Depending on what’s causing your onycholysis, it can be contagious. Onycholysis caused by an injury, nail psoriasis, or a reaction to a drug or chemical is not contagious. However, onycholysis caused by a fungus can be contagious. A person with an infection can transmit the fungus to another person through skin contact. You can also get nail fungus by touching an infected surface (indirect contact), e.g. For example, walking barefoot in public pools or showers, or sharing items such as towels, nail clippers, and nail scissors.

Diagnosis and Tests How Is Onycholysis Diagnosed? Onycholysis is easy to spot, so you don’t necessarily need a doctor to diagnose it, especially if you know the cause. If you don’t know what caused your onycholysis, it’s a good idea to see your doctor. They will take a close look at your affected nails to assess your symptoms. What tests are done to diagnose onycholysis? Your doctor may run several tests to diagnose onycholysis. Tests may include: Biopsy: Your healthcare provider uses a razor or surgical knife with a thin blade (a scalpel) to scrape a small sample of cells from your nails. The cells are taken to a lab for testing, and researchers examine them under a microscope.

: Your healthcare provider will use a razor or surgical knife with a thin blade (a scalpel) to scrape a small sample of cells from your nails. The cells are taken to a lab for testing, and researchers examine them under a microscope. Fungal test: Your doctor may clip some of your nails and order a potassium hydroxide (KOH) supplement or fungal culture to rule out a fungus as the cause of your onycholysis. If these test results are inconclusive, a fungal test known as periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining can also detect the presence of a fungus.

: Your doctor may clip some of your nails and order a potassium hydroxide (KOH) supplement or fungal culture to rule out a fungus as the cause of your onycholysis. If these test results are inconclusive, a fungal test known as periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining can also detect the presence of a fungus. Blood test: During a blood test, your healthcare provider will use a thin needle (21 gauge, slightly smaller than the size of a standard earring) to draw a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm. The blood sample is taken to a lab for testing, and researchers examine it for the presence of systemic diseases that can cause onycholysis.

Management and Treatment Can onycholysis be cured? There is no cure for the part of your nail that has separated from the nail bed – you cannot reattach it. But treatment can allow new nail growth to adhere to your nail bed. What can I use to treat onycholysis? If you have onycholysis from an injury, the detached portion of your nail will eventually grow out. Use nail clippers or nail scissors to remove your affected nail as it grows out. If you have onycholysis due to a fungus, your options may include: Oral antifungals: Your doctor may prescribe liquid medicines or pills or tablets that you swallow with water. These medications may include terbinafine (Lamisil®), itraconazole (Sporanox®), and fluconazole (Diflucan®).

: Your doctor may prescribe liquid medicines or pills or tablets to swallow with water. These medications may include terbinafine (Lamisil®), itraconazole (Sporanox®), and fluconazole (Diflucan®). Topical antifungals: Topical medications come in the form of creams, ointments, or gels. You rub them directly onto your nails. Nail fungus can be difficult to treat. It is important that you complete your medical degree in full. If you stop too soon, the fungus that caused your onycholysis can come back and be more difficult to treat. How do I care for my nails? The following tips can help you care for your nails if you have onycholysis: Take medication and use treatments as directed by your doctor or health care professional.

Trim your affected nails regularly.

Protect your nails from additional damage.

Wash your hands regularly to prevent infection. Use a clean washcloth to get under your nails.

Use antifungal or antimicrobial soaks to prevent infection. Antimicrobial baths can contain lemon juice, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and tea tree, orange, or lemongrass essential oils. While essential oils are safe for most people, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before trying them. There is a risk that you will develop an allergic reaction.

Prevention How can I prevent onycholysis? The following tips can help you prevent onycholysis: Keep your nails trimmed short. Keep your nails short to prevent them from catching on objects and further detaching from your nail beds.

Avoid biting your nails.

Be careful when cleaning under your nails. Some tools that clean under your nails, such as cuticle sticks or nail brushes, can lacerate the skin under your nails and cause infection.

Avoid chemicals or products that can irritate your nails or the skin around your nails. This may include nail polish, nail polish, nail hardener, nail polish remover, and fake nails.

Wear gloves when engaging in activities that can damage your nails, such as washing dishes, exercising, or working outdoors.

Wear clean socks and comfortable, protective shoes. Be careful when placing heavy objects near your feet.

Outlook / prognosis What can I expect from onycholysis? If you and your doctor can determine the cause of your onycholysis, your nails will slowly but surely grow back. Your fingernails grow slowly and your toenails grow even slower. It can take up to six to nine months for your fingernails to fully grow out, and it can take 12 to 18 months for your toenails to fully grow out.

So you have a new wood stove or outdoor fire pit that you want to get up and running. Or would you like to toast marshmallows on your planned camping trip? However, when building a wood fire it is important to remember that not every piece of wood is a good fuel.

You may already know that you shouldn’t burn junk like coated, painted, or pressure-treated wood. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, this can release toxic or harmful chemicals into the air. But even when choosing between two tree trunks, there are greener (and less green) options. Here are some tips for buying firewood.

Note: None of the advice below applies to netted or plastic wrapped bundles of firewood sold in stores and labeled as kiln dried or heat treated. If you only need a small amount of wood, commercial bagged firewood is often a good and safe choice as the high-quality hardwood burns hot and clean.

green wood

When a living tree is felled, the wood must age or “mature” for at least six to nine months before it can be burned. Freshly cut wood, called greenwood, is loaded with sap (usually water) and has to dry first. It is difficult to light and once it gets going it burns very efficiently and smokes horribly.

If you are unsure if the wood is green, ask the seller when it was cut. You can also check the bark: stuck bark that’s still caked with sap when scored is a bad sign.

Big wood

Jose Manuel Espinola Aguayo / EyeEm/getty

Don’t buy firewood that is too long to easily fit in your fireplace or fire pit. If it is more than 5 inches in diameter, you will need to recut or split it before you can use it. The work is great exercise, but if you just want a quick fire it’s definitely a drag.

Non-native wood

If you live in or are visiting an area currently affected by invasive wood pests, ask the seller where the wood was felled. If it has been cut or stored more than a few miles away, you should leave the firewood where it is and look further.

According to Leigh Greenwood, campaign manager of the Don’t Move Firewood campaign, firewood transported too far is the leading cause of the rapid spread of invasive insects and disease. These species include the emerald ash borer, the Asiatic longhorn beetle, and the gold-spotted oak borer.

Although the pests are slow to spread on their own, moving an infected log can endanger new forests and undermine conservation efforts. Millions of trees and thousands of hectares of forest have been seriously damaged or even killed by these non-native pests.

New outbreaks almost always originate in or near public campgrounds or are traced back to a homeowner who purchased firewood from an infested area. David Adkins, an inspection supervisor at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, says if you have any suspicions, only buy enough for a single fire and follow the “use all, burn all” rule.

“Don’t leave questionable wood lying around, and certainly don’t take one home from a campground that’s far away,” he says. If you are unsure if your area or nearby areas are affected, contact your state’s Department of Agriculture or visit Don’t Move Firewood to find out.

soft wood

Casarsa Getty Images

Ask the seller what kind of wood it is. Trees like pine, fir, or cypress have “soft” wood that burns quickly, leaves few chars, and produces a lot of smoke that can coat your chimney with soot (not a sure thing in the long run). Seasoned softwood is fine for outdoor fires, but you should avoid it if it’s a fireplace or you want a long-lasting fire or coals for cooking.

driftwood

JTSorrell Getty Images

Burning salt-saturated driftwood is a bad idea because it can release toxic or harmful chemicals when burned, according to the EPA. It’s probably safer to use your beach finds for decoration and mounted planters instead.

poisons

Watch out for wood covered in vines. Burning poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, or just about anything else with “poison” in its name, releases the irritating oil urushiol into the smoke. Inhaling it can cause lung irritation and serious allergic breathing problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

oleander

Oleander shrubs thrive in frost-free climates, and every part of it is poisonous. Definitely don’t burn it, and don’t even use a twig to toast your marshmallow on it.

Endangered Species

Charlene Sherman-Ragatz / EyeEm/getty

Blue ash, American chestnut, the Kentucky coffee tree: There are more than 20 endangered species of native trees in North America, and due to their rarity, you’re unlikely to find any in a batch of firewood for sale. However, you should double-check this list before hacking anything yourself.

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Nothing keeps you warm and cozy like a roaring fire on a cold winter’s day. The sight and smell of a log fire burning in the fireplace can create hours of enjoyment and an ever-changing display of mesmerizing patterns that will keep you and your family warm and happy.

But to create a real log fire, you need wood to burn in the fireplace. Yes, you can go to the store and invest in a bundle of wood. But that can add up over time.

What about the tree in your yard that you wanted to remove? What happens to a tree when you hire a tree felling service? Can you use this wood in your fireplace? Is it the right type of wood for your home?

Just as some types of wood are better suited for certain products, the same applies to building a fireplace. Some types of wood are not suitable as firewood. But what is the difference with so many different types of wood? And what happens if you burn the wrong type of wood?

In many cases, the best wood to burn is the wood you get for free. That means if you hire us to fell the tree, why not use the leftover wood to heat your house all winter long?

Rather than removing it from your property, find an area around your home where it’s relatively close to moving and storing. If it’s easy to move and store, you’re more likely to use it.

Each type of wood provides a different amount of usable heat when burned. The heating efficiency of firewood depends on how the wood goes through the three combustion phases.

In the first stage, wood heats up to such an extent that moisture is expelled from the wood cells and the cells dry out. When wood loses moisture, it chemically turns into charcoal. Stopping this process creates charcoal.

In the second stage, real flames burn the volatile gases and liquids associated with charcoal. This is also where much of the energy from the wood burning process loses efficiency.

In the third stage, the charcoal produces visible, glowing embers. This is called “charcoal”. At this point, heat is radiated outward into the air.

Different types of wood burn at different levels. Some produce sparks in the second stage, some produce more smoke than others. The heating potential of the wood depends on the increased density of the wood. Dense wood is heavier and contains higher calorific values.

What kind of tree are you removing from your garden?

Oak

One of the most common tree species is the oak; You can find it throughout the Vancouver area. While not among the tallest trees in your neighborhood, they can still become quite massive if well cared for over the years. Oak is a very dense hardwood tree, so it burns for a very long time. However, getting started can be the difficult part. Because oak is a dense wood, it requires continuous high heat to get it burning and keep it burning well. This can be achieved by using a softwood such as pine to get the base going and then, over time, putting oak on the fire. Once it’s on fire, there’s not much waiting to keep it burning late into the night.

maple

Maple is a deciduous hardwood tree with above-average calorific values. It can be difficult to split a tree into manageable-sized logs, but once it is, it will produce efficient and hot-burning firewood. As with oak, it can be difficult to start a fire with maple. It may be necessary to light a softer wood to start the process. But once it starts and gets strong, maple provides long-lasting warmth and burn. Maple also produces very little smoke, which is a bonus if you’re lighting a fire in your home.

cherry

As a fruit tree, this hardwood also produces relatively little smoke. And when it burns, it creates an aroma that can be very pleasant. However, it does not burn as hot as its oak and maple counterparts. It burns at a medium heat, making it desirable on milder evenings when you consider a fire for atmosphere rather than its warmth.

birch

Birch trees are known for their unique bark, with several different species available. They’re a softer wood, which means they’re easier to split and quicker to burn. They are perfect fire starters because they burn very quickly. Birch is also a very light and hot wood that will make a perfect addition to your fireplace on a cold winter evening.

elm

Elm trees are widespread in the Pacific Northwest and can provide a decent source of heat, but they’re notorious for being difficult to chop. It is also common to see dead elm trees in Vancouver neighborhoods due to Dutch elm disease. However, if you remove these trees, it is possible to use them as firewood because the wood is very dry.

Jaw

Pine is a popular tree found in yards throughout Vancouver. They are also a common tree for removal. Pine is a softwood that makes an excellent fire starter. However, pines also have a high sap and resin content, so should only be burned outdoors. If used indoors, there is a chance that creosote will build up in the chimney, which can cause a fire. Pine is a very messy burning wood and will burn quickly. While the smell may be great, it should be preserved in your outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, using other harder woods as supplements to keep the fire burning late into the evening.

As a general rule, most coniferous or softwood trees—trees that have needles rather than leaves—do not do well for burning. As the name implies, softwoods tend to have a much softer, less dense wood than hardwoods, meaning they provide less fuel for the fire and don’t produce as much heat. They also create a buildup of creosote as they burn, which becomes a fire hazard over time. They also tend to produce more sparks and smoke, which can help when starting fires but can quickly become annoying when you’re sitting back and enjoying the heat generated.

Do you have trees in your yard that are ready to be removed? Let us help you decide what to stack for your winter fires and keep you warm all season long.

Any homeowner who uses their fireplace regularly during the winter months knows that seasoned wood provides the best results for the ideal fire. It burns better, produces more heat, and produces less creosote buildup in your fireplace than green or unseasoned wood. “Green wood,” says garden consultant Teresa O’Connor of Seasonal Wisdom, “is difficult to light and difficult to keep burning.” The reason some people use it is because of the unavailability of seasoned wood. You can usually tell the difference between seasoned and green wood with a simple inspection.

Dear Don’t Move Firewood,

I have a ton of 2 x 4 pieces to burn. Can you take them to a campsite?

Yours,

Enthusiastic wood user

Dear enthusiastic wood user,

Someone must have laid out “the bat signal” for 2 x 4s as firewood this week because you’re the fourth person to email me about this since Friday. So let’s set the record on cut 2 x 4 ends!

From a practical standpoint, commercially kiln-dried, clean wood scraps (also called lumber) are a fairly safe alternative to traditionally cut firewood. Being bark free and typically stored indoors, this is a very low risk wood choice.

However, from various other perspectives, they become a problem. Here’s a quick breakdown of the issues:

Some campgrounds ban what they consider “junk” to protect the safety of their maintenance workers. Even if YOUR 2×4 scraps don’t include sharp nails and staples and screws, they could still be banned.

Waste wood stored outside can still have trampling forest pests on or in it. For example, spongy moths readily lay eggs on wood debris.

Wood waste can fall into a gray area in terms of the legality of transporting firewood across certain borders. You don’t want to think something is legal only to find out you could be fined for moving just a bit of scrap wood.

Treated wood is highly toxic when burned. Make sure treated wood is separate from the clean 2x4s stack to avoid accidentally burning dangerous chemicals like arsenic.

So what is our formal take on 2 x 4 scrap wood bits for firewood? It’s fine for home use, backyard use, and local campgrounds where permitted. But since it raises a lot of questions when traveling farther or across borders, it’s best to limit 2×4 use to your nearby campsites and call ahead.

For information on a related topic, pallet burning, see our 2013 blog What About Pallet Burning?

Pallets come in many shapes and sizes depending on what they are to be transported for. The standard size is 48 x 40 inches. | Photo by Julia Bayly

It is estimated that 2 billion wooden shipping pallets move goods every day in North America. That’s a billion with a “b”.

And when these pallets are no longer used as shipping platforms, they are increasingly repurposed into projects that can be found on the Pinterest social network, which is like an online bulletin board where you save (or “pin”) images, projects, etc. ) videos to find them later. It differs from social media sites like Facebook or Instagram in that Pinterest’s focus is on finding and organizing content created by other people, rather than storing your own.

The projects you capture are tempting, but what should you know before you get too involved in creating them in real life?

Where can I find pallets in real life?

Local retailers are a great place to find pallets. Shops such as motorcycle or snowmobile dealers, small grocery stores, hardware and furniture stores and construction sites receive goods and materials packed on pallets. And the owners may be looking for a free way to get rid of them.

Ask first and don’t just help yourself to a pile of discarded pallets stacked outside a shop or construction site. Some companies have agreements with external recycling companies that collect the pallets.

But if the pallets are destined for landfill and you reach out to the business owner or manager to politely ask if you can have one or more, there’s a good chance you’re taking the base material for your pallet project with you.

According to a 2018 study released by the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, 95 percent of all pallets produced in the United States are also reused as shipping platforms or otherwise recycled.

According to Stuart Isaacson, sales manager at PalletOne, a Florida-based pallet manufacturer, so many people recycle these used pallets that they’re among the most recycled items in the country.

Isaacson is based in the company’s Maine facility, where pallets are manufactured from raw wood and used pallets.

“Over here, most of our pallets have their 10th or 20th life,” Isaacson said. “We don’t give or sell any of our pallets to the public, we use them all here in-house.”

How do I know if pallets are safe to use?

But just because something is free and available doesn’t mean it’s safe to use.

“People need to know where a pallet came from and what was stored on it,” Isaacson said. “If it was used to ship vegetables then there is no problem with it, but if it was used to ship batteries then battery acid could have spilled on it and that is a problem.”

Every palette has a story and if you know where to look and what to look for, there can be a lot of information on that palette.

Quentin Jeandel has written extensively on pallet safety at website 1001pallets.com, emphasizing the importance of only using clean pallets and not trying to guess what suspicious stains on a pallet might be, as many are used to transport toxic materials be used.

Almost all pallets are stamped with seemingly random letters and symbols, according to Isaacson. But once you know what it all means, your palette’s origins come alive.

What are these stamps?

Most palettes are stamped with symbols and letters that contain a wealth of information. In this case, the symbols and letters of the palette comply with the standards of the IPPC or International Plant Protection Convention; The pallet has been heat treated – HT – and has been treated at a registered facility in Mexico and given an identification number – MX-160. This palette would be safe for a DIY project. | Photo by Julia Bayly

The first thing to look out for is the IPPC stamp on the pallet. This means that the pallet meets the requirements of the International Plant Protection Convention and is safe for international shipping.

IPPC standards require pallets to be manufactured without chemicals and from materials free from invasive insects and plant diseases.

Next you want to look for the stamps that indicate how the pallet was treated: HT – Heat Treat; KD – oven dried; DB – debarked; or MB – methyl bromide.

“Never use a pallet if you see the ‘MB’ stamp,” Isaacson said. “That means it’s been treated with the toxic and carcinogenic chemical methyl bromide.”

The good news, according to Issacson, is that the industry practically stopped using this chemical about 30 years ago.

Instead, pallet makers now use a treatment that involves heating pallets to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

“That will kill any bugs or beetle larvae in the forest,” Isaacson said. “Heat-treated pallets are absolutely safe to handle.”

Oven-dried pallets are also safe to handle. These have been heated long enough to lower the moisture content, prevent warping and kill fungus.

Pallets with DB stamp for debarking means that the wood from which this pallet was made has been debarked and the pallet itself has probably not been treated beyond that.

According to Jeandel, DB pallets are chemical-free and safe to use.

Pallets may have other stamps or symbols denoting country of origin, manufacturer’s location, and other industry information, and if you’re not sure what a stamp means, it’s a good idea to forego that particular pallet.

On its website, 1001pallets.com provides a detailed breakdown of what each symbol means.

Are colored palettes safe?

Most pallets that find their way into the talented hands of do-it-yourselfers are natural wood that has not been painted. But there are colored pallets and the color of a pallet has an origin story to tell, according to 1001pallets.com.

Made in the USA, red pallets are made from high quality lumber, kiln dried, chemically treated and subjected to rigorous third party inspections. They are stamped with the letters PECO for Pallet Exchange Company.

Red pallets from Europe are stamped with LPR for La Palette Rouge and used for international shipping.

Blue pallets are stamped CHEP for Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool from Australia while brown pallets are stamped IPP for Logipal from Europe.

Of the colored palettes, only the PECO palettes are guaranteed to be totally safe and comply with IPPC standards.

How do I safely pull apart a pallet?

Once you’ve established that your pallet is safe to work with, it’s time to break it down into usable parts, and that means taking some safety precautions, Isaacson said.

“These are really basic precautions,” he said. “Use safety goggles, gloves and wear sturdy boots.”

Pallets are held together with blunt nails, so a simple pry bar may suffice to pull them apart.

“Leverage is the key to pulling a pallet apart,” Isaacson said. “Some people use a ‘pallet breaker’ that looks like a long, two-pronged fork.”

Pallet breakers are available at hardware stores. Or you can create one yourself using plans and tutorials available online. Go back to Pinterest and search “pallet breaker”. From there, click on any of the hundreds of links that will take you to websites with tutorials or plans that have been developed by individuals to make your own pallet breaking tool.

“When you pull the palette apart, it’s all about posture,” Isaacson said. “You never want to pull to your face in case something unexpectedly comes loose and you bump into your face.”

Once you have a stack of wood that used to be a pallet, it’s time to start designing.

With a little palette knowledge, some basic tools, and elbow grease, it seems like there’s no end to what palettes can become.

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Why does wood crackle in fire? – Rocco, 6 years (almost 7!)

Hello Rocco, that’s a good question. I love sitting in front of a fire and hearing it crackle and pop.

These sounds are caused by trapped vapor bubbles suddenly escaping, causing a mini explosion!

To know why this happens, we need to understand what happens when you put a log on a fire. First the wood gets hotter. Inside the wood are pockets of trapped water and tree sap, which is the gooey stuff you sometimes see on trees.

In the same way, water in a kettle heats up and turns into steam, as does the water trapped in the log. So as the fire gets hotter, the water and juice in it will start to boil and turn into gas. As the fire gets hotter, these gases take up more space and expand (get bigger).

How do the gases escape?

As the water and juice turn to steam, something happens to the wood as well. Wood contains something called cellulose, which is the main substance that plants are made of.

When cellulose is heated, it begins to decompose, or “decompose.” If you ever forgot an apple in your lunch box over the weekend and it turns brown and icky, that means it’s decomposed. When something in nature (like a piece of fruit) decomposes, it changes.

Read more: Curious kids: if I strike a match, how does it start fire?

When wood gets hot enough in a fire, the cellulose it contains begins to turn into gas. This is when we see smoke rising from the wood, sometimes even before the piece of wood has caught fire.

The flames develop when the gas escaping from the wood begins to mix with the oxygen in the air. Oxygen is like fuel for fires – it makes them burn really bright.

When wood burns, the mixture of expanding gases and decomposing cellulose successively burst pockets of trapped vapor out of the wood. That’s why you hear the crackling and popping sounds.

The more water and sap in the wood, the louder the fire. If you’ve ever put damp wood on a fire, you may have noticed that it makes a lot more noise than really dry wood.

How does the water get into the wood?

But how do water and juice get into the wood in the first place?

Well, wood isn’t quite as strong as it looks. It has many tiny holes that are too small for our eyes to see, and these holes contain water and sap.

We know that wood comes from trees. And when trees are alive, they stay healthy by carrying water up their trunk through these tiny holes called xylem vessels. When the tree is felled to make firewood, water is still trapped in these xylem vessels.

There are other ways water can penetrate the wood. This way, if firewood is left out in the rain, it can soak up water. Or sometimes insects make small holes in the wood that let water in.

Read more: Curious kids: how do bushfires start?

Sitting in front of a fire, watching the flames and listening to the wood crackle and pop can be fun. Most of the time, the mini-explosions of the escaping vapor are small.

But sometimes they can be large and even cause small pieces of burning wood to fly out of the fire! For this reason, it is important to always keep a safe distance from a fire or to use fire protection.

The author thanks her nephews Aldous Nolan (6) and Fergus Nolan (5) for their help in improving this answer.

Hello, curious children! Do you have a question that you would like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]