As many outdoor enthusiasts have probably figured out, knowing how to find wood is one thing, but selecting the right wood is quite another. This skill is the secret ingredient to ensuring that your fire burns bright and strong with minimal effort.
In this guide, you’ll learn the nuances of wood selection, helping you distinguish between wet, dry, and decomposing wood. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to not only find wood but also to find the best wood for your camping adventures, turning any evening under the stars into an unforgettable experience.
Table of Contents
Choosing the ‘Right Wood’
Firewood that you come across in the woods can be easily identified if it’s good or not pretty quickly. Picking it up and checking whether it’s hard or soft to the touch is one easy way. Cutting it with a saw is another way to see if there is any rot throughout the wood or not.
During winter in regions with rain and snow, identifying usable wood can become more challenging. One method to determine if wood is viable or wet and frozen is to assess its weight. If water has seeped into the wood and frozen, the additional weight will be noticeable when you lift it.
Another method is to press the cut piece of wood against your cheek or lips. If it feels very cold, the wood is likely wet. While dry wood won’t be warm to the touch, it will have a noticeably “warm” sensation on your skin. You’ll understand once you try it.
Seasoned Wood
Seasoned wood is fully dried, meaning it has been dead for a long time, allowing moisture to evaporate. Typically, you will find this kind of wood as dead standing, meaning the tree is dead but has not fallen to the ground.
Benefits of Using Seasoned Wood
- High Heat Output: Seasoned wood burns hotter than wet wood.
- Minimal Smoke: Seasoned wood emits less smoke due to its low moisture, making it ideal for wood stove chimney pipes.
- Long-lasting Burn: As the wood burns down into coals they retain a lot of their heat output. This also makes any wood you add to the fire catch easier.
When struck together, seasoned wood produces a clear sound that will remind you of bowling pins being struck at a bowling alley.
“Punky” Wood
“Punky” wood is decaying wood that is identifiable by the porous structure inside of it. It is a natural part of the decomposition process and it’s a result of the cellulose breaking down. As you pick it up you may notice that it has a spongy texture to it.
Pros and Cons of Using Punky Wood
- Pro: Quick to light, making it great for starting fires quickly.
- Con: Burns out fast and doesn’t provide long-lasting warmth.
Survivalists frequently use it as a tinder to ignite a fire, which is its main purpose. Although it can burn when added to an ongoing fire, its heat output is not as intense as that of seasoned wood.
Wet Wood
Wet wood can be a nightmare to burn. Its high moisture content makes ignition difficult, resulting in more smoke and a lower temperature burn.
Wet wood feels heavier and damp. Look for visible water or a recently felled tree’s greenish tint. If you must use it, dry it by stacking it loosely near your campfire or wood stove to evaporate the moisture.
If you try to burn soaked wood, you’ll hear a distinct hissing sound followed by the visual cue of moisture evaporating out the sides of the piece of wood. Avoid using wet wood in a wood stove, as the low-temperature burn will cause creosote buildup in your stove pipe.
Green Wood
Greenwood, freshly cut from living trees, poses unique challenges as firewood. Its high moisture content, often exceeding 50%, makes it difficult to ignite and sustain a flame. This moisture leads to a cooler burn, producing excessive smoke and leaving behind unburned residue.
Identifying green wood is relatively straightforward. It typically has a bright, vibrant color and feels heavier due to the high water content. The bark is usually tight and hard to peel, and if you were to cut into it, you’d find a layer of moist wood beneath. A sure sign of green wood is the presence of leaves.
If your only option is to use green wood, there are a few strategies to improve its usability. First, attempt to mix it with well-seasoned wood to help maintain a consistent flame. Splitting the green wood into smaller pieces can also aid in the drying process if left to cure near the fire, though this is a time-consuming method.
Final Thoughts
When you believe you’ve found the ideal tree, take a closer look to ensure it’s suitable for burning. With practice in assessing wood quality, you’ll soon be able to decide whether it’s worth keeping.
