I recently got rail road tie ends to burn in my fire place. They are, ofcourse, untreated. I was told they are safe and good to burn??? I dont know the difference between woods...what kind should i get and what kind should i not get.
2007-01-20 17:03:09 · 8 answers · asked by justme 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
well, obviously, all the folks telling you that you cant use those ties because they are treated, didnt read your question all the way thru, lol....
I happen to live in an area where they cut the wood to make those ties, and yes, you can get the 'drops', or cut-off ends, from sawmills. To the sawmill, its just scrap.
It would be best, to ask what species of wood those are, from where you got them. If they are a soft wood, like pine, then just use them to help get a fire started. (You might even want to split them for that purpose). Pine tends to burn hot, but it does put out quite a bit of creosote, which will build up in your chimney...then you have fire hazard where you don't want one. If the ends are hardwood, you should have no trouble at all burning them.
You can purchase a 'chimney cleaner' that burns in your fireplace, and helps break up the sooty buildup. It is a good idea to have your chimney thoroughly cleaned every year....make it a part of your regular spring maintenance.
If for some reason, you cannot find out what kind of wood it is from your supplier, then take a chunk to your nearest lumberyard, or building store... compare it to the pine, or fir studs, and the oak lumber they sell for shelves and such.
Enjoy!
2007-01-20 23:18:05 · answer #1 · answered by thewrangler_sw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
** Beware** I would not burn railroad ties in the fire place. I've never seen rail road ties that weren't treated. My Great grand father was a supervisor for the rail road over 80 years ago and they were treated then. The toxic fumes can be deadly. Also don't burn wood that has sape such as pine, or maple its resin stick to the inside of your chimney.
2007-01-21 01:10:08 · answer #2 · answered by queenie one 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
do not burn railroad tie ends.....too much oil etc. on them....We used to burn hedge wood in our wood burning stove, and a couple of good sized logs would last through the night so we wouldn't have to restart the fire in the morning. Remember to use seasoned wood (not freshly cut)....burns longer.
2007-01-21 02:38:56 · answer #3 · answered by C Shannon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
railroad ties ARE treated with creosote..toxic do not burn inside or out. The best wood to burn is dark wood...most any fruit tree wood... that has been cut down for at least 4 or 5 months..Light color wood or lite softwood such as cotton or elm is the worse
2007-01-21 01:16:38 · answer #4 · answered by Chris B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my husband says the best wood to burn in a fireplac is oak
2007-01-21 01:10:57 · answer #5 · answered by rshegv 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not use treated or painted wood in your fireplace as they put out a lot of pollutants.
2007-01-21 01:08:19 · answer #6 · answered by MT C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
soft wood is not good to burn....it smokes alot
hard wood is the best.
2007-01-21 01:09:14 · answer #7 · answered by mrsmoore 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hickory is the best. but is hard to find. Oak is the most common
2007-01-21 01:14:47 · answer #8 · answered by DCB_MINDED 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋