White Oak as Firewood

[Duck Nitz]

White Oak as in Live Oak? I find myself cutting and splitting a lot of live oak and I don't think it's possible, or at least feasible, to mess with it without a good log splitter. The grain is twisty and stubborn and the wood is hard. A big log will test a 20 ton splitter. I wouldn't even try it with a splitting maul. It does burn long and slow but it needs to season a few months after it's split and stacked or it will be hard to light and smokey. If you let it season too long before splitting, it can be even harder to split. I've drawn sparks off a stump when hitting it what an ax.

If it's been sitting too long, especially if it's on the ground, the beetles will get into it and it will get pithy, punky and spalted.


They make carbide chain saw blades and they're worth it. Dirt is the worst enemy of a sharp saw blade.

Makes me glad I asked. I know of Red Oaks and White Oaks, so forgive me if I don't know if a white oak is also called a 'live oak'. I'm in the Greer area, and have only heard live oaks when referred to at the coast. Thanks..I got a sawbuck being built as we speak and will tackle this next weekend and see how far I get. Never have split white oak pieces before. I have not cut the big pieces, but the 10"- 15" branches I cut yesterday dulled a fresh chain right quick.