Bark, Bark, Bark...

[Wood Doctor]

I think bark gets a bad rap. Several species shed their bark as they dry and do it in less than a year, especially when being split. These include elm, maple, walnut, locust, and several others. For years I used to throw the bark away or bonfire it. Then it dawned on me that it could be used for kindling with very little processing, especially if the bark is removed from dry logs that have already been buck cut to length when they were green.

It's rather easy to break wide pieces into 2" to 3" widths. When dry, these strips work very well as kindling or to help rejuvenate a fire that has burned down and almost out. Now, of course, I may be crazy, but am I the only one who is doing this? What says the forum?

 

[old guy]

Did it for years.

 

[KYsawman]

I always save the bark and splinters from splitting for fire starter.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I always save the bark and splinters from splitting for fire starter.

The splinters I do save in sacks and boxes. They disappear fast. I never saved the bark until this year when I cut a whole bunch of green rounds. Slowly, they dried out and the bark loosened up, sometimes falling off in one or two big pieces that look like hollow shells. Breaking those into 2" wide strips is a piece of cake, and suddenly you have kindling. Wrap those in a newspaper section and away it goes.

 

[jakethesnake]

I never had much luck getting the bark to light. I don’t have a wood splitter so I keep some “noodles” right by the stove. I keep some small 2 inch rounds and that seems to really get me going quick doesn’t take too many cuts to gather some noodles. They light with a match

 

[jakethesnake]

My loose bark I just pitch in the stove

 

[Wood Doctor]

My loose bark I just pitch in the stove.

I do that too, especially when it's time to add a log or two, or three. The bark seems to set the fire off again rather nicely. I like the price of this "waste" bark, especially after pounding out kindling last year with a Cracker and a 3-lb sledge hammer.

There is a quality level with bark also. Hard maple bark is premium (thinner, denser, harder, etc.). It might be the best there is.

 

[jakethesnake]

Makes sense. I get that big flop of wet oak bark. I used to use lots of pinecones. They make a good starter

 

[paragonbuilder]

I think bark gets a bad rap. Several species shed their bark as they dry and do it in less than a year, especially when being split. These include elm, maple, walnut, locust, and several others. For years I used to throw the bark away or bonfire it. Then it dawned on me that it could be used for kindling with very little processing, especially if the bark is removed from dry logs that have already been buck cut to length when they were green.

It's rather easy to break wide pieces into 2" to 3" widths. When dry, these strips work very well as kindling or to help rejuvenate a fire that has burned down and almost out. Now, of course, I may be crazy, but am I the only one who is doing this? What says the forum?

I saw this...

And thought of this... lol

Bark, Bark, BARK...bark
What’s that lassie?
Bark BARK
Jason’s in trouble?
BARK B B Bark!!
He dropped his meth down a well and fell down trying to find it?
bark bark bark
*f-word it girl lets got eat Scooby snacks

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[Duane(Pa)]

We have paper coffee cups at work. I put a wad of noodles in one and set it where the draft can hit it and Bingo we have fire in no time. I burn bark and splinters. Oh, and lots of cookies!

 

[SteveinUT]

Makes sense. I get that big flop of wet oak bark. I used to use lots of pinecones. They make a good starter

Ponderosa Pine needles and pinecones are one of my favorites for kindling. Good stuff! Touch a match and it burns like it had been soaked in diesel. Unfortunately, it works well in forest fires too...

 

[Moparmyway]

I use bark to “cap” the gap between logs to keep the heat in. Set them centered between fresh ones, curved like a roof

 

[Wood Doctor]

I use bark to “cap” the gap between logs to keep the heat in. Set them centered between fresh ones, curved like a roof

I also use loose bark underndeath long rows of rounds. It makes it easier to remove them in winter from the frozen ground, and I figure the insects and anything else eat the bark underneath before they reach the rounds. So, the rounds last about a year longer as they dry out. Simple concept, and it works.

 

[nandoz]

I mostly use the bark as punishment for the kids. For some reason they HATE picking up the bark off of the ground!

 

[Wood Doctor]

I mostly use the bark as punishment for the kids. For some reason they HATE picking up the bark off of the ground!

My solution to that problem is to save a few large cup-shaped bark pieces from rounds. These sometimes come loose almost all the way around the log. They make cup-shaped containers that hold the small bark. Just load them up as you coillect.

Another observation: Bark isn't that light in weight. Last fall I filled a 30-gal garbage can with elm and maple bark and then could hardly pick it up for trash collection. It weighed about as much as a can full of green grass. That means there is far more heat content in bark than I ever realized.

 

[jakethesnake]

My solution to that problem is to save a few large cup-shaped bark pieces from rounds. These sometimes come loose almost all the way around the log. They make cup-shaped containers that hold the small bark. Just load them up as you coillect.

Another observation: Bark isn't that light in weight. Last fall I filled a 30-gal garbage can with elm and maple bark and then could hardly pick it up for trash collection. It weighed about as much as a can full of green grass. That means there is far more heat content in bark than I ever realized.

Throw her in the stove. I actually lit my stove with some bark today. Went ok

 

[Car wash guy]

Bark is ok almost everything I burn is dead standing pine.Most of the time the bark is gone by the time I get it home.My favorite fire starter is corn cobs.Soak them in kerosene or diesel light with one match and burn for at least ten minutes.If you can't start a fire with it your woods wet.

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[Wood Doctor]

Bark is ok almost everything I burn is dead standing pine. Most of the time the bark is gone by the time I get it home. My favorite fire starter is corn cobs. Soak them in kerosene or diesel light with one match and burn for at least ten minutes. If you can't start a fire with it, your wood's wet.

... Or your bark is damp. Unless that bark is dry, it's lousy kindling. Make sure it's dry, then wrap a newspaper section around it. The newspaper lights the bark and then the dry bark will light the splits. If the bark is damp, the newspaper will not light it.

 

[Car wash guy]

Damp wood or bark is the pits.Ive had to burn it from time to time makes creosote terrible.I built a shed to store my wood in.Best investment I ever made.

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[Wood Doctor]

Yesterday I delivered a 10-lb box of elm bark strips to a customer who ordered a whole truckload of dry firewood, all splits. Each strip was about 2" wide and 17" long. I simply told him to use each strip for kindling, wrapped in a newspaper section when ready to burn. To keep it dry, he intends to store it in a sunroom where his two cats play. Then he added a $10 tip to the usual payment.