Choosing and finding wood

[Bartondad]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hey gang-
This is my first post as a part of the community. I am going to build this spring and hopefully enjoy my oven this summer, but I am intrigued by the wood supply. I live in Oregon where fir and pine are plentiful and everyone uses them in their wood stoves. Are these not good for ovens as well? Or is it a case of- use what you want but some is better? Thanks for the help.
Thom

[Spunkoid]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Preferred species really depends on where you are and what is available locally unless you can afford to import firewood from long distances.
For the most part, I will be burning pine, clean construction cut off pieces, some poplar, a little birch when I can get it, and even some tamarack. It burns the hottest, the equivelent to a low grade coking coal. These are the species that are most readily available to me in Alberta.
The key is making sure your wood is seasoned and dry. For the gentleman in the Phillipines, I suspect that part of his problem would be not having the wood well seasoned before trying to burn it. That would make for a cooler fire.

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

some people soak the door before using it. Purportedly, it prevents charring from the heat.

it does prevent charring as well as adding steam to the oven which i understand is good for baking bread,,,

Mark

[Archena]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hi,

I haven't yet built an oven but I have been reading a great deal. I'm not sure, but I think I read somewhere that some people soak the door before using it. Purportedly, it prevents charring from the heat.

Maybe someone who actually knows what they're doing can say for sure.

[peter]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Now that I have had some time with my WFO I realize how foolish my original question was. Since the door is only used after the flame has been pulled from the oven the materials of the door won't be subject to flame therefore won't be burned. Over the summer I threw a huge party. The evening before the two over achievers I put in charge of making pizza pushed the heat well beyond one thousand degrees. Since the door was sitting in front of the doorway the walnut became warm enough to burn...fortunately it was not severe enough to require the replacement of the thing.
Here on the farm I am fortunate enough to have a nearly inexhaustible supply of fuel. Yesterday I filled my mule and its little wagon to the brim with red oak scrap, that will cook a pizza in short order. Sunday pizza with friends, life is good.

[heliman]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

In Perth, Western Australia we use White Gum (Wandoo) or Jarrah for a lower temp. Must be totally dry for best results. If you want to get insane heat go with Mallee Roots, but I find this a bit excessive, preferring White Gum.

Swanbourne Woodyard is the best place to get wood from if you don't feel like driving down south with your trailer. It is quite pricey at $15/per bag for White Gum/Mallee Root and $10/per bag for Jarrah but well worth the investment I have found. Burns clean and long...

[whall]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I am new to this forum and have not yet built a wood fired oven, but I spent about 10 years of my youth tending the wood fired stove which heated our house. We used primarily almond wood which is fantastic wood. It burns very hot, long and leaves very little ash. We occasionally burned walnut. While it burns hot, it burns up quickly and leaves more ashes.

[RC's Firewood]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hello, we at RC's Firewood in Torrance CA have some awesome seasoned Red Oak for sale. We can deliver by the 40 lb bag, box, bundle, fraction or multiple cords. The wood can be produced as small log lengths or in chunks. As a point of reference, a 40 lb bag goes for $7.50. We're a small family owned business in the Los Angeles area that has no problem producing the wood exactly the way you like it. If anybody is interested, please call at 310-344-8721 or email at tracyrickc@verizon.net.

Thanks

[david s]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I find the best wood to burn is free wood. I collect a fallen branch or some small sticks every time I walk my dog in the park. I try to use only hardwood, nothing bigger than my wrist. It is easy to stomp on to break or find a fork in a tree to snap a thicker piece. Because my oven is small it only consumes a couple of buckets full of wood rather than a wheelbarrow full at a time.

[scotland]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

thanks for the quick reply as I have a lot of family coming to my place on friday and the only wood I have is pine as I get it out the college where I lecture in construction, by the way I love your design of your new oven looks great.

[dmun]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Nothing is wrong with pine in a WFO. The anti-pine sentiment is related from people burning slow fires in closed woodstoves, where creosote can build up in flues. With our short full fire firings, pine should work fine. I mostly use construction scrap in my oven (pine, fir, spruce)

That said, oak makes hot fires, with no spitting. More heat from less wood.

[scotland]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hi everyone iam new to pizza making ,and using my oven I HAVE ONLY USED PINE IN MY OVEN WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH PINE?? I have cooked quite a lot of pizzas and they all tasted great, will it be better with different types of wood. P.S I cook about 16 pizzas every time I lite my oven big family.

[dmun]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I have made my door out a 4 inch thick piece of walnut. Anyone think this is a problem?

Not unless you drop it on your foot

My door is a temporary one of a single sheet of plywood. I once charred it by putting it on immediately after I raked the fire out, but if you let the oven cool for half an hour before you put the oven door on, a wood door should work fine.

[sjordan93436]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

Hmmm.... Before I put tile that matched the height of the floor, I had a gap. The floor extended past the door and then dropped an inch. I put a butcher block slab. It was about 6 inched in front of the door. It started burning.

Your over will get very hot.

[peter]

Re: Choosing and finding wood

I have made my door out a 4 inch thick piece of walnut. Anyone think this is a problem?
Peter