Pecan wood popping embers

[Playa]

I’ve never burned pecan for anything but cooking before, but bought a 1/2 cord of pecan because they didn’t have oak. It pops embers like a sonuvagun every time I add a fresh log or stoke the fire. I’ve ruined 2 pairs of pants, dang near had a “weenie roast” in one pair and several shirts just tending the fire!

Is this normal for pecan? Wood seems to be plenty aged and isn’t green

[tdwinklr]

Originally Posted by Playa

I’ve never burned pecan for anything but cooking before, but bought a 1/2 cord of pecan because they didn’t have oak. It pops embers like a sonuvagun every time I add a fresh log or stoke the fire. I’ve ruined 2 pairs of pants, dang near had a “weenie roast” in one pair and several shirts just tending the fire!

Is this normal for pecan? Wood seems to be plenty aged and isn’t green

I've burned quite a bit several years ago, don't remember it doing that. Are you certain its pecan?

[W E H]

Originally Posted by Playa

I’ve never burned pecan for anything but cooking before, but bought a 1/2 cord of pecan because they didn’t have oak. It pops embers like a sonuvagun every time I add a fresh log or stoke the fire. I’ve ruined 2 pairs of pants, dang near had a “weenie roast” in one pair and several shirts just tending the fire!

Is this normal for pecan? Wood seems to be plenty aged and isn’t green

whenever i have burned pecan is usually just flames and smoulders or is rotten by the time i get it lit. i have never had it pop and spark. maybe really green or lots of moisture. cedar is the most popping and cracking thing i burn, but its outside..

[Playa]

Originally Posted by tdwinklr

I've burned quite a bit several years ago, don't remember it doing that. Are you certain its pecan?

Yes, I’m positive it is pecan based on bark and wood

[Rubi513]

It’s not seasoned enough.
Needs to dry out a little longer

[bullhead44]

we use pecan a lot to smoke with, and never noticed it popping much, must be a little green

[ATI]

Pecan doesn't / shouldn't do that, but maybe bugs/worms dug a bunch of holes in it and the wood powder inside the wood is causing that.

I burned another type of wood that had wood powder from worms/bugs inside and it did that.

[GARY]

1) Little Green - most likely case
2) Tree was struck by lightening - my pops and grandpa swear that a lightening struck tree isn't good for fireplace...will burn the whole house down with sparks, pops, if left unattended. - I don' know....maybe this is not old farmer tell....I do know pops isn't fighting me for the wood off a lightening struck oak we have, saying it won't be burned in his fireplace!

[W E H]

Originally Posted by GARY

1) Little Green - most likely case
2) Tree was struck by lightening - my pops and grandpa swear that a lightening struck tree isn't good for fireplace...will burn the whole house down with sparks, pops, if left unattended. - I don' know....maybe this is not old farmer tell....I do know pops isn't fighting me for the wood off a lightening struck oak we have, saying it won't be burned in his fireplace!

on our big BBQ fundraisers (1000 plus chicken halves or pork steaks) we try not to use Oak Trees that have been struck by lightning. our theory is they don't make good coals and that's what we use for putting directly under the meat, not indirect heat or smoke. we always thought they burned to ash before they made good coals. Lavaca / Dewitt county theory

[Killer]

Only wood I have ever burned that did that was Osage Orange. It popped so bad could not burn it in the house.

[SAC]

Probably the B&B variety.

[ATI]

Look closely at the branches and see if it says "Made in China" anywhere...

[Briar Friar]

I dont have that problem with aged pecan. Probably not cured enough MrPlaya. You might consider shucking the bark on the rest of your pecan logs to help them cure faster. Also consider drying the next several logs to be loaded next to the fireplace.

[Catdaddy]

Same with the pecan I've burned. Pops like crazy.

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[oktx]

Doesn’t usually. As mentioned Hedge sure does.

[eastover53]

Pecan pops when it’s green.

Hackberry will burn the house down.

Hedge will get the whole block.

[oktx]

Originally Posted by eastover53

Pecan pops when it’s green.

Hackberry will burn the house down.

Hedge will get the whole block.

lol

[RR 314]

You would think a week in Lubbock would be enough to dry it out.

[Playa]

Originally Posted by RR 314

You would think a week in Lubbock would be enough to dry it out.

You would think! It’s been sitting split on a wood rack in nearly full sun since October and aside from a little 2” snow eve had no moisture this fall

[SaltwaterSlick]

Originally Posted by Playa

You would think! It’s been sitting split on a wood rack in nearly full sun since October and aside from a little 2” snow eve had no moisture this fall

That ain't near enough for it to dry completely. I bet if you took a piece of it and split it again then checked the new surface with a moisture meter it would be significantly above 20% (absolute maximum moisture content recommended). Get as big a piece as you can and try that. If you don't have a moisture meter, get one! Everyone who burns wood inside their house should have a meter and check it regularly... Just because wood has been cut a while, it doesn't mean it is "dry" and certainly not aged...


A log that has slipped the bark loose is not necessarily dry. It must be split and checked to really determine how dry it is...

[oktx]

Better get your chimney cleaned if you’ve burnt a bunch of that green wood. It will make a ton of creosote.

[TKC]

Originally Posted by eastover53

Pecan pops when it’s green.

Hackberry will burn the house down.

Hedge will get the whole block.

This was gold!

[Ætheling]

Originally Posted by eastover53

Pecan pops when it’s green.

Hackberry will burn the house down.

Hedge will get the whole block.

Hackberry will burn the house down in terms of throwing embers or burning hot?


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[dphillips62]

Originally Posted by GARY

1) Little Green - most likely case
2) Tree was struck by lightening - my pops and grandpa swear that a lightening struck tree isn't good for fireplace...will burn the whole house down with sparks, pops, if left unattended. - I don' know....maybe this is not old farmer tell....I do know pops isn't fighting me for the wood off a lightening struck oak we have, saying it won't be burned in his fireplace!

^^^^^ this plus if it has been rained on recently it will pop
I burn a ton of pecan every year

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

I made the mistake of dropping some juniper into a fire pit. It looked and sounded like July 4th.
Won't do that again.

[Pstraw]

Elm will do the same thing.

[W-O]

Sounds like "crazy wood" ie. struck by lightning. I have a pecan tree that was struck by lightning many years ago and any limbs from it burned give a light show popping and sparking.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Playa

You would think! It’s been sitting split on a wood rack in nearly full sun since October and aside from a little 2” snow eve had no moisture this fall

Pecan takes a year and a half or better to cure.....

[Rubi513]

Originally Posted by W-O

Sounds like "crazy wood" ie. struck by lightning. I have a pecan tree that was struck by lightning many years ago and any limbs from it burned give a light show popping and sparking.

That’s an old wives tale.

[eradicator]

And I would never burn pecan in my house, seasoned oak only...

[Rubi513]

Originally Posted by eradicator

And I would never burn pecan in my house

Why?

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Rubi513

Why?

Mainly because it's not oak. And also because it doesn't burn very hot. I only burn seasoned oak in my fireplace. If I had a wood stove or something comparable it would be different but I don't. Burning any hardwood in your chimney is fine to the best of my knowledge. These folks talking about burning elm and such is comical

[Rubi513]

Originally Posted by eradicator

Mainly because it's not oak. And also because it doesn't burn very hot. I only burn seasoned oak in my fireplace. If I had a wood stove or something comparable it would be different but I don't. Burning any hardwood in your chimney is fine to the best of my knowledge. These folks talking about burning elm and such is comical

I like both woods. Pecan doesn’t seem to smoke as much as oak.

[eastover53]

Originally Posted by Ætheling

Hackberry will burn the house down in terms of throwing embers or burning hot?


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Throws embers like hedge. Doesn’t burn any hotter than pecan or oak. Hackberry is like a weed and stays alive by hoarding water. Takes forever to dry. Takes a good year to get right.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Rubi513

I like both woods. Pecan doesn’t seem to smoke as much as oak.

Interesting. Haven't had that experience personally. Seems pretty neutral between the two. Now oak smoke is a little stronger, but wouldn't say it smokes more. Not to mention, pecan is a #$%& to split!

[Oleman]

I have burned pecan wood for years before, but it was aged, somewhat, no problem. Just keep the cedar out or you will have fireworks. LOL

[Rubi513]

Originally Posted by eradicator

Interesting. Haven't had that experience personally. Seems pretty neutral between the two. Now oak smoke is a little stronger, but wouldn't say it smokes more. Not to mention, pecan is a #$%& to split!

I haven’t noticed it being any harder to split than oak, and to this day I still use an axe.
I do split while it’s wet…

[Ætheling]

Originally Posted by eastover53

Throws embers like hedge. Doesn’t burn any hotter than pecan or oak. Hackberry is like a weed and stays alive by hoarding water. Takes forever to dry. Takes a good year to get right.

Thanks. I have ton of massive ones down by the creek. They are great to hunt from. Guess the dead ones can rot.


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[Dale Moser]

Originally Posted by Rubi513

I haven’t noticed it being any harder to split than oak, and to this day I still use an axe.
I do split while it’s wet…

You should try a splitting maul..


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[Rubi513]

Originally Posted by Dale Moser

You should try a splitting maul..


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Lol. I do. Wrong terminology.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Rubi513

I haven’t noticed it being any harder to split than oak, and to this day I still use an axe.
I do split while it’s wet…

Yes, you have to split pecan while wet. It turns into concrete as it cures. I split with an axe myself! A Fiskars splitting axe but same difference.

[PhotonSlinger]

My pecan is doing the same thing.

[Playa]

Originally Posted by PhotonSlinger

My pecan is doing the same thing.

Curious if we got it from the same wood lot. Seems as cured as any oak I’ve burned, but I don’t have a moisture meter

[Briar Friar]

Originally Posted by E.TX.BOWHUNTER

I made the mistake of dropping some juniper into a fire pit. It looked and sounded like July 4th.
Won't do that again.

The kids and I had a grand time with making an inferno in the firepit with the Christmas tree and collected garland. Burning evergreens aint a mistake is you is a pyro.

Cedar elm burns just fine.
Ahem. When cured.
It burns faster than pecan and oak but not ash.

[texasdeerhunter]

Sounds like it is still a little green. Only wood I’ve burned that pops like that is white oak. The best smelling firewood I’ve ever burned, but can’t be burned in the house because it pops too much

[bboswell]

Either green or a lightening struck tree. Stop wasting it in the fireplace and smoke with it after it cures

[W-O]

Originally Posted by Rubi513

That’s an old wives tale.

Wives tale or not, I have several pecan trees and limbs off the other pecan trees burn no problem but the limbs off of the tree hit by lightning pops and sparkles. I have also burned hackberry that was well aged with no problem in the fireplace.

[Baygall]

I’ve been using pecan for two years now. Yes, it definitely pops more than the oak. My wood isn’t green, it’s been cut since 2019.

[W E H]

Originally Posted by Ætheling

Thanks. I have ton of massive ones down by the creek. They are great to hunt from. Guess the dead ones can rot.


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my area had a huge hackberry die off about 15 years ago, big trees. i burned some in the house fireplace and huge amounts at the ranch fire rings. never had a problem. it does not burn as hot as oak, it my opinion. but i was looking for fire (flames) not heat. splits super easy if you want.

[PhotonSlinger]

Originally Posted by Playa

Curious if we got it from the same wood lot. Seems as cured as any oak I’ve burned, but I don’t have a moisture meter

Fire and Ice in Wolfforth is where I bought from.