Author Topic: Burning driftwood (Read 7497 times)

Clarebelle · « **on:** January 23, 2014, 03:41:16 pm »

Hi all,

The house in Orkney we are in the process of buying has a wood burning stove in the living room which we are looking forward to using. However, firewood tends to be expensive on an island with no trees

So... we will be living by the beach and expect to come across driftwood occasionally.

Now, I know that burning driftwood produces dioxins and also can cause corrosion on the stove due to the woods high sodium content. but, on the other hand I think it would be a shame if we couldn't use this free resource.

my question is whether the driftwood would be ok to use if it was left outside in the (very rainy) weather for, say, a year?

Victorian Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2014, 04:30:54 pm »

I use simler it wont damage the stove u need it to burn it hot thats all .Wood is better kept staked or in a store .Peat mite be a option .People come over to the sales at dingwall and pic loads up localey mude of ord wood place £80 A TON and then back on the ferrey.

Bodger · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2014, 09:29:10 pm »

Get cheap stoves, some of the dearer ones say that burning driftwood negate their guarantees. The salt and salts taken in by the woods corrodes the metal.

shygirl · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2014, 10:04:39 pm »

if it is untreated wood and already been floating a while, then a year outside would leave it almost rotten and not give out much heat. treated wood would be different though.

Clarebelle · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2014, 09:06:07 am »

Thanks guys, it is a shame to not be able to use such a freely available resource!

I know they still cut peat on the islands for burning but I really know very little about it, I thought it wasn't very environmentaly sound?

doganjo · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2014, 10:53:42 am »

There are about 10 Peat fired Power stations across the Globe - the three in Ireland only burn peat. We gardeners are being conned! It's OK for them to rob the environment and burn peat but not for us to use a good source of growing material.

Creagan · « **Reply #6 on:** February 23, 2014, 06:00:47 pm »

I've burned loads of driftwood in the stove in my old house, along with bits of old boat, building waste, a kitchen... the way I see it, every kw of heat produced this way is one less kw taken from my oil central heating tank, so I don't feel guilty about it