Box Elder any good in a cat stove?

JA600L said:

I have access to a lot of box elder. I was just curious how it does in a cat stove and if it would do well for shoulder season burning. I have plenty of premium firewood for cold weather. I could also mix both. Any thoughts?

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I grabbed some Flame Box Elder by accident (thought it was ash), and wouldn't do it again. I'm surrounded by hardwoods here in NY, so I don't bother with anything mediocre at this point.

in my experience its like a really soft maple. easy to deal with and quick to season. cat stoves will burn any wood as long as it's good and dry. don't let it get punky on you though, or just throw it in the trash. if you can get it for free and have the room, keep it to the side. you can split it small and dry it fast. can always burn a few small splits in bypass to get some quick btu's out of it. if your looking for something to stuff a cat stove with though, you may end up with a lot of fly ash and some difficult babysitting. if i could get it for free, i'd jump on it and use it for shoulder month nights when all i really need is one quick, hot fire.

I don't burn it. I have, it has to be dry, then it is so light it almost floats. If you have a lot and not much else, it will burn like light dry silver maple.

JA600L said:

I would just like something to mix so I don't burn up all my premium hardwoods. I am on the 3 year plan. I'll probably try it and see what happens. The guy has stored some split in a shed. He was going to use it for campfires but has much better woods available to him. Worst case I'll just turn on the heat pump and save the good firewood.

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If I had to choose between Elder, or no wood, I would choose the Elder. Everyone's situation is different - some need wood more than others. If it will keep you going through the milder months then have at it.

I've burned pure Cottonwood in a cat stove with no problem, and I don't see why Box Elder would be any worse.

The fires are hot and fast, and it's more work per BTU, but it heats just fine.

If I have a choice, I pass it up. There is a lot of it around here, when say fencerows are cleared, and usually everyone just pushes it off into a pile. Not worth the effort to season what appears to be good wood, only to have it dry down to a feather weight. Leaves a fair amount of ash too. Did I say it's kind of smelly.

I imagine it is like poplar. Burns hot and fast. Good to mix on real cold days, not good for overnight, Should be great shoulder season wood.
Being very light (dry) is a good thing.

I've got a tube stove, I find it makes more ash than anything else we burn (except maybe willow). I wouldn't seek it out but I will burn what we've got.

I don't have a cat stove, but I have burned almost a full cord of box elder this year. I love it. I find it doesn't burn as hot as ash, but leaves a better coal bed. I would personally go out of my way to get more given the chance.

Boxelder is a good fast drying, low btu heat wood. I have some in with pine right now for an evening coal burn down. Mine isn't a cat, but I'm sure it would do fine. If it has much mold on it keep it outside for campfires - or maybe not even that the mold can stink when burned.