Red Cedar

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hareball

hareball

Member
Dec 11, 2009
699
Jersey shore/pines
Since we were getting into the 40's today I reloaded with Cherry and Red Oak at 7am to burn off the morning chill and see how the day warmed up to decide what to do later. Once the heat cycle peaked and started it's decline closed down the dampers almost completely and it was just the right amount of heat for the rest of the day.
Around 4pm I checked to see what kind of coals I had and decide what was needed to get it fired up. There was enough to get it going again with kindling but not near cold enough to load with cherry or oak so for the first time I pulled some red cedar and gave it a shot.
I was amazed how quickly the big splits responded to the small amount of coals. I was able to get 4 good hours of just the right amount of heat. Looks like it will be a great shoulder season wood for me...if I can find more !
 
My history with cedar was it popped pretty good while burning, but good burn and very quick to start (I have only cut down dead cedars). I've been thinking about using it as starters and kindling but don't know I've thought about burning with it.
Good to know.
Chad
 
That sounds good Hareball. I went to bed last night at 9:00. I got up at 4:00 and it was plenty warm and the stove still had wood. Still good and toasty this morning. Now the wife got the thing stoked up and I'm roasting. Time to open a window.

We've been having some really warm sunny days in the mid 30's and it is about 32 right now. Naturally, they are calling for 4-8" of snow tomorrow. You have to pay for that nice weather somehow.
 
Hare, I'm in Somerset County. With these sunny days, I enjoy 68-70 degrees indoors with out any fire. Orientation of the house allows the solar heating to warm us up. Its nice!
 
I was given a bedload of cedar a few years ago that had been cut down and the rounds stacked in someones yard for what I was told was 10-12 years. It was dry as a bone, I split it up into 3/4" x3/4" kindling strips and use 2 or 3 of them for firestarters in the shoulder seasons. I haven't had to buy fire starters since and likely won't for at least 8 or ten more years. It catches almost instantly and burns like it was soaked in gas. I wouldn't dream of burning it for heat.
 
JerseyWreckDiver said:
I was given a bedload of cedar a few years ago that had been cut down and the rounds stacked in someones yard for what I was told was 10-12 years. It was dry as a bone, I split it up into 3/4" x3/4" kindling strips and use 2 or 3 of them for firestarters in the shoulder seasons. I haven't had to buy fire starters since and likely won't for at least 8 or ten more years. It catches almost instantly and burns like it was soaked in gas. I wouldn't dream of burning it for heat.
Click to expand...

I'm with you, Jersey. No one around here burns cedar logs for fear of a runaway fire. It just burns too hot, though I guess a small split might be alright to get a good load burning good. I wouldn't load a whole box of it, however, I do split up cedar posts into kindling. It does a great job as a hot firestarter.
 
Kenster said:
JerseyWreckDiver said:
I was given a bedload of cedar a few years ago that had been cut down and the rounds stacked in someones yard for what I was told was 10-12 years. It was dry as a bone, I split it up into 3/4" x3/4" kindling strips and use 2 or 3 of them for firestarters in the shoulder seasons. I haven't had to buy fire starters since and likely won't for at least 8 or ten more years. It catches almost instantly and burns like it was soaked in gas. I wouldn't dream of burning it for heat.
Click to expand...

I'm with you, Jersey. No one around here burns cedar logs for fear of a runaway fire. It just burns too hot, though I guess a small split might be alright to get a good load burning good. I wouldn't load a whole box of it, however, I do split up cedar posts into kindling. It does a great
job as a hot firestarter.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about this exact thing earlier. II have an airtight firebox though. I can see how stacking this stuff in a fiebox can get dangerous though so no more than one level of cedar splits for me. Lke I mentioned though 4 good hours from 3 splits...I'll take that all day long!
 
I was given about 2 cords worth of cedar fence pickets about 8 years ago. I cut them up and use them as kindling. Still have over a cord left. ;)
 
I agree it makes a great fire starter almost like a christmas tree. I had one that I cut down several years ago and a little goes a long way.
 
Been cutting dead cedar behind my parents house, because I am running way low on my first year wood supply. I have been burning it with no runaway fires and good heat. I put 1 maple split, 1 cedar log 18"x 5 " diameter (didn't split it), and 1 cedar split on top. Burned for 4 hrs no problem. I am going to cut a bunch more just to have on hand.
 
Twenty years ago I built a fence out of red cedar. Nice fence. Four years ago I replaced it with a low brick wall. I wasn't burning wood at the time but I hated to throw the cedar posts away so I stacked them in back of the shed. Started back to burning wood this year and those cedar posts have provided some mighty fine kindling.
My wife still gets upset when I won't throw things away.
 
Have you gotten any more creosote with cedar? My property ~3 acres has nothing but cedar and poplar (ok maybe 2 pine trees...) and I was thinking of dropping a couple of the cedars this year anyways. My neighbor has a bunch of pine and cedar that he dropped 45 yrs ago when building his house, all neatly stacked in 4ft logs. Told me to take 'em if I want them (he has a fireplace but only burns occasionally and he's got lots of wood since I gave him a face cord last year for helping with the bucking / splitting of a truckload). Hmmm, might be sounds like a plan coming together here..............
 
I can't comment on the creosote...I'm still burning 98% hardwood here. If I could get a hold of a cord or more I would definitely do a sweep and see how it goes though.
 
Tony H said:
I agree it makes a great fire starter almost like a christmas tree.
Click to expand...
And of course if you let any smoke into the room, it smells GREAT !
 
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