Best Burning Wood and Why?
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thewoodlands
Minister of Fire
claybe said:
This is only our second year burning but I'll say Sugar Maple, it seasons in one year and gives off some nice btu's.
zap
I think the best wood is what burns right in your stove and that keeps your house toasty. Well, unless it is toasting the furniture. :smirk:
fredarm
Minister of Fire
offroadaudio
New Member
Black locust - I have a lot of it on the property, it regenerates at an amazing rate (I've often said the best way to grow locust is to cut one down), it burns longer than any other wood that I have used. I believe there may be a hickory that is rumored to last longer, but I've not seen it personally.
Thistle
Minister of Fire
BrotherBart said:
Agreed.I usually am burning red/black/white oak & some hickory since its what I have the most of.But there hasnt been anything I've turned down when I had the spare time to cut & haul in off season. Its like with food,some people have favorite foods like generic American 'comfort foods', Italian,Mexican,Thai,French,Chinese,German or BBQ etc. Dont matter to me,my fav is usually what I'm having at that moment,am not a picky eater at all.
North of 60
Minister of Fire
Lodge Pole Pine. It gives the longest burns. Spruce then poplar. Birch is hard to come by(200miles) or else it would be the #1.
Todd
Minister of Fire
I like the Oaks best. They may take a little longer to dry out but it's worth it. Long burns, little ash, splits easy and very abundant around here.
1. Free wood.
2. Sugar Maple
3. Hickory
I would like to find some fence rows of Osage orange to give that a try. I keep hearing how great it is. Grows around here but have not had the chance to get any
2. Sugar Maple
3. Hickory
I would like to find some fence rows of Osage orange to give that a try. I keep hearing how great it is. Grows around here but have not had the chance to get any
Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
Im a fan of Oak, state tree here. able to get bunches.
Poop-lar has its place in early season
locust I have wet dreams over
Paper birch, looking forward too
Tried a small bundle of apple and cherry, smell alone makes it worth it. heat and coals only help
have a semi rotten (I think) hickory round. Ill report later
Anything dry really, after trying some bought 'seasoned' stuff, Ill just say anything dry.
if you have it though, OAK.
Poop-lar has its place in early season
locust I have wet dreams over
Paper birch, looking forward too
Tried a small bundle of apple and cherry, smell alone makes it worth it. heat and coals only help
have a semi rotten (I think) hickory round. Ill report later
Anything dry really, after trying some bought 'seasoned' stuff, Ill just say anything dry.
if you have it though, OAK.
My favorite wood is Beech. I have big Beech trees but I ain't gonna cut'em just for firewood. But the smaller ones that have gotten whacked by storms were by far the sweetest burning wood I have ever seen.
FWWARDEN
Member
Sugar maple and iron wood, but I burn whatever I happen to cut down the previous year. This year I'm burning mostly white birch, which is pretty good, but not great.
Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
BrotherBart said:
you have any pictures of this?
Im thinking i know what a beech tree looks like, possibly have a few around these parts. bark that peels off white underneath?
Thistle
Minister of Fire
Stump_Branch said:
That's White/Paper Birch,possibly other Birches do the same thing,I have no idea though.
Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
Thistle
Minister of Fire
My vote goes to Osage Orange(aka Hedge Apple). Scored a few cords of it last year and it burns hot like coal with only one year of seasoning. Only negative is that it sparks like a firework show! Next would be Shagbark Hickory and then Oak(it takes a couple years seasoning for it to truly show its glory though!)
Attached an Osage picture. It will dull a chain pretty nicely too!
Attached an Osage picture. It will dull a chain pretty nicely too!
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lowroadacres
Minister of Fire
I can't recall coined the term "gotten wood" here on the forum but it stuck with me.
For me I have burned lots of different wood locally but mostly I have burned poplar and box elder. Having turned the corner this year with being prepared with firewood ahead of time the Ash I am using is fantastic.
I find that whatever type of ash I am using ( I know that there are at least three kinds) has a ton of heat in it and it holds coals beautifully. I hope to start gathering Oak this year that is blown down and beaver killed knowing of course that unless the moisture meter says it is dry enough it will stay out of my stove.
As near as I can tell the Ash I have access too is a better bet than the oak because of the huge difference in drying time.
For me I have burned lots of different wood locally but mostly I have burned poplar and box elder. Having turned the corner this year with being prepared with firewood ahead of time the Ash I am using is fantastic.
I find that whatever type of ash I am using ( I know that there are at least three kinds) has a ton of heat in it and it holds coals beautifully. I hope to start gathering Oak this year that is blown down and beaver killed knowing of course that unless the moisture meter says it is dry enough it will stay out of my stove.
As near as I can tell the Ash I have access too is a better bet than the oak because of the huge difference in drying time.
Mrs. Krabappel
Minister of Fire
scottandlorig
New Member
Well, I'd have to say the best for us is Ash. Why? Not just because it has almost the same BTU per cord rating as Oak, but because it was free!! Years worth on the ground behind me all bucked and ready for splitting!
gyrfalcon
Minister of Fire
claybe said:
If you're keeping your house warm with what you've got, why worry?
That said, something (inaccurately) called "black birch" here in the NE is by far the best I've had-- hot as heck, little coaling, and dries in a year. Most of what you get around here is Sugar Maple, and it's weak tea compared to the black birch. When I can't get BBirch, American Beech (here called "blue beech") is my firewood of choice. Shagbark hickory is also fabulous, but does coal more and is almost impossible to get here in volume, as is Hophornbeam, another great hard, high-BTU hardwood.
In my climate and with my too-small stove, ash is good only for shoulder season, alas.
Any species of oak is probably my favorite, as there is an abundance of it around here anyway. Love the hickory also for the dead of winter (now) but don't cut as much of it because it is so tough it doesn't get blown down as much. If I cut where a woods gets logged I try and stock up on it though. Can't go wrong with a good mix of either one.
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