Burning Cottonwood

[mmichaud]

I was recently given a bunch of Cottonwood already cut to stove length if I want it for the taking. All I have to do is hall it away. My question is once it is dried out is it worth burning? I don't burn overnight so I am not really concerned with long burn times. I also was given a bunch of box elder and honey locust already cut up. How well does that burn? The stove that I am using is a Jotul Castine. Thanks in advance for your advice.


Mike

 

[wg_bent]

Any wood free is worth it. BUT the locust is more worth it than the cotton wood. It's not called that for nothing.

 

[Todd]

Box Elder and Cotton wood burn hot and fast like pine, but like Warren said free wood is worth it. Save the locust for the very cold days when you want a longer burn.

 

[Highbeam]

The cottonwood will dry out to be a low density wood. Very light and with no pitch. Easy to start, fast to burn, and makes a good bit of ash. It doesn't snap or crackle when burning and has a heat value on the low end typical of a softwood.

I too got a lot of free cottonwood this year. 5 cords of it. Free wood is good wood and there isn't anything wrong with burning cottonwood.

 

[johnsopi]

Cottonwood really imo is junk. Hard to split, heavy when wet. Dries out. I turn down a bunch of it. And the guy was going to drop it off , cut in 18" pieces. It is to much work for to little return. I think all most any wood is better, and I'am not a wood snob.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We used to use cottonwood in the cooking stove. The reason is like Todd stated: It burns hot and fast, like pine. You can also burn it in the heating stove during the daytime. You stated you don't burn over night so it should be good wood for you. Box elder will burn also and hold a fire longer than cottonwood. Just make certain that both are seasoned very well. I like to leave it two years before using it.

 

[Gooserider]

Never really burned any of those three, as I don't seem to have them around here, but by reputation Cottonwood is low value, but OK if you are getting it for free. Elder is supposed to be pretty decent, but Honey Locust is like "gold standard" - near the top of the btu list and generally considered one of the ultimate burning woods for good long lasting fires. Burn the other two, but cherish the locust and save it for those really cold times.

Gooserider

 

[pistonslap]

My experience with boxelder is to make sure it's very well seasoned or it'll smolder more than burn.

 

[DriftWood]

Evey wood has its season. For fast fires in fall and spring use the cotton wood. Save the red oak and other hot / slow burners for the arctic out-breaks and the 24/7 burning that comes with them.