Deodara cedar

[clearblue16]

So it is a true cedar, smells great and is very heavy....cedar gets a bad rap I think. People here on the west coast think of western red cedar which is light on the btus and burns fast...Does anyone have experience with the deodara version....btus, coaling, etc? Thanks!

 

[TreePapa]

Don't have any exp. burning it, but when I've gotten lumber marked as "Deodara Cedar" it's been VERY light and I wouldn't imagine there could be a lot of BTUs in it. Of course, it could have been mismarked.

Peace
- Sequoia

 

[Highbeam]

We use cedra deodora as a decorative tree here in the NW. It is blue and has needles unlike the flat lacy leaves of a western red cedar. It is evergreen and looks like a spruce tree. They grow fast which would indicate a low btu tree like spruce.

I have burned many cords of western red cedar and if you refer to your btu charts you will find that it is only slightly less dense than the rest of our available softwoods. It actually holds a fire quite long if you use your intake controls to slow the burn rate. Plus, when you find a nice straight piece you can chop it up into aromatic kindling.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

So it is a true cedar, smells great and is very heavy....cedar gets a bad rap I think. People here on the west coast think of western red cedar which is light on the btus and burns fast...Does anyone have experience with the deodara version....btus, coaling, etc? Thanks!

The Western Red Cedar gets a bad rap? From who?

 

[Pagey]

So it is a true cedar, smells great and is very heavy....cedar gets a bad rap I think. People here on the west coast think of western red cedar which is light on the btus and burns fast...Does anyone have experience with the deodara version....btus, coaling, etc? Thanks!

The Western Red Cedar gets a bad rap? From who?

From those old hairy-palmed, squinty-eye White Pines! :lol:

 

[Highbeam]

I have a woodlot that was allowed to naturally regen after a clearcut about 30 years ago. Lots of red cedar. I don't cut them down but when one of those big boys dumps over I won't let that wood go to waste. Straight grain, not much bark, nice and smelly. There really is a lot of value in a cedar tree if you can get enough to fill a log truck.

Burns fine says the pine.

 

[Archie]

Don't know about the variety you're referring to, but around here there is bunch of some kind of cedar (I'll call it eastern), and it's just a fun wood. Yes, it does smell great. You won't heat your house with it, but you may impress your friends and family burning it in an outdoor pit or adding it into the stove mix for the aroma. Got a pickup load (for free of course) in early June from a guy clearing his lot. He looked at me kinda funny; I must have looked too happy.

 

[TreePapa]

Our house is sided w/ Western Red Cedar. Built in 1947, so it might be old-growth WRC at that. 10 or 12 inch planks (like t&g;but a little different - looks kinda like pattern WP-6 on this http://www.wrcla.org/cedar_products/cedar_siding/tongue_groove/uses.htm page). Really nice wood. If WRC is board length or longer, it would be a shame to burn it. Deodara OTOH, as I said above - lightweight, only good for fences and decorative use. I imagine it would do the snap, crackle, pop thing real good, tho.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[Tony H]

When I find some I save it for the fireplace, one of the best smells around just mix in a little with some oak and you have a nice aromatic fire.

 

[crazy_dan]

I burn some cedar I got a cedar thicket that I cut fence posts out of. when I do go cut a post or 2 i will cut up the top and run it threw the stove burns hot and quick. makes great kindling tho.