Worth burning Poplar?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
It does season pretty fast. On the other hand, if it seasons two years, I like it much better.
 
nola mike said:
Just got a truck full of poplar (about 1/3 cord). I knew it wasn't exactly BTU heavy, but was surprised at how crappy it actually is. If I had more room I'd get it just to get a quick fire going or for shoulder season (any day now...), but I don't. I LOVE splitting it though, so that's almost worth it. I'm hoping that it will season quickly, but can't find any info. I'm guessing it will be plenty burnable by next year?
Click to expand...
Poplar fits squarely into the "not worth the effort" category for me. The only reasons I'll split and burn it are 1) it's in the way, and 2) I need something that dries faster than oak. Not only does it burn super fast, the poplar wood around here has the unfortunate tendency to be stringy and hard to split.
 
nola mike said:
Wow, that got off topic quickly! The wood was easy to get, and it's fun to split. I'm usually 2 years ahead on my wood. I'll split it next week and see how it looks in March, and otherwise next year. The other possible use for it is at my second house; I keep that at 45' when I'm not there and it's a groan to heat up. The oak takes a long time to get going, and there's a long coaling cycle. Pine actually works better except for overnight. The poplar might light off quickly, and I can do a couple of reloads after I get there and before I get to bed. It's a Ranger, btw.
Click to expand...

Poplar seasons quick, and also burns quick. Its not a wood that i would use for overnight in the middle of winter. With that being said is good for shoulder season and quick fires to take the chill out. My neighbor burned nothing but poplar, hr was ripping through like 10 cords a year. Last year i introduced him to my friend Mr White oak.. he now looks for oak
 
I would obviously prefer hardwoods but I actually don't mind poplar. The poplar I have around my camp grows like a weed and it's perfectly straight with only a few branches. It splits super easy and dries fast. I use it in the fall and spring and also on the weekends during the winter I'll mix it in with my nice dry oak.
 
Woodsplitter67 said:
Poplar seasons quick, and also burns quick. Its not a wood that i would use for overnight in the middle of winter. With that being said is good for shoulder season and quick fires to take the chill out. My neighbor burned nothing but poplar, hr was ripping through like 10 cords a year. Last year i introduced him to my friend Mr White oak.. he now looks for oak
Click to expand...

Tell him to burn poplar for a couple more years... it's a waste of oak to burn it on the first year. So much nicer after 2 or 3!
 
I got myself about a cord and a half. Dropped a deatvtree next to a coworkers house. I would have passed but need wood for the pool heater and when I get the outdoor boiler going I’m sure it will be good for the spring and fall seasons. I won’t burn it in the house though. Had a little mixed in last year from cleaning up my dads fence row. Burns very hot and very quick.
 
I’ll take poplar when it’s super convenient, close to my house and requires minimal effort to get at. I’d never go out and actually look to harvest it over the other common species in my neck of the woods (namely jack pine). However, i would take it’s doppelgänger, white birch over everything! That’s the firewood gold around here. When i do burn poplar it’s usually just a few sticks mixed in with jack pine. I’ve never tried a straight load of poplar. One thing though - always split it right away. That stuff will rot quicker than you can shake a stick at it. And i find it smells a bit off-putting too, in my stack and in the stove.
 
I like to burn polar, it makes great kindling. I have have a 50 ft standing dead poplar in my yard that is on the list for processing this winter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MissMac
jetsam said:
Tell him to burn poplar for a couple more years... it's a waste of oak to burn it on the first year. So much nicer after 2 or 3!
Click to expand...

You must have miss read the post as i did not say he is burning it this year
 
Ashful said:
Any bug-free wood dropped in my yard is worth burning, but don’t expect much staying power from poplar. I have previously mentioned ripping thru a full cord of wood in 8 days, and that is because it was almost all poplar.

Since you have it, id burn it when you’re home, and save your other woods for when you need longer burn times.



I could fit a face cord in a Fiat 500, with room to spare. Just make the split length short enough.
Click to expand...


Our cottage stove takes 12" wood. 4 cords in a cord.

Have we derailed enough yet? :)

I do up poplar if it is right there or in the way. Burns quick with no coals. A plus to some situations.
 
Good shoulder season burning. Good to fill in between loads
 
  • Like
Reactions: FaithfulWoodsman
Fast restarts. I always grab any thats easy to get. Just me.
 
I had nearly 2 cord of it last year and I was not a fan. It burned fast and didn’t pump much heat. On a plus side it seemed to dry fast and splits very easy. If it’s dropped on my land for free I won’t snub it, but otherwise I’d probably pass and take a pine over poplar. Plus it smells bad when burned.
 
Ashful said:
How do you guys smell what you’re burning? My chimney exits outside, and I’m generally inside when loading the stove.
Click to expand...

I usually smell the wood burning odor when letting the dog out.
 
Jan Pijpelink said:
We have skunks having permanent residency in our back yard. Dog never got sprayed. A few years ago, a baby skunk was scratching our door to the back yard trying to get in. He/she saw our dog and I guess he/she saw a potential play mate.
Click to expand...

You'd be lucky then.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jan Pijpelink
"Is it worth burning poplar?"

No.
 
I guess I'm an anomaly, I like burning the stuff, I split it pretty fat and then use it for the shoulder season or to burn down coals in between clean outs, to me it has its purposes, I don't go out of my way to get it, but I don't turn it down if its easy getting either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Easy Livin’ 3000, AlbergSteve and Jan Pijpelink
Poplar and other light woods burn great in my ashford. Not at long as heavier woods but just perfect for the shoulder season and for days when I'm around the house. I have Like 3 cords to burn over the next 2 years
 
Ashful said:
How do you guys smell what you’re burning? My chimney exits outside, and I’m generally inside when loading the stove.
Click to expand...

I don't smell much for that very same reason . . . and when I do smell anything often it's when I'm outside after getting the fire going and then it's that hot, "industrial" smell that I get a whiff of while the secondary is going full steam ahead.

That said . . . if I'm outside and my wife does a reload sometimes I'll smell that "old fashioned" wood smoke smell . . . well that and I occasionally smell my neighbor's woodsmoke.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Caw
Burning Boxelder
Replies
26
Views
2K
The Wood Shed
Caw
Caw
D
Is poplar worth the time?
Replies
60
Views
6K
The Wood Shed
Ashful
Ashful
T
Escape 1500/Osburn 1700Stove Loading?
Replies
2
Views
139
SBI: Century,Drolet,Osburn,Valcourt,Englander
Toolslinger
T
N
Ants and punky wood - now what?
Replies
4
Views
450
The Wood Shed
NiftyB
N
K
Wood furnace warped - worth/safe to repair?
Replies
6
Views
603
The Boiler Room - Wood Boilers and Furnaces
johneh
johneh
Top Bottom
Back