Help me ID this wood

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CappyMac

CappyMac

Member
Jan 23, 2016
15
Rhode Island
I scored some firewood from a construction site yesterday but I’m not sure what tree it is... pretty sure the wood in the 2nd picture is black cherry, but need help identifying the wood in the first picture. I am in coastal Rhode Island.
 

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Last edited:
Looks like some red oak and black cherry
 
"help identifying the wood in the first picture" Whenever I see thick bark like this I think cottonwood. The big diameter of the round is also an indicator as it can grow large.
 
On the non-cherry a split would help a lot. Also if it was a planted tree or native. Cottonwood is not a native east coast tree. But is planted as an ornamental here and there. I'm not ready to call it an oak yet till its split or a bud is shown.
 
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So I think the wood In first picture is sassafras. It does have that odd root beer smell when I was cutting it up.... pretty sure the other species is black cherry. Anyone burn sassafras before?
 
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Kevin Weis said:
On the non-cherry a split would help a lot. Also if it was a planted tree or native. Cottonwood is not a native east coast tree. But is planted as an ornamental here and there. I'm not ready to call it an oak yet till its split or a bud is shown.
Click to expand...

I will split it tomorrow when it stops POURING! There is a ton more of the wood if I want to go cut it up.... just wondering if the sassafras(?) is worth the effort. I know the black cherry burns well, but there wasn’t a lot of that
 
CappyMac said:
I will split it tomorrow when it stops POURING! There is a ton more of the wood if I want to go cut it up.... just wondering if the sassafras(?) is worth the effort. I know the black cherry burns well, but there wasn’t a lot of that
Click to expand...
I would burn it, it's not in the same league as oak or other dense hardwoods but it makes good heat and smells nice.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 
The reputation of sassafrass is of a chimney cleaner, throwing sparks.
 
Here it is split... definitely sassafras in the first picture and black cherry in the second. Do you think the black cherry will be dry enough to burn next winter?
 

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CappyMac said:
Here it is split... definitely sassafras in the first picture and black cherry in the second. Do you think the black cherry will be dry enough to burn next winter?
Click to expand...
Stack it in a dry spot with good airflow and top cover if its rainy and It might be dry enough. I season everything a minimum of 1 year.

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I am working on my woodpile for next winter. I think I have a good mix. I scrounged a few Norway maples in December and now I have the sassafras and black cherry... should keep me warm next year!
 
CappyMac said:
Here it is split... definitely sassafras in the first picture and black cherry in the second. Do you think the black cherry will be dry enough to burn next winter?
Click to expand...

Yes on the black cherry (not sure on sassafras). If split and stacked in a nice breezy, sunny place, cherry is ready in six months for me. You can burn it in October, and it'll be even better by December.
 
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