Bettter: Red Maple or Paper/White Birch ?

[downeast]

It's been awhile offline here...many changes in the interim. Guess it has been a damn challenge Craig !

This has been, according to Downeast locals, a more normal winter than the past few years. Just slightly colder and more frequent snows. We heat close to 100% with wood 24/7 (only backup when off on a winter climb, race, or trip). Whatever, the woodpile is down to what has been late January levels here since 2000.

Here's the question: locals prefer Red Maple to White/Paper Birch for firewood. Yet some of the .edu and Forestry sites' BTU values for species give White Birch greater weight and more BTU's than Red Maple. What is it ? A case of micro brew or a bottle of single malt scotch (Laphroaig 12 year) hangs on the decision. In northern Massachusetts we were spoiled using Red and White Oaks, Hickory, and Ash. There's not much of that in our area. Why are the best woods in the tropical south ? %-P

For those of you burning White Birch and/or Red Maple, what is the verdict for the better firewood ? Birch tends to pooch out or punk quickly; even when I slice the bark long ways before bucking. It won't store for more than a year. Red Maple is a heavy %$#&*@ wet or dry, and splits tough green or dry.

 

[jpl1nh]

I burn a pretty good amount of both and slightly prefer red maple. White birch dirties my glass while its heating up, primarily the bark portion though it burns right off. That's the only reason. You're right, all btu charts show white birch slightly better than red maple. Have a friend who's burned for a long time and he loves birch though he burns mostly in old smoke dragons. Actually I find red maple can go punky pretty quickly too though not as fast as birch. As long as you keep them covered after they season they'll both last fine. Red maple splits much better, white birch can flake part way through the split.

 

[thephotohound]

Downeast -

If a vote for Birch gets you that scotch, then if given the choice, DOWN WITH RED MAPLE!! WE LOVE BIRCH! WE LOVE BIRCH!

 

[downeast]

Downeast -
If a vote for Birch gets you that scotch, then if given the choice, DOWN WITH RED MAPLE!! WE LOVE BIRCH! WE LOVE BIRCH!

For the sake of science and truth, I didn't say who gets what. :bug: We're looking for experience in wood burning: which wood burns slower, coals nicely, and if given a choice of species which to use more of.

FYI: The woodlands Downeast have not been managed since the war. That's WWII. Forests predominate in the Northeast, pastures and open fields are the endangered. Is it the same in NY State and Western Mass ? Here, Spruce and Fir have taken over with little diversity since they are "intolerant" trees, not letting many other species grow. Full grown Red Maples from stump sprouts have plenty of hardwood rot and multiple trunks. The Paper Birch do OK, are "tolerant", but mostly thin growth among the softwoods ranging from 8" to maybe 16" tops DBH. There are the rare dead standing Red Oaks - up to 6' DBH- used as pasture markers, still good firewood even with shelf fungus and cambium ( under the bark) rot, although there are few of those now. Then there are the Brown or Green Ashes scattered in the damp areas. There are mostly Paper Birch to harvest. The Maple are fewer and more difficult to get at ; need cutting paths opened. >:-(

Your vote ?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Burn them both and be happy with it.

 

[Todd]

I've had limited experience with Red Maple, but burned other types of soft Maple, and comparing it to birch, I really can't tell much difference. Maybe Birch lasts a bit longer but not much and I've never had a problem with it getting punky or rotten as long as it was split and off the ground.

 

[downeast]

Burn them both and be happy with it.

Here's the story EBL. After harvesting all our firewood for 7 years for 24/7 heating, the woodlot is near out of Red Maple without serious skid path cutting; even then there is not much worth harvesting. Plenty of Paper Birch to cut, but we need ~ 1/2 more than other higher BTU species. The birch will not store well no matter what for more than a year, maybe 2 before pooching no matter what.
So, we're at the stage whether to try another year burning more birch and some maple, or buying ( tough when you crave high priced booze :bug: ) log length oaks.
What are you harvesting ?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree that birch will not store well. A choice, I will always choose the maple.

One other thing that hasn't been mentioned. We get coals from the maple but the birch just burns up to ashes. Also, maple split into kindling is every bit as good as any birch. However, if I am out in the woods and want to build a fire, I'll go for the birch if at all possible as the oils in the bark makes the birch easy to light.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

If I was in your situation, I probably would use the White Birch for kindling and thin quarter-splits to get the fire going, then use the Red Maple as the big-split fuelwood with some Birch mixed in. Sounds like you're in a slight predicament there with not many wood "choices"!

 

[JBinKC]

When comparing paper birch to red maple BTU wise I think they are actually very close. (The low BTU ratings for red maple: many charts happen to use silver maple figures for red maple- red maple is clearly heavier than silver when seasoned).

(broken link removed to http://www.beselfreliant.com/heating/calculators/woodcalculator.htm) is a good place to scan when you are paying for firewood.


In looking at other properties they are pretty much the same except the paper birch seems to emit slightly more smoke when burning and for seasoning paper birch definitely deteriorates faster especially when kept in rounds because the bark retains moisture. Splitting it helps some but ultimately keeping it permanently dry in a woodshed is the best solution to season paper birch.

If I were forced to choose between the two I would also opt for the red maple especially if I did not have a woodshed.

 

[Bill]

I do love the smell of white Birch in a fireplace.

 

[Jags]

To choose between the two. Red maple is my choice.

 

[Willhound]

Been burning almost 100% white birch for the last three years. Would love some red maple to mix in, but just none in the area. My brother further south burns quite a bit of it though, and it seems to burn longer than birch, even if the charts show birch has more BTU's.

I'm confused by the posts regarding birch going punky after a year or so though. I've got a covered in wood shed at my camp that has birch in it that was cut, split and piled almost 10 years ago. Still good and hard and burns great. The only time I've seen birch go punky fast is if it's already been dead standing for a while, or left on the ground in tree length too long. Cut, split and in a good dry woodshed, lasts a long, long time.

 

[downeast]

I'm confused by the posts regarding birch going punky after a year or so though. I've got a covered in wood shed at my camp that has birch in it that was cut, split and piled almost 10 years ago. Still good and hard and burns great. The only time I've seen birch go punky fast is if it's already been dead standing for a while, or left on the ground in tree length too long. Cut, split and in a good dry woodshed, lasts a long, long time.

Winter routine: Before bucking a felled birch, I'll longitudinally slice the bark to the wood on the whole tree. The bucks get hauled to a pile for later splitting and stacking in the woodshed. That could be the problem: there's no time to split and stack until summer. The birch bucks ( nice sound--say it 10 X ) sit for 5-6 months. Dead, punky wood stays in the woodlot. Then again, it could be the high quality of Canadian Paper Birch.
Good idea : if there's time this winter, I'll try splitting the birch right after bucking.
I still can't understand why all the good hardwoods are way :down: south of us--like Massachusetts

 

[Willhound]

Before bucking a felled birch, I’ll longitudinally slice the bark to the wood on the whole tree

Hey Downeast
I wonder if that might be causing your birch to go punky faster? With the bark "whole" except for the ends, maybe it dries at a more controlled rate? 'Course, if you're splitting it, a whole side is exposed anyway. As a general rule, I don't split any birch smaller than say 5" o.d.
As far as winter splitting, I sometimes find it easier to split, particularly if recently cut. Sap is good and froze and the rounds will lietally "pop" apart when you whack em.