Cherry as fuelwood-your thoughts

[PA. Woodsman]

After reading many varied opinions on Cherry in other threads, I thought I'd do a poll just for kicks and giggles. Have some fun...

 

[bsruther]

I love Black Cherry. Like the way it looks and smells. It burns decent, better than a lot of wood types. As far as burn quality goes, I think I'd place it pretty close to Ash.
Great for smoking meat. Mixed with Apple and a little Oak and It gives just the flavor I'm looking for.
Shame that I haven't scrounged any in a few years.

 

[cptoneleg]

I have plenty of it to burn this year, makes alot of ash, to me its not much different than most maples, and white ash.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Burns more like a maple. Doesn't store as well as some other woods.
Great aroma. Tough to split once it is dried out some. All cherry to burn
you need a hydraulic. A lot of powdered ash. I do have it and burn it.

 

[paul bunion]

I haven't burned as much since I figured out a way to turn it into beer. Cherry makes for good barter if you know someone with a brewery and a smoker.

 

[ailanthus]

I was surprised to hear peoples' vastly differing opinions on other threads recently. I had always heard good things about it. I voted "other": I've got about 3 cords c/s/s some of which will be burned this year, so I guess I'll find out what I think about it.

 

[Locust]

I haven't burned as much since I figured out a way to turn it into beer. Cherry makes for good barter if you know someone with a brewery and a smoker.

How is it turned into beer?

 

[paul bunion]

How is it turned into beer?

Goes kind of like this. I go over to my friends brewery with some cherry. I put the wood on his smoke wood pallet and then I sit down at the bar and get paid in beer.

 

[bag of hammers]

Never had the chance try it

 

[jeff_t]

I don't ever turn it down, but I would rank it with soft maple as far as heating goes.

I guess I don't know how to vote. I don't love it, but I take it every chance I get.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'll burn it. But won't ask for it, or go out of my way to find it.
Medium heat, LOTS of ash, about same as maple. Not one of my favorites.
Smells good, but don't smell much once the door is closed.

 

[aansorge]

Dries super fast. Splits very easy when green and seems to burn great to me. I'll be burning a few tons of it next year.

I cut some green last winter and left it in a pile on the ground until June. I split some open in june and much of it was already at 18 % moisture. Unbelievable!

 

[midwestcoast]

My only experience is Cherry from woods/woodlot in Southern Ontario. Very easy to split by hand. Dries fast. Rots fairly fast if left on the ground.
Burns great, smells great. Very good stuff. Not the best for overnight burns.

 

[mass_burner]

I happened on a few logs road side, gonna use it for ribs in the smoker.

 

[BIGDADDY]

I love cherry. We have quite a bit of it on our place. When I see a dead cherry tree. I take it down.

 

[Hickorynut]

I have burned alot of cherry, almost all of it from my three acres. Some of it would have made great furniture wood, but it became firewood. Like many others have said, medium heat, burn time is medium, but does leave some coals. Manually, splits generally tough when green, better when left in the rounds for a couple of months at least. Seasons fast, one year is adequate, and the bugs do get under the bark and make a mess. It works best for me mixing with locust or oak or splitting it for kindling. Soooooooo, after saying all this I will take it

 

[teutonicking]

I have burned alot of cherry, almost all of it from my three acres. Some of it would have made great furniture wood, but it became firewood. Like many others have said, medium heat, burn time is medium, but does leave some coals. Manually, splits generally tough when green, better when left in the rounds for a couple of months at least. Seasons fast, one year is adequate, and the bugs do get under the bark and make a mess. It works best for me mixing with locust or oak or splitting it for kindling. Soooooooo, after saying all this I will take it

I got some cherry last month. Its the most beautiful wood grain I have seen so far. I almost feel bad using if for firewood, but it was already cut into rounds. I split it and stacked it but I won't burn it until next year. I like the color sitting in my stacks.

 

[Applesister]

Black cherry grows in abundance in the hedgerows around the farm. It has a tendancy to grow with poison ivy. And is prone to black knot and carpenter ant infestations. Ive had blow over storm damage with them due to carpenter ants.
Also...and this is a big one. Black cherry contains some type of cyanide which is toxic to livestock. Particularly horses.
So it ends up as firewood. No timber value trees here.
As far as burning...well Im an open fireplace in the bedroom kind of person. VS the gasification boiler furnace in the basement type.
If I had an OWB I wouldnt care what I burned. Like feeding filet mignon to a dog. If you are only in it for BTUs I mean.

 

[Craig S.]

I'll burn it. But won't ask for it, or go out of my way to find it.
Medium heat, LOTS of ash, about same as maple. Not one of my favorites.
Smells good, but don't smell much once the door is closed.

Agree in all respects.

 

[red oak]

I voted for "I take it any chance I get" but I take any wood any chance I get.

 

[Gator eye]

I burn quit a bit of cherry, only down side I ve found is ants. Dang stuff holds ants like nobody's business.
Season away from the house, bring it in house and stick in the stove. Anything other than that and there is a good chance you'll be spraying for ants.

 

[bag of hammers]

A few "meh" comments here comparing cherry to maple, but what maple are we talking about (sugar, red, silver, etc....)? I have a lot of sugar maple on the property and it's some great stuff to burn. If cherry is that good (I have no idea since I've never burned any) I'd take it for sure.

 

[lindnova]

I find a lot of cherry cleaning up the field lines or downed trees at our property. Always salvage it. I will use some in bonfires for the smell. Burns good in the wood stove. I would agree on similarities with red maple. I have some 3 yr old cherry that was on pallets and it is still good, but almost gone now. Keep it off the ground and all ok. Some old cherries do have rot and ants - they are kind of crockety old trees sometimes. I use those pieces in the outdoor furnace. I don't have ant problems if I keep the good soild pieces for split wood only.

 

[oldspark]

A few "meh" comments here comparing cherry to maple, but what maple are we talking about (sugar, red, silver, etc....)? I have a lot of sugar maple on the property and it's some great stuff to burn. If cherry is that good (I have no idea since I've never burned any) I'd take it for sure.

Cherry=Red Maple or Silver Mape

 

[Locust]

Goes kind of like this. I go over to my friends brewery with some cherry. I put the wood on his smoke wood pallet and then I sit down at the bar and get paid in beer.

Nice!!