Elm as firewood, good or bad?

[PA. Woodsman]

I don't get much Elm here in my area of PA., but one time a friend gave me a couple of dry pieces of it to burn, and it burned like that old firewood poem said "Elm wood burns like a churchyard mould, even the very flames are cold", but I see on occasion some of you fellas singing Elm's praises. Are there some species of it that aren't good for fuelwood but some that are? Just curious....

 

[Jags]

I like elm. Outside of some of the processing issues it has good burn characteristics. I did have some that created more clinkers than normal.

 

[midwestcoast]

It has a bad rep because American Elm is anywhere btwn very tough to impossible to split. Red Elm, Slippery Elm much easier, but still not easy really.
Dries fast, burns medium & maybe makes a little bit more ash.
The harder it is to split (more stringy) the quicker it will burn as the splits are all kinda mashed up.

 

[Woody Stover]

Red Elm is decent but I haven't burned American so I can't compare the two. I see American on BTU lists at 19.5 and Red at 21.6.
I had a 6" collateral damage Red that was alive...that thing split like a dream. Applesister said the same about a few Red she had...

 

[Wood Duck]

I have burnt some American Elm and it was good firewood, in my opinion. It burned reasonably long and hot. The couple of elm trees I have processed were not especially tough to split.

 

[Applesister]

We had elms in our yard when I was a kid. A grove of them and I remember when it became very publicized about Dutch Elm Disease. I grew up being aware of the battle the trees waged against a possible extinction. Its been a sort of taboo to cut healthy trees because of the remote possibility of the American trees developing a resistance to the disease. There were two very large "soldiers" who stood healthy for many years in my yard where I live now. And they finally succumbed a few years ago. Their large distinct vase shapes gone from my landscape. Within 2 years they went from perfectly healthy trees to firewood. They were a PITA to split but I didnt really mind spending the extra time. I kinda felt like it was all part of their unwillingness to give up.

 

[Applesister]

The old farmers around me hunt for the dead standing elm. You know...dont have to wait as long for it to season. Barkless elm that has had the bark eaten off by beetles and dead from the disease. Standing firewood. Yes the Red Elm is grainwise very different. Beautiful wood. Like a 3D satin sheen and ray flects. It has the same pores...that chevron pattern that American has.

 

[JA600L]

Elm is a sponge. If that wood got wet it will burn like crap. I burnt a dead standing American Elm all winter one year. I had long burn times and excellent heat.

 

[TreePointer]

I love the coaling of Am. elm. If I put it in the fire pit, I'll see red coals staring at me all night and into the morning. Pretty neat.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Yep, Elm is great once it's dry. Wet or not seasoned well it's nothing but smoke.

 

[HDRock]

I like elm , burn it shoulder season or mix it

 

[JA600L]

Enjoy the strange blue flames

 

[firefighterjake]

Elm is good. Not one of the primo woods like oak, apple, sugar maple, black locust, etc. . . but it is a decent mid-range BTU wood.

 

[ihookem]

I get so much elm that is so dry I can put it in the gassifier the day I cut it. The bark is ussually gone so it is very dry and light. If ya don't like the way it splits wait till it's -10F some winter morning and it will not be very stringy.