I've been reading a lot on burning pine lately, and have to admit that being raised in New England...and having it hammered into my brain by EVERYONE that you should NEVER burn pine, it's tough to adopt the reality and shed the myth. I have a huge amount of hemlock on my property, and admit I look at it as junk but after reading everyone's real opinion of pine, I wonder what people think of Hemlock as firewood. I burn it outside in my firepit and like it enough...it's smokey and sparks a bit but the stuff I burn outside really isn't seasoned...more like sun dried for a little while. Anyway, starting to think about putting some up and using it next year in the early part of the season...maybe an even mix of it with hardwood. Whats everyone think? How long to properly season it so you'd burn it in your stove?
Hemlock?
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Speaking for everyone we think you should burn it
Seanm
Minister of Fire
That depends on which sub species you are referring to. According to (broken link removed) Hemlock is just below my beloved Lodgepole pine and ahead of White Pine. Never burned it but based on what I see and my experience with good softwoods you should look on a stack of Hemlock like money in the bank. From green will season in one year. If its standing dead you could be ready in half a year or less. I drop standing dead lodgepole that is almost ready to go in late summer and ready for winter. Enjoy
Edit: They are the same btus as Lodgepole.
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People in New England are spoiled by all those hardwoods. When visiting a few years ago, this Northwest resident was astounded by the apparent quality and density of even the small bundles sold in convenience stores, etc. Hemlock rocks in its proper role as a quick-burning shoulder wood, although its splitting qualities can be a hassle... I gleaned quite a bit this past midsummer from a post-forest fire salvage site, and have already burned some of it. We're just now getting to subfreezing temps, and tonight the stove is loaded with 2-3 y/o hardwoods... I'll restart tomorrow morning with smaller hemlock and fir splits. Yay!
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Yeah I was comparing it to white pine which is also in abundance(for free) in New England. There are so many different species its hard to compare!
I burn hemlock sure, but I'm very surprised that it would be above white pine for heat. Its like balsa wood. I'd burn it, but I don't think that I'd go through the trouble of actually cutting down trees to make firewood unless you want the trees gone anyway. Tons of brush. Not a lot of heat. Pretty lousy wood. Plus whenever I have some sitting around seasoning it always seems to get full of nasty grubs under the bark. Not a problem but....ewwww.
I like white pine much better for firewood.
I like white pine much better for firewood.
I just call them "Hemlock trees"....But if I had to guess maybe they're Eastern Hemlock? It seems I'm always cutting them down so I can get to other trees. Often times I've cut rounds up to 16 to 18 inches and hauled them out by the mailbox...they disappear quickly. I'll have a save up a rack and try using it in the stove. Thanks everyone.
Yeah, there's different species, I have some from my neighborhood I swear is denser and better than red maple, I seasoned it about 18 months and its still pretty heavy and burns good.
jdp1152
Minister of Fire
I burn eastern hemlock as kindling or gap fillers. It pretty well sucks if you're on the east coast With hardwoods aplenty but no sense in wasting it
BIGDADDY
Feeling the Heat
- May 17, 2012
- 416
A forester told me Helock is going the way of Ash. Hemlocks are being killed off by an insect Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. An insect imported from Japan. I like Hemlock and have some in my yard. I've burned it before and it is an oak saver.
I have seen many Hemlock dying off on our place. I hadn't realized the reason until having some of our woods timbered off and speaking with the forester.
I have seen many Hemlock dying off on our place. I hadn't realized the reason until having some of our woods timbered off and speaking with the forester.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
Forget the pine myth. Pine is fine. As for hem, I have some on the property and burn it, but it's not great. But it does burn and that's the main thing. If those dang cotton wood trees would ever blow down, I'd even burn them...
That's what been happening in our neighborhood with the hemlocks, I got 4-5 trees from my yard and the neighbors that were dead,
toddnic
Minister of Fire
OK, so I'm definitely going to put up some hemlock and use it early and late season and see how it goes. I have an endless supply on my property and like mentioned above, I've had a few die off and have one huge dead one I want to take down this winter. I'm also in the process of slowly clearing part of the property and many times have loaded the ATV cart with hemlock rounds cut to 18" and put them out by the mailbox...they disappear very quickly. I've also been burning it in winter brush piles just to clear it out. I'll probably feel dumb aftre burning some well seasoned hemlock in the stove. If anyone is close to Southern NH (Deerfield) and wants some free Hemlock just let me know. For the right beer I might even split it for you! 
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