Hemlock

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I have quite a bit of hemlock cut and will have much more in the next 5 years. I have about 10 large specimens near the house that are in the last throes of their losing battle with the woolly adelgid. It seems very heavy, hard, and dense, but I have read that is is very low on the BTU spectrum, which seems odd to me. What am I missing here?

 

[johneh]

It is rated at 19.3 million BTU per cord
here's a chart for comparison
http://forestry.usu.edu/htm/forest-products/wood-heating

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

It is rated at 19.3 million BTU per cord
here's a chart for comparison
http://forestry.usu.edu/htm/forest-products/wood-heating

Different websites have much lower BTUs listed (about 15/cord). I also have 3 chestnut trees that are rock hard and the heaviest wood I have handled, perhaps other than dogwood, it is listed at 18. I guess density and hardness don't directly correlate to BTUs.

 

[heavy hammer]

On the bright side you have a lot of it plus it is very accessible. Still not a bad rating if it gives you heat it's not all bad, you will just use a little more to get the same results of other species.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

On the bright side you have a lot of it plus it is very accessible. Still not a bad rating if it gives you heat it's not all bad, you will just use a little more to get the same results of other species.

Well said, Hammer! I wasn't complaining, just a bit confounded, as it seems like high density ought to have more heat in it.

 

[baseroom]

Burn a lot of hemlock at our cottage, burns hot and quick when dry!

 

[Sprinter]

I had exactly the same experience with some hem here. It was difficult to cut, slow to dry and didn't make that great of a firewood. As long as there are available alternatives, I'll be skipping the hem. It just didn't seem worth it. There may also be a difference between the hemlock species here and those on the east coast, I don't know. It's not terrible, just that if there are alternatives, I'll prefer them.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I had exactly the same experience with some hem here. It was difficult to cut, slow to dry and didn't make that great of a firewood. As long as there are available alternatives, I'll be skipping the hem. It just didn't seem worth it. There may also be a difference between the hemlock species here and those on the east coast, I don't know. It's not terrible, just that if there are alternatives, I'll prefer them.

I have three alternatives: Three or four cords of oak on the ground, cut into rounds at the far end of the property, up a long steep hill, very difficult and time consuming to get it to the stacks near the house; lots of tulip poplar that was recently taken down that I have committed to cut, split and stack for someone else (two trees that were about 36" in diameter, over 100' tall right next to their house); and, the hemlock that will be literally right outside of the house, definitely will need a tree service to take them down when that day comes. The good stuff comes very hard, and the less valuable stuff is easy!

 

[CenterTree]

.... The good stuff comes very hard, and the less valuable stuff is easy!

^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ ^
Such as LIFE in general.
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The "heavy and dense" you describe is most likely high moisture (plus resinous wood can be heavy too).
It will get lighter as it seasons properly.


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[Easy Livin’ 3000]

^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ ^
Such as LIFE in general.
------------------------------

The "heavy and dense" you describe is most likely high moisture (plus resinous wood can be heavy too).
It will get lighter as it seasons properly.


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Just what I was thinking regarding life! You are right on about the resinous part, I guess that kind of resin doesn't burn very hot.