Is there any wood that really stinks when burned???

[michiganwinters]

I dont have any experience burning anything other than pine for campfires and red, white and black oak in the stove. Thats pretty much what we have here in my area. I like the smell of oak burning. Although I think I did see a hickory tree that blew down and a locust. Do any trees just smell bad??

On the flip side ...any that smell really nice other than the apples, cherries...ect?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Some elm smells bad when you split it, but I don't think it smells bad burning it. Cedar smells great split or burned. Never encountered a bad-smelling wood smoke per se.

 

[Highbeam]

I have burned lots and lots of cottonwood. It burns hot and clean when dry and once it is ignited properly. If you try and burn green cottonwood or burn dryish cottonwood improperly it can have a stink. Not as bad as some people think, but it is not a pleasant smell. Poplar might be the same since regionally people put both tree types in the same category.

Railroad ties stink pretty bad too.....

 

[Henz]

locust isnt really great smelling

 

[JBinKC]

I got to nominate ailanthus aka tree of heaven, ghetto palm, stink tree as the worst smelling wood both green and when burned. When you burn fully seasoned ailanthus it smells like burnt rubber. Catalpa is another one not mentioned with a bad odor when burned

 

[RedRanger]

I personally don`t care much for the scent of alder burning in the insert,others like it. Now Railroad Ties? Highbeam, tell us you aren`t burning those in the stove? ;-P

 

[Highbeam]

No, not in the stove. I've witnessed chunks of RR tie burning and even smelt a dock burning. Same nasty creosote smoke and smell. They're pretty hard to put out too.

 

[moondoggy]

I have burnt drift wood in open fires that smells like crud.
but never burn driftwood in a stove.

 

[savageactor7]

If you're burning seasoned wood in a stove ...you'll never smell anything.

 

[donatello]

As I understand, WEEPING WILLOW smells evil...

 

[RedRanger]

As I understand, WEEPING WILLOW smells evil...

You are not allowed to use the word "evil" brother bart has a monopoly on that word.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

poplar isnt a great smell , burning or especially when splitting and its not all that great a wood to burn anyway.apple on the other hand...

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Railroad ties stink pretty bad too.....

Dylan, Is that you?!?

Matt

 

[billb3]

Any wet wood that's stored in with a typical teen's sneakers.

 

[Highbeam]

Railroad ties stink pretty bad too.....

Dylan, Is that you?!?

Matt

Nope, not dylan. Lots of creosoted products in the NW.

 

[donatello]

OOPS, sorry about that does anybody have a monopoly on the word "ICKY",if not, that is now MY WORD.
As I understand Weeping Wiilow smells ICKY... I like the sound of that...

 

[sapratt]

I think Hickory and Oak smell good.

 

[acesover]

i recently split some elm and it smells like cat piss and if that locust isnt seasoned properly it will give off a similar smell.

 

[Gagz]

yes..piss elm is nasty when cutting . I find around here that Basswood also known as a Linden is repulsive if you are downwind from somebody incinerating it . My wife will never let me use it in a campfire or casual fire . Nasty stuff .

 

[bartlett920]

black walnut smells like dog shat!

 

[N/A N/A]

I got a cord of locust from a guy at work last year. That stuff smelled like I put a cow patty in my stove!

 

[countrybois]

Hickory smells vonderful!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Worst we even smelled and will never burn again in the stove is hybrid poplar.

For the very best smell, when cutting, splitting and burning, you can not beat sassafras Great stuff indeed. I just love to cut it just for the odor.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Sassafras does smell great. Black birch is nice as well. It looks like some cherries, but if you scratch off bark on a twig you will smell it (Like rootbeeer/birch beer).

 

[karl]

One of the things I noticed when I put my stove in last year was the change in smell of the wood being burnt. I have had fireplaces and outdoor fires since I was a kid. The smoke smelled like smoke and the smell did change depending upon what wood was being burnt.

With the EPA stove there's no smoke. There is a smell but it's not a smoke smell. It's a sweet smell, kinda like when you carmelize something sugary. I haven't notice a change in the smell between different types of wood.