My property has a bunch of sassafras on it, and I'm always cutting the small stuff to get it out of the way and end up burning a piece here and there in the stove. After working around a few large trees for several years, I decided to take one down and use it for burning. I cut that tree in early June if my memory is on, split it and stacked it in full sun. It's a great early season fire wood! It's very light, smells great when fresh split, and burns hot but quick. It seems to dry out extra fast and it's bark is extremely flammable compared to other trees. When it's in the stove, it's lively snapping and popping....giving great heat. It's not an over night wood, but in the evening when you can feed the stove every hour or two it's great so you can save the better stuff for long over nights or colder weather. If anyone has been avoiding using it in your stove like I was, give it a try. It's a nice wood to burn. I have quite a few more big trees I've been working around but now I'm taking one each year to use during the early and late burning season. Also, they regenerate so quickly, it's easy to have a lifetime supply.
Liking me some sassafras
- Thread starter MJFlores
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Gboutdoors
Burning Hunk
TooColdHere
Member
I agree! I bought a trailer full of rounds last year and it split VERY easily. I like to throw a split or two in, as you said, to get quick coals. The fireworks are great, but quick...so close that door!
Hickorynut
Feeling the Heat
I have also got a lot of sassafras I have been avoiding. Several dead ones in fact that have been standing awhile. You may have changed my mindset and I will give them a try again especially when I don't need a lot of heat. Thanks for the motivation
Woody Stover
Minister of Fire
This year I used some dead Sass logs as sleepers to hold pallets off the ground. It's supposed to be rot-resistant. I don't burn much in my cat stove, thinking that when it pops it will stir up ash dust that will make its way to the cat. Probably not that big a deal, though.
Brewmonster
Burning Hunk
if you have the desire and the ability, saw some large diameter sassafras into lumber. it is beautiful stuff. my brother paneled a room addition with it.
I had thought about doing that. One of my hobbies is making shaker tables, but the sassafras splits so easy I wasn't sure it would hold up ok. You barely tap it with an axe and it splits right in two. Very straight grain.
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