Is maple a good wood? Are there more then one type? Which burns better and what does it look like?
Maple?
- Thread starter Rusty
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
There are many different kinds of maple. Where I am from silver maple is the most common. It grows anywhere! It generally splits easy and it's bark is a bit more shaggy than other maples. Most people dog silver maple because it burns so fast, but it is hot! Most of all it is always free
I like sugar maple as well as anything but it takes longer to season and has a lot of ash.
I like sugar maple as well as anything but it takes longer to season and has a lot of ash.
Here in Oregon the broadleaf maple is considered "trash wood" - it's the tree that woodlot owners want taken out so that the Douglas Fir can grow. As a result it's pretty widely available, and is a terrific "all around" wood. It lights very easily, coals superbly, and is easy to split. It's a medium burner - not as long as oak (or any of the harder woods), but longer than fir. It's by far my favorite wood.
-=[ Grant ]=-
-=[ Grant ]=-
Sugar maple, sometimes refered to as rock maple, is the best maple. There are some that I wouldn't really bother with, like what some people refer to as Manitoba Maple, also known as Boxelder. It has a VERY low btu value.
Many types, they all burn.
Off the top of my head-
Sugar/rock/hard maple- very good, and dense
Red maple- less dense- still good
Silver maple
Striped maple
Rocky mountain maple
Japanese
Paperbark
Norway
Off the top of my head-
Sugar/rock/hard maple- very good, and dense
Red maple- less dense- still good
Silver maple
Striped maple
Rocky mountain maple
Japanese
Paperbark
Norway
I've burnt some Norway maple (the maple with the big green leaves that are used for fast growing 'street' trees) and it does burn well but I wondered where the heat went. I'd consider it a better "shoulder season" wood than pine. Would prefer the harder maple with the smaller leaves that turn either red or yellow in the Fall. My saw falls through Norway maple like it is balsa or cork. Easy on a chain . 
In Pennsylvania we have several types of Maple such as sugar, stripped, silver and red . It all burns good and is easy to split. I prefer a Maple that has been dead and standing they often have no bark, are very dry and burn well. Not a good wood for holding overnight instead it is good for quick heat during the day when you can tend the fire.
Deadon said:
That is true of most maples, except for sugar/rock/hard maple. It is almost all I use, and can get 6-7 hours form a full furnace with a really good and hot coal bed in the morning.
On maples, the deeper the cut-away between the lobes of the leaves, the softer the maple. Just a rule of thumb.
Is it free? If so, then it is good. Now there are varying degrees of good. Sugar maple is very good, silver maple is fairly good. The rest fall in between.
billb3 said:I've burnt some Norway maple (the maple with the big green leaves that are used for fast growing 'street' trees) and it does burn well but I wondered where the heat went. I'd consider it a better "shoulder season" wood than pine. Would prefer the harder maple with the smaller leaves that turn either red or yellow in the Fall. My saw falls through Norway maple like it is balsa or cork. Easy on a chain .
Norways were preferred "street trees" because they grow so fast, so not a particularly dense wood. Rock maple, on the other hand, grows very slowly and is nice and dense but seasons in a reasonable period of time. Practically speaking, I think it's just about the ideal firewood.
Most Maples are good - very good, cept silver maple. I won't touch it anymore, burns way too fast for the work, no coals. Though I never have any problem finding firewood. My fav is Red Oak, most abundant is Ash. Ash is everywhere. So much now that there's no way to take it all. I prefer White Ash over Green Ash, but Green Ash burns hot with beautiful flame to look at, just burns kind of quick. Seems to be a lot of Locust around but don't now for sure how long to season.
Sugar maple has a BTU equivalent to oak and black locust. It's excellent firewood. The denser woods IMHO just take longer to season than lighter woods. Personally, I find Norway to be less BTU's than sugar maple but more than red or silver maple, still a relatively dense wood. I have tons of red maple around and burn lots of it. I find it coals nicely, somewhat equivalant to cherry, white birch, or elm, though the maple is very clean burning. I haven't really burned silver yet, but I have a lot of it under cover. It's relatively light wood so I'm not expecting huge heat from it. Still, I imagine it will coal okay. I burn a lot of hemlock and white pine and poplar in the shoulder seasons. Those woods do not coal. They burn nicely in my catalytic stove though not for long and they go pretty much right from wood to ash.
Yes its free, already cut and alot of it. Ive already got 4 truck loads and havnt even made a dent in it.Thanks
for the info.
for the info.
Out here on the "left coast" maple is gold. Not the btu`s you guys on the east coast get, but burns longer with less btu`s than fir. So I keep it for the overnite burns. You people way out there in Surburbian East are way too spoiled. ;-P Oak, Hickory, and on and on it goes--and the jealously just continues to grow.
CowboyAndy said:Maybe you should pack up and move out this way...sonnyinbc said:
BWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA
Trust me, if I could find a way to earn a living out on the left coast, I'd spend the entire ski season there! :coolsmirk:
One thing I've noted about the Seattle/Olympia area . . .when they cut the trees there, they cut EVERY FREAKIN TREE!! The poor bass turds here in the ADK's would have a coronary :lol:
Sugar/Rock/Hard maple is probably the best firewood you can find around here. But it rots VERY quickly if not stored properly. Oak (red, white, chestnut) on the other hand, is almost as good and resists rot for years!
One thing I've noted about the Seattle/Olympia area . . .when they cut the trees there, they cut EVERY FREAKIN TREE!! The poor bass turds here in the ADK's would have a coronary :lol:
Sugar/Rock/Hard maple is probably the best firewood you can find around here. But it rots VERY quickly if not stored properly. Oak (red, white, chestnut) on the other hand, is almost as good and resists rot for years!
The Maple I picked up green this year (Spring) burns great. I use it to get the fire going and then add seasoned oak. Just my opinion, but I think that Maple seasons rather quickly compared to many hardwoods.
- Status
