I have been told by one sales guy that pine burns cooler. I have been told by five other sales guys that pine burns hotter. I figured the cooler guy was just an idjit. This morning however I was reading the Heating Value of Common Wood chart on the home page and it looks like it produces far less BTU's than other types of wood. So it does indeed burn cooler? Or am I reading something wrong?
Pine. Burns cooler or hotter?
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jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
Hotter . . . but it doesn't burn for very long or coal up as well.
Now if the pine is not fully seasoned . . . like any other wood . . . then yes . . . it would run cooler.
That said . . . I find that a full load of pine splits and rounds and a full load of an assortment of hardwood splits and rounds generally results in similar temps in my woodstove -- for me it's more about the air control and size of the splits (i.e. I would not fill the firebox full of small pine branches or splits without the stove going nuclear). The difference for me with a full load of pine (or other softwoods) and hardwood is mainly the burning time . . . or to put it another way . . . how long it will give meaningful heat before the coals reach the point where I need to reload the stove as the house is starting to cool down.
Now if the pine is not fully seasoned . . . like any other wood . . . then yes . . . it would run cooler.
That said . . . I find that a full load of pine splits and rounds and a full load of an assortment of hardwood splits and rounds generally results in similar temps in my woodstove -- for me it's more about the air control and size of the splits (i.e. I would not fill the firebox full of small pine branches or splits without the stove going nuclear). The difference for me with a full load of pine (or other softwoods) and hardwood is mainly the burning time . . . or to put it another way . . . how long it will give meaningful heat before the coals reach the point where I need to reload the stove as the house is starting to cool down.
Firewood Bandit
Minister of Fire
That's kind of a trick question.
As others have said, softwoods like pine have less BTUs per cord. The heat something burns at is controlled by how much air, (oxygen) it the fire gets.
As others have said, softwoods like pine have less BTUs per cord. The heat something burns at is controlled by how much air, (oxygen) it the fire gets.
jatoxico
Minister of Fire
The difference is in the density. Pine is less dense than hardwood (less weight for same size split) so the BTU's for comparable sized split are lower for pine split vs. hardwood but the less dense wood burns quicker so the BTU's are liberated more quickly.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
Ime pine is a low heat high ash wood, but it can burn up in no time so is one of the softwoods that can runaway on you if you're not careful,especially the sap pines like ponderosa.
Jay106n
Minister of Fire
Yep as the other have said, pine will burn hot and fast and will produce no lasting coals, but less overall btu's compared to hardwoods that will burn longer time, providing a higher btu level over time.
Remember, btus do not necessarily equate to temperature. Pine burns very hot but for a shorter time.
CentralVAWoodHeat
Minister of Fire
Poor poor pine. Always the brunt of the jokes.
I love burning pine. It does fire quickly, bright, and hot. I find it doesn't coal as much but prefer wood that doesn't as we gain the most heat from the pyrolysis stage of burning. When those volatiles are going up, the flames throw serious heat. Coals do provide heat but not like the firing stage does.
Burn it seasoned, dry, and smart and it's a great wood to quickly take the chill off the house.
I love burning pine. It does fire quickly, bright, and hot. I find it doesn't coal as much but prefer wood that doesn't as we gain the most heat from the pyrolysis stage of burning. When those volatiles are going up, the flames throw serious heat. Coals do provide heat but not like the firing stage does.
Burn it seasoned, dry, and smart and it's a great wood to quickly take the chill off the house.
NordicSplitter
Minister of Fire
Just had a log load of 1/2 pine and 1/2 poplar dropped off a week or so ago. Love it for Shoulder season, kindling and just taking the chill off those Fall mornings. Love it
!
!I will burn pine if i have to cut it to clean up or something but i am not going to choose it. I have easy access to lots of hardwoods so i dont see a reason to bother with it.
2broke2ride
Burning Hunk
I'm kinda the same, I have a lot of blow down and standing dead pine on my property I just bought a year ago, can't see letting it sit and rot so I'm burning it in the strangely warm winter we're having this year.
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Knots
Minister of Fire
Well seasoned pine definitely burns hotter.
BTU by weight, volume or time ?
You can't burn all the oak BTU in the same short period of time that you can bake off all the pine BTU.
So you end up feeding the stove more often.
and if your stove doesn't like to be stuffed to the brim with pine even more often.
You have to cut and split more pine for equivalent BTU and you have to tend the stove more.
( which is just another reason ) Why some people can't be bothered with pine.
Given the option.
Above pertains to eastern white pine.
BTU by weight, volume or time ?
You can't burn all the oak BTU in the same short period of time that you can bake off all the pine BTU.
So you end up feeding the stove more often.
and if your stove doesn't like to be stuffed to the brim with pine even more often.
You have to cut and split more pine for equivalent BTU and you have to tend the stove more.
( which is just another reason ) Why some people can't be bothered with pine.
Given the option.
Above pertains to eastern white pine.
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