Question about BTU & wood weight

[bostock]

are BTUs simply a straight function of the weight of the species? Looking at BTU charts, it looks like a lb of oak will produce the same BTUs as a lb of, say, poplar (or anything else). Granted the denser woods provide more BTUs *per cord* (because they have more LBS per cord) - but when looking at lbs only, will all wood species provide the same BTU per lb?

 

[owingsia]

That is the assumption that has been made. Some woods burn fast and release all their BTU at once wile others burn slow and release it over time.

I would guess that if you burned a pound of say pine and measured total BTU output it would be equal to 1 pound of oak. Now the pine would release that heat very quickly wile the oak would take a long time to let it out.

 

[Fred Wright]

Yep, from what I understand. Btu isn't specific to any type of firewood. Pound for pound, Btu is similar across the board for fully cured wood.

 

[bostock]

OK cool, that's what I was thinking..Now I just need to get my kids/wife to use the "lighter" stuff while we are here to feed it and save the "heavier" stuff for overnights. Teaching them to identify a specie is just a wheel spinner

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Just about. Pine has a slightly higher energy density due to the extreme energy in its sap, I believe, but it's not far off.

 

[MrWhoopee]

OK cool, that's what I was thinking..Now I just need to get my kids/wife to use the "lighter" stuff while we are here to feed it and save the "heavier" stuff for overnights. Teaching them to identify a specie is just a wheel spinner

That's the way I try to work it. Left end of the rack is for lodgepole, doug fir etc., right end is for oak. Burn the smalls and softwood during the day, load the big oak for the overnight.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

A pound of wood will give the same btu no matter what the wood.

Comparing a pound of pine to a pound of oak as you did is okay but that pine won't burn any faster. It will seem to but look how small a piece of wood you need to make a pound of wood in oak. Larger pine; smaller oak; should burn up in about the same time.

 

[ClintonH]

Is there something to be said for density here? Pound for pound BTU may be similar, but the surface area : volume ratio is going to determine burn time and therefore how quickly those BTU are released.

 

[NextEndeavor]

One could assume a ton of rocks and a ton of feathers weigh the same ........... Until it rains on both. My pine holds rainwater and takes longer to dry after the sky dumps on it. Both heat the house fine but one takes less space than the other to store, in terms of BTUs and weight.

 

[Applesister]

All animals are equal but some are more equal than others?
Is that a Jacob Ram in your Avatar?

 

[bostock]

Applesister - yep, that's a Jacob ram. I used to have a small flock of Jacobs when I had my little farm, raised them for a few years. Sorry for the late reply