Question about sumac

[pistonslap]

I cut down a few sumac trees (not poison Sumac) at work about 8 months ago. Veteren woodburners I know told me it wouldn't burn hot or last and just to use it as a filler with hardwood. I have found that it burns pretty hot and is good for starting a fire and building a good bed of coals for my locust, cherry, maple and oak. It does burn up fast. My question is, does it leave alot of creosote, or is it safe to burn a lot of it?

 

[begreen]

Sumac is regularly used for firewood and charcoal in some parts of the world. Creosote is a byproduct of combustion. Burn it hot and you should be just fine.

 

[wahoowad]

Burn it burn it burn it.

I had the same questions about 'Tree of Heaven' last year. In fact, Tree of Heaven is also known as some sumac varieties. I burn it with my softer woods like Poplar and Sycamore when I need a quick fire or need to establish a base of coals for longer burns. Burns great. I also found it dries very quickly and can be split and burned in the same season.

 

[pistonslap]

I know what you mean about a quick bed of coals. Most of my wood is hardwood and I would have to make a lot of small kindling and burn for a long time to get a decent bed of coals. The sumac lights like paper and gets heat thru my system in 20 min. to 1/2 hour. Once the coals are there I can throw my locust or cherry in and it lights right up. I just wish I wouldn't have listened to those guys. I cut and buried at least ten more good sized sumacs in the brush pile at work with the backhoe.

 

[JBinKC]

Definitely keep it. It has been excellent for flash fires in difficult draft conditions when the outside temp is in the 50s . I can say my ailanthus wood that I have cut on my property and that I am now using has helped me able to burn efficiently while I await my installer to come to my area and extend my stack.

 

[wg_bent]

It burns better than the fatwood pine I have. It's like hardwood that doesn't burn very long.