Silver or Sugar?

[NordicSplitter]

My friends at work all swear by sugar maple over silver. Is there really that much of a difference and why so? Thanks

 

[smokinj]

Yes, because sugar has a lot more btu's! ;-)

 

[Thistle]

Silver weighs around 33 lbs per cubic foot,is much softer/weaker than Sugar which weighs 44 lbs.Much stronger & resistance to impact.Burns much longer with greater heat.

 

[CTYank]

Relatively speaking, sugar maple is for serious heat output in the depths of winter; silver maple is for shoulder seasons or kindling. Each has its place.

No matter what any stranger tells you, you can confirm or disprove it easily with your own experiment. Meanwhile, I'd grab all the sugar maple I could find, and allow it as much drying time as possible- it'll be better next winter.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My friends at work all swear by sugar maple over silver.

By the number of silver scores I get vs sugar, I would say most people agree with your friends.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I get a lot of Silver here in PA. and I like it very much, although it does burn a little fast it splits easily and dries fast and burns with a nice lively flame and does throw decent heat. This past season I had a good amount of Sugar that I burned and it rocked! Really threw heat for a long time; I wish I could get more of it-oh, wait, I did stash some away for this next season lol!

I like both of them but Sugar wins the heat output and burn time battle....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Your friends are very correct.

 

[shawneyboy]

Yes sir, your friends are correct. Sugar over Silver, but I will take either if you have any extra.

Shawn

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm an equal opportunity burner . . . but if I had to choose sugar or silver maple I would always go with sugar maple for the extra BTUs.

 

[richg]

Silver splits easily but it never really cranked out heat in my stove. Sugar maple was a beast to split but it got things ripping hot. to quote Frankenstein, "Wood good, cold bad".

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

The sugar maple around here splits easily, burns like a ceramic log & is much more plentifull than silver maple. The old story of"if there was only one wood", I would wish for sugar maple, Randy

 

[Thistle]

Not much Sugar around here unless its been planted for shade.Wish we had more of it.Quite a lot in eastern 1/3rd of Iowa though,especially areas along Missisippi River,further north & south.Silver is plentiful state-wide,some huge old ones in people's yards,old abandoned farmsteads,old fields/pastures,fence rows & river bottoms.Nice to have a load or 2 of that for Spring/Fall burning.I usually grab some every summer after a strong thunderstorm rolls though.

 

[Creekyphil]

I've notice some pretty big variation in the quality or sugar, depending on where it grows. Here in Mass, it seems pretty similar to ash in the quality of heat. Take a ride up to north central Maine, however, and the stuff gets great. It is harder, denser, hotter burning stuff. It feels closer to hickory than ash. Maybe it has something to do with tighter growth rings, because of a shorter growing season? Anybody else notice this?

 

[cptoneleg]

My Maples are Red Maples (soft maple) I have plenty of them, have never seperated my types of wood before, have about 1.5 cords to burn this season (maple) You folks have given me strange habits keeping my wood seperated. :zip:

 

[Woody Stover]

My Maples are Red Maples (soft maple) I have plenty of them

Cappy, have you been burning Red Maple for a while? I've been getting some of it from a neighbor as a result of storm damage. It's green and I've split it fairly small; I'm wondering if it'll be dry by this Winter. I know that it dries relatively quickly, but how quickly? Thanks for any light you can shed.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I hauled some Silver home last night. Cut a month ago. It's drying fast, checking quite a bit already. It's split it this weekend once the rest is hauled home. Homeowner wanted his buddies to have 1st dibs on it. They took a look at the piece size from this 48" diameter monster and passed. Sledge, wedge, and I'm guessing a couple cords. Cool weekend, should be ideal.

ATB,
Mike P

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My Maples are Red Maples (soft maple) I have plenty of them

Cappy, have you been burning Red Maple for a while? I've been getting some of it from a neighbor as a result of storm damage. It's green and I've split it fairly small; I'm wondering if it'll be dry by this Winter. I know that it dries relatively quickly, but how quickly? Thanks for any light you can shed.

Woody, we burn a lot of it and yes, it dries fast. I would not hesitate to burn it if it were cut in late winter or early spring and split right away. It will be fine by fall.

 

[cptoneleg]

My Maples are Red Maples (soft maple) I have plenty of them

Cappy, have you been burning Red Maple for a while? I've been getting some of it from a neighbor as a result of storm damage. It's green and I've split it fairly small; I'm wondering if it'll be dry by this Winter. I know that it dries relatively quickly, but how quickly? Thanks for any light you can shed.

Woody, we burn a lot of it and yes, it dries fast. I would not hesitate to burn it if it were cut in late winter or early spring and split right away. It will be fine by fall.

Thanks for answer Dennis; I have never seperated my wood before, it's great and makes sence to me, So I will probable burn alot of Red Maple until I can have time to get my Oak 3 yrs seasoned.

 

[Woody Stover]

Red Maple...I know that it dries relatively quickly, but how quickly?

yes, it dries fast. I would not hesitate to burn it if it were cut in late winter or early spring and split right away. It will be fine by fall.

Thanks, D. I've only had the Red split (fairly small) for about a month but it's been great drying weather lately. Above-average temps and good breezes. I gave it to two in-laws and will check its progress later this Summer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Woody, I recall one winter when we heated with nothing but soft maple and we got along just fine.