The Scent Of A Wood Fire...

[Peter B.]

As wide ranging as the discussions are here, I don't believe I've read one about the odors of wood smoke yet.

I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I've bought most of my firewood for several years now. Nearly 100 per cent of the wood is red, white or bur oak... and the odor emitted from the chimney on a fresh stove load is typically 'classic' oak.

When I'm burning hot and clean (on or off catalyst) the scent from the stack is clean as well... discernible, but faint... a rather pleasant, almost 'sweet' smell.

I wonder how other people would characterize the olfactory effects from their fires... or, for that matter, their evil neighbor's fire?

Peter B.

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[LLigetfa]

I really like Ash because of the smell, both sitting in the fireside wood holder and while burning. I must confess that I even linger in my woodshed enjoying the aroma.

I avoid Birch because it smells tart, like cat piss in storage. The smell's not so bad when burning it.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Loaded some Pignut Hickory in the oslo last night, I let it puff back a little bit......real nice.
What really smells good is this years grapple load had a bunch of young shagbark.....when it was unloaded lots of the bark peeled right off.
I picked up a bunch of it and stacked it to dry.....the bark curled in "small rounds" and starts the fire with ease and smells so good.
My vote for "Hickory"

WoodButcher

 

[legrandice]

My parents have a bunch of apple (they won't share it) that they burn when having company over because they enjoy the smell. I'm not sure if it smells all that different to me.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

My parents have a bunch of apple (they won't share it) that they burn when having company over because they enjoy the smell. I'm not sure if it smells all that different to me.

Oh yeah, Apple is outstanding for aroma. Cherry also...

 

[burntime]

I like the choke cherry I cut on the edge of the fields...ummmmm cherry.....

 

[Valhalla]

... is only second best to the fragrance of my wife's neck, with her best perfume.

Hey, this is the wrong place to post this! ;>)

 

[Adabiviak]

I don't smell anything when I burn. Are you going outside? Should I smell something? Wouldn't that infer that there was a leak somewhere?

 

[LLigetfa]

You don't need to have a leak. Opening the door and sticking your hands in the stove should release enough for the olfactory to detect.

 

[RedRanger]

I purpurpsley let some smoke escape sometimes, specially just before the wife gets home from work. Because that makes it harder to determine whether or not I have been smoking in the house.

And of course I always plead not guilty--even though I am.

Not sure if it really fools her though, or if she just lets it go??

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Nothing beats sassafras!

 

[bsruther]

Apple is definitely my favorite when it comes to smoke aroma.
Sometimes when I have a fire in the garage stove, I place a hunk of redcedar in the front corner of the stove to smolder.
I also do the same when I make a fire in the pit, outside. It reminds me of camping in my younger days.

 

[moondoggy]

its almost as good as the smell of fresh baked cookies.

 

[Jags]

My smoke smells horrible, but those ferrets really do a nice job of cleaning the inside of the pipe. (thanks for the tip, Rick ;-) )

 

[fossil]

My smoke smells horrible, but those ferrets really do a nice job of cleaning the inside of the pipe. (thanks for the tip, Rick ;-) )

Yeah, they do a nice job. I don't know what smells worse, though...raising 'em or burning 'em. :ahhh: Rick

 

[fossil]

Was burning some Juniper in the shop stove the other evening. I rarely get even a whiff inside. Wife took the dog out for a walk and when she came back in, she said, "Your wood fire smells nice out there, couldn't see the smoke, but I could smell it". Gotta be one of the nicest things she's said to me in 20 years. Rick

 

[smokinj]

I like the choke cherry I cut on the edge of the fields...ummmmm cherry.....

My neighbor from time to time will ask me to load up on cherry hes got company coming over!

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't smell anything when I burn. Are you going outside? Should I smell something? Wouldn't that infer that there was a leak somewhere?

I was kind of thinking the same thing . . . the only times I notice the smell of the "wood" is if it's the cedar kindling I've just brought into the house and stuck in my woodbox or if I'm outside gathering up another load of wood to bring inside . . . and in that case it's usually too cold to linger for too long outside.

 

[techieguy]

Of the wood that I have (Ponderosa Pine, White Oak and Cedar) I like the smell of the Cedar best! My wife love the smell of any burning wood. I hope next year to have a cord of Madrone... the little bit that I have sure burn long and hot.

 

[EddyKilowatt]

I love the smell of seasoning oak, myself. Kind of a sucker for oak-aged wine, for that reason.

But when burning, I've actually been disappointed at the kinds of aromas that I notice coming from my chimney (outside). Even when burning clean (no visible smoke), there's a definite industrial or even coal-like taint to the wood smoke smell... it is definitely not like campfire smoke. I attribute this to the high-temperature burn in a modern stove, or maybe to the stainless chimney... the occasional wisps of smoke I get inside still smell like campfire smoke, so I don't think it's my wood (mostly pine and eucalyptus with scattered oak here and there).

I have noticed that diesel ship exhaust smells different than diesel car or truck exhaust; maybe there's something that goes on inside a long metal exhaust stack that changes the character of exhaust... whether it originates from wood or from fuel oil.

Eddy

 

[Alan Gage]

1st year burning and nothing but Bur Oak so far. Smells way better cutting and splitting then it does burning. Not that the smell is bad generally, just that it doesn't do anything for me. I burned some splits last week that smelled like cat piss as I put them on the coals though, really repulsive. Don't know if the cattle pissed on them before I cut it up or what.

Alan

 

[JotulOwner]

I love the smell of seasoning oak, myself. Kind of a sucker for oak-aged wine, for that reason.

But when burning, I've actually been disappointed at the kinds of aromas that I notice coming from my chimney (outside). Even when burning clean (no visible smoke), there's a definite industrial or even coal-like taint to the wood smoke smell... it is definitely not like campfire smoke. I attribute this to the high-temperature burn in a modern stove, or maybe to the stainless chimney... the occasional wisps of smoke I get inside still smell like campfire smoke, so I don't think it's my wood (mostly pine and eucalyptus with scattered oak here and there).

I have noticed that diesel ship exhaust smells different than diesel car or truck exhaust; maybe there's something that goes on inside a long metal exhaust stack that changes the character of exhaust... whether it originates from wood or from fuel oil.

Eddy

I agree. The smell of the wood burning in my EPA rated stove from outside (no visible smoke) is not nice at all. The smell when I open the door isn't bad (in fact, very nice at times). The wood is good and dry, so I am not sure what that is all about.

 

[lexybird]

i like the smell of white ash burning ,has a sweet but strong odor to it ,lets everyone in my small neighborhood know im staying carefree and toasty while they watch the thermostat in fear like a hawk waiting on the oil supply truck to show up

 

[chad3]

My wife HATES the smell of oak, esp red oak (wet). I could be splitting it at my parents place and come home and she knows what I've split. Yeah, she really hates this stuff. So, not the best smell, but I can tell you the worst. Cherry is very nice, as is also the cedar for kindling.
Chad

 

[Cluttermagnet]

"The Scent of a Wood Fire"- wasn't that an Al Pacino movie? ;-)