which firewood burns the hottest and longest

[Dravis]

Hello folks,
im trying to plan ahead for next season and want to choose the best firewood.
which types have you found to burn the hottest, cleanest and longest?
Appreciate any recommendations.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Welcome to the forum!

Burn what’s available in your area! I could answer your question by saying Hop Hornbeam, but if this tree doesn’t grow in your area that isn’t going to be much help, and shipping firewood long distances doesn’t make much sense.

The important thing is that the wood is dry. Different species can take different amounts of time to dry.

Less dense woods typically dry quicker than the heavy, dense stuff. Oak can take longer than 2 years to dry. Per lb, firewood is going to have about the same amount of energy. The difference is whether that piece weighs 2 lb or 5 lb.

 

[stoveliker]

So the densest firewood (most fiber material per volume) will give you most btus in the firebox.
But that's also the wood that dries the slowest as the water has a harder time to come out.

In fact I advice people that will be drying their wood only for one year, to get pine, for, spruce.
Two years: maple, cherry. Three years, oak.

But those are species of have available here.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I like pine! I like box elder and poplar too!

 

[qwee]

North Dakota - I wonder what species of trees grow in your area? I just saw a map showing the % of trees per state - it was interesting. I remember the states around and including N Dakota (SD, Iowa, Nebraska, Eastern Montana, and others) were the lowest % of trees in the US - low moisture and flat plains. So, take whatever you can get - and like said get it dry. It is best to get on a long term drying plan. Start looking at trees trying to figure out what is around you.

So, know what species of woods you are getting, like said. look them up for drying time (1 yr, 2yr, or 3 yr) and start organizing your woodyard. The first year will be the hardest. The internet says these are common trees in North Dakota: Green Ash, Box Elder, Common Chokecherry, Bur Oak, and Hackberry. And I would guess Siberian Elm will be present. The common thread - these trees can tolerate lower water supplies. Bur Oak will be the longest burner in this lineup.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=0ce3...HUvdHJlZXMvaGFuZGJvb2svbmRoYW5kLTEuaHRt&ntb=1

 

[kborndale]

Welcome to the forum!

Burn what’s available in your area! I could answer your question by saying Hop Hornbeam, but if this tree doesn’t grow in your area that isn’t going to be much help, and shipping firewood long distances doesn’t make much sense.

The important thing is that the wood is dry. Different species can take different amounts of time to dry.

Less dense woods typically dry quicker than the heavy, dense stuff. Oak can take longer than 2 years to dry. Per lb, firewood is going to have about the same amount of energy. The difference is whether that piece weighs 2 lb or 5 lb.

Shipping firewood long distances besides not making much sense is also illegal.

 

[qwee]

North Dakota ranks last of 50 states in US for the percentage of trees, at 3% (Maine is the highest). Getting firewood could be a problem especially if you can't haul it from a distance. Wood sellers can probably ask whatever price they want to. Maybe Biobricks?

 

[Turbo89]

Reposting this link, pretty sure I got it here: https://boisafeudunord.com/pages/firewood-btu-ratings

In my area I prefer oak and hickory, also like ash, but but doesn’t quite last as long.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Shipping firewood long distances besides not making much sense is also illegal.

In NY it is, but out west they don’t have the same restrictions.

 

[Dieselhead]

I think the top in the USA are Osage orange, hop hornbeam, black locusts, then down to hickory’s and oaks. No osage around my area, or hop hornbeam (ironwood) but I’d like to import some one time!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

You’re in the native range of both hornbeam and hop hornbeam.

 

[Dieselhead]

You’re in the native range of both hornbeam and hop hornbeam.

I never see it around here. Only time I ever saw it in person was hiking in NH.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think they have specific habitats they like. Where my cabin is, there’s lots of hop hornbeam. A mile up the road, at a friend’s place, there isn’t any hop hornbeam, but lots of striped maple. What the difference is, other than a couple hundred feet of elevation, I don’t know.

Maybe there’s a forest succession schedule for understory trees too. I’m pretty sure his property was logged in the last 50 years or so.

 

[Dieselhead]

I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Do they keep there stringy hops most of the year or do they drop after a while?

 

[Turbo89]

I never see it around here. Only time I ever saw it in person was hiking in NH.

This x2! Lots of oak, maple, oak and ash (and poplar and American basswood), but I rarely see hornbeam or elm for that matter.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

the catkins are only there during their breeding season. I recognize it by the bark, size and habitat.

They’re understory. You’re not going to find one in a field. And they’re small. Maybe 20-25 feet tall? The largest one I’ve ever seen I found dead and fallen, the roots had rotted and the base was maybe 10”. I was looking for fence rails that were slightly longer than 10’ and took the top half of the tree with a sawzall. The bark reminds me of American elm, but the bottom of the piece of bark peels out just a tad, maybe a 1/4 to half an inch. Kind of like that of an old silver maple or that of a hickory.

If you see a tree that reminds you of something else but is just wrong for some reason you’ve found hop hornbeam. Oh look, catkins like a birch tree, but elm bark. Elm bark, but it’s peeling away like a hickory tree. But it’s not peeling away right and it’s in the middle of deep woods. And it’s really small… you’ve found hop hornbeam.

 

[Osage]

Have to say Osage would be top of the list. Have burned a lot of it and currently have a couple of cords. In this part of Kansas it was planted as a "Hedge Row" in the dirty thirties during the dust bowl.
A lot of the farm ground was divided into quarters by these hedges.
So you had 2 miles of hedge per section.

 

[MongoMongoson]

the catkins are only there during their breeding season. I recognize it by the bark, size and habitat.

They’re understory. You’re not going to find one in a field. And they’re small. Maybe 20-25 feet tall? The largest one I’ve ever seen I found dead and fallen, the roots had rotted and the base was maybe 10”. I was looking for fence rails that were slightly longer than 10’ and took the top half of the tree with a sawzall. The bark reminds me of American elm, but the bottom of the piece of bark peels out just a tad, maybe a 1/4 to half an inch. Kind of like that of an old silver maple or that of a hickory.

If you see a tree that reminds you of something else but is just wrong for some reason you’ve found hop hornbeam. Oh look, catkins like a birch tree, but elm bark. Elm bark, but it’s peeling away like a hickory tree. But it’s not peeling away right and it’s in the middle of deep woods. And it’s really small… you’ve found hop hornbeam.

We have a lot of hop hornbeam on our property in Michigan.

While it is normally an understory tree as you said, my uncle planted a couple in the front yard at his sister's house. They make for some beautiful yard trees, and something you don't often see in town! They grow a lot faster in the open than they do in the woods.

It makes for a great firewood. I don't cut any live ones, but when one gets crushed by a fallen popple I am happy to clean it up.

 

[kborndale]

In NY it is, but out west they don’t have the same restrictions.

I did not click on all 50 states but all I did east and west had restrictions.

Don't Move Firewood - Protect Trees From Bugs

They give you shade. They provide oxygen. Let’s make sure trees everywhere can do the same for future generations. If you’re a camper heading out for a

www.dontmovefirewood.org

 

[Burnin Since 1991]

Have to say Osage would be top of the list. Have burned a lot of it and currently have a couple of cords. In this part of Kansas it was planted as a "Hedge Row" in the dirty thirties during the dust bowl.
A lot of the farm ground was divided into quarters by these hedges.
So you had 2 miles of hedge per section.

Osage Orange, AKA Hedge