Wood delivery - heavy hardwood vs light hardwood???

[ClydesdaleBurner]

Hi I was wondering if someone could answer this question: I received two cords green wood yesterday and the wood was all hardwood per seller. There appears to be two species of wood. One is very heavy and has a reddish grain, I'm guessing this is red oak. The other species is much light in color and weight. The grain is very white and its maybe half as heavy as the oak. What could this be? Also am I losing BTUs with this light stuff vs. the oak??? I thought hardwoods were all fairly heavy...

Thanks

 

[smokinj]

Can you post any pics?

 

[the_dude]

Hardwood typically refers to deciduous trees (those having leaves) where as softwood would refer to conifers (those with needles). All hardwoods were not created equal. There is great variance between the different species in terms of BTUs. Red and white oak are both excellent firewood, but take much longer to season. Basswood (which may be what the other species you have), popple, cottonwood are much lighter and has much less BTU per cord. Those will typically season much quicker. The best thing to do is stack them separate. Use the 'light' wood for the shoulder seasons and when you are around to tend the stove. Use the 'heavy' wood for overnight burns or daytime burns when you are not around. Of course, make sure it is all properly seasoned first.

 

[smokinj]

Hardwood typically refers to deciduous trees (those having leaves) where as softwood would refer to conifers (those with needles). All hardwoods were not created equal. There is great variance between the different species in terms of BTUs. Red and white oak are both excellent firewood, but take much longer to season. Basswood (which may be what the other species you have), popple, cottonwood are much lighter and has much less BTU per cord. Those will typically season much quicker. The best thing to do is stack them separate. Use the 'light' wood for the shoulder seasons and when you are around to tend the stove. Use the 'heavy' wood for overnight burns or daytime burns when you are not around. Of course, make sure it is all properly seasoned first.

deciduous trees are hard and soft as well, for example soft(silver) and hard(sugar) maple

 

[Adios Pantalones]

The density of the wood tells you how much energy it will give you. (tht's a period)

Realize that some woods have a lot higher % water weight when green, however, so the density comparison should be done with dry wood.

 

[ClydesdaleBurner]

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Great stuff...

Anyway thanks for the idea of stacking them seperately. I will definitely do that so I can pick the lighter wood first as it will be seasoned first and also just for general use, like you said overnight burns = big oak pieces, shoulder season = this lighter stuff.

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[CowboyAndy]

I have found some cases where weight isnt everything.

Lets compare sugar maple to yellow birch.

maple is 29 mil btu/cord

yello birch is 26 mil/cord


BUT, the birch is ALOT lighter than the maple.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Not sure where you got your numbers- I got Sugar maple at 24 MBTU and 44.2 lb/cu ft, yellow birch at 23.6 MBTU and 43.4 lb/cu ft.

29 MBTU is higher than even black locust on the chart I looked at. Of course there's variability in trees even within species.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wood_heat_value_BTU.html

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/heating_value_wood

 

[smokinj]

Not sure where you got your numbers- I got Sugar maple at 24 MBTU and 44.2 lb/cu ft, yellow birch at 23.6 MBTU and 43.4 lb/cu ft.

29 MBTU is higher than even black locust on the chart I looked at. Of course there's variability in trees even within species.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/AE_wood_heat_value_BTU.html

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/heating_value_wood

You got that right i have 56 in silver maple trunk that burns as good as some hickory that i had.One of the hardest to split tree ive ever seen.(very curly)

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hi I was wondering if someone could answer this question: I received two cords green wood yesterday and the wood was all hardwood per seller. There appears to be two species of wood. One is very heavy and has a reddish grain, I'm guessing this is red oak. The other species is much light in color and weight. The grain is very white and its maybe half as heavy as the oak. What could this be? Also am I losing BTUs with this light stuff vs. the oak??? I thought hardwoods were all fairly heavy...

Thanks

Yes. As a rule heavier = more BTUs - assuming moisture content is the same.

 

[pdboilermaker]

Keep in mind that practically ALL bio mass, has close to the same BTU pound. A pound of pine as much as a pound of shag bark hickory. HOWEVER, a pound of pine has a much greated size than a pound of good old shag bark

 

[countrybois]

Red oak has a VERY high moisture content when it is 'green' That makes it much heavier to start with than say ash. Ash is a very good firewood but has a much lower moisture content when green thus making lighter than the oak to begin with. So..... I would split it all and compare the weight in about year, THEN you can make a valuable comparison in weight vs. btu.

 

[btj1031]

Red oak has a VERY high moisture content when it is 'green' That makes it much heavier to start with than say ash. Ash is a very good firewood but has a much lower moisture content when green thus making lighter than the oak to begin with. So..... I would split it all and compare the weight in about year, THEN you can make a valuable comparison in weight vs. btu.

Well said.

The Dude Abides.

 

[the_dude]

Hardwood typically refers to deciduous trees (those having leaves) where as softwood would refer to conifers (those with needles). All hardwoods were not created equal. There is great variance between the different species in terms of BTUs. Red and white oak are both excellent firewood, but take much longer to season. Basswood (which may be what the other species you have), popple, cottonwood are much lighter and has much less BTU per cord. Those will typically season much quicker. The best thing to do is stack them separate. Use the 'light' wood for the shoulder seasons and when you are around to tend the stove. Use the 'heavy' wood for overnight burns or daytime burns when you are not around. Of course, make sure it is all properly seasoned first.

deciduous trees are hard and soft as well, for example soft(silver) and hard(sugar) maple

I am well aware of the fact that there are soft maples. The point I was trying to make was that most people are going to call a maple, regardless of species, a hardwood because it is a deciduous tree.

I should have stated it as simply as AP, as density is what matters.

The Dude abides indead.