# Burning cottonwood



## StihltheOne (Dec 3, 2007)

Who out there uses soft woods? We have lots of cottonwood, fast heat, tons of ash. What stoves are best for heavy ash woods? I am looking for large capacity and easy ash cleanout.


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## cunrya (Dec 3, 2007)

Have you ever split much of that stuff?? I split up about a 36" DBH for a friend a couple years back, Wow what a PITA! When we got done he pointed across the yard at one a bit bigger and asked if I wanted to help with that one. Told him I'd rather suck:censored: for  money. 

It burns ok in my OWB but not sure its really worth the effort given how quick it burns. But if that what you have most readily available I spose it would work OK. As far as furnaces go I know my Central Boiler will hold tons of ash before you really need to clean it out.


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## aandabooks (Dec 4, 2007)

Don't know about the OWB but cottonwood burns about like paper. Splitting is not a problem as long as it is dry. Takes forever to dry out though. 

Matt


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## windthrown (Dec 4, 2007)

I burned a lot of cottonwood 2 years ago in our CB OWB here after cutting down a grove around our duck pond. Crappy firewood; little heat value. That and sycamore leave tons of ashes. The OWB has a big area for ashes... when they pile up to the door I shovel it out and dump it on the gardens and vineyards and orchards.


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## Al Smith (Dec 4, 2007)

What you have to remember is all wood has the same btu's by weight.Dry cotton wood is about like balsa.Doesn't weigh much so doesn't put out the heat by volume. It all burns though.

The best btu's are the cheapest,burn what you have.Besides that,cottonwood is great for testing out saws.Cookies burn real well plus you don't have to split them.Lots of sawdust though.

I've always said you can tell a saw junky by the amount of cookies in his wood pile.:hmm3grin2orange:


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## Mike Van (Dec 4, 2007)

We were in Alaska 16 years ago - They have spruce, some birch & aspen - Not great choice's for a state as cold as that!


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## cuttinstuff (Dec 4, 2007)

I like to use it to start my stove, I will start with 5 or 6 sticks of that and then add wood with more BTUs.


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## cunrya (Dec 4, 2007)

aandabooks said:


> Don't know about the OWB but cottonwood burns about like paper. Splitting is not a problem as long as it is dry. Takes forever to dry out though.
> 
> Matt



Yeah, thats the problem with spliting it, It just doesn't dry out in log form very quick, maybe if you bucked it out and let it sit awhile it would be quicker


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## habanero (Dec 4, 2007)

When I was a kid Dad came across a guy that had a ~40" cottonwood tree that had been blown over in a storm and wondered if Dad wanted the wood. Dad took it, but even after over a year of letting the bucked logs lay, water still ran out of them as we were splitting them. Thank goodness for the hydraulic splitter, but it was still a pain in the butt. 

I agree fully with Al's comments. It isn't great wood, but if it's free and you can get it split, it's sure better than buying natural gas or propane.


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## NYCHA FORESTER (Dec 4, 2007)

Someone here once said "it still burns better than a snowball" :hmm3grin2orange:


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## carvinmark (Dec 4, 2007)

I have 4 pieces that are 40+" X 8-10' long that I will be bucking up next year, dang it, was hoping to get some heat from these monsters


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## sawinredneck (Dec 4, 2007)

If you qaurter it with the saw first, it doesn't split near as bad.

I have found putting it on a good hot fire, while it's still a bit green, it burns longer and not as much ash. Not sure it make anymore heat, but you don't have to load up every twenty minuetes either!!


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## Al Smith (Dec 5, 2007)

Cottonwood is not the best firewood.Our eastern cottonwoods are classified as a hardwood although not hard like maple or oak.Again,it does burn.

You might find it odd but cottonwood makes some fairly good outrigger pads etc.Because the ends don't split out like oak besides it's a lot lighter.

I've mention many times that cottonwood is sold commercialy as poplar trim because if it were sold as cottonwood nobody would buy it.It is also used as underframing for lower priced furniture,light weight pallets etc.I have actually seen heavy machinery shipping cribbing made of cotton wood,you just have to use a thicker piece to get the strength is all.

Every wood has specific uses if we just know them.


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## aandabooks (Dec 5, 2007)

The few times that I have split cottonwood it has not been a problem. Splitter barely has to touch the wood and it cracks right open. I had some that the power company cut and left in the ditch. I left them standing on end on a pallet for 1 year. You know it is dry when the bark falls off or peels off when split. 

The night I picked them up I had to roll them up the ramp on the trailer and stand them on end. The next morning when I went to put them in the woodpile, the trailer was all wet from the wood. I couldn't lift the rounds when they were green, 20-22". After a year I was able to pick them right up and throw them on the splitter.

Matt


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## max2cam (Dec 5, 2007)

Al Smith said:


> What you have to remember is all wood has the same btu's by weight.Dry cotton wood is about like balsa.Doesn't weigh much so doesn't put out the heat by volume. It all burns though.
> 
> The best btu's are the cheapest,burn what you have....



Wise words. I usually get half way through January burning what others might reject as unworthy: jackpine, aspen, balsam fir, but it all grows right outside my backdoor!


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## mga (Dec 5, 2007)

max2cam said:


> Wise words. I usually get half way through January burning what others might reject as unworthy: jackpine, aspen, balsam fir, but it all grows right outside my backdoor!



i picked up about two cords of some red-ish pine from a builder. i gotta say, the stuff burns nice and hot and i'm burning pine and willow for now before i get into my regular stash of hardwoods. so far, i have no need of turning the heat on.

usually the people who have said not to burn pine are the ones who wanted to sell (supposed) hardwoods for a ridiculous price. i'll be sure to sweep the chimney in the spring tho.

the willow seems to burn OK, but after a while it seems to just glow and not burn. i probably won't be burning that any more since it doesn't seem to put out the heat like other woods.


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## Al Smith (Dec 5, 2007)

Pine is not a local variety,just yard trees.I've burned just about everything else that grows locally at one time or another.Even weeping willow which is about like dry cotton wood,you need more of it.Just burn it during the waking hours and load the stove up with better wood for the over nighter.

I'll tell you a lot of free heat goes to the landfill ,which is a waste in my opinion.If a person doesn't have access to firewood more than likely there is a tree service that would be tickled to death to provide you with as much as you can stand of cottonwood,tulip poplar,willow and what not just to get rid of it.I personally wouldn't give them a dime for it,maybe a cold one or two though.


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## StihltheOne (Dec 5, 2007)

WE have tons of this wood around. I seem to be a magnet for it as well. I have one of the bigggest saws in the area, ms660. I have about 4 trees that are in the 60" + range to play with, it is kinda a kick in the backside for me, I enjoy ripping the logs into reasonable sizes. Noodles are cool!! I have had the chance to play with different chains and filing angles too, it still amazes me haw much difference a chain can make in the cut.


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