# Burning cottonwood...?



## thombat4 (Aug 21, 2009)

A tree guy told me that cottonwood is one of the worst smelling woods when burned... Is that the general consensus or should I not be too concerned about the odor? Can't say I've ever had the displeasure of burning any to know for sure.

Thanks


----------



## Wood Scrounge (Aug 21, 2009)

I burnt some that had been drying for 18 months last year, burns like poplar, I did not notice the smell any more then poplar. It does not burn very hot and leaves a lot of ash though.


----------



## Rookie1 (Aug 21, 2009)

Ive burnt some and dont remember a bad odor. I do remember the fast burning of it though. It works good to get a dying fire going again.


----------



## woodbooga (Aug 21, 2009)

I agreee with scrounge and rookie. 

The stuff stinks bad when fresh split. And mind you, the odor of fresh-split red oak is like an ambrosia to me.

I've changed a few baby diapers that reminded me of fresh-split cottonwood.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 21, 2009)

I deliver it unsplit and I just packed a truckload of it. Looks something like this:





When it comes time to burn, I prefer other hardwoods. However, cottonwood will get that stove hot faster than just about any firewood that there is. Just mix it with some good stuff (ash, oak, etc.).

It's also great for campfires.


----------



## R Walter (Aug 21, 2009)

Cottonwood does burn fast and doesn't produce as much heat as some other firewoods. Also, it's a beast to split even when dried out pretty well.


----------



## Highbeam (Aug 21, 2009)

I've burned many cords of cottonwood. The only time it stinks is when you try and burn it green. Cottonwood holds a huge amount of water and must be dry to burn well. Once dry I find it performs almost as well as our other northwest softwoods in a modern EPA stove.


----------



## ray benson (Aug 21, 2009)

It's better than not having wood or running out.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 21, 2009)

R Walter said:


> Cottonwood does burn fast and doesn't produce as much heat as some other firewoods. Also, it's a beast to split even when dried out pretty well.


Surprisingly, cottonwood produces almost as much heat per lb as any wood that there is. The problem is, you need big logs becuase the density of cottonwood is small--lots of internal air within. Many stoves haven't the interior volume to hold the logs because you need big cottonwood logs to crank out the heat.

Basswood (linden) and willow are in the same league. The big barrel stoves love cottonwood and crank out enormous heat with it:




The barrel stove on the right is used to burn cottonwood. The one on the left burns premium hardwood. The owner says the barrel stove is his bread and butter in January.


----------



## MNGuns (Aug 21, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> Surprisingly, cottonwood produces almost as much heat per lb as any wood that there is. The problem is, you need big logs becuase the density of cottonwood is small--lots of internal air within. Many stoves haven't the interior volume to hold the logs because you need big cottonwood logs to crank out the heat.
> 
> Basswood (linden) and willow are in the same league. The big barrel stoves love cottonwood and crank out enormous heat with it:
> 
> ...




The stove pipe on the double barrel is kind of scary....


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 22, 2009)

MNGuns said:


> The stove pipe on the double barrel is kind of scary....


I told the owner that same thing last year after I took the Pic. He replaced it and reflashed the roof above.


----------



## xtm (Aug 22, 2009)

I've burned a lot of it. In my experience, seasoned, dry cottonwood doesn't have an odor when burning in a stove.

I have noticed that thick cottonwood bark can give off a musty odor when burned - but only if it is wet. I don't normally try to burn wet firewood. Besides, the bark usually sloughs off cottonwood once it becomes cured and dry.

xtm


----------



## mowoodchopper (Aug 22, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> Surprisingly, cottonwood produces almost as much heat per lb as any wood that there is. The problem is, you need big logs becuase the density of cottonwood is small--lots of internal air within. Many stoves haven't the interior volume to hold the logs because you need big cottonwood logs to crank out the heat.
> 
> Basswood (linden) and willow are in the same league. The big barrel stoves love cottonwood and crank out enormous heat with it:
> 
> ...



 Glad to see a ???? answered by some people with real knowledge of burning cotton wood, not just the the usual ones who heard from a brother!
There is not a D**** thing wrong with cottonwood! You burn it dead and dry 
not green and the smell is fine. Its splits fine when dry. It will heat your house just fine and as stated it will get hotter than H***! It will burn faster than elm or ash. It does not leave a huge amount of ash in your stove. I cut alot of it burn it and sell it. I dont have a huge stove mine is about the same as the small stove in the pic, if I fill it and go to bed , as long as I get up before 7 itll have plenty of coals left, sometimes I get up and stoke once in the night that works best. My father in law who I cut his wood actually prefers cottonwood it burns good and is not to heavy. 

The main thing about cottonwood is if you want a load of wood fast and alot of it , its the best their is and the easiest to cut, not much small limbs and what their is explode when it hits the ground if its dead. You may not believe this but I can easily cut a large pickup load of cottonwood and load it in an hour with my son helping load.


----------



## bgiles117 (Aug 22, 2009)

R Walter said:


> Cottonwood does burn fast and doesn't produce as much heat as some other firewoods. Also, it's a beast to split even when dried out pretty well.



Must've been some crazy cottonwood. My last load of cottonwood split so easily with the Fiskars SSA we made a splitting competition out of it.


----------



## chainsawaddict (Aug 23, 2009)

I burn cottonwood now and then, mostly when I help a friend cut one up out of a yard. It burns hot, and is good for a first fire. It smells different, but it serves a good purpose for me.


----------



## jerryw66 (Aug 23, 2009)

In SD we have a lot of cottonwood, and not much good firewood, some ash, oak and whatnot. I know a few guys who burn a lot of cottonwood. They like it and one old timer said " if you burn some well cured cottonwood every now and then, you'll never have a chimney fire." Well, I've burned some and it does burn hot and quick, maybe cleaning out any excess creosote or something in the chimney. I prefer it over most elms and it doesn't smell as bad as elm.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 23, 2009)

jerryw66 said:


> In SD we have a lot of cottonwood, and not much good firewood, some ash, oak and whatnot. I know a few guys who burn a lot of cottonwood. They like it and one old timer said " if you burn some well cured cottonwood every now and then, you'll never have a chimney fire." Well, I've burned some and it does burn hot and quick, maybe cleaning out any excess creosote or something in the chimney. I prefer it over most elms and it doesn't smell as bad as elm.


Just delivered my second cab-high truckload (unsplit) this week to the same customer. That makes 1.5 cords in 4 days. He said he would like about five more loads to ensure a warm winter.

I guess cottonwood burns with cold heat.


----------



## mowoodchopper (Aug 23, 2009)

jerryw66 said:


> In SD we have a lot of cottonwood, and not much good firewood, some ash, oak and whatnot. I know a few guys who burn a lot of cottonwood. They like it and one old timer said " if you burn some well cured cottonwood every now and then, you'll never have a chimney fire." Well, I've burned some and it does burn hot and quick, maybe cleaning out any excess creosote or something in the chimney. I prefer it over most elms and it doesn't smell as bad as elm.



I agree! You hear alot of cottonwood bashing about the smell but dead dry cottonwood dosent have a lot of smell to me! The elm is worse but I like it too!


----------



## BarkBuster20 (Aug 23, 2009)

around here there is vast amounts of alder and fir. so i dont bother with cottonwood, as red alder is probably the easiest and cleanest wood to cut,split,and stack. burns pretty good too. it seasons pretty quick as well. fir is my $ wood though.


----------



## goof008 (Aug 24, 2009)

I think cottonwood burns fine when dry. But it smells pretty bad when cutting/splitting it. It does hold a lot of water, so it has to be well seasoned, but if you let it go too long, it burns too quickly w/o a lot of heat.

Any wood is better than not wood!


----------



## StihltheOne (Aug 24, 2009)

I have been watching this thread and shaking my head, mostly in agreement. Those who burn cottonwood are in the same boat as myself. We absolutly do not have the hardwoods that most do. Around here you can drive for 20 or more miles and never see a tree, axcept around the river or dry creeks. So with that said, you better believe that we burn tons of cottonwood, as they are plentiful near farms and by the river. To us a "score" is a standing white cottonwood!! We just got the ok to go get four of these lovely giants out of a field, one is down and the other three are standing!!! Drool drool!! My 660 finally has a date!! With cottonwood, you just have to learn about it as you burn it, it is a bit ash heavy, not bad to split once you figure out how to split it, split it with the growth rings and just keep flaking off pieces. Do not bother with the nasty knots, just saw them (rip), it is not worth the fight.
Many of the cottonwoods here are just giants, 5 to 7 feet dbh, although they are only about 100-125 years old. I have a 6 foot dbh that is still alive waiting for out rendevous also, the bottom is burned out and it had a tree house in it at one time, lots o nails, but it will still be worth it.


----------



## olyman (Aug 24, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> I deliver it unsplit and I just packed a truckload of it. Looks something like this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



thems some pretty high tech sideboards on that ranger--


----------



## thombat4 (Aug 24, 2009)

*Thanks for the replies...!*

As usual this forum is a wealth of knowledge.




woodbooga said:


> The stuff stinks bad when fresh split. And mind you, the odor of fresh-split red oak is like an ambrosia to me.
> 
> I've changed a few baby diapers that reminded me of fresh-split cottonwood.



The baby diapers line was pretty funny:hmm3grin2orange:. I'm finally starting to appreciate the aroma of fresh-split red oak myself! I remember the first time I split some red oak I had to look around and make sure there wasn't a dead critter somewhere nearby...!


----------



## bgiles117 (Aug 24, 2009)

thombat4 said:


> I remember the first time I split some red oak I had to look around and make sure there wasn't a dead critter somewhere nearby...!



Not me. LOL.


----------



## thombat4 (Aug 24, 2009)

bgiles117 said:


> Not me. LOL.



Btw what wood do you burn in Las Vegas? Always pictured Vegas as being hot and dry...just curious.


----------



## Highbeam (Aug 24, 2009)

I don't know about the stoves you guys are using but if something is burning hot and fast in my stove and I want it to burn cool and slow I turn the intake air down. The cottonwood burns just fine dampered down and doesn't seem to leave any depsosits on the stove glass. 

Are you guys using stoves without air controls? 

Again, I've burned lots of dry cottonwood. It's a fine wood. You don't need a large firebox either. You just need to know that you are going to burn X number of lbs of wood today to stay warm and if that number of lbs is lightweight then you will need a whole pile. If that number of lbs is a denser wood then you need a smaller pile. You will need to load more often for a given heat setting when using cottonwood than when using densewood. 

The lightest cottonwood is only a bit lighter than normal wood. I suppose the more people out there that think it is a terrible wood only means that the market will be softer on the cottonwood and I can get it for free!

Here's 6 cords of cottonwood with a touch of spruce thrown in. It kept me nice and warm.


----------



## thombat4 (Aug 24, 2009)

Highbeam said:


> I don't know about the stoves you guys are using but if something is burning hot and fast in my stove and I want it to burn cool and slow I turn the intake air down. The cottonwood burns just fine dampered down and doesn't seem to leave any depsosits on the stove glass.
> 
> Are you guys using stoves without air controls?
> 
> ...




Haven't burned any cottonwood myself but I definitely try to control my burns on whatever type wood I'm burning.

Very nice looking stack of wood btw...wouldn't mind trying it out in my insert


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 24, 2009)

HighBeam said, "Here's 6 cords of cottonwood with a touch of spruce thrown in. It kept me nice and warm."
--------------
I'm behind, but I will try to catch up this Thursday. Customer wants another five loads ASAP. It takes about 2 tanks of fuel in my Echo to cut a load of wood to exact length. He wants 18" to 20".

Then I have to load it and pack it tight, haul it 40 miles, and unload it next to his logsplitter. He says he will take it from there. Darn, I wish his wife was not such a good cook and his beer so cold.


----------



## carvinmark (Aug 25, 2009)

I have a few Cotton wood chunks about 10' long and 4' across. I was going to use them for carving but they crack WAY to bad so I guess I will turn them into heat. I will mix them with oak and maple. Hope the ash isn't too much.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 25, 2009)

carvinmark said:


> I have a few Cotton wood chunks about 10' long and 4' across. I was going to use them for carving but they crack WAY to bad so I guess I will turn them into heat. I will mix them with oak and maple. Hope the ash isn't too much.


Cottonwood ash is anything but a problem. It burns to a fine powder with no leftover chunks. One thing I sometimes do is throw a cottonwood log into a fire that seems to be struggling. 

It's like giving the stove a shot of adrenaline.:greenchainsaw:


----------



## Gypo Logger (Aug 25, 2009)

Some may be confusing Cottonwood with Black Poplar, also known a Bam or Balm of Gilead. Cottonwood burns ok when dry but Black Poplar is on the bottom of the list. White Poplar is also good although better than Cottonwood.
Gypo


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 25, 2009)

*Read About the Species*

*http://www.gpnc.org/cottonwood.htm*

This tree lives to be very old. By comparison, some poplars that are confused with them last about 25 to 30 years. The true eastern cottonwood can become enormous and will dwarf a poplar tree. It is characterized by small leaves. Most cottonless poplar hybrids have leaves the size of dinner plates and are undesirable trees by comparison.

Champion cottonwoods are huge and while they grow, they are almost disease free. Even fungi avoid them. Seldom do they die until they reach maturity. I have seen mature specimens over 9 feet in diameter with the first branch over 30 feet from the ground.


----------



## mowoodchopper (Aug 25, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> *http://www.gpnc.org/cottonwood.htm*
> 
> This tree lives to be very old. By comparison, some poplars that are confused with them last about 25 to 30 years. The true eastern cottonwood can become enormous and will dwarf a poplar tree. It is characterized by small leaves. Most cottonless poplar hybrids have leaves the size of dinner plates and are undesirable trees by comparison.
> 
> Champion cottonwoods are huge and while they grow, they are almost disease free. Even fungi avoid them. Seldom do they die until they reach maturity. I have seen mature specimens over 9 feet in diameter with the first branch over 30 feet from the ground.



:agree2: Tell it like it is Doc!


----------



## jerryw66 (Aug 25, 2009)

Some very good descriptions of cottonwood trees here. None the less, it is certainly not one of the most desirable woods for heating a home. I've burned plenty and enjoy the heat, but look for harder more dense wood to burn. If you have to burn it, it's not bad smelling, but it is hard to split, and must be cured well.


----------



## MJR (Aug 26, 2009)

The best part of cottenwood is the big boom it makes hitting the ground.


----------



## sbhooper (Aug 26, 2009)

What the wood smells like is irrelevant to me as I have a furnace. If it is wood and available, it goes in the furnace. Cottonwood definitely smells bad green, but I haven't noticed any smell after it dries. If it is bad, then I am in a bit of a pickle as I have several cords of it split to burn this winter. 

Hey Mowoodchopper. If you would put some Amsoil in that saw you could cut that cottonwood faster.:greenchainsaw:


----------



## woodbine (Aug 26, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> Surprisingly, cottonwood produces almost as much heat per lb as any wood that there is. The problem is, you need big logs becuase the density of cottonwood is small--lots of internal air within. Many stoves haven't the interior volume to hold the logs because you need big cottonwood logs to crank out the heat.
> 
> Basswood (linden) and willow are in the same league. The big barrel stoves love cottonwood and crank out enormous heat with it:
> 
> ...



I have never seen this barrel stove setup before . Are these standard 45 gal drums? How long do they last? Is the second barrel simply to extract heat from the flue gasses - a kind of expansion chamber that slows down the flow?
Can anyone explain?


----------



## xtm (Aug 26, 2009)

Barrel kits for all sizes of drums are available inexpensively. Scroll down:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/category/free-standing-stoves.asp

It's probably the most inexpensive way to heat with wood indoors. Many cabins and camp houses have been outfitted with this type of rig. The upper barrel flue is offset from the lower barrel flue. This slows down the escaping gasses enough to cause the upper barrel to radiate a lot of heat. They are probably on the low end of the efficiency scale - my limited experience with one was that it used up a load of wood fairly fast. Put out a lot of heat, though!

I've seen the kits for sale at the local big box hardware/home improvement warehouses in the fall.

xtm


----------



## woodbine (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks xtm, wasn't sure if it was a commercial design or home made, thanks for the link. Doesn't look the kind of thing most wives would want in their living room !


----------



## xtm (Aug 26, 2009)

Right you are!

I recall Mrs. xtm commenting that the one we were using in a winter ski cabin looked like a steam locomotive - not really endorsed by Martha Stewart Designs....

xtm


----------



## woodbooga (Aug 26, 2009)

xtm said:


> Right you are!
> 
> I recall Mrs. xtm commenting that the one we were using in a winter ski cabin looked like a steam locomotive - not really endorsed by Martha Stewart Designs....
> 
> xtm



That's funny. It does remind me a little bit of the engine that ran up the cog railway on Mt. Washington, the highest point in the Northeast.

They called this little engine that could "Old Peppersass" because of its resemblance to the pepper sauce bottles that were around in the years after the Civil War,


----------



## Kansas (Aug 26, 2009)

thombat4 said:


> A tree guy told me that cottonwood is one of the worst smelling woods when burned... Is that the general consensus or should I not be too concerned about the odor? Can't say I've ever had the displeasure of burning any to know for sure.
> 
> Thanks



I used to burn a lot of it and always thought it smelled like pipe tobacco but thats me? 

Maybe it had to do with the fact the only wood I would use was standing dead with no bark and usually 24"-36" avg and up in diameter all the sap was gone or something?


Kansas


----------



## thombat4 (Aug 26, 2009)

*Wealth of info here...thanks!*

Wow I never expected so many replies to this thread! I'm glad I posted the question now because I've finally learned what the massive tree in my backyard is. Apparently I'm the proud owner of a huge male eastern cottonwood! None of the annoying cottony seeds of the female trees although the males do create a mess in early spring with the flowers it produces. I like the fact that I can collect a bunch of the twigs and set them aside in the spring and come summertime they really flare up an outdoor fire in the fire pit, especially if there's a few dry leaves still attached. The tree guy pointed out that it was the biggest cottonwood he'd ever seen. I was a little skeptical of his identification of it but you all helped to confirm it! I'll see if I can get a trunk measurement and a pic posted!

bryan


----------



## danrclem (Aug 26, 2009)

woodbooga said:


> That's funny. It does remind me a little bit of the engine that ran up the cog railway on Mt. Washington, the highest point in the Northeast.
> 
> They called this little engine that could "Old Peppersass" because of its resemblance to the pepper sauce bottles that were around in the years after the Civil War,



How old is "Old Peppersass" and is it still running?

I rode this cog train to the top of Pikes Peak quite a few years ago. I wanted to drive up but my wife would have none of that.


----------



## woodbooga (Aug 26, 2009)

danrclem said:


> How old is "Old Peppersass" and is it still running?
> 
> I rode this cog train to the top of Pikes Peak quite a few years ago. I wanted to drive up but my wife would have none of that.




Circa 1870s. No longer takes folks to the sumit. She's still there at base camp, if I recall.

The one up Pat's Peak uses the same principle ideveloped by NH inventor Sylvester Marsh. Cool story quoted below.

I love the anecdote about his petitioning the state legislature for permission. Building a RR to the 6400' summit at the time seemed so far fetched, they granted him a charter to build a railroad "to the moon."

Very impressive was the so-called Frankenstein Trestle. Shown here on a 19th c. stereoview card (kind of our ancestors' equivalent of the Viewmasters we had when we were kids)







Since we're off on a tangent, here's another nugget of history. The red sign says it all:















> The Mount Washington Cog Railway
> …an engineering marvel for almost
> 140 years
> 
> ...



Oh, to get this back on topic - I'm sure that some cottonwoods had to have been cut down fo build the RR. Some might have wound up as firewood. :greenchainsaw:


----------



## mowoodchopper (Aug 26, 2009)

sbhooper said:


> What the wood smells like is irrelevant to me as I have a furnace. If it is wood and available, it goes in the furnace. Cottonwood definitely smells bad green, but I haven't noticed any smell after it dries. If it is bad, then I am in a bit of a pickle as I have several cords of it split to burn this winter.
> 
> Hey Mowoodchopper. If you would put some Amsoil in that saw you could cut that cottonwood faster.:greenchainsaw:



 Ok ,when you send me a bottle Ill try It!!


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 26, 2009)

WoodBooga said, "I'm sure that some cottonwoods had to have been cut down fo build the RR. Some might have wound up as firewood."
-----------------
Understatement of the year. However, road construction has probably chopped down ten times as many. Most were thrown into bon fires with dozens of other species and burned. They never heated very many houses or buildings--another example of our nation's all-out attempt to waste as much usable and replenishable energy as possible.


----------



## xtm (Aug 26, 2009)

Cottonwood built the railroads across the Great Plains, too. It was the most plentiful wood on those long, wide open stretches, so the initial cross-ties were hewn out of it and the boilers were fired with it.

Later, after the routes were completed and in use, the old cottonwood ties were pulled out and replaced with more suitable and longer-lasting wood from forests in the Rockies.

Years ago, when I was involved with mining, I found out that the brake shoes on all of our underground rail cars were fabricated in the wood shop - from billets of cottonwood! 

Cottonwood is certainly under-rated and under-appreciated by most folks. 

xtm


----------



## damifino (Aug 26, 2009)

Cottonwood is certainly under-rated and under-appreciated by most folks. 


If I could choose between oak and cottonwood, oak would be my first choice.
But if oak is not available then your dang right I will burn cottonwood.

Free wood is the best wood.

Eric


----------



## mimilkman1 (Aug 26, 2009)

The way I see it is "burn is burn" take what you can get.

Kyle


----------



## woodbooga (Aug 27, 2009)

Wood Doctor said:


> WoodBooga said, "I'm sure that some cottonwoods had to have been cut down fo build the RR. Some might have wound up as firewood."
> -----------------
> Understatement of the year. However, road construction has probably chopped down ten times as many. Most were thrown into bon fires with dozens of other species and burned. They never heated very many houses or buildings--another example of our nation's all-out attempt to waste as much usable and replenishable energy as possible.



Yup. I was careful is saying "some might have wound up as firewood."

At the time when the Cog Railway was being built, there was little population in that part of the Mt Washington Valley. And it would be some time before the so-called Timber Barons would build the logging railroads into that region.

With no easy way to access what got felled (tho not much to fell above tree level), I'm sure lots got tossed into burn pits. (Had to be careful with slash and deadfall; brake sparks have caused more than one forest fire in the White Mountains).

The optimist in me likes to think that some of what was felled was burnt to produce steam power in ole peppersass.


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 27, 2009)

woodbooga said:


> Yup. I was careful is saying "some might have wound up as firewood."
> 
> At the time when the Cog Railway was being built, there was little population in that part of the Mt Washington Valley. And it would be some time before the so-called Timber Barons would build the logging railroads into that region.
> 
> ...


If I were to show you all the cottonwood trees (and thousands of others) that were cut or bulldozed down, thrown into a woodpile, and burned in bon fires while roads were being widened in Nebraska alone from 1998 to 2008, it would make you sick. Now multiply that by all the rest of the states that widened 2-lane roads ro 4 lanes during the same period.

Practically none of that wood did anything but heat the atmosphere. Very few, if any, commercial firewood dealers or hardwood sawmills were even contacted for salvage. In short, no effort was made by the government or the construction contractors to harvest anything.

To my knowledge, it's still going on--business as usual.


----------



## Kansas (Aug 27, 2009)

Yeah the gubermint would have to spend a few billion on researching the merrits of letting a sub-contractor deal with the wood. 

Kansas


----------



## olyman (Aug 27, 2009)

Kansas said:


> Yeah the gubermint would have to spend a few billion on researching the merrits of letting a sub-contractor deal with the wood.
> 
> Kansas



more likely--they would have to have survey after survey to see if theres a important mite or two in those trees. i/e peta,alf,friends of animals,etc---then things would get really costly--- between the leftists and the goobers--what a crock--


----------



## woodbooga (Aug 27, 2009)

olyman said:


> more likely--they would have to have survey after survey to see if theres a important mite or two in those trees. i/e peta,*alf*,friends of animals,etc---then things would get really costly--- between the leftists and the goobers--what a crock--



Why would a firewooder need to consult this guy?


----------



## olyman (Aug 27, 2009)

woodbooga said:


> Why would a firewooder need to consult this guy?



turkey--animal liberation front---the ones that free animals that have been in captivity all their life, such as farm raised mink---


----------



## turnkey4099 (Aug 27, 2009)

xtm said:


> Cottonwood built the railroads across the Great Plains, too. It was the most plentiful wood on those long, wide open stretches, so the initial cross-ties were hewn out of it and the boilers were fired with it.
> 
> Later, after the routes were completed and in use, the old cottonwood ties were pulled out and replaced with more suitable and longer-lasting wood from forests in the Rockies.
> 
> ...



Another use was flooring in barns. An ex-cowhand from Montana told me the interlocking grain was especially good for flooring. Surprised me as I would think it would rot out in short order.

Harry K


----------



## cowtipper (Aug 27, 2009)

I sure hope its somewhat good to burn I just stacked 12 cords... and have 4 stack and split... but it was all free..


----------



## xtm (Aug 27, 2009)

Right you are, Harry.

Cottonwood was even used for building houses - not just for flooring - around here in the 19th century. We have a string of old military outposts in north Texas that used a lot of cottonwood for their housing, hospitals, and morgues. The siding is even cottonwood! They were built ~1870 and several of these buildings are still standing. The hospital and BOQ at Ft. Richardson were built during the Indian Wars and were used off-and-on until the 1940s when they was set aside for use as a Texas State Park. 

I wondered about the rot too. The park rangers told me that all the wood buildings were set on stone foundations, above the ground - so rot has never been a problem. My cottonwood firewood starts to get punky in a couple of years if it's stored on the ground in a damp area - but no problem if it's elevated. 

xtm


----------



## bgiles117 (Aug 27, 2009)

Just burned some cottonwood yesterday. Smelled fine. Burned clean.

XTM Love your sig. How bout this one. Save a Pixel stop reading Liberal TRASH online


----------



## Wood Doctor (Aug 27, 2009)

xtm said:


> Right you are, Harry.
> 
> Cottonwood was even used for building houses - not just for flooring - around here in the 19th century. We have a string of old military outposts in north Texas that used a lot of cottonwood for their housing, hospitals, and morgues. The siding is even cottonwood! They were built ~1870 and several of these buildings are still standing. The hospital and BOQ at Ft. Richardson were built during the Indian Wars and were used off-and-on until the 1940s when they was set aside for use as a Texas State Park.
> 
> ...


Soft maple will dry rot twice as fast as cottonwood. Given the option of delivering soft maple for firewood, I always recommend cottonwood. In two years, soft maple rounds (such as silver maple) becomes so punky that they fall apart when you split them--even when stored off the ground.

I have never seen a cottonwod tree hollow out at the center as fast as a soft maple does. It also seems like the carpenter ants love soft maple and tend to avoid cottonwood. Not sure why. Perhaps the Forum could explain that one to me.


----------



## StihltheOne (Aug 27, 2009)

I just scored me another big one that bleew down a couple of weeks ago. I have not seen it yet, but it is apparently about 40" and about 40 feet long. Someone cut the small stuff and ran out of saw. Oh 660, I have a freind that I would like you to meet!!


----------

