# madrone firewood



## cowtipper (Aug 12, 2011)

Hello all,

I have a chance to pick up some madrone this weekend and looking for feed back how it burns and how long does it take to dry.


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## Gologit (Aug 12, 2011)

It burns great once it's dry. Very hot, so you might want to use small chunks until you're used to it. I'll take all the madrone I can get my hands on.

If I cut green madone in the early spring it's usually dry enough to burn by winter...in my part of the world anyway.

If it needs splitting try to do it when it's green. When it's dry it tends to shatter. If you're cutting it dry...take extra chains and files.


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## slowp (Aug 12, 2011)

Bestest firewood there is. 

My experience was with a year old snag. This is what I had to do to split it (after the neighbor guy said, here, let me show you how, then after he was unable to do so...) I put it under a sprinkler overnight. Yes, that is what I did. I was living in the HOT part of N. Collyfonia, up near Oregon, so I knew it had time to dry out again. I could split it after one night of sprinkler treatment.


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## Hedgerow (Aug 12, 2011)

cowtipper said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I have a chance to pick up some madrone this weekend and looking for feed back how it burns and how long does it take to dry.


 
Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) The BTU equivalent of Beech, Honey Locust, or bitternut Hickory... I always wondered what the stuff was and it's burn characteristics. Sounds like its about the best there is in the PNW.
SLOWP...??? Other than it's hard, what are it's characteristics? Long burn time w/medium heat like oak? Or medium burn time with excessive heat like Hackberry?


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## slowp (Aug 13, 2011)

Hedgerow said:


> Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) The BTU equivalent of Beech, Honey Locust, or bitternut Hickory... I always wondered what the stuff was and it's burn characteristics. Sounds like its about the best there is in the PNW.
> SLOWP...??? Other than it's hard, what are it's characteristics? Long burn time w/medium heat like oak? Or medium burn time with excessive heat like Hackberry?



You must realize that I, like a lot of folks out this way, burn conifers like Douglas-fir. Madrone burns as long but puts out more heat. It is a dense, heavy wood. It is the most desired firewood where it grows. It is not a commonly found wood in the part of Warshington where I now live. There are only a few here. In fact, I only know of one place. There are more around Tacoma, in a milder climate.


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## lon (Aug 13, 2011)

Madrone is my favorite wood. Wood dries differently in different areas. In southern Oregon, I cut my madrone in January and February and by October it is ready to burn. Placed an order for a log truck load yesterday. Need to get it at my cut area before it rains. Dry madrone makes for a hot fire. Ash is not bad. Cut and split when wet. Think you will like it.


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## trailmaker (Aug 14, 2011)

Madrone is great firewood. It dries quickly as others have said, and it splits easily. The bark is thin and paper like so it's easy to get most of it off out in the field meaning less mess in the house.
Pacific Madrone Firewood


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## myzamboni (Aug 14, 2011)

On the rare occasions that I have madrone, I mix it with other woods. A full load of madrone is similar to a full load of hedge (at least from the descriptions I have read since we do not have hedge out here)


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## Iron Head (Aug 15, 2011)

slowp said:


> You must realize that I, like a lot of folks out this way, burn conifers like Douglas-fir. Madrone burns as long but puts out more heat. It is a dense, heavy wood. It is the most desired firewood where it grows. It is not a commonly found wood in the part of Warshington where I now live. There are only a few here. In fact, I only know of one place. There are more around Tacoma, in a milder climate.


 
They only exist within 100 miles of salt water. Hope that answers your curiosity.
Very abundant throughout the Puget Sound.


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