American Elm??

[AIM]

Funny thing in my parts is that if the bark falls off it lasts better before getting punky. Trees with bark that is still hanging on I suspect holds moisture better therefore goes bad quicker.
By the way. (elm is NOT a hardwood)
I love the stuff. Cut it down and take it home and burn it. Very hot burning wood and I have mountains of it around here.

 

[AIM]

Yup.. any tree that loses its leaves in the winter is technically considered a hardwood. Now I am just an old yankee, but if you are going to try and pay your mortgage with split elm, I wish you the best of luck!!

So the silver maple in my yard is a HARDWOOD. Just looked out the window and all the leaves are gone.

Forgive my spelling here but any tree that loses it's leaves in the winter is considered "desiduous".

 

[outdoorlivin247]

(elm is NOT a hardwood)

Since when ...

 

[slinger]

hard wood vs. hardwood?opcorn:

 

[outdoorlivin247]

So the silver maple in my yard is a HARDWOOD. Just looked out the window and all the leaves are gone.

Forgive my spelling here but any tree that loses it's leaves in the winter is considered "desiduous".

HARDWOOD - Trees with broad, flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees. Wood hardness varies among the hardwood species, and some are actually softer than some softwoods.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

Funny thing in my parts is that if the bark falls off it lasts better before getting punky. Trees with bark that is still hanging on I suspect holds moisture better therefore goes bad quicker.
By the way. (elm is NOT a hardwood)
I love the stuff. Cut it down and take it home and burn it. Very hot burning wood and I have mountains of it around here.

Try screwing a screw in it and then tell us it isnt a hard wood.

 

[Mike Van]

I vote hard too - We burned it for years, standing dead ones, some 3 ft dia. back in the early 70's. They used to use it for horsebarn floors, it lasted longer than oak from what I was told.

 

[AIM]

I was pretty sure of myself last night stating that elm is not a hardwood but after digging around a few websites this morning I can't seem to find anything to back my claim. So now I'm not sure what it technically is.

 

[bore_pig]

Take two pieces that are split and seasoned. Hit them together. To me, that "tink" sound means that it's hardwood. Or just go put some screw in steps for a tree stand in one. Have fun!

 

[Butch(OH)]

Well, ya'll got my curiosity up so I looked and found this site http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/maritimetrees/whiteelm

says they is hardwoods, at least up in CA they is, LOL.

 

[chainsawaddict]

Ive been burning quite a bit this winter, I was able to borrow my grandfathers hydraulic splitter, otherwise it can be rough. Last winter I heated with elm alone and split it by hand...

I found a lot of green ash this year, and that stuff splits so nice compared to the elm. Good stuff you can split faster by hand.

Ive really been comparing the two. The elm seems to leave a little more ash in the firebox, but coals up better and works better for overnight burns(more likely to have some coals in the AM). The ash starts a lot easier, seems to burn a little hotter, doesnt leave much ash, and smokes way less.

According to most BTU charts they are pretty close. The UNL one I saw on here the other day actually had siberian elm @ 21million compared to green ash @ 20 million. That chart also listed Green Ash as the standard and others were compared as a percent of the output of green ash. (some of the good hardwoods were well over 100%)

 

[woodbooga]

If elm is not a hardwood species, I don't know what is.

I maul split exclusively and have a hard time with any round much over 16" diameter. Elm rounds need to be "peeled," hacking off small chunks around the circumference before going for the kill down the center.

 

[savageactor7]

It's one of my fav woods to burn, very tough to split and it doesn't smell once it's seasoned...best done outside.

 

[outdoorlivin247]

Mushroom season is coming...Every time I see a dead Elm that pops in my head...

 

[FerrisDiesel]

Wow

I wasn't expecting all these replys to this thread,......thank you
So...It's a hardwood and I can sell it.....that was my question

 

[CentaurG2]

Sure you can sell it but it is a bear to split. The only way you can make any progress against it is with a one way hydraulic splitter. We either chip elm or just cut it into rounds and feed it to the wood furnace. Too much work for too little gain.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

My elm must be dryer than the rest of you guys. I have no trouble at all splitting it. Just make sure it's had the bark off for a couple of years (or more)

 

[Edmccabe]

American Elm

Like Woodbooga said - the trick to splitting Elm is to peel it. I considered the standing dead Elms around my property to be my springtime reserve for years - out in the snow in March every year cutting 4' lengths for the furnace. Great firewood!

 

[Edmccabe]

American Elm

Like Woodbooga said - the key to splitting Elm is to peel it. Back in the 70s I used standing dead elms on my property as my spring backup for years - typically out in the snow with Rupp & a sled in March cutting 4' lengths for the furnace and 12" splits for the Glenwood C. It is second to none when in the stove.

 

[FerrisDiesel]

I think my biggest question is.....will people give me a hard time for selling it....I have about 5 cords I could sell....I know people like the good stuff (Oak, maple and cherry) never have any problems selling that....I just think if they see elm they are gonna start questioning it ya know?