The most underrated firewood.

[Marine5068]

SR

I think Osage Orange is right up close to Hickory too Rob.
It's good stuff, although I haven't seen much around me here, even though we have a lot of good hardwoods to burn.

 

[Marine5068]

This is a good chart and more accurate IMO than the one chimneysweep used to show. A bit surprised to see hickory over hornbeam but they did the test, not me. I wonder where rock elm ranks.

Yes I was wondering about Rock Elm too.
It was very high near the top in a chart I have.
Like second from top after Osage.

 

[Marine5068]

Beat me to it. I've got it all over my property and I'm trying to cut them all down for firewood before they fall down on something. Grows like a bad weed is right-their root structure sucks. This big SOB just toppled over one day-no wind at all, just from the ground being saturated. Nearly took out my barn and my saw shop:

I like Locust, but don't see it much near me.

 

[Marine5068]

I feel that way also when I am burning straight hedge { osage orange}

Hedge (Osage Orange) is great, high rated firewood, if you can get it.
Right at the top of the BTU charts.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

Hedge (Osage Orange) is great, high rated firewood, if you can get it.
Right at the top of the BTU charts.

i had a big old dead one in the woods behind my house. Absolutely had to be a cold night to burn it or it would heat you right out of the house.

 

[Marine5068]

i had a big old dead one in the woods behind my house. Absolutely had to be a cold night to burn it or it would heat you right out of the house.

True, true...
It does burn hotter than Hell.
Most have to mix it in with lesser wood, a little at a time.
I have only seen it twice around me, as far as firewood sales go.
Two years back I bought 4 cords of straight Hop Hornbeam (Ironwood) from a farmer that had over 100 cords of the stuff.
He wanted $250/cord, cut split and delivered (Not bad around here).
He said he cleared some land and it was all over the place.
I did pay a bit more for it, but there were some huge tree splits like regular sized Maples or something.
It was so dry but yet still so heavy to handle.
It was great firewood.

 

[Huskybill]

Paper birch. It doesn't last long, but it really cranks out some btu's.

If you were out and the house is cold the paper birch will heat the house up very fast. I separate my different btu hardwoods to the outside temps. Zero weather, red and white oaks, hickory. Well above zero, maples, birch, ash woods mix them up.

Don’t pass up that barkless pink colored red oak punk wood when it’s still rock hard. Big red hot long lasting coals.

I coppice the stumps so the root system will send up new trees for future firewood. I’ve gone back and seen my work growing new trees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppicing

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

I was going to suggest apple as an under rated firewood and that is another chart that seems to show it. It's higher than oak anyway. We typically think of apple for smoking and it usually doesn't come in large quantities, but seems it should be pretty good. Can tell when you pick up a chunk that it is a pretty dense wood.

Apple often twists as it grows, almost like a corkscrew, which makes splitting fun.

 

[svk]

Apple often twists as it grows, almost like a corkscrew, which makes splitting fun.

Jackpine too. Especially if it’s growing along a lakeshore or field edge.

 

[rancher2]

Osage Orange is another prize firewood and I wouldn't have it on the list of underrated, more like high up as prime wood.

I was just saying that tongue and cheek. I have a 160 acre pasture, farm that had row and row of hedge planted in the 30's by the WPA guys and none were ever cut until I bought the farm 30 plus years ago. So when you are normally burning hedge. Wood like mulberry, locust and other hard wood is under rated. I can tell you I really get sick of messing with hedge brushing it out is nasty. It does make great firewood for my Garn.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Apple often twists as it grows, almost like a corkscrew, which makes splitting fun.

Just split up a bunch today for fire pit cooking and yes it is some twisty stuff:

 

[Goinwheelin]

Tree of heaven and Chinese piss elm

 

[lone wolf]

Well hell, I will add Pine because people are afraid to burn it due to they think it will cause a Chimney fire. Let it dry out.

 

[Goinwheelin]

I was going to suggest apple as an under rated firewood and that is another chart that seems to show it. It's higher than oak anyway. We typically think of apple for smoking and it usually doesn't come in large quantities, but seems it should be pretty good. Can tell when you pick up a chunk that it is a pretty dense wood.

Tons of it here in central wa. Can usually get an bin full for $70 or $100 for a truckload. I burn it and cherry quite often and of course the smoking and bbq

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Well hell, I will add Pine because people are afraid to burn it due to they think it will cause a Chimney fire. Let it dry out.

I burn tonnes of softwood and never had a chimney fire.

 

[lone wolf]

I burn tonnes of softwood and never had a chimney fire.

They wont go near it here. Maybe some old Russians.

 

[LondonNeil]

just don't forget the charts are an average, every tree grows different- soil, weather, location all have a big affect. robinia pseudo acacia (black locust) is very unexciting here. Apple is the closest to coal I've ever burnt

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Not far from here, a guys sells firewood, ALL apple, and he has HUGE dump truck load piles of it for sale...

SR

 

[Multifaceted]

Tree of heaven and Chinese piss elm

Ailanthus altissima

I was about to say the same thing! Catches fast, burns hot and lasts a good bit. Not long like real hardwoods, but good enough. I hate the damn tree, but I'd rather season and burn the straight grains stuff than haul it off. Smells awful, though, as I'm sure you know. I find that if you remove the bark and let season, the smell goes away after a few months. Splits real easy and makes for excellent kindling, especially when dry. No distinct smell to the smoke either. We've just about eradicated from our property, so I don't plan to burn anymore of it anytime soon, but it wasn't so bad while it lasted.

 

[Ronaldo]

Well hell, I will add Pine because people are afraid to burn it due to they think it will cause a Chimney fire. Let it dry out.

I lived in eastern Wyoming for a while and about all I had to burn was Ponderosa Pine. Let it dry and I had zero issues with excess creosote. It heated the house just fine, too.

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