What Trees Are Good For Firewood, Selecting the appropriate type of wood for your fire can significantly impact the warmth you can get from the fire. Selecting wood with the right moisture content that burns effectively is crucial. To choose the right one, you must educate yourself on the characteristics of various trees.
Each tree species has its unique properties. These properties determine how the wood will burn and how long it will burn. Navigation through these various properties can seem overwhelming. However, by carefully reading this article, you’ll learn to choose the best trees for firewood.
Are All Trees Used For Firewood, And What Are The Burning Tips?
Can You Use All Trees For Firewood?
You can use many types of trees to make a fire. However, not all trees make good firewood. Good firewood should pack fuel, burn hot, and last long. Generally, hardwoods like hickory, oak, or ash have higher BTU (British Thermal Unit) and make better firewoods than softwood like pine or fir.
Also, some woods produce too many sparks and are unsuitable for indoor use. Some woods contain too much resin and tree sap, making them pop and spark excessively. Trees like red cedar and poplar are good examples. The sparks these trees produce can burn people and lead to fire outbreaks; hence, they do not make good firewood.
Additionally, firewood with high moisture content, like green wood, rotten wood, or softwood, will lead to creosote build-up. Creosote is harmful to health and can damage your wood stove or chimney.
Burning Tips
Whether you’re new to burning firewood or have years of experience, these tips will help you get the most out of your firewood.
Dry wood burns better, so follow the unsaid rule and use wood that has been cut and seasoned for 6-12 months.
Split your firewood into smaller pieces to ensure better airflow and combustion.
Monitor the fire closely and completely extinguish it before leaving it unattended.
Avoid burning treated, painted, and chemical-induced wood, as they can release toxic fumes when burned.
Avoid burning plenty of wood at once, as it can produce excess smoke than usual.
Use a metal shovel and bucket of water or a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, don’t use water alone, as it could cause a steam explosion.
It is vital to be mindful of air quality when burning wood. Ensure to avoid burning wet or green wood, as this produces smoke that builds up in chimneys, causing a fire.
(Firewood burning in a fireplace)
Best Trees For Firewood
Choosing the correct type of firewood tree can significantly improve your fire’s quality and efficiency. Hence, you must know what trees are best for fuel.
Ash
The ash wood is a type of hardwood known for its solid, hot flames. It is also famous for its long-burning properties and is easy to split. All of these properties make it great for firewood.
Birch
You can easily recognize the birch tree can grow by its spots and thin, narrow leaves. It is trendy for firewood due to its bright flames and pleasing burning scent.
Cedar
The Cedar trees are one of the best for starting and igniting fires. They are also known for their bark’s flame pattern and unique aroma.
Cherry
Although the Cherry tree is costly compared to the other options, it is still popular among firewood users. That is not surprising because of the lovely aroma and intense heat it produces more than make up for the high price.
(A cherry tree)
Hickory
Hickory wood burns hot and slow, producing a good amount of heat over time. It also has little smoke, which makes it one of the best for indoor use.
Locust
Locust trees burn hot and fast, producing intense heat and a lot of coals. A locust tree has resistance to decay and rot. That makes it perfect for outdoor use.
Maple
Maple is one of the hardwoods you can use as firewood. It is perfect for a quick and warm fire because it burns fast and hot.
Oak
An Oak tree is considered one of the best trees for firewood because of its long-burning and hot properties. It will burn longer than softwoods because it is hardwood.
(An Oak tree.)
Pine
Pine is a softwood that burns hot and fast, but it produces a lot of creosote, which can clog chimneys. Due to their low heat content, they are not suitable for long-term burning.
Popular
Poplar is a hardwood that burns fast and has a low heat content, so it could be better for long-term heating. Poplar produces little smoke, making it suitable for indoor use.
Sycamore
Sycamore produces a good amount of heat over a long period. The sycamore produces only a little smoke, making it ideal for indoor use. Sycamore wood also has a mild and inoffensive scent when burned.
Apple
Another excellent choice for firewood is apple trees. That is because they burn hot and slow. Due to its nature and sweet fruity aroma, you can use it for indoor and outdoor fires like barbecuing meat.
American Beech
The American Beech tree is easy to chop down and split. The tree produces little smoke, making it suitable for indoor use. The wood also has a mild scent when burned.
(American Beech)
The White Ash
White Ash is a hardwood that burns hot and slow, producing a lot of heat over a long time. White Ash wood is popularly known for its ability to create a lot of coals, which help start fires.
Walnut
Walnut is a hardwood that burns hot and slow. This property makes it ideal for long-burning fires. It also emits a sweet and nut-like aroma when burned.
Mulberry
A mulberry tree is another source of good firewood. It produces little smoke and is an excellent choice for indoor use. The wood also has a pleasant aroma when you burn it.
Chestnut
There are three types of chestnut trees; however, only the specie American chestnut is suitable for use as firewood. It gives a nut-like aroma, just like. That is an excellent source of indoor incense.
Douglas Fir
The Douglas Fir is a softwood great for firewood. Douglas Fir burns fast and hot, making it great for starting a fire. The only hassle is that it will only last for a short time as hardwoods.
Beech
Beech trees make one of the finest sources of firewood. They have a smooth bark, which doesn’t leave a clumpy mess. These trees have a high burn output and produce just an average amount of smoke.
Worst Trees For Firewood
Coniferous Trees
Coniferous trees, called conifer for short, produce cones instead of flowers. Typically, a conifer has needle-like leaves and is evergreen.
Deciduous Trees
These are types of trees that shed their leaves annually. They typically have a bulky yet flat look.
People consider these types of trees bad for firewood because they burn rapidly
Conclusion
Choosing the right tree for firewood can make a massive difference in the comfort and warmth of your fire. Whether you prefer hardwoods or softwoods, each tree has unique properties that determine how well it will burn and how long it will last.