Type of Wood to Burn

**Rick** · 02-17-2015, 09:31 AM

Stumbled across this chart. Thought it might be of interest.

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**MrFixIt** · 02-17-2015, 11:26 AM

Wonder why hickory isn't listed?
Thanks for sharing Rick!

**hunter63** · 02-17-2015, 11:46 AM

I have seen charts over the years.....and it kinda boils down to "burn what you got" if cut your own, or what available in the area to buy it.

I use what is available to me.
Mostly oak, elm, some locust, and black walnut.
Have a lot of box elder....and is mostly crap...doesn't split well, won't burn the first year, will the second if you have a good fire going, turn to paper the third year.

Had an elm disease about 10 years ago, killed off about 300 trees, mostly 8"-10" in dia.

If the bark fell off the wood was still good......if the bark still clung on....wood punky.
The rounds burned very well as "overnighters"....

Sadly about out of them.

**TXyakr** · 02-17-2015, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by MrFixIt

Wonder why hickory isn't listed?
Thanks for sharing Rick!

If for whatever reasons you wanted a more detailed chart here is one, but I have seen some that are even more overwhelming.
It is my understanding that hickory and pecan are similar and fairly hard, difficult to cut and split and burn very hot but there are many species so this is just rule of thumb. Scroll down to "Wood Properties" section near the bottom of this page.

http://zenstoves.net/Wood.htm

There are a lot more types of wood than on this chart as well, also most types of Osage Orange or Bois D'arc are rough on your saw and burn very hot from what I was told, but I have not tried it very often and only in an open fire pit. I was told these "hot woods" could damage your cast iron wood stove. But I really don't know squat about it.

**randyt** · 02-17-2015, 08:14 PM

wood is good

**hunter63** · 02-17-2015, 08:43 PM

Free wood .....better
Oak on the hoof...
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Salvaged about 12 ft in 16" thick rounds .....needs to be split.

**Tokwan** · 02-17-2015, 10:29 PM

I use what is already on the floor, and within reach.

**Batch** · 02-17-2015, 11:43 PM

We use a lot of Live Oak. We use pine that is down near the grades and lighter knot (fat wood) just for a camp fire and not cooking. Or we pull only the hot coals out.

Usually you'll only find squaw wood in red maple. We have a lot of it. But, you don't find downed limbs like you do with pine and oak.

If you have live oak in various sizes, you'll have everything you need for any type of fire. Snags full of kindling and squaw wood.

**edr730** · 02-18-2015, 12:56 AM

Lot of difference between hard sugar maple and soft maple. Same with hard white ash and softer black ash. Maple splits good, but can be knotty if it's big. Many big trees split harder on the bottom. I've split ash while it's in a pile or on it's side on the ground with my foot against one end. And elm, like hunter said is good for all nighters because it doesn't split. Maybe good for making wheels...lol. It all burns even green maple. When it's green you stack it about 2 feet from the stove in a drying stack with each layer going a different direction so you can stack it high or stand it upright near the side. I'm burning green maple cut this winter during this cold spell because it's hotter than my backup heat source which is that pile of black ash. But, all wood burns and I'll burn anything too, just some burns hotter and lasts longer for colder weather.

**randyt** · 02-18-2015, 05:06 AM

black locust is good firewood, burns hot and long.

**Lamewolf** · 02-18-2015, 08:26 AM

Please, reserve hickory for smoking meats, they are getting more scarce every day !

**kyratshooter** · 02-18-2015, 01:10 PM

That is a matter of location.

We are covered up with it here in KY. It grows like trash wood in the fence rows.

**MrFixIt** · 02-18-2015, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by Lamewolf

Please, reserve hickory for smoking meats, they are getting more scarce every day !

Originally Posted by kyratshooter

That is a matter of location.

We are covered up with it here in KY. It grows like trash wood in the fence rows.

We have areas here in GA where hickory is the predominant hardwood species as well. Most of these areas are old growth forests that have yet to be bulldozed down for a new subdivision.

**randyt** · 02-18-2015, 08:19 PM

One of the boundary markers on my survey and legal description was a big hickory. The largest I had ever seen, this was in Kentucky. I miss that old tree, wonder if it's still there.

**hunter63** · 02-18-2015, 08:31 PM

Up on the ridge and down just a bit for the top....in my favorite turkey hunting location.....is the stump of about a 4' dia. oak, that had been cut down...( about the same size as the one pictured in my oak on the hoof).

There are 4 fences leading up to it from 4 directions but non is exactly at the stump......kinda looks like # with the stump in the middle.
Survey marker tape and stakes, red orange, blue, yellow extending everywhere......

Guess this boundary oak in in a 10 ft. square "no-mans land" ......and often wondered if I could hunt there, as no one seems to own it....LOL