# Is Cottonwood really that bad?



## scottandlorig (Jan 13, 2011)

Over last summer I cut and bucked a 34" diameter 50+ foot Cottonwood tree and I have tried since to give it away and I can't find any takers. 
I myself in the past would have loved something like this ( down and already bucked ) Yea it burns fast, the BTU rating is terrible, but down and bucked? Free? I don't get it.

So am I wrong? or is Cottonwood really that bad and not worth the time?


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## struggle (Jan 13, 2011)

If you need wood and it is availbe it is fine if you do not over fire a stove with it.  Lots of people try to avoid it but it produces heat and if it is availbe it will work. If it were all I had availbe I would burn it. 

Every once in while we cut one down and use it. The only thing I recall is it spits a bit more than other woods when I open the door to the stove.


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## hareball (Jan 13, 2011)

I get sad when I burn cottonwood so I pass on it.


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## EatenByLimestone (Jan 13, 2011)

Like any poplar species it's not heavy, but it will heat.   Check with a senior center that may know some chilly elders.

Matt


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## EatenByLimestone (Jan 13, 2011)

Ok scratch that, it's not split.  

I'd burn it.


Matt


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 13, 2011)

Cottonwood gets a bad rap in these parts but it is not all bad wood. Actually makes pretty good lumber if you can keep it from warping. For firewood, one just has to remember that it burns hot and fast with few coals. It is not the best wood for night burning but works great for daytime.

Just think of those souls out west. Cottonwood is some of the very best woods for them simply because they do not have the variety of hardwoods that we enjoy. They get along just fine. 


Methinks cottonwood usually gets thrown into sort of the same category as pine. "Don't burn that stuff!" But you can indeed burn it. Also, this is free stuff!


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## smokinj (Jan 13, 2011)

WooDpSycho said:
			
		

> Over last summer I cut and bucked a 34" diameter 50+ foot Cottonwood tree and I have tried since to give it away and I can't find any takers.
> I myself in the past would have loved something like this ( down and already bucked ) Yea it burns fast, the BTU rating is terrible, but down and bucked? Free? I don't get it.
> 
> So am I wrong? or is Cottonwood really that bad and not worth the time?



Have a monster cottonwood 1/4 away from the house down but not buck. If it was the last log around I would take it but not until then!


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## oldspark (Jan 13, 2011)

Cottonwood is kinda like the ugly girl back in high school, it works if that is all ya got.


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## Wood Duck (Jan 13, 2011)

I'd take free Cottonwood any time. Sure, it isn't Red Oak, but it burns and allows the Red Oak to stay in the stacks for later. Maybe you are living around a bunch of firewood snobs. Nothin' worse than firewood snobbery. Poor Cottonwood.


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## oldspark (Jan 13, 2011)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> I'd take free Cottonwood any time. Sure, it isn't Red Oak, but it burns and allows the Red Oak to stay in the stacks for later. Maybe you are living around a bunch of firewood snobs. Nothin' worse than firewood snobbery. Poor Cottonwood.


 Firewood snobs is that what you call having oak,ash(both green and white) mulberry, silver maple, and passing on cottonwood. I call it a wise use of your time.


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## smokinj (Jan 13, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> Wood Duck said:
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+1 if the oak 3 time better! Work smarter not harder.


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## Jutt77 (Jan 13, 2011)

WooDpSycho said:
			
		

> Over last summer I cut and bucked a 34" diameter 50+ foot Cottonwood tree and I have tried since to give it away and I can't find any takers.
> I myself in the past would have loved something like this ( down and already bucked ) Yea it burns fast, the BTU rating is terrible, but down and bucked? Free? I don't get it.
> 
> So am I wrong? or is Cottonwood really that bad and not worth the time?



I'll use Cottonwood if there is no pine to be had because its very plentiful out here and there's not a whole lot of good hardwood to choose from.


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## davmor (Jan 13, 2011)

I use it mixed with oak. I have quite a few on my property, that I am gradually thining out to let the other trees grow. It burns hot and fast so I use it mostly during the shoulder season and during the day. Dave.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Jan 13, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> Cottonwood is kinda like the ugly girl back in high school, it works if that is all ya got.



I beg to differ . . . ugly Gurls try harder because they know they got to . . . Cottonwood don't put out


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## smokinj (Jan 13, 2011)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> oldspark said:
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lol


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## Redburn (Jan 13, 2011)

i have limited space so only want the good stuff........ feel bad sometimes a friend of mine who gives me a lot of wood tried to give me tulip and sassafras.... i told him sorry was to busy but to put a free sign n give it away some one will take , he was amazed had people all over it so it worked out  I think I will pass on cottenwood to burnt some couple yrs ago not bad but not the good either........ Sorry...Im just a spoiled northeasterner who has access to all the hard wood one could want.... knock on wood.....


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## oldspark (Jan 13, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> ISeeDeadBTUs said:
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 +1


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## Stump_Branch (Jan 13, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
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Seems as if we know too much? 

she will season faster then alot of other woods. 

she may not put out much but she is quick and easy most times.


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## bogydave (Jan 13, 2011)

When I was cutting wood last winter on the "Parks Highway" project near Willow AK,
it was incredible to drive by hundreds of nice logs. I thought I was in "wood heaven".
When I stopped to get a load, all the logs were cottonwood. I drove on to the section being fresh cut & got birch & spruce. (birch first)
I did see some  folks cutting the cotton wood, but they were "city slickers" with the fancy Honda 1/2 truck,  1/2 car vehicles & 4 - 5 rounds were a load.
None of the serious, knowledgeable wood cutters were loading any up.
It (the cotton wood logs) eventually got pushed to the tree line or ground up. (Makes good  compost, rather quickly)

For me, the effort (if any other type of wood is available) to process cottonwood into fire wood, well, IMO it's
just not worth the effort. The energy it would take to drive, cut & process would be more than the energy  returned from heat.


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## mecreature (Jan 13, 2011)

if given options it would not be the first choice.

On the other hand I have 2 good sized cottonwoods downed and bucked, I will use them.

probably couldn't get anyone to take them anyway.


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## smokinj (Jan 13, 2011)

mecreature said:
			
		

> if given options it would not be the first choice.
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> On the other hand I have 2 good sized cottonwoods downed and bucked, I will use them.
> 
> probably couldn't get anyone to take them anyway.



Yea in Indiana it would be a tough sale!


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## Thistle (Jan 13, 2011)

Lots of it around here,especially near river bottoms,lower moist bluffs etc.Used a lot for 'expendable' pallets & crates,dunnage,rough bridge decking,other low grade items.I burned a few free sawmill slabs as kindling some years back,wouldnt ever pay for it or travel any distance for it again though.


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## Thistle (Jan 13, 2011)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

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haha 'tis true ;-P


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## ecocavalier02 (Jan 13, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> Cottonwood is kinda like the ugly girl back in high school, it works if that is all ya got.


 ugly and smelly.lol


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## zknowlto (Jan 13, 2011)

I responded to a CL ad last for where some dude was offering random "firewood".  Supposedly, the guy had no idea what species it was, and I didn't recognize it.  Seeing as how the wood was already bucked and being the city slicker that I am  I made a couple trips with my car and ended out getting a little over 2/3s of a cord.  While I admit it's not the greatest wood in the world, there's certainly species that are worse (specifically willow) and it was definitely seasoned in a year.  If I were you, I'd try to pass it off on CL as "mystery" wood.  Chances are you'll get a taker and he'll be OK with his "score".


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 13, 2011)

Redburn said:
			
		

> i have limited space so only want the good stuff........ feel bad sometimes a friend of mine who gives me a lot of wood tried to give me tulip and sassafras.... i told him sorry was to busy but to put a free sign n give it away some one will take , he was amazed had people all over it so it worked out  I think I will pass on cottenwood to burnt some couple yrs ago not bad but not the good either........ Sorry...Im just a spoiled northeasterner who has access to all the hard wood one could want.... knock on wood.....



Take the sassafras! It is worth it all just to have that wonderful sweet odor around. The sweetest smelling wood this sided of Heaven!


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## bboulier (Jan 14, 2011)

When I grew up in rural Nebraska, it was either buffalo chips or cottonwood.   Surprisingly, cottonwood was good for heating, but buffalo chips were good for cooking.


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## Wood Duck (Jan 14, 2011)

Be careful storing Cottonwood. It is more prone to rot than many other woods. Keep it dry>


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 14, 2011)

We've never noticed a problem with cottonwood rotting as long as it is stored right. 

Not had much success with storing those buffalo chips though.


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## Mcbride (Jan 15, 2011)

I love it when people get picky about free wood.
I get free wood, and am always thankful for it, and really do not care what is in the load.
I say thanks, and am just glad to have it.
It all burns in the heater.


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## oldspark (Jan 16, 2011)

You can call it picky but ya have to be smarter than the wood.


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## stihltheone (Jan 16, 2011)

I just have to laugh, out here the cottonwood is about as good as it gets, with the exception of russian olive. Matter of fact we have been whittling on a giant, about 8' dbh off and on for a while, I have nearly 9 cords out of it so far, guys, this is one tree and still counting cords!One thing about it, if you are not properly equiped to burn cottonwood, it is not good, not itst bitsy girly sized stoves, big Blaze kings and boilers work well! Another thing about it though....... I ran my 660 and 090 today, what did you run?  Big wood =  BIG saw!!


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## maplewood (Jan 16, 2011)

I used to pass on poplar. In fact I helped a friend buck up a fallen poplar on his driveway, and hauled it away for him and threw it into my "ditch" (a natural depression in my woods that we are filling in with clean waste). I didn't burn it, because I bought maple tree length logs and processed it myself, and it was a much better hardwood to burn.

With my new Econoburn, I'm burning less wood, and making a lot more heat, and can finally afford to save money (it was hard to type that phrase and not get bogged down thinking about what I'd said...). Softwood (poplar, fir, pine and spruce) is free for me, as it is plentiful on my 6 acres and my sister's neighbouring 6 acres. So this year, I'm burning about 1/4 of my supply as softwood, and saving over $400 in the process. 

Yes, it burns faster and it takes more of it. Yes, it leaves little to no coals. But I either mix it with the hardwood, burn it in the daytime, or let it burn out and just start a new fire as needed. I'm getting used to starting new fires: in my last boiler, which was just a big water jacketed stove, there were always enough coals to build a new fire, but not enough heat to make momma happy. Now I've got a supply of cedar kindling and start a fire about once a day, and catch enough coals the other times to keep the gasser lit.  And can it ever make heat!

So I've changed my mind. I used to throw it out, now I'm mixing it in!

(PS - Son #2 is pulling the poplar chunks I threw into the ditch years ago, and using them for his fire pit.)


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## snowleopard (Jan 16, 2011)

PO's cut (and the length works for my stove) and stacked a couple of cords of poplar on the property some years ago.   There was also some standing/leaning dead stuff here that someone kindly came and cut up for me. (Don't have a saw yet.)  I'm very grateful for it.  It's heated my house so far this winter.  Planning on getting a logging truck load of birch in this spring, but I'll still keep some of this on hand to start a fire up fast and get the birch burning. 

I can understand people with a plentitude of hardwood making other choices, but when you don't have that choice, you start appreciating what you do have.  After you hang with the ugly girl (because that's all you can get), you realize she's got a warm heart, and she starts getting prettier every day.


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## oldspark (Jan 16, 2011)

snowleopard said:
			
		

> I can understand people with a plentitude of hardwood making other choices, but when you don't have that choice, you start appreciating what you do have.  After you hang with the ugly girl (because that's all you can get), you realize she's got a warm heart, and she starts getting prettier every day.


  :lol:


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