# what type of wood do you burn?



## iceman (Sep 14, 2010)

What type of wood do you mostly burn?
I know location has a lot to do with it but, do you like what you burn?
I burn mostly red oak .... I hate that it never seems to be completely dry ..... 
This year however, .. should be the driest stuff I have burned so far


So for me mostly. Red oak,  and I hate it cause it has to sit so long to dry! recently I have gotten my hands on beech, birch, and honey locust I will try to get those in the rotation maybe as early as next year but who knows how fast they season


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## burntime (Sep 14, 2010)

I burn...red oak, ash, elm, box elder, shagbark hickory, silver maple, red maple, white oak, lialac, red maple, and anything else that I trim in my yard.  I try to stay with the better woods.  I love ash, oak, and shagbark hickory the best!


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## rdust (Sep 14, 2010)

Mostly white ash, soft maple, red/white oak, shagbark hickory(over night wood) with a little pine, walnut, cherry and poplar mixed in.  Next year I'll have some black locust to try, I'm pretty excited about that.


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## heatwise (Sep 14, 2010)

mostly oak then its a mix of ash ,maple,walnut,cherry,poplar,pine,locust and a couple others im not able to id at the moment. seems like lots of oak this past few years. for a whyle it was ash and nothing but ash. nice to have a mix and also different size splits on hand. this wood scrounging never stays the same, its different every year.


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## relax (Sep 14, 2010)

ok ash elm birch and oak


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## relax (Sep 14, 2010)

not hijacking yah but how big do you split your oak


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## wood spliter (Sep 14, 2010)

Mostly Locust and Cherry.


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## Tarmsolo60 (Sep 14, 2010)

winter- beech, maple, yellow birch, cherry

fall and spring- whatever less desirable wood has been cleaned up on my land.

beech is my favorite


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## relax (Sep 14, 2010)

a nice mix  of smells


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## thewoodlands (Sep 14, 2010)

This is our second year burning and I take whats down, so far Cherry is number one with Sugar Maple and Beech coming in second and third. I hope that we have some softwood for the shoulder season next year which will be Quaking Aspen.

zap


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## jimdeq (Sep 14, 2010)

I like to burn green or white ash.  Despite what others might say I believe you can cut ash in winter and split it small and have dry wood for the following fall.  Does anyone else feel the same?


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## iceman (Sep 14, 2010)

All of you that have a variety,  which is your favorite? And why?


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## Cutter (Sep 14, 2010)

Hedge followed by some Osage Orange then some more hedge. It is the only decent wood I have access to. I have over a mile of 80 yr old tree lines to do battle with.


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## iceman (Sep 14, 2010)

zim said:
			
		

> not hijacking yah but how big do you split your oak





I try to split  smaller to make sure it dries but as someone said in another thread,    now that I am 2 years out I will split big blocks and see what happens


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## thewoodlands (Sep 14, 2010)

iceman said:
			
		

> All of you that have a variety,  which is your favorite? And why?



Sugar Maple for it's BTU's, this year I did cut some ironwood which is higher in btu's but it won't be ready until next year plus it is a small tree in diameter.

zap


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## lowroadacres (Sep 14, 2010)

I have ready access to Ash, poplar, box elder and elm.  

All work for me, especially when I get them in the combination of standing dead, fallen or free from a tree service friend.

I even allowed some pine on my yard because we like the smell and the snap and crackle in the fireplace..... And did I say it was free?

Right now I am working on Box elder and Ash for 2011-12.  I will be digging out some more poplar and ash as the winter approaches.

I will burn anything that is dry.


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## hoosierhick (Sep 14, 2010)

Ash, Ash & more Ash.....


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## SolarAndWood (Sep 14, 2010)

I have burned a lot of free junk in the past but moving into Ash, Beech, Locust and a lot of Maple.  Favorite is Locust but haven't burned the big chunks of Beech yet.


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## DiscoInferno (Sep 14, 2010)

In MD, in rough order of volume: red oak, red maple, pine (red and white), cherry, black locust, ash, hickory, white oak, mulberry, hemlock, elm, honey locust, poplar, pear, beech, silver maple, holly, dogwood, plum, cedar, willow, paulownia.  In other words, everything and anything I can scrounge.  I enjoy the variety but pine, ash, and black locust would keep me happy.

In MI: sugar maple, red maple, beech, yellow birch, hemlock, balsam fir, cherry.


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## PapaDave (Sep 14, 2010)

Mostly red oak, white oak, small amounts of hard maple/soft maple, spruce, white pine, and popple.
Favorite really depends on the weather, but I have to say overall, oak.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 14, 2010)

I mostly burn American Elm (lots of it dying on my two acres), ash (lots of it growing alongside the family fields), birch (white and yellow) and maple (red and sugar).

I do have a smattering of poplar, black cherry, beech, apple and some softwood. 

Never burned oak, locust or hickory . . . although in another year or two I should have some nicely seasoned oak to try out.

--------

In answer to my favorite wood . . . hands down . . . ash . . . splits easily, good coaling, good BTUs and it is pretty straight which is nice for stacking. My wife on the otherhand loves white birch -- mainly because the bark lights right up when she tosses it on hot coals for a reload.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 14, 2010)

jimdeq said:
			
		

> I like to burn green or white ash.  Despite what others might say I believe you can cut ash in winter and split it small and have dry wood for the following fall.  Does anyone else feel the same?



You can . . . but try burning some after it has been seaoned for an entire year . . . it's a world of difference . . . more intense fire and better secondaries . . . no hissing or spitting wood . . . and you can have bigger splits for longer-lasting overnight fires. I was pretty happy with my ash (and standing dead elm) that I burned in my first year . . . had some occasional spitters and hissers . . . but when I burned wood last year that had been seasoned for over a year there was a night and day difference . . . and yea . . . my eyes were open to the glory of well seasoned wood.


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## oldspark (Sep 14, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> jimdeq said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I have some white ash I cut last fall and split in march that is below 20% on the smaller splits, the bigger splits are at 31% or so, my answer is yes the smaller splits, the green ash seasons quicker, I also have some burr oak that was 45% or more last spring and the smaller splits are 18 to 20% with the bigger ones at 35%, I know some of you might have a hard time believing this but that is why I bought the MM, and it confirmed my beliefs I obtained in 30 years of burning. If you split small and stack it right one full summer will get it to 20% or so.


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## billb3 (Sep 14, 2010)

I have mostly cherry ( 1st growth forest succumbing to taller trees)  and some red oak (blow downs / bugs) a tiny bit of maple and  a half cord of gold (yellow) birch.
Plenty of pine, but the better stuff is keeping me busy enough.


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## WoodPorn (Sep 14, 2010)

Red Oak, White Oak, Hickory, Black Birch, Hard/Soft Maple, White Birch, Ash, Cherry are all easily obtained.

My favorites in order are; White Oak, Black Birch, Hickory and Red Oak


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## wood spliter (Sep 14, 2010)

Absolute favorite is Black locust. Drying time and BTU's


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## sapratt (Sep 14, 2010)

Anything I can get my hands on.  As long as its not rotten or covered in tar.


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## Chargerman (Sep 14, 2010)

What is easily available at this point on our farm is walnut, red elm, and oak.


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## Adios Pantalones (Sep 14, 2010)

Balsa, shnozberry, and discarded popsicle sticks.


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## Zimm (Sep 14, 2010)

In order of preferance, Red Oak (so easy to split), White Oak, Hickory, and Hard Maple.  Z


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## oldspark (Sep 14, 2010)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Balsa, shnozberry, and discarded popsicle sticks.


 Maple popsicle sticks?


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## Swamp Fox (Sep 14, 2010)

I burn red oak, white oak, blackjack oak, water oak, and soft maple.  Once in a while a little sweet gum finds its way into the wood pile, but mostly I just dump that stuff in a gully.


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## mhambi (Sep 14, 2010)

Englemann Spruce almost exclusively(beetle killed, dead standing 3-6 years).  Sometimes juniper if I can get it, sometimes aspen out of necessity.


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## WES999 (Sep 14, 2010)

I burn whatever is free, first choice is oak, maple, and elm, I also have some apple, pine, and hardwood pallets, and some soft wood pallets.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 14, 2010)

Lots of white ash because of the emerald ash borer. We've always burned a lot of ash anyway and also lots of elm because of the dutch elm disease. Occasionally I'll cut a birch or a cherry. Quite a bit of soft maple too. We don't have a lot of oaks on our place but we do have to cut some every now and then. At present we have one pin oak that will be cut this winter (probably) but we'll be mostly cutting ash and elm this winter.


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## wooddope (Sep 14, 2010)

Black walnut, red maple, popple, red oak,white oak ,white pine and some white birch.I've got more shoulder wood than anything else.Good thing I don't mind feeding the stove!


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## rdust (Sep 14, 2010)

iceman said:
			
		

> All of you that have a variety,  which is your favorite? And why?



Hickory, holds a nice long fire and coals great.  I've never had oak that was "ready" so I'm curious to see how that does this year.


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## Fi-Q (Sep 14, 2010)

95% Tamarack Larch. It not oak, but it's got a lot of BTU, and they are all dying on my land. Everything I cut is standing dead, some of them would be ready to burn as I cut them.


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## cptoneleg (Sep 15, 2010)

Oak and I split it small , Locust and Ash bout all I got on my pace although , ai wont through the old srub pines away anymore since ive read here dry wood is good wood. Heres alittle stack of Oak.                              

     Cpt


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## cptoneleg (Sep 15, 2010)

Look out now I think I have this picture thing figured out I have enjoyed the pictures so much on this site .                             

            Thanks and my wife thanks you, she has never had so much wood cut and stacked around our place.                                     

     Cpt


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## mitchinpa (Sep 15, 2010)

95% cherry, with a little sassafras and poplar thrown in here and there.


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## Cluttermagnet (Sep 16, 2010)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Oak and I split it small , Locust and Ash bout all I got on my pace although , ai wont through the old srub pines away anymore since ive read here dry wood is good wood. Heres alittle stack of Oak.
> 
> Cpt


Your wood pile looks just like mine. I also burn mostly Red Oak, and I split it small. Once I really get ahead, the size of the splits will increase. A also burn a fair amount of Cherry, and a wee bit of White Oak, Maple, etc.


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## ROBERT F (Sep 16, 2010)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Balsa, shnozberry, and discarded popsicle sticks.


 I searched and searched, but could not find shnozberry on any of the btu charts.  how long does it take to season? is it a soft wood or a hard wood?  and if you cook on it, will all your food taste like shnozberries???? "these pork chops taste like shnozberries"


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## Dix (Sep 16, 2010)

Pineburner said:
			
		

> Adios Pantalones said:
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Aren't Schnozberry's Willie Wonka - ish?

Wait, maybe it's the maple sticks


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## ROBERT F (Sep 16, 2010)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:
			
		

> Pineburner said:
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Just a little, along with many other tie ins with other movies and even a spot in the urban dictonary.  still wannaknow how good the wood is.  heard tell that the intire wonka plant is heated by a single garn, burning shnozberry wood!


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## SolarAndWood (Sep 16, 2010)

if i only had a garn


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## DBoon (Sep 16, 2010)

Burned a lot of sugar maple and black cherry the first couple of years.  Cherry is nice - seasons and dries really fast.  Sugar maple seems to dry pretty fast as well and holds coals in the ash bed overnight, even in my small stove.  I took down a Douglas Fir and a Colorado Blue Spruce in my backyard and I am going through that.  The Douglas Fir seems pretty good - equivalent to Cherry - for a softwood in terms in BTUs.  The Spruce is pretty light - pure shoulder season or initial fire starting wood.  

This year I'll be getting into my pile of Bitternut Hickory and am looking forward to some extended burns with the rounds and big pieces.


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## willisl64 (Sep 16, 2010)

Red and white oak, Shag and Shellbark Hickory, Mulberry, seasoned green ash, elm, a little apple, a little hedge.  Favorite is white oak and shagbark hickory if I can keep the beetles out of it.


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## dafattkidd (Sep 16, 2010)

This will be my first full year burning, and I've got mostly black locust, the rest is oak, and sugar maple, with a little bit of pine and cedar mixed in.  I scrounge so a lot of what I get is bucked to strange sizes.  I try to cut everything I can to about 18".  I guess I'm going to figure out what I like best this year.  I was really fortunate and scrounged mostly old dry wood.  I thought for sure I'd have trouble getting seasoned wood for this year, but it looks like I'm in pretty good shape.  I even have some stuff set up for next year.


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## SKIN052 (Sep 16, 2010)

White Birch, Spruce, Var and next year I have about 10 acres of juniper with a bit of birch mixed in to clearcut.


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## 3fordasho (Sep 16, 2010)

Most to least desirable:

white oak, honey locust, apple, red oak, white ash, sugar maple, hackberry, red elm, black cherry, blackwalnut, green ash, siberian elm, american elm, buckthorn, silver maple, boxelder, cottonwood

firepit wood- pine, cedar, cottonwood, uglies of anything else.

wood I wish I could burn-   hedge, hickory, black locust

Pretty lucky to have the variety that I do.  Don't go out of my way for boxelder or cottonwood.
We've got black locust around here, just not lucky enough to score any yet.  Hickory should be in this area, just 
have not found any yet.


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## JBinKC (Sep 16, 2010)

Since I have been burning typically 50-75% of some variety of oak with the balance being pretty much anything else.

I would estimate that 50-60% of the volume I usually burn is deadfall/trimmings from tops of trees.


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## trailmaker (Sep 24, 2010)

In order of preference:  Madrone,  Shreve Oak,  Coast Live Oak.  I burn some Doug Fir,  less BTU but a breeze to process.


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## Wood Duck (Sep 24, 2010)

Anything I scrounge, and it seems to vary year to year. My first year I got about half Black Walnut with a mix of other woods making up the other half. Last year it was almost all oak - Black, Red, White, Chestnut - since an early fall snowstorm knocked down oaks more than other trees. This year I have lined up a bunch of Red Maple to cut. If it grows here in PA, I probably have some, but since we have as many oaks as other trees combined, I think I have about half oak overall.


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## catjax7071 (Sep 25, 2010)

I use Maple,Oak and some Pine, and also oak blocks not treated from my local pallet yard, they give them out for free!!


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## bogydave (Sep 25, 2010)

80% yellow or red birch, 20% spruce.
The only choice here.


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## rphurley (Sep 25, 2010)

I burn mostly White Oak and Shagbark Hickory, because that what is dominant on my property.  I love Ash and a nice hard Maple, and burn some White Pine and Hornbeam when it's available.  With Oak as my staple, I really enjoy burning the Maple, Pine and Hornbeam that give me extra heat on a cold day.


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## Tony H (Sep 25, 2010)

I burn alot of silver maple, box elder , elm, ash,burr oak, mullberry , cherry, apple, peach, birch, honey locust, pine, and anything else I come across. Like the saying it all burns


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## Diesel73 (Sep 27, 2010)

I'm buring whatever hard woods I can find for free so far.

Been scrounging off my parents farm and have Oak, hickory, black locust, cherry, ash, maple, walnut, mullberry, birch.
Also buring scrap wood from work which is a variety of hard woods.


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## lukem (Sep 27, 2010)

I my stacks now, in order of qty:

1.)  Red Elm
2.)  Black Cherry
3.)  Yellow Poplar
4.)  Black Walnut
5.)  Chinese Elm
6.)  White Ash
7.)  Red Oak

Colorful wood it seems.


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## Wood Duck (Sep 27, 2010)

bogydave said:
			
		

> 80% yellow or red birch, 20% spruce.
> The only choice here.



Dave,
I was aware of only one species of birch in Alaska - I called it simply 'birch' when I lived there, but the proper name is Paper Birch or White Birch as far as I know. I am wondering what you mean by yellow or red birch? Maybe you have more species in the MatSu Valley than we had up in Fairbanks?


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## fyrwoodguy (Sep 27, 2010)

iceman said:
			
		

> What type of wood do you mostly burn?
> I know location has a lot to do with it but, do you like what you burn?
> I burn mostly red oak .... I hate that it never seems to be completely dry .....
> This year however, .. should be the driest stuff I have burned so far
> ...



i'm through with the beech,birch routine.
OAK IS WHERE ITS AT NOW & FOREVER.
















with a little of this mixed in for the switch over seasons


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## gzecc (Sep 27, 2010)

I seek out black locust, White ash, Hickories, hard maples, cherries, Beech, etc.  I will take old dead oak but won't kill myself for it.  Takes too long to season.


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## Gunks (Sep 27, 2010)

I burn oak, maple, box elder , elm, ash, birch, locust, pine (2 x 4s) and anything else I can scrounge.


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## twitch (Sep 28, 2010)

Tires, pressure treaded wood and garbage, Just kidding!!  I burn a pretty much equal mix of beech, maple, ash and oak.  It's what I have on my property, mostly oak, but that stuff takes a LOOOOOONG time to season.


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## elijah (Sep 28, 2010)

Whatever I find for free.  What I'll have for the next 3 years or so is poplar, siberian elm, pine, and willow.  Beggars can't be choosers, right?


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## toqua (Sep 28, 2010)

All I have burned in the past five years is black locust


   Tom


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## logger (Oct 1, 2010)

I burn FREE wood.  Mostly consists of white oak, maple, and locust.  Usually come across some ash, hickory, cherry, and poplar at times too.


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## raven (Oct 4, 2010)

Ah Shnozberry, when i was younger i would burn that stuff yr round. we would gather round the fire and light a big ol round up and we  were just as happy fun lovin as could be. It musta put off good heat cause we were always a takin our clothes off.Ah but these days i like to burn any dry wood , i just mix and match to season


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## myzamboni (Oct 4, 2010)

Black Locust, Madrone,  Shreve Oak, Coast Live Oak, Pine, Cedar, Spruce, Carob, Redwoood and whatever else I can scrounge.

My favorite is whatever is currently in the stove (have about 4 weeks before the first fire).


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## Cudos (Nov 17, 2010)

Damn , some of you have some nice choices when it comes to wood. Here in Alberta, birch & spruce, some Tamarack is the flavor of the day. 

I'm envious of all the hard wood many of you have access to.


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## CALJREICH (Nov 17, 2010)

I burn oak , cherry , hickory , locust , hemlock , pine and anything else I find to cut that is dead , down , or crooked.


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## ash burn (Nov 17, 2010)

ash, elm, little poplar, osage orange and little black walnut...


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## geoxman (Nov 17, 2010)

I burn anything that is dry. I have tree guys drop stuff year round so it can be any type of wood. This year was a good year for ash, mulberry, elm and silver maple, but I probably have twenty different types of wood out back. I am not picky


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## moosetrek (Nov 17, 2010)

Pine, aspen, and a little elm.  Mostly pine.  Occasionally some ash or oak if I can find it.


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## CountryBoy19 (Nov 17, 2010)

Well, I'll just list what I have in the wood stacks in order of most to least right now.

Locust (black and honey) 10+ cords
Oak (white and red) 7 cords
Hedge 3 1/2 cords
Hard maple 2 1/2 cords
Poplar 2 cords
Ash 1 cord


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## dafattkidd (Nov 17, 2010)

CountryBoy19 said:
			
		

> Well, I'll just list what I have in the wood stacks in order of most to least right now.
> 
> Locust (black and honey) 10+ cords
> Oak (white and red) 7 cords
> ...



Countryboy,  What are you burning all that wood in?  That's an amazing ensemble of wood.


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## Badfish740 (Nov 17, 2010)

I mostly burn a species known as "ligna nullum crimen."


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## Adios Pantalones (Nov 17, 2010)

Mostly white pine and red/white oak in the house.  In the kiln I burn about a cord of "softwood" and a cord of "hardwood" delivered as slabs at a time.  Hardwood is mixed oak, maple, ash, hickory, etc


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## Freeheat (Nov 17, 2010)

The stove seems to love white oak. I have been burning silver maple, oak , ash and elm. I  dont like burning elm or ash , elm dosn't seem to burn well and ash burns like pine.


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## wood-fan-atic (Nov 17, 2010)

This years 80% oak (mostly red), with some mixed in cherry,black locust, and ash. Next year 75% ash, 25%oak, 25% black locust.......and feeling blessed to have such BTU's in the yard.


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## CountryBoy19 (Nov 18, 2010)

DaFattKidd said:
			
		

> CountryBoy19 said:
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That's a several year supply. My goal is to get enough wood now so that when my wife and I have children I can spend more time at home with them rather than cutting and splitting wood so often.

That's what the locust and hedge are for (rot resistant wood for long term storage).


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## Pine Knot (Nov 18, 2010)

Black Locust and Chestnut Oak with some Maple in Spring and Fall.


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## Stump_Branch (Nov 18, 2010)

Oak, I just dont think you can beat it. minus the length to season, you'll never be more satisfied. 
Then again I would burn almost anything I could get my hands on. 

But Oak


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## Wood Duck (Nov 18, 2010)

CountryBoy19 said:
			
		

> Well, I'll just list what I have in the wood stacks in order of most to least right now.
> 
> Locust (black and honey) 10+ cords
> Oak (white and red) 7 cords
> ...



This is like a woodburner's Christmas wish list. "Dear Santa, I have been a good scrounger, and for Christmas I want 3 1/2 cords of hedge..."


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## closedknuckle (Nov 18, 2010)

Burntime, I see you burn boxelder, i have gotten access to quite a bit of this and was wondering how it has burned for you?
 Thank you


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