# What type of wood for kindling?



## rdust (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm curious what everyone likes to use.  I made about a wheelbarrow full today out of white ash but I'll need a lot more.  I figured I'd make a face cord or so of kindling for the winter.      

I have white or red oak, ash, silver maple, poplar, hickory walnut, cherry or pine to choose from.  What would you use?  I'm leaning towards the silver maple or pine.


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## LLigetfa (Sep 27, 2009)

I split 20" long Black Ash.  It splits like a dream.  I get them down to about as thick as my thumb.


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## peterc38 (Sep 27, 2009)

I like white pine for kindling


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## JustWood (Sep 27, 2009)

I like  OLD barn siding. Dam near light it with a match.


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## branchburner (Sep 27, 2009)

I like anything that is dry and requires no splitting. Stray branch wood, lumber scrap, etc.
Labor is further reduced by putting the kids to work: kid-ling.


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## Heem (Sep 27, 2009)

I really like maple sticks - of various sizes that drop off of my giant maple tree (future firewood). I gather them up on the weekend and put em in a box. Gets the fire started real quick.

Also Birch bark may as well be gasoline. I'll tuck a couple small curls of it at the very bottom and let it heat the stuff above.


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## Birdman1 (Sep 27, 2009)

Love splittin red cedar into thin splits with a hatchet, I get funny looks from the kids when they catch me smellin it


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## ikessky (Sep 27, 2009)

Kiln dried lumber scraps.  Starts easy and burns hot to create a nice start up draft.  Then I start to add smaller chunks of white ash or hard maple (this usually comes from the ground where the splitter sat by the piles).


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## quads (Sep 27, 2009)

rdust said:
			
		

> I'm curious what everyone likes to use.  I made about a wheelbarrow full today out of white ash but I'll need a lot more.  I figured I'd make a face cord or so of kindling for the winter.
> 
> I have white or red oak, ash, silver maple, poplar, hickory walnut, cherry or pine to choose from.  What would you use?  I'm leaning towards the silver maple or pine.


I have no experience with ash, but I'm sure it will work great for kindling.  If you are planning to burn 24/7, you most likely won't use a face cord of it.  You never can have too much kindling though!

Dad always used jackpine for kindling.  I use my seasoned oak and split it up real fine.


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## PA. Woodsman (Sep 27, 2009)

Out of the choices that you listed, I would go with the Silver Maple and Poplar; both ignite very easily, but the Poplar will smoke a little bit. Cherry and Ash will work for kindling also, but I'd give the other two a try and you should be pleased, especially with the Silver Maple.


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## flyingcow (Sep 27, 2009)

If there is a sawmill in area, slab wood works/splits well. I have tons of white cedar on my property, so that's what I use. A few cedar mills around, so if needed people can get slabs real cheap, if not free.


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## Valhalla (Sep 27, 2009)

Split kindling, no way!

Much too much natural small branches to use here. My wife goes to work on this now and then. Breaks them up and puts then in the kindling bin and in a few old milk boxes. They dry really fast and are always handy for a cold start.  

It works for me.


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## rdust (Sep 27, 2009)

Valhalla said:
			
		

> Split kindling, no way!
> 
> Much too much natural small branches to use here. My wife goes to work on this now and then. Breaks them up and puts then in the kindling bin and in a few old milk boxes. They dry really fast and are always handy for a cold start.
> 
> It works for me.



My front year is full of pines that are always dropping branches.   I just figured it would be easier to split already cut to lengths into kindling rather then dealing with bending over and breaking up branches to fit the stove.  Maybe I'll grab a 5 gallon bucket and take a walk out front.


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## madrone (Sep 27, 2009)

oak branches from the yard, oak pallets from work.


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## rdust (Sep 27, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> I have no experience with ash, but I'm sure it will work great for kindling.  If you are planning to burn 24/7, you most likely won't use a face cord of it.  You never can have too much kindling though!
> 
> Dad always used jackpine for kindling.  I use my seasoned oak and split it up real fine.



This will be my first year so I'm not sure if I'll burn 24/7 right off the bat.  I figured it couldn't hurt to have too much.  I want to learn the stove and then I'll have to teach the wife how to use it.  She works from home though so once she's comfortable running it we should be all set.


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## Valhalla (Sep 27, 2009)

rdust said:
			
		

> quads said:
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Yes, the wife should know how to use and respect stove. Very important! My wife now loves to care for the stove when I am away. Then there are no statements like "Honey, the stove went cold while you were out, since I did not know how to use it!"


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 27, 2009)

We use mostly soft maple. Pine is also excellent as is birch. Use anything that is quick and easy to light and gives a good flame. 

I doubt that you would need that much kindling though even if you don't burn 24/7. I'm betting once you get that stove working you will be like a lost puppy without the wood heat so you should not need a lot of it. Still, what is left over this year will be even better for use next year. 

Even the chips you rake up after splitting will work well for kindling.


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## rdust (Sep 27, 2009)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> We use mostly soft maple. Pine is also excellent as is birch. Use anything that is quick and easy to light and gives a good flame.
> 
> I doubt that you would need that much kindling though even if you don't burn 24/7. I'm betting once you get that stove working you will be like a lost puppy without the wood heat so you should not need a lot of it. Still, what is left over this year will be even better for use next year.
> 
> *Even the chips you rake up after splitting will work well for kindling.*




I just filled 3 5 gallon buckets with splitter trash this morning.  I figure I'll fill my garden cart with splits to make into kindling and hope that is enough.  I can also make more later if I need.  I think I'll use the silver maple and maybe some pine.


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## Duetech (Sep 27, 2009)

Saw shavings and splitter trash. Saw shavings come from rounds too big to lift up on the splitter. Lay the rounds on their side and halve or quarter them with the chainsaw cutting lengthwise with the grain. A sharp saw will put a mound of shavings on the ground in seconds and when dry the shavings light with a match.


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 27, 2009)

Don't forget that kindling also has to season so storing it in tight containers is not a good idea.


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## CowboyAndy (Sep 27, 2009)

IMO pine is the best kindling. burns hot! the best is kiln dried dimensional lumber (2x4). pallets also work great and can usually be found in abundance.


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## fossil (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm set for a couple of years, I think.  Last year we did a pretty major remod on our home, and one little part was to demolish the old deck on the west side.  This was all 30 year old untreated cedar 2"x6" decking that we salvaged...didn't keep any of the underlying treated wood.  We cut between the joists with circular saws and sawzalls, and stacked all the ~16" 2"x6" boards.  Musta had ~1/3 cord of it when we were done.  Might have had some finish on it at one time, but there's nary of trace of it now.  Splits by waving a hatchet at it.  When I get a piece without knots, I can take it down to as small as I want.  Pieces with knots just get whatever they'll give up, and those all become the "mid-sized" stuff.  I like having a mix of sizes...makes it easier for the wife to get a nice fire going in the morning while I roll over and lay in bed for a while longer.  This stuff bursts into flame if you whisper, "Match".  %-P  Rick


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## freeburn (Sep 27, 2009)

I use any brush that I find in my yard or nearby, throw it in the ditch and wait for it to try enough to break off the small branches. Free, virtually labor free, and I have to use it up anyway. The other place is a scrap kiln dried wood dumpster at my local cabinet maker shop.


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## Valhalla (Sep 27, 2009)

fossil said:
			
		

> I'm set for a couple of years, I think.  Last year we did a pretty major remod on our home, and one little part was to demolish the old deck on the west side.  This was all 30 year old untreated cedar 2"x6" decking that we salvaged...didn't keep any of the underlying treated wood.  We cut between the joists with circular saws and sawzalls, and stacked all the ~16" 2"x6" boards.  Musta had ~1/3 cord of it when we were done.  Might have had some finish on it at one time, but there's nary of trace of it now.  Splits by waving a hatchet at it.  When I get a piece without knots, I can take it down to as small as I want.  Pieces with knots just get whatever they'll give up, and those all become the "mid-sized" stuff.  I like having a mix of sizes...makes it easier for the wife to get a nice fire going in the morning while I roll over and lay in bed for a while longer.  This stuff bursts into flame if you whisper, "Match".  %-P  Rick



The key words here are "the wife to get a nice fire going in the morning while I roll over and lay in bed..."

Well said! Oh honey, light the stove I need another 80 winks!


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## Wood Duck (Sep 28, 2009)

I think out of your choices I'd go with the straight pieces of maple, poplar, or pine. Among those three the decision would be made based on which splits most easily. Find the easy to split pieces and split those down small. The ones that don't split as easily, don't fight them.


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## waynek (Sep 28, 2009)

quads said:
			
		

> rdust said:
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JACKPINE? I thought I saw my name in this thread...at least it was not used in vain.  Yep, thats me...ignitable.
jackpine


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## quads (Sep 28, 2009)

jackpine said:
			
		

> quads said:
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Ha ha!  Nope, not in vain.  As you know, there's lots of "you" around this area!


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## Skier76 (Sep 28, 2009)

I like pine branches...the dead ones. I've picked many up fron the floor of the woods behind our place in VT. Last weekend, I had to trim some dead branches from some trees. I just dragged those back to the house instead of tossing them farther back in the woods. I think dried pine burns wonderfully.


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## Bubbavh (Sep 28, 2009)

Skier76 said:
			
		

> I like pine branches...the dead ones. I've picked many up fron the floor of the woods behind our place in VT. Last weekend, I had to trim some dead branches from some trees. I just dragged those back to the house instead of tossing them farther back in the woods. I think dried pine burns wonderfully.


Pitch Pine branches work great when they drop  in the yard they are usually nice and dry and mostly bark free!


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## WoodPorn (Sep 28, 2009)

Splitter trash and pallet wood cut up to small pieces


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## firefighterjake (Sep 28, 2009)

I'm an equal opportunity burner when it comes to kindling . . . and I admit . . . I have a problem when it comes to kindling. I think I had a pile last year that was 12 foot long and 6 feet high . . . didn't want to risk running out of kindling so I made up a whole bunch and only used about half of it.

For me, I have used it all -- pallets, dimensional lumber scraps from projects, pine cones, pine branches, splitter trash and purpose-made kindling. My favorite kindling of choice normally however is to get some softwood slabs (spruce, fir, pine or hemlock), make up some softwood from the aforementioned trees if they are in my way when cutting or my go-to-favorite kindling is white cedar . . . usually cut up from standing dead or dead leaners . . . that stuff is a dream to get going. One guy I work with likes white cedar so much that he buys a bundle of cedar shingles each year just for kindling. 

This year, I have another kindling source -- boards left over from my camp tear down -- basically boards that were too short to be of use on my wood shed -- I figure this 50+ year old wood should burn pretty nicely!

Of the wood species you listed I would go with #1 pine followed by either the silver maple or poplar -- just pick the straightest pieces without knots. If you get a round with knots toss it aside and go for a piece that has straighter grains -- it will make things go much easier.


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## TreePapa (Sep 28, 2009)

Ghettontheball said:
			
		

> ... pine also has the resin in it which is almost like adding flammable liquid.



Especially if you get the base of a big ol' pine. I have some from a scrounge at the beginnin' of this year. It was a pain in the donkey to split, even w/ the rented 20 ton. But even when it was still somewhat wet / green, it lit with a match; almost like it was soaked in oil. I'm hoping that having had the better part of a hot so. calif. year to season, it wont' be as smokey as it was when I first split it.

I've also got apricot twigs and branches (old standing dead), misc. twigs & branches, misc. splitter trash, and a pile of lumberyard offcuts about 2' x 2' x 4' which has been seasonin' for several months in the so. cal. sun.

I think I'm set for kinlin' for a while.

Peace,
- Sequoia


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## Backwoods Savage (Sep 28, 2009)

The absolute very best kindling I've ever used was some old lath. Find an old farmhouse that is being remodeled and if it has plaster walls, get all the lath you can. It is a bit tiresome pulling nails but if you have young-uns that is a good job for them.


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## WoodPorn (Sep 29, 2009)

I just bought a "quart of Avocada wood" from some guy, I'll let you know how it burns!


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## Skier76 (Sep 29, 2009)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> The absolute very best kindling I've ever used was some old lath. Find an old farmhouse that is being remodeled and if it has plaster walls, get all the lath you can. It is a bit tiresome pulling nails but if you have young-uns that is a good job for them.



Now I'm kicking myself for not grabbing some a guy was giving away on Craigs a few months back. D'oh!  :shut:


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## trouba (Sep 30, 2009)

These work like a charm and since I rarely let my fire go out I don't go through to many and as a plus Menards had them on sale for a buck a box so I bought 4 cases.

"STRIKE-A-FIRE: No fluids, no lighters or matches, no kindling or paper required. Burns clean, odorless for 12 minutes with no flare-ups. Package of 8 self-starting fire sticks."


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