![]() ![]() Can Wood Be Too Old to Burn?įirewood that’s properly stored should be good for use for about 3-4 years. For example, if you have access to a variety of species, save the denser fuel (like your hardwoods) for the colder months of the year when you need a lot of heat, and use lighter fuel (like your softwoods) as kindling or to build a fire in the spring and fall when you don’t need as much heat.Īnd remember, if you’re burning less dense woods like elm, while they make fine firewood – you’ll have to make a few extra trips to the woodpile. While you can use both types of wood in your fireplace, use softwoods and hardwoods wisely. Hardwoods are heavier and denser, so it’ll be harder to get the fire going – but once you do, you’ll have a hot, roaring fire. In general, softwoods are lighter, which means they’ll be easier to light and get going, but you’ll get less heat per volume than you would with hardwood. Hardwoods: Walnut, maple, mahogany, oak, teak, beech, hickory, cherry, ash.Softwoods: Pine, cedar, redwood, spruce, douglas fir.It’s absolutely OK to burn softwood in your fireplace – but you should know what the difference is between softwood and hardwood, and when one is better than another.īut first, what are some common softwoods and hardwoods? There’s a rumor floating around out there that you shouldn’t burn softwoods in your fireplace, but that’s not true. ![]() So, if the wood you are buying is not all hardwood, consider offering a little less money when you purchase. Consequently, the hardwood contains almost twice as much potential heat. Pound for pound, all wood has approximately the same BTU content, but a cord of seasoned hardwood weighs about twice as much as the same volume of softwood. Here’s a pro tip: Have your wood storage area set up in standard 4 x 8-foot increments, pay the wood seller the few extra dollars typically charged to stack the wood, and warn your seller up front that you will cheerfully pay only when the wood actually measures up to an agreed upon amount.Īnd remember, although firewood is usually sold by volume, heat production is dependent on weight. It’s important to get all the details from the wood seller before agreeing on a price, because there’s plenty of room for misunderstanding. A truckload of firewood can vary tremendously for obvious reasons.So, a face cord of 16” wood is only 1/3 of a cord. A face cord is also 8-feet long by 4-feet tall, but it is only as deep as the wood is cut.A standard cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet of wood, generally measured as a pile 8-feet long by 4-feet tall by 4-feet deep.Other terms often used are face cord, rick, or truckload. Here are the basics of buying firewood…įirewood is generally sold by volume, with the most common measure being the cord. If you’re buying firewood for the first time or you’re new to wood burning, you may not know what to look for or how much you need. Creosote will most likely build up faster than it would if you were burning seasoned wood. Note: If the ‘seasoned wood’ you bought turned out to be green and you elected to try to burn it anyway, be sure to have your chimney checked more often than usual. Burning green wood leads to cooler flue gases, greater smoke production, and more creosote, none of which we want. Wet or green wood that’s been freshly chopped is going to have a higher moisture content (around 40-50%), which means it won’t produce good, hot fires. This is why firewood should have a moisture content of between 15 and 25%. When choosing wood to burn in your fireplace, the most important thing is that your firewood is well-seasoned and dry.Īll firewood contains water, but the water must be gone before the wood will burn. Are hardwoods the ONLY woods to use, or can you also burn softwoods in your fireplace? How do you know when to burn one over the other?ĭon’t worry – we’ll get to all these questions and more, but first let’s start with the ideal moisture content of firewood. Let’s get started! What Kind of Wood Should You Burn in Your Fireplace?Ī lot of people have questions about what type of wood they should burn in their fireplaces. We’re going to cover everything from wood types and the moisture content of properly seasoned wood to creosote logs, wood storage, and safe burn practices. Hello, wood burners! Welcome to your ultimate guide on firewood and what you can + can’t burn in your fireplace. The Ultimate Guide to Firewood & What You Can & Can’t Burn in Your Fireplace ![]()
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