I live in Washington State,and We have a lot of conifers here! and we burn them in our fireplace after they are seasoned. Because of the air space between the pieces of wood, the amount of solid wood in a cord may be only 70-90 cubic feet, even though the volume of the stack is 128 cubic feet. [Full Review]Continue, After firewood has been split, all that remains is to store it. Its all from WI. Once it is dried and sealed, I love it. The drawback is that the trees are small and have thorns . They also give a pleasant smell, though not as nice as red oak, cherry, or yellow birch. A wood box helps contain it. THE MAN MENTIONED CEDAR GAVE OFF LITTLE TO NO HEAT. George, its a bit cooler up here in the lower Hudson Valley, and weve been burning in the 18th C. Dutch hearth since Hurricane Sandy. Western dogwood grows along the west coast and canyon live oak is common in California and Oregon. I live in the White Mountains of Arizona. Its a good starter wood . Some call a tree a Douglas fir while others call it a Red fir. Not to mention the spikey nuts that are hard on the mower and gutters. I have about a hundred of these that were cut in maintaining a power line right of way. I did My little campfire experiment to find out the best hardwood for a campfire . The Russian olive removal sites offered up the perfect solution. Just look for a barkless dead tree in a fence row . Consider using a hydraulic log splitter if youve got a lot of wood to process. The inside resembles red or white oak color & grain. It is a decent fuel, but very heavy when green and very light when dry. I have put together the best data I could find, but consider the figures to be approximate. I use Hickory, White or Red Oak,Beech,tulip Poplar,& Sycamore. So long as youre only burning good hardwoods and/or clean white (non-glossy/colored) paper stock and kindling, you should spread your ashes on your favorite acreage for the potash. I grew up on a homestead and I am here to share the knowledge I have and things I learn while living in the countryside. Just cut down a Shingle Oak Tree here in Ohio. Will burn mostly oak as it gets colder. I live in eastern us, southern ny area So, give at least 1 year (12 months) for your Russian olive wood to season before use. I dont know how that changes as it dries out. I have some upstate PA, that often is recovered when down, and used for firewood. Build the fire slowly, using a combination of Russian olive wood and faster-burning wood, such as pine. Whatever temperatures you face, olive will keep you warm. Its a very interesting subject you bring up Audrie that I would also like to hear comments about. Once burning it will not go out, so it is also commonly used for hog roast pits. I didnt find any data about almond wood, in your stats, and thought you might like to include it. Coals produced by firewood impact how long it will burn before needing more wood added. Don't burn it until it has seasoned for at least one year. Or would it be worth the heat and not having that pile to look at anymore? Some fully seasoned apple,beech and american elm and some partially seasoned pecan and bradford pear . Old growth Western Red Cedar,while it makes for the very best kindling,will burn TOO hot and damage a wood stove or insert!!!! We burn mostly old-growth sugar maple w some white ash, black cherry, beech and black maple thrown in. The maple burns very well though w good hot hard coals that will last the night if I get too lazy to feed the fire at 3am. As a common invasive species, you have probably seen Russian olive often on a countryside walk. Im in Melbourne, Australia. Great site. Im thrilled to read about mulberrys quallitiestheres alot of that here in WI, Hi Gang! Both put out considerably more heat than anything we have in Alaska and when its -30 outside you can use all the BTUs you can get. The good news is that virtually all of the time, they say yes. We have burned about 7 1/2 cord and I just ran out. Wood combustion occurs in three consecutive, overlapping stages. But for softwood, it does burn well. Western Hardwoods Figures from California Energy Commission BTU Rating Based on 90 cubic feet of solid wood per 128 cubic foot cord The draw back is it is very hard to split . But since then, they have spread wildly due to their deep, re-sprouting roots. How to Grow Rosemary From Cuttings Propagate Rosemary, Mexican Mock Orange: Everything About TheChoisya Ternata, Magnolia Shrub: Everything About The Magnolia Bush, Crape Myrtle Shrub: Everything About The Crape Myrtle Tree, Lilac Shrub: Everything About The Lilac Bush. Your main consideration is that, to burn clean, any wood. Required fields are marked *. Invest in a moisture meter to know when your firewood has seasoned for long enough. But have found fore killed spruce / pine that had topsburned off in forest fire but roots kept sending sap to tree gives best heat ! However, the destructive habits of these non-native, invasive species were quickly discovered by residents in the valley. I take that to mean that seasoned wood, with the same moisture content, will be pound for pound equivalent in terms of heating value but you may need to burn to 2-3x pine vs hickory. Thanks! One random ember could quickly start an unwanted fire. The fireplace is rated at a whopping 25% efficient! By assessing the fire characteristics of Russian olive firewood, it will be easier to identify which scenarios and settings the firewood is best suited for. they r clean , no bark or bugs, hard as a rock & burn hot! if it does not stay at 30,40 C . We live in the foothills of North Carolina and heat with a Big Buck wood stove. The multiple piece splitters seem highly efficient also. While generally small and branching, Russian Olive trees can produce wood that ranges in color from yellowish-brown to darker golden-brown, sometimes with a greenish hue, and light yellow-white sapwood. Let it cook for about 2 hrs or until the flames from the gases slow down from spewing out the holes in the bucket lid. This means that the wood has had no time to dry out. Seasoned and dry and Im out there every three hours. There was a guy down the road whose stove completely melted when he filled it with all hedge. As olive wood burns in the fire, it radiates a pleasant fragrance. Builders planted them everywhere in Maryland, so talk about an abundant supply of firewood. As the chainsaw reaches the middle of the tree, the tree will begin to fall due to the hinge you originally cut. I cannot find any chart that lists BTUs for Shingle Oak anyone out there have specific information on that particular variety? When we are burning both stoves say in January, then Im just a wood-slave the whole day long. NO BUGS EITHER. Thanks. This wood is best suited to turned objects, in my experience, as the irregular wood and knots tend to make it hard to work with anything duller than a razor blade.Since I find that irregular woods seem to do well on the lathe, I use it for turnings, as it is very figured and I think it looks quite nice. I have cut and burned a bit of Russian Olive. In comparison, Russian olive burns at 23 BTU. I would like to burn this wood but dont want any chimmney problems either. Cal., I really miss having Live Oak and Eucalypyus to burn. Wood that gives off a lot of smoke causes sore, red eyes and isnt enjoyable to sit next to. When Russian olive wood is first cut, it released an unpleasant, overwhelming odor. Save it, let it dry for 2 -3 years and youll be opening windows to let the cold air in in February . I first came here and posted in 2010 . Autumn olive ( Elaeagnus umbellata) is an ornamental shrub first introduced to North America in the mid-1800s. I really cant speak for pecan until I can try it seasoned . Sapwood a much lighter yellow-white. Have also taken large quantities of red oak (everyones favorite) and red maple (the poor mans oak), and smaller amounts of cherry (nice smell), beech (hot stuff), yellow birch (great smell), white oak, and sweetgum. This can help you decide what the best firewood type is for your needs. Less dense softwoods have less BTU per cord than more dense hardwood but they also weigh less per cord. It burns so well I mix it with red elm, mulberry, or ash. Bow Woods (from a mathematical perspective), Four Common Finishing Mistakes (and how to avoid them). If you want a stronger flavor, try combining olive with the punchy smoke flavor produced by hickory. The wood will not keep very well even on a rack I have had it rot out. It also won't burn and will produce excess smoke. In Iowa we mix our loads in the stove out of boredom. I am planning on doing a little experiment to find out which wood is best for campfires and fire pits. Seasoned olive burns clean and leaves minimal creosote. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creosote It may not display this or other websites correctly. Brent C. Minard. hhmmfrom what you are describing, I doubt that the cupboard is olive, or Russian olivepictures would help.. Freshly milled or sanded, the main (or only) wood Ive come across that has green heartwood is poplar. I told him that wood had to dry before burning and he said its been drying all week long , it should be dry by now . Nobody seems able to beat 3 second cycle for efficiency for single splitters. More time for your wood to dry will decrease the quantity of smoke created when it is burned, allowing the fire to burn cleaner. Anyone that enjoys cooking with fire should check out these top types of wood for cooking. Jul 21, 2013. The apple is a good secret that most wood burners never thought of . Russian olive is medium-quality firewood. I have alot of leelan cypress trees that like to debrach themselves. YOu are actually doing an admirable thing cutting down and burning Russian Olive, it is a non-native and it is on the Invasive Species lists and it's sale/use is banned, or proposed to be banned, in many states. While we have quite a few woods available to us, what weve settled on for the fire place is a 50/50 mix of Oregon Ash and Black Locust. The heating value of No. The tight grained old growth Douglas Fir is as about as good as it gets.Put two big blocks on Your fire at night,button it down good,and when You open it in the morning Youll find a big,beautiful bed of coalsbut stand back,because when the air hits it,it will ignite big time!!! Live in S/W Missouri, and wood heat is our only source for 3,400 sq. The earth is drwoning in CO2 from burning sequestered carbon. wrightmade. I heat 5,500 sq ft with 130,000 BTU Franks Piping Wood Boiler from Quebec CDN. 5 out of 5 stars (767) $ 36.95. I seem to remember that all wood has roughly the same BTU content PER WEIGHT. There is more smoke from wood than coal so ignore the GreenFascist/ACORN Brownshirts and their deceits. So you are probably not going to find much information about it as far as btu or about its wood in general since it is not a common source of firewood outside of Asia. Hardwoods, ideally should be two years old, but one year is a minimum in the northeast. Ponderosa Pine, commonly used to heat homes in this area, burns at 21.7 British thermal units (BTU), which in simple terms, means it burns hot and long. I have some Hemlock and I can get some Hickory. We love it it burns slower and longer so we dont have use our wood as fast. So the math:5 cords @ $180 = $900 // 5 tonsCoal @ $75 = $375. Using Russian olive trees as firewood is a good way to consume unwanted trees, with a few caveats. It gets super hot and leaves a hot bed of coals. 2 look like the olive wood and 2 are green. White alder was favored by the local tribes for pit roasting salmon. A hot and dry climate will help speed up olive firewood seasoning. and keep the bedroom doors about a foot from closed to save heat. One perk of Russian olive: it burns hot. Olive wood is a great hardwood, it burns much like pecan or oak. In comparison, Russian olive burns at 23 BTU. Many of its given names are based on the trees olive branch-like aesthetic. Mostly ash, as all my neighbors here in northeast New Jersey a spit from the Hudson River are culling their ash trees for fear of the borer. density, and several qualitative parameters smell, ash production, fast/slow burn, ease of starting, ease of splitting, color/look of flame, popping/sparking and probably others. A slower burning wood like oak is too slow to respond and may not flame up when heat is called for. Russian olive does produce a lot of heat. Olive wood is a mixed bag when its time to start splitting. Jan 27, 2013. How do you burn and what type of stove do you use? But when burnt while still holding more than 20% moisture in its wood, it will continue to release that unpleasant smell. The data for these charts was compiled from various sources with different firewood types. I added the BTU of Eucalyptus to the charts but I cant find consistent data for avocado and almond. as far as mulberry goes..i live in central nm and at some point in time someone started planting non bearing mulberry trees..the btu output is not even close to what the charts state above..our mulberry trees would be similar to burning elm wood..it grows verry fast and requires a lot of water..we dont even use it for cooking wood..of course most native wood in nm is verry hard because it takes hundreds of yrs to growthe growth rings are so small in some cases it takes a microscope to see them..some of the juniper trees we cut for firewood ive been told were around during the time of christ..so it naturaly is going to be extremely hard wood..ive been looking for the btu output for algarita..or desert holly..where i cut my firewood its not uncommon to find these trees from 5inches to two feet around..it takes at least a yr to season..ive seen gunstocks and stair rails made from itprety woodanyone know?? Great aroma too. Jul 16, 2013. One of the premiere cooking, smoking and pizza oven woods. For campfires, olive makes an excellent choice. but it is still the least discovered hardwood/cooking wood around except where they have the Orchards. All firewood has about the same BTU per pound. It will spark quite a bit, however, when the burning logs collapse upon one another during the burning process. Axe Adviser is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When dry, Russian olive will give off very little smoke, making it a good choice as an indoor fire source. First find you a steel bucket with a metal lid . Happiness is a full woodbox on Friday night! If you can, sell it and save the $$$ to buy fresh 1 yr old wood later on from someone else. We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues. It does make a nice fire so maybe they should call it Good Fir Fire. This is russian olive. Still have some pieces, which are quite dry by now. Im also interested in getting photos of completed wood projectsespecially of obscure or lesser known woods. Mild food is best as it doesnt overwhelm the subtle smoky taste. Even when thoroughly seasoned, it does tend to spit embers sporadically. They are the top wood, BTU-wise. Any information? The only problems with it are that it throws a ton of sparks and is not good for a fireplace for that reason and when cured it is harder than a hub to hell and next to imposible to split by hand. However, keep in mind that ashes should have cooled for several days, and its easiest to do it during winter snows or before a rain. Love hard maples when I can get my hands on them. Russian olive wood burns very slowly. Western Softwoods Figures from California Energy Commission But Rating Based on 90 cubic feet of solid wood per 128 cubic foot cord. Be sure to poke a couple holes to vent the gases .Then get a 55 gal drum or make a small kiln to put your bucket in .Start your fire then put the bucket in. Theres a very large pile of willow butt logs, in a bunch pile from the willow my landlords had cut down, its an eyesore and Im tempted to lop it up and split it, not only to get rid of it but firewood is going for 210.00 per cord here and Im thinking its not cost effective to bother with wood having natural gas for the furnace. I know I know I can hear the comments about creosote but as long as it is dry and you give it air to burn it does great. We live in the upper Mojave desert (Calif.) and pretty much have to take what wood is available to buy. I really dont get the obsession with BTU by speicies. One BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. Russian olive trees were recommended for many years as natural windbreaks, but have fallen out of favor in recent years. Store firewood somewhere constantly dry and airy. Is it worth it? The better your firewood has been seasoned, the better it will burn. burning solid fuel !! About coal. Nothing burns green like ash. Poplar, Cottonwood, and Aspen: Whats What? wanted free hard wood firewood near lebanon,pa area We normally burn red oak in the fireplace. Use a combination of woods instead. Your web site is very informative. I am allergic to Russian Olive when it is growing. I cant tell the actual temp because it made the temp gauge go past the max 600 degree mark then go back around to the 200 degree mark . The black oaks just had too many leaves in that Nov and the snow was too heavy. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Live Edge Slabs, Cookies, Russian Olive, Epoxy River Table at the best online prices at eBay! Yet it will not burn, just smoke. I primarily have Red Oak, Black Cherry, American Elm, Red Maple, Locust, Hickory, Cottonwood, Poplar, growing in the woods. But it does burn off a substantial amount of ash. Olive gives food a subtle flavor thats fruity and slightly sweet. I had about 10 mid-size logs of the black locust I burned . I have a few standing dead pin oaks. I do know the tree I burned had a bad aroma . Jan 27, 2013. Like the man said , if you got it free, its worth burning for heat. But smoke is very dangerous, known carcinogen. ft. barn/house. They are hard to start with kindling so I have a tub of old diesel in which I soak Tanoak bark. Donating wood samples and pictures of wood items, Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Ash Wood: Black, White, and Everything in Between, Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae. I will feed twice that amount of seasoned. A cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. Not talking about ordinary white mulberry, just the fruitless ones. Ive burned wood for heat much of my life, but in my new house my focus is on wood for cooking. Speed up the drying time further by following these tips: Olive firewood rounds have a yellowish brown or cream heartwood that tends to deepen in color with age. i have burned firewood about 34 years and it is obvious the people who compiled the listings here have never used firewood for heat [ college educated idiots ] and i feel sorry for the people who cant recognize fools at point blank range!! All of the wood has been cured at least 3 years, but in our damp winters the wood picks up moisture from the air so produces less heat by late winter. The greatest downside to using it is the abundance of tree sap that adheres to ones gloves during the cutting and stacking process. The doug fir gets the bark beetles that work away the outer layer, but if you can get the bark off the wood it will last several years. Big bright flames and smells good.Also beech is a very clean burning wood according to my grand dad .Smokes very little and burns to a huge coal. That's when Bishop decided he wanted to make furniture with wood from his family's farm, situated 30 miles east of Brady . Read to find out. Dont even bother. Dogwood is by far the hottest. Uncured wood is also inefficient as the fire wastes energy, evaporating moisture instead of heating the room. I think many of us are a little envious of the river bottom land you have and the great hardwoods you have access to. Coals are to fire as fuel, to keep it going and provide lasting heat. land. Theyardable.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. So, in the fall of 2017, MSI partnered with the Durango Rotary Club, a local group in constant need of wood for their firewood distribution project, which helps low-income families and seniors. Unseasoned wood will still have some water content and will result in a slower burn, thus quicker creosote build-up. I have also burned green osage orange. You can click on the different types of firewood in the chart to learn more about them. The cores, thick bark that protects the Russian olive wood makes it difficult for the wood to dry out as quickly as pine or fir if not split. Take care working around them and always wear suitable boots and gloves. These charts will give you the amount of energy per cord of wood for some of the most common firewood species. The two common types found in these parts are tall shrubs or small trees, depending on site characteristics They are in the Rose family. My Ontario woodlot is in the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Forest Region, which includes conifers white and red pines, hemlock, eastern white cedar, white spruce and balsam fir; and decidu0us sugar, red and silver maples, red and white oak, beech, bitternut and shagbark hickory, white and black ash, yellow and white birch, trembling and largetooth aspen, basswood, butternut, black cherry, ironwood, blue beech, occasional cottonwoods and surviving white elms (and others I probably left out). ,