Slowest burning wood for wood stove

[ab_hunter]

Hi there,

Just wondering what the more seasoned members here recommend for a wood to utilize in a wood stove at night for a longer burn time. I usually burn whatever is available but curious to know what is recommended. Obviously will restrict the air flow via the damper.

Thanks in advance

[rusty99]

The harder the wood the better. I like birch when I can get my hands on it. Stay away from "soft" wood like Poplar as it doesn't put out much heat and makes lots of ash. Your location and wood availability will be the biggest factor. Are you cutting and splitting your own wood or buying it?

[silver lab]

I don’t use split logs for night time. What ever wood you have this will slow the burn quite a bit.

[Cooeylover]

Originally Posted by silver lab

I don’t use split logs for night time. What ever wood you have this will slow the burn quite a bit.

I’ve noticed even in the fire pit the full round logs that are decent size burn longer.
A full round peice at night might be a “good heater chunk” as my father would call it, lol.

[MountainTi]

Tamarack

[Jerry D]

Search wood btu outputs.

There’s lots of charts. Pick wood that is local to you with a higher btu value.

A few Larger chunks take longer to burn compared to a bunch of smaller chunks as said.

[1shotwade]

I burn tamarack I cut a cord of split and have a cord of 6" to 8 " round for at night. keeps the house toasty. just did my yearly chimney sweep and she was pretty clean.

[Phil McCracken]

I mix dry tamarack/birch/pine.

Round stuff at night.

Did chimney last week...and as usual squeaky clean...

[brass410]

round wood as big as can fit thru door will usually hold fire the longest, as to type I use to burn sugar maple, beech, elm, and oak but they dont grow where I live now so its tamarack first choice then birch black spruce and pine.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by brass410

round wood as big as can fit thru door will usually hold fire the longest, as to type I use to burn sugar maple, beech, elm, and oak but they dont grow where I live now so its tamarack first choice then birch black spruce and pine.

Too bad we don't have dense hardwoods in the west. Half the wood for the same amount of heat and burns all night.

[Brbpuppy]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Tamarack

I'm pretty sure Tamarack burns fairly quick, but very hot.

For longer lasting burns, you want hardwoods. Birch / Oak / Maple...

[Littlejet]

White Ash if you can find it, hands down the best I have ever put in a stove!!

[Geraldsh]

Has anyone tried tossing in a chunk of coal for the overnight burn? What would be the disadvantages?

[Lornce]

Bought a cord and a half of birch, it was placed bundeled on my driveway in the afternoon. Someone took it all overnight. Back to scrounging pallets.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Too bad we don't have dense hardwoods in the west. Half the wood for the same amount of heat and burns all night.

Brother in law contemptuously advised me of that. I handed him the axe and told him to go find some. You have to remember, with what we have available, If it's burning slowly, creosote build up and chimney fires are a possibility.

Grizz

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Geraldsh

Has anyone tried tossing in a chunk of coal for the overnight burn? What would be the disadvantages?

The disadvantages are;
-it smells bad ( not a problem if you’re in the country)
-much more difficult to find for sale nowadays
-Ideally Your stove needs to be set up to burn it (needs good airflow especially from the bottom), should have a cast iron grate with a shaker
-It will have acids that will prematurely eat out your chimney

It’s great heat though, long and hot, great for a wall tent

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Lornce

Bought a cord and a half of birch, it was placed bundeled on my driveway in the afternoon. Someone took it all overnight. Back to scrounging pallets.

That's crazy. I guess that rules out Meth heads - they wouldn't have put that much effort into stealing your wood.

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by EZM

That's crazy. I guess that rules out Meth heads - they wouldn't have put that much effort into stealing your wood.

That’s brutal … people pizz me off

[Big Grey Wolf]

The Alberta Trapper magazine for this month has good article on wood for cabins. It covers all the different species, including birch and tamarack as best woods. ATA magazine is published by same editor as AO, he is also a trapper.

[Brbpuppy]

Willow burns super hot and long actually...

[colvert]

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/w...eat-d_372.html

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Brbpuppy

I'm pretty sure Tamarack burns fairly quick, but very hot.

For longer lasting burns, you want hardwoods. Birch / Oak / Maple...

Not much oak or maple in this part of the world is the problem.
My stove lives on tamarack. I get another 4ish hours burn time vs. pine (which I've burned lots of as well). And yes, it will burn hot so can keep it damped down, thus lasting longer

[Okotok]

Not really an option unless you know an arborist or tree removal service with Edmonton or Calgary but I had a bunch of mountain ash that was dried for a couple of years. Great firewood!

[Brbpuppy]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Not much oak or maple in this part of the world is the problem.
My stove lives on tamarack. I get another 4ish hours burn time vs. pine (which I've burned lots of as well). And yes, it will burn hot so can keep it damped down, thus lasting longer

True. I'm mostly burning aspen, and one round will usually only last 2-3 hours.

[PartTimeHunter]

Birch and Tamarack are what I've found to be the best. Birch is as you can find it every so often. I cut Tamarack and spruce/pine in the burned out areas. That fire killed stuff seems to have better heat and less left in the chimney. Depending on what I'm burning and how slow I clean out the chimney every three or four weeks. I stopped using Poplar years ago - not enough heat and too much ash

[ab_hunter]

Appreciate the dialogue. I guess birch be will be the best bet. I will leave a couple pieces unsplit for adding just before bed.

[Hilgy]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

The disadvantages are;
-it smells bad ( not a problem if you’re in the country)
-much more difficult to find for sale nowadays
-Ideally Your stove needs to be set up to burn it (needs good airflow especially from the bottom), should have a cast iron grate with a shaker
-It will have acids that will prematurely eat out your chimney

It’s great heat though, long and hot, great for a wall tent

Ive heard this several times and always wanted to give it a try in the walltent overnight. Are you just simply throwing a shovel full in with the coals from a wood fire or half wood half coal?

Thanks

[fed]

Get ahold of your local Hutterite collonie. See about getting all the cut offs and see if their hardwood. I get oak and it burns twice as long as the rest in the stove at the cabin

[calgarychef]

Originally Posted by Hilgy

Ive heard this several times and always wanted to give it a try in the walltent overnight. Are you just simply throwing a shovel full in with the coals from a wood fire or half wood half coal?

Thanks

Ya, but I have a barrel stove without a grate and it doesn’t burn too well.
It needs good airflow for sure.

I “think” a large lump might work ok, football sized or so…

I’d like to try some at home for fun but the chimney issues bother me, mostly because I have a complicated heating system.

[TBark]

Up at the cabin, just prior to shutting things down for the night,
we put in a few rounds of the wood that’s still a bit green, birch, poplar, planned for next seasons burn.
And we find all is still comfy at 6-7 am.

TBark