The best kind of wood to burn is one of the hardwoods, such as oak, hard maple, and birch because they release more heat and produce fewer creosote deposits.
Not as dense as oak or as splittable as ash, seasoned maple is still a popular choice, burning slow and steady, with excellent coaling. Red maple works too, but doesn't burn quite as hot. A downside: sugar maple is rather smoky, though the smell is sweet.
Hardwoods like oak, maple, and hickory are excellent choices for firewood due to their dense, slow-burning nature and high heat output. Properly seasoned wood ensures optimal performance and minimal smoke. Discover more on my Quora Profile.
Types of Wood That Don't Burn Well in Your Fireplace
Willow: Willow doesn't burn hot and tends to produce exorbitant amounts of smoke. Alder: This wood is just a lot of work for no results. Alder burns quickly and doesn't produce much heat. Chestnut: Produces a lot of smoke and a weak flame.
Maple firewood is a good all-around choice for home use. It burns hot and long, and it has a pleasant aroma. However, it can be more difficult to split than ash, and it may creosote more easily.
Treated or painted wood - includes chemicals that have the potential to produce dangerous vapours. Wood from toxic trees and woody shrubs - some trees and shrubs are just not meant to be burned (e.g., cherry, elder, horse chestnut, laburnum, oleander, rhododendron, and yew, etc.,)
Wait at least 6 months and up to 12 months for dry firewood depending on type of wood. Hardwoods like oak and maple dry more slowly than soft woods like pine and spruce. To ensure dry firewood, wait at least 12 months before burning.
To recap some previous points, in general the best firewood is hardwood because it's denser, has low resin content, and lower moisture. This type of firewood burns cleanly, hot and slow, making it popular for heating. Depending on where you live, maple is a good firewood choice along with oak and ash.
Additionally, in the early 1980's, tests were conducted to discover which kind of wood created the most creosote in a regular “open” fireplace. The results were surprising. Contrary to popular opinion, the hardwood's, like oak and poplar, created more creosote than the softwoods, like tamarack and pine.
Softwoods and semi-hardwoods, such as poplar, spruce and pine, are good choices for fire pits or other well-ventilated, outdoor areas. Softwoods are usually more budget-friendly than hardwoods, but they don't last as long. However, they are easier to ignite.
Not only does fir and pine smell like Christmas trees, these types of logs create a pleasant crackle and pop in your fire. These are softwoods which dry quickly, are easy to split, and create lovely crackling fires. Before burning fir or pine, be aware that the popping throws a lot more sparks than other firewood.
For the serious fire lover, you may want to invest in hardwoods like madrone, live oak, ash, hickory, walnut and fruit trees like apple or cherry. Hardwoods are denser woods that burn hotter and longer than softwoods, but you'll need to let them season more than a year.
The price of oak and maple are similar but can vary based on the type of project, quality of lumber, and your local supply. Generally speaking, oak tends to be slightly more expensive than maple due to its higher demand in various industries.
Hardwoods, such as oak and maple, generally burn hotter and longer than softwoods. They produce less smoke and creosote, making them ideal for sustained heating. Softwoods like pine and spruce ignite easily and burn quickly, making them excellent for starting fires or for use on milder days when less heat is needed.
Furthermore, it's worth keeping in mind that maple trees contain more sap than the other choices I've discussed here. You might notice that the fire in your pit pops from time to time.
What kind of wood SHOULD NOT be burned in the fireplace? Don't burn driftwood in your fireplace. Driftwood is loaded with salt, and the chlorine in salt mixes with wood compounds during burning to release a toxic chemical, one that's been linked to cancer. Don't burn treated, painted, or sealed wood in your fireplace.
Regularly cleaning your chimney (about once a year) will reduce the amount of creosote in your chimney and should greatly reduce the risk of any chimney fires in the future. It's also important to make sure that the chimney cap is in good condition and that there are no gaps or holes in the flue.
In a best case scenario, the gradual build-up of creosote will eventually corrode the flue pipe which will need replacing. There in a worst-case scenario, heat from the wood-burning stove below can on occasion ignite particles of creosote creating a dangerous chimney fire.
Wood with high density and moisture retention are the worst types of wood to burn. They don't burn as long and also don't produce enough heat. Therefore the best wood for burning should be dry and hard.
Softwoods (Pine, Spruce, Cedar)
Softwoods such as pine, spruce, and cedar are among the fastest types of firewood to season.
Oak. Oak is considered the best firewood for burning, by far. This type of wood produces a slow-burning fire that lasts longer and burns more evenly and hotter. Also, oak is plentiful and found in almost any area of the country.
Sound – Dry wood sounds hollow when you strike it against another piece of wood. Wet wood does not. Smell – Green wood will smell more sappy or grass-like. Dried wood smells lighter and less pungent.