Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Fire Wood => Topic started by: freefour on October 07, 2013, 08:25:42 AM

Title: Silver Maple
Post by: freefour on October 07, 2013, 08:25:42 AM

I got a bunch of soft silver maple given to me.  It's real heavy and wet since it was alive last week.  Do you mix with hardwood when burning junk?  I don't think it will hurt to just burn as is but thought I would get your thoughts on it.  Thanks!

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: yoderheating on October 07, 2013, 09:47:39 AM

 Around here maple is considered prime wood.

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: Speed on October 07, 2013, 10:07:37 AM

There's nothing wrong with silver maple, its not sugar maple or oak as far as BTUs, but its good wood. I would let it dry till next year if it was me though. Your going to lose some BTUs trying to burn it wet as it will be trying to dry itself, and lots of smoke.

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: Scott7m on October 07, 2013, 10:35:50 AM

Soft maple is ok...   When it's wet I really don't like it but dry it's ok

Hard maple is good stuff tho, I'd rate it right there in the oak category

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: freefour on October 08, 2013, 12:16:46 PM

I agree with Scott on the hard maple.  Soft maple is plentiful around here and nobody wants it.  My installer kept bragging how you can cut a live tree in the morning and burn it that night but I think it's better to let it dry some.  So, I think I will wait until next year to burn.  It's crazy heavy wet.  Seems to be dulling my chains fast too.

I was just curious if everyone mixes hard wood with soft wood when for better results when burning, either wet or dry.

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: Scott7m on October 08, 2013, 01:27:01 PM

Bottom line seasoned wood is always better......


Think about it folks!  Green wood is wet, why would anyone wanna put water on a fire?!?!

Half of the energy is wasted drying the wood so it can burn

My hardy dealer is the same way, bragging how u can burn green wood, I'm like yepand you sir are contributing to cutting your own throat, burning green wood is extremely wasteful and smokey and is the main reason for complaints on owb's

Title: Re: Silver Maple
Post by: MattyNH on October 08, 2013, 08:08:46 PM

Quote from: Scott7m on October 08, 2013, 01:27:01 PM

Bottom line seasoned wood is always better......


Think about it folks!  Green wood is wet, why would anyone wanna put water on a fire?!?!

Half of the energy is wasted drying the wood so it can burn

My hardy dealer is the same way, bragging how u can burn green wood, I'm like yepand you sir are contributing to cutting your own throat, burning green wood is extremely wasteful and smokey and is the main reason for complaints on owb's

100% agreed Scott!