This can be very confusing. With all the different types of woods available, it can feel impossible when trying to select the best types for ‘Yew’…you may even say ‘it’s difficult to ‘Cedar’ wood for the trees!’ ??
All wood types burn better when they have been ‘seasoned’. This simply means ‘dry’. If it is classed as ‘green’, it is ‘freshly cut or taken from a living tree’. The general rule is:- dry wood is good wood. However, if a fire is well built, most wood will burn even if it’s unseasoned.
For the best clean burn and maximum heat output it is best to choose wood that has been “Kiln Dried”, and has an average moisture content below 20%.
The Good Wood Guide:
Key…
??? | = Excellent |
?? | = Good |
? | = Fair |
??? | = Poor (it’s a lemon) |
Tree | Heat | Burn | Flame | Other Information |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alder ??? | Poor, does not last | Quick burner | ||
Apple ?? | Good heat | Slowly & steadily | Little flame | Pleasing scent. Gives lovely flavour to smoked foods |
Ash ??? | Brilliant heat provider | Best flame producer | Will burn when green. Small branches make great kindling | |
Beech ??? | Brilliant heat provider, not as good as Ash | Best flame producer, not as good as Ash | Fair burn when green. May give a few sparks | |
Birch ?? | Good heat quality | Burns quickly | Bright flame | Pleasing scent. Bark makes excellent tinder even damp because of natural oils |
Blackthorn ??? | Good heat | Burns slowly | Little smoke. A hedgerow. Produces small logs | |
Cedar ?? | Gives much heat | Small flame | Must be dry. Has snap and crackle. Beautiful scent. Makes a good cooking fire | |
Cherry ?? | Good heat | Slow burn | Pleasant scent | |
Douglas Fir ??? | Little heat | Slow burner if well seasoned | Little flame | Produces sparks |
Elder ??? | Little heat | Quick burn | Plenty of smoke | |
Elm ? | Constant heat | One log put on before bed can keep a fire in until morning. Slow burner | Unpredictable due to Dutch Elm disease. Can smoke violently. High moisture level | |
Hawthorn ??? | Good heat | Slow burner | Little smoke. Hedgerow tree, small twigs worth using | |
Hazel ?? | Good | Burns quickly | Good all-rounder. Small pieces make good kindling | |
Holly ? | Good | Quick burner if green | Good when seasoned | |
Hornbeam ?? | Brilliant heat provider, hot | Slow burning | Best flame producer, not as good as Ash | Fair burn when green |
Horse Chestnut ??? | Good heat | Good flame | Spits a lot | |
Larch ??? | Good heat if seasoned | Crackly with nice scent | ||
Laurel ? | Brilliant flame | |||
Lime??? | Poor | Poor | Dull | |
Maple ?? | Good | Good | Good | Good quality firewood |
Oak ??? | Very old dry wood – excellent heat | Very old dry wood – Slow burner | Sparse | Acrid smoke if new or damp. Produces very little ash |
Pear ?? | Good heat | Pleasant scent | ||
Pine ? | Bright flame | Pleasant scent. Crackles and spits. Good for keeping fire going in wet weather | ||
Plane ? | Burns reasonably well | Throws sparks if very dry | ||
Plum ?? | Good heat | Pleasant scent | ||
Poplar ??? | Little heat | Slow burner | Poor camp firewood | |
Rhododendron ? | Good burner | Thick, tough, old stems are best | ||
Spruce ??? | Quick burner | Produces many sparks | ||
Sycamore ?? | Moderate heat | Good flame | Thin branches make good kindling | |
Walnut ? | Fair | Uncommon. Distinctive scent | ||
Willow ? | Quick burner | Must be well seasoned | ||
Yew ? | Fierce heat | Slow burner | Dense, slow-growing. Pleasant scent. Can spit & spark on a campfire. |
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