GOOD & BAD WOODS FOR INDOOR FIRES
Which species of wood will create the best fire indoors this winter?
The driest one, honestly. Yes, different species of wood burn differently in your fireplace, and some generate more heat, measured in Btu, than others. But it depends mostly on an individual log’s moisture content.
Burning a well-seasoned (dry) ponderosa pine log can generate more Btu than burning an unseasoned (wet) white oak log. That’s why we built our Holz Hausen—to dry our firewood fast and efficiently. Still, there are differences in the firewood you buy and season for burning indoors. Here’s what you should burn and what you shouldn’t.
ASH
This is one of the best options for a steady, long-lasting fire. Ash is easy to find and affordable. Because it can take longer to ignite, you might need more kindling, but once it gets going, it produces a long-lasting fire with little smoke.
OAK
This popular wood is plentiful in much of the country, and it burns long and slow without a lot of smoke. It’s easy to split, although it can take years to properly dry out.
BEECH
Beech is dense and difficult to split, but when it’s properly seasoned, it burns hot with a delicious aroma. Beech trees are native to the eastern United States and more difficult to find west of the Mississippi.
CHERRY
If you want ambience, including a great aroma, burn cherry. You might pay a little more to find seasoned cherry, but it burns a high-quality fire. Cherry wood lights quickly so you won’t spend time tending to the fire.
MAPLE
This popular pick burns clean with little smoke and few sparks. Like beech and cherry, it has a pleasing scent. Look for sugar maple; it produces more Btu than silver maple.
PINE
Pine firewood isn’t a great choice for indoor fires. The high resin and sap content can be hard on fireplace chimneys. Pine can also produce a lot of smoke. Buy small scraps and use it for kindling.