Identifying Hardwood Trees For Firewood

If the wood came from a wood pile or a lumber mill where all the pieces were from trees processed locally then the potential species are immediately limited.

Identifying hardwood trees for firewood.

Here are five types of hardwood that i have had a lot of personal experience with. These leaves can be single blade leaves or have multiple leaves attached to one stem. I m slowly grinding my way through roughly 800 wood species that have still yet to be listed on the site. If the wood came from a builder of antique furniture or a boat builder or a trim carpenter.

It should be noted that the volatile oils in some softwoods can increase the heat output of some species but only for a short time. This article is a one stop guide to provide some insights into the traditional classification of wood. Examine the leaves of the tree. I m working my way alphabetically by botanical name so check out the latest added wood to see where i m at in the queue.

Hardwood trees have broad leaves. The wood from hardwood trees tends to be harder because the trees grow at a slower rate giving the wood its greater density. Each of these occupations will tend to use certain species of woods much more often than others making a logical guess much simpler. Look for nuts and fruits.

Check a firewood guide before splitting or buying wood for firewood. The wood of these trees is generally hard and dense but. Hardwoods like oak and hard maple are the best firewood. Some woods like willow and sycamore have high moisture contents and dry to burn almost like paper.

Hardwood leaves also will have a delicate network of veins visible on the top or undersides of the leaves. Western red cedar has heartwood that s reddish to pinkish brown often with areas or stripes of darker brown or red and a narrow light yellow white sapwood. Once firewood has been split it s challenging to tell the woods apart. This publication presents information about 10 important pennsylvania hardwood tree species their identification characteristics and wood.

In addition to being described in detail each one is rated for split ability heat kindling grade and cook wood grade. Hardwood trees lose their leaves each autumn. And there are literally hundreds of species of hardwood trees from which you can harvest firewood. A thorough understanding of how to distinguish hardwoods from softwoods is essential as you make your choices for the next project.

Its heartwood the harder wood near the center of the tree trunk tends to be a reddish or purplish brown in color while the sapwood the outer rings of the tree is usually pale yellow. Pennsylvania s forests grow some of the most valuable hardwoods in the world. Most common hardwoods unlike the conifers or softwood firs spruce and pines hardwood trees have evolved into a broad array of common species.