Growing up on a farm in eastern PA, I’ve grown fond of wildlife and the woods and learning about the critters and firewood and everything else in-between. Sweet gum will make excellent firewood as it is capable of producing large amounts of heat, as long as you are willing to put in the extra work. Gums often do well with acacia (wattles) as the smaller trees can live under a gum canopy, and are also good firewood trees in their own right. Cheap, freely available, dries fast, easy to light (makes awesome kindling). In fact, people will go their whole lives without hearing about sweet gum firewood. If you have access to free sweet gum that's already processed or if you cut down a single tree in your yard and you need to get rid of the wood, sweet gum is fine to use. If you are looking at growing a wood lot, I would suggest including some coppicing gum and some tagasaste for a good hot burning wood, and something like pine for fast growth. This is more than the 4.1 million tonnes we take out of our forests for woodchips. Be advised that if you try to rip some planks out for lumber, it warps like crazy while drying. Sweet gum works good for the "shoulder seasons" when the outside temperatures are mild. Due to these characteristics, some individuals will refer to the species as sapgum or sweetgum. Spotted Gum makes for a good firewood. Any wood harvested "live" needs 3 (Sydney) Summers to be perfect. So this means that I have a wood stove that I use during the winter, but I don’t need it to burn super hot all of the time. This is important and an overall good practice because the BTUs refers to the amount of heat that the wood is going to put out. However, sweet gum does give off a decent amount of heat and the wood is capable of heating your home. ft. of natural gas. This makes it a suitable choice for indoor fires. It is the interlocking grain that makes the warping and splitting so prone with sweet gum wood. In addition, Mulberry smells nice and produces great coals. Sweet gum firewood is hard to split......really hard. Spotted Gum makes for a good firewood. Once the wood is split, store it under a roof or cover because sweet gum tends to rot quickly and produce mold when it's exposed to moisture. Manuka . DO NOT HIT A WEDGE WITH AN AXE. 0 0. elhigh. Mike Kuhns, State Extension Forester Tom Schmidt, Forester [Previous Category] [Catalog] [Order Info] I made this site to share my experiences and knowledge. This will be right around the stage before it fully dries. The cost of firewood is Now this is Maryland, so we're not as cold as a Michigan winter, but both 2013-14 and 2014-15 were harsh so temperatures were sub-freezing for weeks. Good luck. Avoid splitting the wood right down the center and just focus on the edges. Don't rely on the axe. 1. I was able to split these pieces fairly well with my splitting-head axe. Sweet gum is not a very popular firewood choice for a variety of different reasons. The problem with sweet gum wood is that it tends to warp when it dries, as you learned above.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'woodsmanreport_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',133,'0','0'])); This not only makes the splitting of the wood harder, but it affects the overlook of the wood if you are going to use it for furniture. Source(s): https://shrinks.im/a9Fu4. Sweet Gum Tree Firewood. Yes. Here is a link to the one I have. If you live where there are mild winters, then this could be a good fit for you. The other good thing about blue gum firewood is that it produces less smoke when burnt. Heat dried firewood, ready to be burnt Firewood is dried with a warm air fire. Some individuals will even use 12-inch sticker spacing to speed up the drying time. I would say yes, if it is cheaper. The one disadvantage to the wood is its grain which tends to warp really bad when it dries. It has a chart also if you want to look up what another type of wood BTU is. HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED FIREWOOD TREES. £250. of fuel oil or 200-250 cu. Being of small size and stature, wild rabbits are prey for larger animals. £2.50. Burning sweet gum with firewood is not common, but you can do it. Even with help from the splitter, handling sweet gum is time consuming. Some of the qualities of red gum firewood are listed here: Slow burning with consistent heat – for wood to be considered desirable for firewood and for grilling food, it needs to produce consistent heat. mostly gum tree? With... link to Whistle Pig Animal: [Complete Guide], link to Wild Rabbit Sitting In One Place: [Top 9 Reasons Why]. But freshly felled hardwoods can take up to 18 months to dry. Some deciduous trees also don’t make good firewood. 0 0. elhigh. Therefore they tend to be the best firewood types for heat and for cooking. If you are going to split the wood, you could most certainly benefit from a hydraulic splitter. Species Characteristics and Volumes Heat content, burning characteristics and overall quality of woods commonly burned in Nebraska, as well as information on buying firewood, are included here. Another visitor shared these tips when splitting the wood by hand: "I've been burning wood since we lived way North where hard maple was the ultimate. £250. The species and age of the tree, the climate in which it grows, and the effects of environmental events such as fire or flood can all impact on the timber produced by a tree. As far as the drying time goes, the one-year period is not much longer than it takes other woods to season, so this is not too much extra effort to ask for. Many suppliers also offer a blend of softwood and hardwood called “hot mix”. Most people view sweet gum wood as a luxury that should be used for lumber and furniture production. This vigorous plantation species has a history of farm use for firewood and fencing. This is great for the environment. Softwoods are less dense and also tend to be more resinous. In General: Firewood is becoming a popular choice for home-heating. As you can see from the table below, there is no real discernable difference between ironbark and box. Another good tip is to make sure that you are burning ‘seasoned’ wood, which is wood that has been cut down for at least one year (oak is best seasoned for at least 2 years). Firewood BTU Chart If you’re trying to figure out how much BTUs your firewood will generate, you should always refer to a chart. The major concern with the wood is the amount of work and energy it takes to split it into usable sizes. And as the tree matures they will turn to a red-brown, gray or dark brown combination. The wood usually takes about a full year to cure completely. 6. Cheap, freely available, dries fast, easy to light (makes awesome kindling). Carry an axe because it will not split cleanly. If you’re new to splitting wood, I wrote a helpful guide on how to do it. It burns fast and hot and creates a lot of ashes. Individuals that are looking to use sweet gum wood for furniture or other wood decorations should consider steaming the wood prior to drying. Hardwoods such as gum and manuka make a better fire as they have greater heat content and burn slowly. Cottonwood is a type of firewood that is known for producing a low heat. But freshly felled hardwoods can take up to 18 months to dry. The wood can be easily identified thanks to its star-shaped leaves, which usually consist of five points and spiked fruit. You will just want to make sure that you start on the outside edges and work your way around the outside of the wood.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'woodsmanreport_com-banner-1','ezslot_9',132,'0','0'])); The goal is to eventually work your way to the core. That being said, there is a good chance that you haven’t heard of some of the off-brand species like sweet gum. The wood is twisted and chewy so don't try and split to big of a piece right down the middle because it will stick in the biggest of splitters. The real question of the matter comes down to how much work are you willing to put in?eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'woodsmanreport_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',135,'0','0'])); Are you willing to take a little more time during the splitting stage? Most of the time, the spiked shells are left behind and can be considered a nuisance for anyone walking around with bare feet. £2.50. Outside wood burning stoves are a great way to heat your entire home with firewood. Is sweet gum good firewood?eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'woodsmanreport_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_12',130,'0','0'])); Sweet gum will make excellent firewood as it is capable of producing large amounts of heat, as long as you are willing to put in the extra work. Sweet gum firewood tends to give off a lot of smoke and it even has an unpleasant odor at times. Both it and Eucalyptus ovata, the swamp gum, grow in quite moist soil (but not West Coast pakihi) and tolerate a -8°C frost, and while their firewood is good, the timber isn’t, and E. nitens doesn’t coppice all that reliably. Mike Kuhns, State Extension Forester Tom Schmidt, Forester [Previous Category] [Catalog] [Order Info] Cottonwood. For best results, try splitting the wood when it's still green. The wood takes about 3 times longer to process compared to other firewood types resulting in a lot of work for a small amount of firewood. If you are willing to put in the extra work, you could be rewarded with copious amounts of BTUs and long burning time, as these are two things that sweet gum is noted for. Such trees can grow to be as old as 400 years old and they can reach towering heights of 150 feet. Sweet gum works good for the "shoulder seasons" when the outside temperatures are mild. It's a light wood and heats up fast on cold mornings. Firewood sold from distributors are sold by volume as a measurement called a cord, which is 39 cubic metres of wood (2.4 metres long, 1.2 metres tall, 1.2 metres deep). Wattle varieties to try include: • Acacia elata, prefers moist soils, good timber • Acacia falciformis does best on warm, fertile sites, good timber Heating With Wood I. They pack more potential heat energy per volume of firewood. My personal favourites are River Red Gum, Ironbark, Bimble Box, Grey Gum and Bloodwood. However, sugar gum has the capacity to produce higher value sawn timbers. -- Marie . However, they are more difficult to get ignited in the first place. The same qualities that make red gum such as desirable firewood are the same reasons why it is good for grilling food. - by Barry Traill & The Good Wood Advisory Centre 1. Even if some of the best types of trees aren’t in your area or handy for a good cut down, you can still give yourself the best possible fire by making sure to avoid the worst trees for firewood. When it warps it get the fibers are interwoven and makes them even harder to cut through.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'woodsmanreport_com-box-4','ezslot_2',131,'0','0'])); The truth of the matter is that sweet gum wood doesn’t really split. This is great for the environment. In fact, it’s proven that sweet gum can produce up to 20.6 million BTUs per cord when used as a fuel. If you need a lot of firewood I would suggested avoiding sweet gum. There's tons of it here, but not much of it is taken because of the interlocking wood fibers.". Gumtree is good firewood. Wood should have a moisture content of only 15 to 25 percent for burning. Short Answer. Many people compare the burning qualities of sweet gum firewood to pine firewood except sweet gum does not contain the sticky sap that's associated with pine. You can get away with 2 if you split it just after cutting it. Cottonwood. i have to cut it to legth and split it and will let it sit to next year since i have enough for this year already but i was wondering if its a harder or softer wood. The species and age of the tree, the climate in which it grows, and the effects of environmental events such as fire or flood can all impact on the timber produced by a tree. This is great for the environment. A visitor from Maryland shared a method he uses to make splitting the wood easier. So this means that I have a wood stove that I use during the winter, but I don’t need it to burn super hot all of the time. Mulberry is excellent firewood with a high heat output. My advice is to grow different eucalyptus. Depending on the species they will either have 3 or 5 “fingers”. While cedar, cypress, oak, and pine fell before the ax and were split for fence rails, shingles, clapboards, and other essentials, the black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) was shunned.Not that black gum, or black tupelo as it is sometimes called, didn't yield good wood. For many years I lived in far east Gippsland where grey, red, and yellow box was available, also Messmate, Stringy bark, Peppermint, Silvertop, and several others, and also a type of red gum called Mahogany gum. Negatives of burning pine. Spotted Gum makes for a good firewood. Wood is a natural substance and is subject to variation caused by many factors. A good rule of thumb is to rotate your firewood, as in burning the older dryer wood first, to avoid wood rot and waste. More about this will be explored in greater depth below. All Maple trees drop their leaves in the winter. on the properties found in good firewood and to provide some indication as to how these properties affect the performance of firewood. The only problem that most people have with the wood is that it takes an incredible amount of energy and work to split and stack.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'woodsmanreport_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_11',134,'0','0'])); If you want to learn about firewood BTUs, check out my article on it. Those who use it love it as long as it seasoned to perfection, which is normally about 2 years. If you're going to split sweet gum, using a hydraulic splitter is the best way. This wood would be a good fit for my situation. As a rule, you want to burn the heaviest firewood you can find. Learn how much wood is in a cord of firewood. For the last 40 years I've collected my own firewood straight from the bush. Spotted Gum makes for a good firewood. The species can be naturally found growing in lowlands from southwestern Connecticut to Central Florida. There has been a lot of debate over whether the sweet gum is a hardwood of softwood.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'woodsmanreport_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',121,'0','0'])); The truth is that sweet gum comes from the Liquidambar Styraciflua, which is one of the most common hardwoods in the southeastern United States. Elm Red High Medium Yes Medium No 21.6 Good Elm Rock High Medium No Medium No 23.5 Good Elm Siberian High Medium No Medium No 20.9 Fair Hackberry High Yes Yes No No 21.2 Excellent Sycamore Medium Medium No Medium No 18.5 Fair Gum Black Medium Medium No Medium No 18.1 Fair Gum Sweet Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium 18.7 Good I use a heavy maul and the pieces split on the first swing. Since the wood is difficult to split and stack compared to other popular firewood types, some view it as a waste of time and energy. Good supplies of redgum may not be seen in Adelaide for the rest of winter. Red Gum is excellent in a slow combustion heater but does not burn with a lot of flame, so other species are usually preferred for open fires. Pine firewood Positives of burning pine . Leaves: Maple tree leaves are shaped similarly to a hand. That said, this wood is a little better than that of most coniferous trees because it doesn’t spark as much. This is great for the environment. a tree guy friend just dropped a truck load of wood. The major concern with the wood is the amount of work and energy it takes to split it into usable sizes. Ad posted 9 hours ago Save this ad 1 images; Pallet of dry firewood Trafford, Manchester Dry wrapped and ready to burn. The idea is to use softwood (usually pine) to get the fire started, then to add slow-burning hardwood once the room is warm. Lv 7. It should split okay. 2. It is understandable as to why many might think this way. Heating With Wood I. This only increases the difficulty of splitting the wood. Sweetgum is a hardwood tree widely cultivated for use in flooring, furniture and a wide array of lumber applications. When you throw a piece of sweet gum on the fire you'll probably notice heavy smoke in the beginning before it fully ignites. The best time to split the wood is when it is greener. Mulberry is excellent firewood with a high heat output. Each species has its own characteristics of burning rate, flame, coal and ash generation, which mainly relate to wood density and the chemical composition of tannins etc. All that being said, it is possible to split sweet gum with a very sharp ax. If you haven’t dried it enough, there is a good chance that the BTU will decrease. Just because sweet gum might not be the best firewood around doesn't mean you can't use it.......it just takes a little more effort. Good supplies of redgum may not be seen in Adelaide for the rest of winter. In General: Firewood is becoming a popular choice for home-heating. Heat dried firewood, ready to be burnt Firewood is dried with a warm air fire. As you can see, there’s plenty to consider when evaluating the best and worst types of firewood. Sweet gum trees are found throughout the eastern United States. Ignition can be tricky, although with a fire already burning, the timber will light with no problems and will burn fairly slowly without spitting or sparking. That said, this wood is a little better than that of most coniferous trees because it doesn’t spark as much. You can find them on Amazon for a decent price. Do you know how to identify green firewood? You also want to burn the driest wood you can find. Dave's Firewood Tips on the Best Firewood. We explain why in this video. 2. Personally I recommend any wood that will burn clean and last a long time (good coaling properties). Like all wood, sweetgum wood must be cured or dried before burning to increase its fuel efficiency, heat production and reduce the buildup of creosote in your fireplace and chimney. As you can see, there is simply no denying that sweet gum is an incredible wood with lots of uses. The other good thing about blue gum firewood is that it produces less smoke when burnt. Hardwoods such as gum and manuka make a better fire as they have greater heat content and burn slowly. Therefore splitting earlier will make your job a little easier. You also want to burn the driest wood you can find. and some cherry. is the gum any good? This is especially true if you are going to be using the species for furniture. Not only is it viable for burning, but it can be used in furniture and wood production. Even using one of these devices is going to be difficult and time-consuming. Since blue gum trees can be invasive, chopping them down for firewood can help control their spread. Other things you may want to know about blue gum. "This winter I discovered by pure chance a way to alter the wood fibers some so you can split the wood more effectively with an axe. When most people hear the term whistle pig, they are immediately going to think about a hog, sow, or boar. Burning sweet gum with firewood is not common, but you can do it. Splitting sweet gum is without a doubt going to be a challenge. It has a high output of heat, however gives off little smoke; ideal for use indoors in an open fire. Firewood sold from distributors are sold by volume as a measurement called a cord, which is 39 cubic metres of wood (2.4 metres long, 1.2 metres tall, 1.2 metres deep). Many people compare the burning qualities of sweet gum firewood to pine firewood except sweet gum does not contain the sticky sap that's associated with pine. Therefore they tend to be the best firewood types for heat and for cooking. These fruits fall everywhere around the tree and open up to reveal seeds. Current estimates indicate that a massive 6.1 million tonnes of firewood 2 are collected each year in Australia. Sweet gum works good for the "shoulder seasons" when the outside temperatures are mild. We longer use a wood burner. Sweet gum is good firewood. Source(s): https://shrinks.im/a9Fu4. However, they are more difficult to get ignited in the first place. Avoid These Trees For Firewood. Now I use whatever there is. Let the splits season for a year and it's good, lightweight firewood … They shred more than split and completely lack any sort of pleasant aroma while cutting, splitting, or burning. Blue gum wood is an all-around great wood to use for firewood. Softwoods are less dense and also tend to be more resinous. Whats the Best Firewood for your slow combustion heater? Current estimates indicate that a massive 6.1 million tonnes of firewood 2 are collected each year in Australia. Most people will eliminate bowing problems by stacking the wood in tall stacks. 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