russian olive firewood btu

Please leave your comments or questions on those pages if you have experience or questions about those types of firewood. Russian olive wood is not known to give off a smell when burning when it is fully dry. The drawback is that the trees are small and have thorns . Sounds like my neighbor would get along great with yours. For campfires, olive makes an excellent choice. I like to drag it out into the open on a log chain with the tractor. Its not the best, but it will warm you. All Rights Reserved. Thorny, tough wood makes splitting difficult. Other names for the Russian olive include oleaster, wild olive, or silver berry. Hi! I have done a lot of research over the last few months on the best wood here in the mid-south (west Tennessee). I have some upstate PA, that often is recovered when down, and used for firewood. I first came here and posted in 2010 . I added another folding screen to the hearth, plus a stainless steel screen that has 1/32 holes in it. As the chainsaw reaches the middle of the tree, the tree will begin to fall due to the hinge you originally cut. The stock I have doesnt match the data on the wood. Anyone know how this rates as firewood? When cutting, I have to sharpen my chain saw pretty frequently. 10 24 inche in diam. Seasoning time is reduced if the tree has been dead for months. Some have more heat than others but if you already have it you might as well cut it up and burn it. Russian olive wood produces an unpleasant odor when green. When he's not working on axes, he's probably camping, hunting, or honing his survivalist skills. When its cold out, I seem less lazy to get up in the middle of the night to keep the fire hot overnight. But unlike other woods like birch, Russian olive catches fire very slowly. With the ability to adapt to any soil type, the Russian olives tree can tolerate more than 75 gallons of water daily. I grew up on a homestead and I am here to share the knowledge I have and things I learn while living in the countryside. (Also, a number whose seed pods are only opened by bushfires.). Mulberry burns wonderfully, but gets so hot it put a crack in our first cast-iron stove when it was used as a full load, so we only use one piece at a time with other woods. Ponderosa Pine, commonly used to heat homes in this area, burns at 21.7 British thermal units (BTU), which in simple terms, means it burns hot and long. Personally, the best wood in the world is whatever I can get my hands on. my experiences with Russian olive is that it is rather easy to work with and finishes very nicely. The store bought lump charcoal gets it to usually 500. Coals are to fire as fuel, to keep it going and provide lasting heat. However, Russian olive wood still takes at least 12 months to dry and is difficult to split despite next to no sap production. The bradford pear burned fast with a mid size flame . Despite this, there are some pros to using it as firewood, as well as some cons. Russian olive or Elaeagnus Angustifolia is viewed as an invasive species. It also won't burn and will produce excess smoke. While we have quite a few woods available to us, what weve settled on for the fire place is a 50/50 mix of Oregon Ash and Black Locust. We also leave the basement door partially open so as not to encourage the water pipes to freeze. But you are right about oak making a great bed of coals, and in an outdoor fire the extra ash wont be so much a problem like in a wood stove. My wife even melted a stove once while I was at work when we were younger. When you burn the tree, you put the carbon back. Great site! All you ever wanted to know about Russian Olive except its BTU's. Step away from the tree at a 45-degree angle once it starts to fall. Russian olive burns clean, produces minimal creosote, and doesnt spark and pop. Can anyone confirm this? One perk of Russian olive: it burns hot. It thrives with zero care. im a firewood dealer i burn everything but when my house is cold and i want it to get hot fast its doug fir all the way. Much like poplar firewood varieties, the wood from the Russian olive in most cases is easy to split. But since then, they have spread wildly due to their deep, re-sprouting roots. We normally burn red oak in the fireplace. I have been looking for the B.T.U. Many use digger pine as it is reasonably priced, but requires that yearly clean out. poplar and boxelder in the early and late months of the wood burning season but otherwise black cherry,elm, red and white oak, and the hickories. Go fast on the oak. The wood from these oak trees is prized for its strength and density, and that density makes it one of the best at producing heat. trees have less resinous material than evergreens.) I live in East Kentucky and fire wood is abundant. It is still softwood, so does not provide as much heat as oak, maple or black locust. I like ash because you can cut it and burn it the same day and it splits easily. A cord is 128 cubic feet but in any stack of wood there will be air space between the pieces. BTU value is about the same for all hard wood when equal weight of dry is burned. Comments:Originally brought to the United States in the late 1800s for windbreaks and erosion control (and as an ornamental tree). Being a semi professional firewood dealer here in the Redding area of the State of Jefferson, California I find a lot of mixed wood. My wife and I just purchased 12.5 acres of old growth hard wood forest in Pembroke, NY (Sugar Maple, Beech, Cherry, Ash to name a few) and will be on my way there today to give the Stihl a work out !!! Im also interested in getting photos of completed wood projectsespecially of obscure or lesser known woods. Neither one grows to a large size in my woodlot although Ironwood does reach a reasonable size if it doesnt die from root rot first. By assessing the fire characteristics of Russian olive firewood, it will be easier to identify which scenarios and settings the firewood is best suited for. The gnarled, twisted nature of this wood makes creating a tidy stack of wood difficult. Very unusual leaf pattern for an oak, but just as heavy as all the other oaks. For dirty steak Ive used these same woods plus these additions: choke cherry (prunus virginiana), manzanita, Oregon Ash (Fraxinus latifolia), and white alder (Alnus rhombifolia). Be sure and let us know how your test goes. We like to go ahead and cut the stump in 9 sections. anyone know if red pine has lot of pitch. As a result, a cord of wood may only have 70-90 cubic feet of actual solid wood. Unless seasoned, firewood tends to produce a lot of smoke. THE COALS GLOW REDHOT LIKE OAK, BUT WITH HARDLY ANY HEAT. The tree is a perennial deciduous that is native to Asia and Europe. 1. I saw a question about Ailanthus, Tree of Heaven, as to suitability for firewood. It is recommended that you use a mixture of firewood when starting a fire instead of relying solely on Russian olive to get it going. I had about 10 mid-size logs of the black locust I burned . Jan 27, 2013. Heat efficiency is well worth considering when looking at firewood to burn. We provide super-helpful axe advice that's ad-free. It was a popular windbreak tree from decades past. Forgot to mention that the softwoods, including hemlock which is something like 75% water when green, have the property of shedding their moisture much faster than the hardwoods. Jul 16, 2013. NOW I LIVE IN ARIZONA AND THE CEDAR OUT HERE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT! What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Russian Olive Wood? Around here it is just about the most common tree removed by tree services so lots of firewood guys sell it since they get it for free. Russian olive is good firewood to use when you already have the means to start a fire. But when burnt while still holding more than 20% moisture in its wood, it will continue to release that unpleasant smell. I would like to burn this wood but dont want any chimmney problems either. As others have commented the wood does have a very strong odor when working it either green or dry(4 months from felling, slabbed to roughly 2x8x24 and dried for 6 months, milled to final size(1-3/4x6x24) and glued planks dried for 3 months) its a very herby/oily (like a potent salad dressing) smell that lingers even after washing. 2) I would guess trembling/quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and largetooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) to have similar qualities, but I have never seen largetooth aspen mentioned in any charts. Have a friend with a fireplace?, bundle about a dozen of the fat lighter sticks with a ribbon and this makes a great gift. I have burned about every tree that grows in this county (except cottonwood and willow, which is about worthless), and the best, by far, is Osage Orange. Poplar, Cottonwood, and Aspen: Whats What? Russian olive wood is not known to give off a smell when burning when it is fully dry. . The wood is dense and difficult to cut, and the bark is very coarse and uneven, making stacking a challenge. Apparently Magnolia is very similar to Tulip Poplar. Russian olive wood tends to warp and crack as it splits. How many BTU is a cord of firewood? Patricia in DE. Then fill it with fist size chunks of natural wood , then put the lid on . A slower burning wood like oak is too slow to respond and may not flame up when heat is called for. I need something to mix in wit the pine though to burn overnight. Ensure that there are enough gaps between each log to allow them to air dry effectively. The smaller stuff makes a great campfire for cold weather, putting off a blue flame and tons of heat. It might be interesting if someone else also burns that stuff and has a good supply of different types of wood to compare with. Russian olive is better adapted to warmer climates. Is this wood useable for smoking in a pit style smoker? But have found fore killed spruce / pine that had topsburned off in forest fire but roots kept sending sap to tree gives best heat ! Yet it will not burn, just smoke. We love it it burns slower and longer so we dont have use our wood as fast. Its not worth the time to cut, split, stack and burn. btuCompare price : $900X7 = $6300 vs $375. Will burn mostly oak as it gets colder. Ive only ived here for the last 4 years, It should have been pruned back many years ago but now to late and needs to be cut down. Starting a fire with Russian olive can be challenging, so try to use softwood for kindling. I have a large sweet gum tree blown over by a storm. Mulberry has a rateing of (1) unit million btu, 25.80/cord They are considered noxious plants in some states, such as Colorado. Output is a whole nother cat. I told him that wood had to dry before burning and he said its been drying all week long , it should be dry by now . Contains some non native species that can be found in the West. my back yard, and all of northern california would like to respectfully disagree. If you can, sell it and save the $$$ to buy fresh 1 yr old wood later on from someone else. Here in suburban MD (1/2 way between DC and Balt. See my page on donating wood samples for more info. The fireplace is rated at a whopping 25% efficient! Magnolia firewood burn qualities 1. The wood requires sufficient time to season, and mature logs may be difficult to split. They are hard to start with kindling so I have a tub of old diesel in which I soak Tanoak bark. Oh, and one other thing. It also won't burn and will produce excess smoke. In mid-summer, after the sap has risen and saturated the stump, cut it. The answer for me was a wood splitter, which does a nice job with it and the hardwoods I also use. Or would it be worth the heat and not having that pile to look at anymore? So there is no net Co2 that goes into the atmosphere. The density of Russian olive means that it can burn slower without losing heat. I use a LOT of hemlock because I have 10 acres of hemlock woods and trees come down in storms and have to be cleaned up. This is a project Ive been working on. Is non posionous sumac ok to burn in a fire place. Both put out considerably more heat than anything we have in Alaska and when its -30 outside you can use all the BTUs you can get. Sourwood trees provide an excellent habitat for pollinators, and their lumber makes great tool handles, but is sourwood good firewood? Hickory was my overall favorite . Can I Only Use Seasoned Firewood For Burning? When Russian olive wood is first cut, it released an unpleasant, overwhelming odor. Just look for a barkless dead tree in a fence row . The better your firewood has been seasoned, the better it will burn. We collect it as down and dead firewood when we are cutting western juniper (J.occidentalis), mostly on B.L.M. Its a good starter wood . This is a tree that I will avoid even if it is free! The Blue beech is more or less a weed species but does produce very dense wood which I harvest when it seems sickly or is growing in clumps. Oak is also great for grilling over an outdoor fire. Cut a horizontal cut one-third of the way through the trunk with the chainsaw. My neighbors complemented on the smell of it .Its great cooking wood too . I was wondering if anybody knows if this is true? Lay small pieces of Russian olive wood in the fireplace with other types of wood. Being a fairly common and fast-growing tree, prices should be moderate. Or, if the wood is worth your effort. Cheers fellow wood burners! When we are burning both stoves say in January, then Im just a wood-slave the whole day long. Anyone have any idea of cure times, BTU output etc? PRACTICALLY EVERY RANCH FENCE HERE AND NEW MEXICO IS MADE FROM IT, ITS EASILY SPLIT AND IT RESISTS ROTTING. I live in southwest Oregon. Persimmon is a good secret,burns hot and long. Take care working around them and always wear suitable boots and gloves. Not to mention the spikey nuts that are hard on the mower and gutters. It has a very unpleasant odor. One perk of Russian olive: it burns hot. Use a combination of woods instead. Remove the limbs from the bottom of the trunk first, followed by the top limbs, advises the University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension website. It doesnt seem to put out much ash, but does put out some real heat. The black oaks just had too many leaves in that Nov and the snow was too heavy. I believe its commonly harvested in the northwest if you are in the US. (This is a monthly update, and your email will be kept private. Old growth Western Red Cedar,while it makes for the very best kindling,will burn TOO hot and damage a wood stove or insert!!!! Unseasoned wood will still have some water content and will result in a slower burn, thus quicker creosote build-up. This comparison has live oak at 36.6 and Eucalyptus at 34.5 BTUS Eucalyptus is a very broad term does this refere to the gum species that grow in California ? It does mention its good fuel, but not how good. Cut the trunk into pieces about 4 inches smaller than your wood box. I have not found it listed anywhere as rated for firewood and was wondering if it would produce enough heat to make it worthwhile for use in the fireplace. Which aspen is rated equally in your West and East charts? It seems kinda light and when I pay 12.50/cord+driving for lodge poll pine I don't know if it is worth it. Well-seasoned olive burns clean and produces a light and fragrant smoke. Unless seasoned, firewood tends to produce a lot of smoke. If some of the wood is used for construction, there is a net decrease in CO2 from the activity. It does have a more bitter, eye burning smoke than most woods. At ~$75/ton which is about the same dimension size as a cord of wood, it has about 6-7X the btu value of any cord of wood. I had intended to include a reference to my location but failed to do so. One final note, as a kid I grew up where the streets where lined with English Walnuts and Shagbark Hickory planted around 1900 or sokept the red tree squirrels happy (and perhaps a few mean cats). The live oaks did just fine since they have such small leaves (unless they got in the way of a falling black oak). Pros And Cond Of Using Russian Olive as Firewood. Once it is dried and sealed, I love it. Re Bradford Pear, we had one in our front yard that lasted about 15 yrs., then went the way of many: split in a storm. Is It Okay To Burn Russian Olive In A Fireplace? Season the wood to remove any moisture for one year before burning it. rating? Campfires need much radiant heat to keep you warm on a chilly night . We live in the foothills of North Carolina and heat with a Big Buck wood stove. It will burn longer than softwoods and will be just as effective as hardwoods. Im guessing that the Hemlock that I can get is eastern soft wood correct 15.9? So the math:5 cords @ $180 = $900 // 5 tonsCoal @ $75 = $375. This can mean much longer burn times and less loading. I forgot to mention that I cut and split a Catalpa. Because of the air space between the pieces of wood, the amount of solid wood in a cord may be only 70-90 cubic feet, even though the volume of the stack is 128 cubic feet. This can freeze in extended cold and cause the tree to come down without warning it combined with wind. We have burned about 7 1/2 cord and I just ran out. If I can find ratings for those I will add them too. MY PREFERENCE would be the DR flywheel special.. Man that thing smokes with efficiency. Also, box elm burns decent but it stinks. The density of Russian olive means that it can burn slower without losing heat. Not good for firewood but great for woodworking. In the early 1900s, Russian olive trees were introduced to North America to stabilize soil and provide windbreaks. Like the man said , if you got it free, its worth burning for heat. The better your firewood has been seasoned, the better it will burn. Seasoned olive burns clean and leaves minimal creosote. However, someone told me that buckthorn burns so hot you have to be careful your wood-burner doesnt crack. Hickory is still my favorite , but I also have learned to find dead standing mullberry thats near seasoned. In natural settings, they quickly become invasive, crowding out other native species. I live on the west slope too and have found that oak, even when protected, doesnt keep that well, unlike cedar, pine, fir, or lodgepole. The initial smell is like a sweet-smelling perfume. But the common name aptly applies due to its obvious high density and/or hardnessprobably how it got the common name in the first place. Does anyone else have experience burning buckthorn in a wood stove? They are now an invasive species that crowd out natives and suck up valuable water. My wood cribs have steel floors to keep the wood off the ground and away from bugs, so the wood stays dry. Russian olive is medium-quality firewood. Step 2 Lay small pieces of Russian olive wood in the fireplace with other types of wood. Any advice as to species, training, harvest and also seasoning of smallish diameter limbs, or direction to such information, would be much appreciated. By time it is dry, there is nothing left. The coals cook a mean hot dog after a few brews. Elm is easy to find around here . Tree species with dense wood provide the best firewood, releasing more BTUs per volume of wood than species with less dense or lighter . As temperatures warm in the Animas River Valley, this tree could become more prolific, and create a monoculture along our rivers and streams. Copyright 20082023 Eric Meier. It burns clean and hot. So if you remove the bark you have fewer ashes to clean out. The only draw back is it gives little flame for a campfire . The wood from these trees makes the greatest stove wood there is. Someone is selling russian olive for $50/cord. Make another cut at a 45-degree angle above the original cut, so the cuts join, creating a notch in the wood resembling a wedge of watermelon. When you grow a tree, you take carbon out of the atmospere. Being a fairly common and fast-growing tree, prices should be moderate. The specific links on this site are affiliate links (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases) and help support the site at no extra cost to you. Get loads of helpful info like how to swing an axe for more power and maintenance advice. The more dense a wood is, the more weight and BTU it will have. Dogwood, apple and the smaller trees burn good but are only for small fires (late spring or early fall when you dont want a fire to last all day) If you are serious about heating your home with wood just stick to these trees for the max in BTUs..they burn hot and clean. Consistency between charts will vary due to different variables between different data sources. Uncured wood is also inefficient as the fire wastes energy, evaporating moisture instead of heating the room. Another opinion added to the interwebs Cheers, Happy Burning. As previously stated by others, forget ANY cottonwood, only one or two sticks at a time for Manzanita as it is super hot. Chinquapin and Dogwood are common here in Ohio. Russian olive firewood leaves a lot of ashes in the fireplace once the fire burns out. A well educated, 76 year old, freedom loving American who worries about my children and grandchildren. However, if you are burning firewood throughout the year then you should do this more often. When were rigging it out of the tree or hauling it I use the charts for douglas fir since Ive heard they are about the same density as live wood. BTUs or British Thermal Units are a measure of the amount of heat energy available in any given substance. At 23.0 million BTUs of heat per cord, Russian olive gives off moderate heat. This shrub's silvery foliage, showy flowers, and colorful berries made it popular in landscaping, though it was also planted extensively for a period of time in natural areas to provide erosion control, wind breaks, and wildlife food. Some locals began tackling the problem on their own by funding small removal projects, but the effort was minimal in response to the widely growing tree population. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/elaang/all.html, http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativegardening/avoid.shtml, Want a masonry heater, Russian, Finish, kakelofen type, The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces, Russian Fireplace / Masonry Heaterabsolute newbie. When evaluating firewood, the industry measures heat output in million BTUs per cord of wood. I have a few standing dead pin oaks. As with any wood, olive requires adequate seasoning before use. Mix some ash firewood in with your Russian olive and you will get a good heat source burning quickly. Stain? Jul 21, 2013. Still have some pieces, which are quite dry by now. In Kansas we used a wood called hedge. BillNole. Ten pieces of green 20 yellow birch or hard maple last for roughly eight hours and throw tons of heat. Have a lot of ancient dead manzanitas that also burn fantastically in the fp. I cut them in 1 rounds and let the sun crack the end grain. Russian olive burns clean, produces minimal creosote, and doesn't spark and pop. The wood is dense, like ironwood, meaning it burns slowly, and you wont have to keep adding more to the fire. Your plants roots will love you for it! OLIVE. I have been burning Honey Locust, Dogwood, Apple, Black Cherry, Black Walnut, Tulip Poplar(Tulip Tree) and Sassafras. Russian olive will mostly produce a lot of ash but will burn for a long time regardless. The one that puts on what is called hedge apples, eaten by squirrels. Not a native species, but abundant where it has been planted (I have seen it coast to coast) Any idea the BTU of Tree of Heaven or alianthus (?sp). Weve been lucky the past years to find eucalyptus but have been offered almond this season. Depending on the types of conditions that the Russian olive tree was growing in, it may be carrying a higher moisture content than you expect. I made the mistake of scoring a cottonwood many years ago and dont want to make that mistake again. Russian olive will smoke a substantial amount if not left to dry out for long enough. Another challenge with Russian olive trees is the thorns that can cause nasty injuries. I am the guy behind Theyardable.com. Olive wood is a mixed bag when its time to start splitting. We use an outdoor wood burner. So, are Russian olives worth the trouble? We have tons of felling oak trees pushed up waiting to be cut , fully seasoned too !!! Selecting the Right Firewood Firewood heat output is measured in "British Thermal Units" or BTUs. You will need to use a combination of other woods to get your fire going, to begin with as Russian olive does not catch fire easily. Axe Adviser is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The tradition of burning a Yule log has largely fizzled out in most parts of the world. This guide looks at whether its worth tossing in the fire so that you dont waste time splitting it for no reason. A cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. To get the most heat production out of . Originally, Russian olives were planted in America to act as a windbreaker and soil stabilizers. Wood heat seems to be medicinal especially on cold, wintry days. Anyone who thinks its crappy has either failed to keep it dry, not split it small enough or burned it green. Chopped up a few live oaks and boy that is a great wood for the fireplace! Id like to burn red oak as well but its a little too cold for it around here. But when burnt while still holding more than 20% moisture in its wood, it will continue to release that unpleasant smell. Are they actually different species? Fires made solely with this wood are difficult to start. Maybe the aroma will get better with age after seasoning this summer . If youve decided to fell a tree, you may wonder if the Russian olive firewood is good to burn. getting mostly ash, some cherry and some oak. They also began infesting fields, preventing local farmers from growing hay, and decreasing the overall grass quantity. I am planting osage orange, black walnut, sassafrass, and black locust. Olive is diffuse porous, whileRussian Olive is ring-porous. they r clean , no bark or bugs, hard as a rock & burn hot! Its wood is excellent for woodworking projects or turning. wanted free hard wood firewood near lebanon,pa area Wood that gives off a lot of smoke causes sore, red eyes and isnt enjoyable to sit next to. Ill have much pecan to burn this fall , we cut a huge tree . Wood is limited to small-scale andhobbyistuses. In Iowa we mix our loads in the stove out of boredom. I want to leave it as natural as possible. I will definitely cut more hickory, beech and oak . Dont know much about western woods, except that the citrus groves my wifes family own in Mesa, AZ make tremendous wood for fires. Quick Answers. They put out some tremendous heat . My grand dad swears beech is king. There is of course no obligation, but if youd like to give back and ensure that the project continues to grow, consider supporting me on Patreon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utECDaIoBFU, Too Much Charcoal Building Up in a Wood Stove, Does Burning Softwood Cause Creosote in a Chimney, Soaking Wood Chips for Smoking and Grilling. Add surfacing: $113.00 . Have also taken large quantities of red oak (everyones favorite) and red maple (the poor mans oak), and smaller amounts of cherry (nice smell), beech (hot stuff), yellow birch (great smell), white oak, and sweetgum. Russian olive produces very few sparks as it burns, so you can light the fire and relax. Creosote cannot form in such an environment. by Lillie Nelson November 6, 2022 One perk of Russian olive: it burns hot. It does get hotter than the Red Oak and leaves hot coals. 3) Cottonwood is actually one of the poplars (Populus deltoides) and is rated quite a bit higher in the West (16.8) than the East (13.5). I really cant speak for pecan until I can try it seasoned . I dont know how they compare split and dried.

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