poplar for firewood

[Steve NW WI]

Heavy, dense, no BTUs, a PITA wood. Better off burning pine, spruce, or fir.
Butt, if that's all you got, dance with it. :alien2:

Heavy? Yup, when green. Dry, not even close to heavy. It's seriously lacking (as firewood goes) in the density department, at 2200# per cord dry, hence the lack of BTUs you noted.

To me, it's like any other wood growing on my property. If it dies it burns. I sure don't go looking for it, though.

 

[branchbuzzer]

Anyone know a source of info on average yield, in pounds, of different species of trees? I've been looking, but most everything I can find is related to volume or board feet and most of the biomass info talks about pines. Was thinking our lowly poplar might not do so bad when measured in that department and would be interesting for some other types as well, such as pin oak.

 

[Somesawguy]

It's considered junk wood up this way, but some people burn it. Unless you can get it easily, I wouldn't bother with it.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Anyone know a source of info on average yield, in pounds, of different species of trees? I've been looking, but most everything I can find is related to volume or board feet and most of the biomass info talks about pines. Was thinking our lowly poplar might not do so bad when measured in that department and would be interesting for some other types as well, such as pin oak.

BB, are you talking yeild as in tons/acre/year of various trees, or just the weight of the wood per cu ft?

Xcel Energy in MN has some test plots using hybrid poplars for biomass production, but danged if I can find anything on it right now.

 

[Rick Alger]

I read somewhere that all wood has about the same btu value per dry pound.

 

[darkbyrd]

I read somewhere that all wood has about the same btu value per dry pound.

True.

 

[branchbuzzer]

BB, are you talking yeild as in tons/acre/year of various trees, or just the weight of the wood per cu ft?

Xcel Energy in MN has some test plots using hybrid poplars for biomass production, but danged if I can find anything on it right now.

I was talking yield, more on the lines of a single tree than per acre but either way, measured in weight over a period of time. Say from seedling to 30 years or whatever, what trees would produce the most useable fuel over that period. It would obviously have to then be adjusted for the different moisture contents when green to get useable BTUs.

If one was going to plant seedlings in an open area for a woodlot, what species would produce the most BTUs over time. I'd think poplar would maybe do better when judged that way, but still would be beaten by fast growing hardwoods like pin oak, black locust. Hickory is great firewood, but I think it would slip down the chart based on yield/yr.

 

[85 Bears]

Which would burn longer, cottonwood or cardboard.

 

[darkbyrd]

Which would burn longer, cottonwood or cardboard.

Depends, how long did you soak the cardboard in water?

 

[Chris-PA]

We've got a lot of yellow poplar here, but I didn't get any this year and I miss it. In the woods it grows straight as an arrow. It's easy to cut, splits easy and perfectly straight, it's light and stacks nicely. But it's about half the BTUs of an equal sized piece of oak, and you do have to spend time hauling it which is why I don't have any this year. However, it's great for starting or for re-kindling a fire in the morning,and for getting the temperature/secondary combustion back up on a fire that's coaling down. I used to throw in single split with other, denser wood to keep it hot, or sometimes a thin split on the top to serve as an afterburner and get it really stoking. Good stuff, just recognize it for what it is and use accordingly.

 

[1967 Tempest]

We've got a lot of yellow poplar here, but I didn't get any this year and I miss it. In the woods it grows straight as an arrow. It's easy to cut, splits easy and perfectly straight, it's light and stacks nicely. But it's about half the BTUs of an equal sized piece of oak, and you do have to spend time hauling it which is why I don't have any this year. However, it's great for starting or for re-kindling a fire in the morning,and for getting the temperature/secondary combustion back up on a fire that's coaling down. I used to throw in single split with other, denser wood to keep it hot, or sometimes a thin split on the top to serve as an afterburner and get it really stoking. Good stuff, just recognize it for what it is and use accordingly.

I am seeing a whole mess of it for free up here. I like the idea of having it separated from the rest of the wood and used strictly as a starter or as a rekindler. As it is know, I usually spilt a piece of oak or ash into small pieces and use them. I might go get some this weekend....... I figure if I bring my nephews and my splitter and split onsite and get 1/2 cord might be worth it...

 

[sdt7618]

I am currently looking into coppicing willow, from what I can find out, given a 4-5 year growth cycle it has the highest yield per acre. Poplar a close second. In the uk 100k's acres are grown as for biomass fuel every year.

I am going to try a mix of willow hybrids and hopefully reduce my need to scrounge.

 

[zogger]

I am currently looking into coppicing willow, from what I can find out, given a 4-5 year growth cycle it has the highest yield per acre. Poplar a close second. In the uk 100k's acres are grown as for biomass fuel every year.

I am going to try a mix of willow hybrids and hopefully reduce my need to scrounge.

I think if I was to do that, I'd use mulberry. Great firewood, tons of berries, grows fast, you cut it off, it resprouts from the stump.

 

[Chris-PA]

Actually, re-reading my older comment in this thread, what we have here is not yellow, but tulip poplar - which is not poplar at all. I still like to have it, and this year I will again.

 

[mainewoods]

Coppicing or pollarding?

 

[sdt7618]

I will be coppicing, but have read about pollarding and can see the advantages with the lack of bending over to cut the stumps etc but really don't have the issues of deer/rabbits to worry to much about to make pollarding required.

 

[Dirtboy]

If its free or in your way, c/s/s and burn it in Sept-Oct, and in April-May. Save the good stuff for the cold months.

 

[svk]

For certain uses, like a sauna stove it is very good. Burns fast with good heat. But not the type of wood to fill the stove with for an overnight burn unless you wake up at 2am.

 

[Fred Wright]

Tulip poplar is so-so for heat output... I wouldn't travel very far to get it. Have burned the stuff in the past ~ it's fine for those not-so-cold days. Or for use in a shop stove. My issue with it, it burns fast. The stove has to be fed more often.

 

[steved]

Or for use in a shop stove.

That's where it shines, quick ignition, fast burn; lot of heat in a short amount of time. That's all my grandfather uses in his shop...15 minutes and its from near freezing to nearly 60*s.