Poplar for firwood?

[capetrees]

I know it all depends where you're from as far as who burns what. I've read in here that some in the upper parts of Canana burn almost exclusively spruce while folks in the lower 48 never burn pine indoors, too much soot and creosote buildup when there's other good hardwoods.

My question is about poplar. I've been removing quite a bit of it lately and was wondering if it's a decent burning wood for indoor woodstoves or even simple firplaces. Would people be offended if I included it in the firwood I sell them or would they even notice the difference? How does it burn? I know it's very punky when cut and heavy. If I do use it for firewood, should I cut and plit it asap or can it last in log lenths for a while without possibly rotting?

Thanks

 

[Rio_Grande]

I am interested to hear the responses, I have a load of poplar saw logs that I haven't been able to afford to have sawn, if it is any good I will cut and split it. I burned the tops of this one and the smell of the smoke green. Would gag me. It was bad and I don't do that easily.

Not sure on it when dry.

 

[FLHX Storm]

If you split the poplar shortly after bucking it fresh, it should season well without a problem. If you choose to leave it in log lengths, at least remove a strip of the bark if not all in order for it to season. Otherwise it will rot fast.

As for burning it, it is a good shoulder season wood as it rates at around 17k of BTU's per cord. It also produces a lot of ash.

As for selling it to customers, I don't think they'd appreciate having a softwood in their load of hardwood. On the other hand, you could sell it as campfire wood.

Some with mills will use poplar since when it has dried, that stuff is hard as a rock. One can hardly drive a nail through the stuff using a hammer. And using a nail gun might work about 75% of the time.

Personally, I don't sell firewood. Anything I cut I burn and really unless it's pretty punky rotten, I'll burn that too.

 

[Fifelaker]

Good wood for spring and fall. Burns hot and fast when dry. We call it gofer wood. Toss in a piece and gofer another.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Correction. Poplar only has 15k BTU's per cord. Really towards the bottom of the firewood scale.

 

[Hddnis]

It burns fine, you won't freeze with seasoned poplar to burn, but since it is lower BTU per cord you might have to load the stove more often. Some old folks like it because it is light weight and therefore easy to handle.




Mr. HE

 

[apn73]

Do not burn it in a fireplace that is located inside your home, stinks like heck! If you're burning someplace where the odor doesn't bother you, then do as the others have said above. You may be able to burn it in a wood stove that is located in your home and be okay, not sure because I've always headed others warnings about it and have not burned it inside my home.

 

[zogger]

Well, the *tulip* poplar here, which is not the same as far north poplar, will harbor and grow some tremendous big large white "land shrimp" grubs if it isn't dried pronto.

Bass in the pond here can't resist....

As to burning, I like it mixed in, easy to cut and split, etc. Very straight grained here, splits readily if left in the round for a week or two prior to splitting (by hand). Rather rubbery and juicy when fresh cut. A small amount of checking, then it is good to go. Once split, it dries very very fast.

If people are expecting primo hardwoods in a sale of firewood, nope, but as an addition, or if you are selling and advertising completely mixed wood for a bargain price, why not.

 

[Woodchucker Ron]

If you split the poplar shortly after bucking it fresh, it should season well without a problem. If you choose to leave it in log lengths, at least remove a strip of the bark if not all in order for it to season. Otherwise it will rot fast.

As for burning it, it is a good shoulder season wood as it rates at around 17k of BTU's per cord. It also produces a lot of ash.

As for selling it to customers, I don't think they'd appreciate having a softwood in their load of hardwood. On the other hand, you could sell it as campfire wood.

Some with mills will use poplar since when it has dried, that stuff is hard as a rock. One can hardly drive a nail through the stuff using a hammer. And using a nail gun might work about 75% of the time.

Personally, I don't sell firewood. Anything I cut I burn and really unless it's pretty punky rotten, I'll burn that too.

I think what a lot a lot people don't know about poplar is it is actually a hard wood. Thats why they mill it. It is hard when it is dry and is good for woodworking projects,siding and what not. As for fire wood well I think it' like what Fifelaker says.

 

[Storm56]

Good wood for spring and fall. Burns hot and fast when dry. We call it gofer wood. Toss in a piece and gofer another.

+1. I at one time used to take the time to haul it in and split and stack it but no longer bother with it. It takes the same amt of fuel and energy to process it as the oak, maple, cherry and hickory that I have on my property for less than 1/2 the burn times. So now it "composts" naturally in my woods.

 

[Fred Wright]

Agree with the folks here... tulip poplar ain't the greatest firewood but it will burn. It dries fairly quickly and won't rot if the weather is kept off. Leave it lay out in the weather and it goes to rot in no time.

When I lived in VA we had a couple of huge, dying tulip poplars dropped in the front yard. The land had been recently cleared and they were tall forest trees. The local sawmills didn't want 'em so they got bucked for firewood. We burned through that stuff fast.

If I sold firewood for heating I wouldn't add poplar to the mix, just because. Most folks don't want it. It does make for great campfire wood.

 

[FLHX Storm]

I think what a lot a lot people don't know about poplar is it is actually a hard wood. Thats why they mill it. It is hard when it is dry and is good for woodworking projects,siding and what not. As for fire wood well I think it' like what Fifelaker says.

Well, actually, Poplar is a Soft Hardwood. Much like Balsa. Really, the only reason it is considered a hardwood is because it has leaves, and any leafing tree regardless of it's name (oak, elm, locust, tree of heaven, etc) is a deciduous tree where any needled tree is a coniferous tree or softwood. As a rule, deciduous trees lose their leaves for winter while a coniferous tree does not. But, there are exceptions to every rule. Tamarac and Bald Cypress both lose their needles in winter and the bald cypress needles are in reality leaves. Some hardwoods are softer than some non-hardwoods and some non-hardwoods are harder than some hardwoods. But Poplar was classified eons ago as being a soft hardwood. So in essence, we are both right.

 

[Fred Wright]

If you're into milling, poplar is hard when cured. A fella I knew years ago made and sold picnic tables from poplar.

 

[Woodchucker Ron]

Well, actually, Poplar is a Soft Hardwood. Much like Balsa. Really, the only reason it is considered a hardwood is because it has leaves, and any leafing tree regardless of it's name (oak, elm, locust, tree of heaven, etc) is a deciduous tree where any needled tree is a coniferous tree or softwood. As a rule, deciduous trees lose their leaves for winter while a coniferous tree does not. But, there are exceptions to every rule. Tamarac and Bald Cypress both lose their needles in winter and the bald cypress needles are in reality leaves. Some hardwoods are softer than some non-hardwoods and some non-hardwoods are harder than some hardwoods. But Poplar was classified eons ago as being a soft hardwood. So in essence, we are both right.

Very good explanation i agree.

 

[rarefish383]

I like to find dead poplars that have stood dead long enough to lose their bark, for milling, they can have some very pretty reds, blues, yellow and green in them. I can get all the Oak, Locust and Cherry I can burn, so I don't burn Poplar. If I didn't have my supply, I would. Burns down to a very fluffy white ash, and makes a lot of it, Joe.

 

[GVS]

Burns hot,fast and leaves lots of ash.When fully seasoned it is very hard.Far from the best fire wood but will keep you warm if you have enough of it and don't mind feeding the stove- often. Best way to burn it is 2 to 1.Two pieces of popple to 1 piece of some other hard wood.

 

[ppkgmsy]

+1. I at one time used to take the time to haul it in and split and stack it but no longer bother with it. It takes the same amt of fuel and energy to process it as the oak, maple, cherry and hickory that I have on my property for less than 1/2 the burn times. So now it "composts" naturally in my woods.

Well said. If I have to fell a Poplar near my shed, then I'll take the time to work on it and use it as kindling, campfire, and off-season wood.

 

[Streblerm]

Tulip poplar which isn't part of the poplar family at all is similar to silver maple in my experience. The rest of the poplar family slightly less. I burn it. I wouldn't go out of my way to get it but I won't leave it to rot either. Conservation of resources is one of the things that attracts me to wood burning. Gathering wood, something that most people won't take the time or effort to do is something. Gathering wood that even wood gatherers don't want and keeping warm with it is even better.

Firewood with all different densities finds it's way into my stove. Pine, poplar, basswood, they all throw off heat. The lesser woods work fine in the shoulder season or mixed in with more dense stuff in prime season.

Ever try to start a fire with nothing but seasoned oak? It's not impossible but the fire gets going much faster with some lesser stuff thrown in.

 

[Miles86]

Here in Maryland- west of the Bay has huge forests of almost pure tulip poplars and many of these trees are really giants. I have one at home I guess is 100 years old and it is still a baby, it grows about 2 feet a year on the branches and the trunk is about 6.5 feet in diameter(at the base swell). The soil here is "sandy loam" which these trees seem to like.

I don't like it as firewood, seems to act like burning cardboard, and never really seems to give the heat. I would rather burn virginia or loblolly pine over tulip poplar.

Colonial furniture makers used this wood as the backing wood for the veneer of mahogany or other more valuable species. Poplar is easy to work and does not warp and is straight grained.

 

[savageactor7]

Around here folks that buy firewood don't want poplar.

Now we've burned tons of it. Just be honest with folks if they ask and tell them the mix, real wood burners will appreciate some select splits of poplar to quickly awaken a sleeping coal bed.

Wood burners talk...so the worst thing that can happen is that a visiting wood burner might ID the stacked poplar are tell the buyer 'you got ripped off this load has a lot of poplar...blah blah blah.

Around here you have to talk up the good side of poplar to sell it cause in comparison to all the select hardwoods here poplar is consider a junk wood.

I'm thinking that if you're asking here then you are considering your reputation so let your conscience be your guide.