What do you think of walnut?

[nparch726]

Been cleaning up a bunch of trees for my neighbors due to some storm damage last year and I've been getting a lot of walnut. Never burned a whole lot of walnut before, what do you guys think of it as firewood?

 

[Joshlaugh]

Similar to cherry but I would rather use it as lumber.

 

[stihl sawing]

I've burned a little a while back, seemed like it burned well. the wood is worth some money if it's of any size.

 

[Rookie1]

Ive got some black walnut in my yard and have cut a few down. Im not into milling so I made firewood out of it. I would say its above average.

 

[brnchbrkr]

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Good Information

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1554/build/g1554.pdf

You can look at the BTU's for a cord of wood.

Good!

 

[burroak]

we burned through 3 cords of it a few years back. It's not the best firewood, but it's still good stuff. Splits easy too.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

I find for walnut to burn the best it needs a good 18 months or so to season properly.

TS

 

[Hlakegollum]

I find for walnut to burn the best it needs a good 18 months or so to season properly.

TS

I can't burn it by itself in my fireplace, I need to mix it with maple or something to keep the fire going.

 

[Raymond]

:computer: I've found other good woods could be loaded in the stove and would keep heat going till morning, with coals to work with in the morning.

Now walnut, I've found that by midnight it's about done and going cold long before morning with no coals to work with by 1 a.m. not alone morning.

I guess what I'm saying is, it SUCKS for firewood!
But hey if it's plentiful, I guess it beat burning snowballs for heat. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[thejdman04]

I have LOTS of walnut to sell this year, works well for firewood if seasoned long enough

 

[MotorSeven]

Definatly mill it, too damn beautiful to burn. Doesn't seem to put out the heat like other hardwoods.

RD

 

[JBinKC]

I get quite a bit of walnut. The prized pieces of walnut wood are the pieces with 4" or larger burls and Y pieces. Those I would definitely save for hobby carvers. Around here unless you have veneer quality wood it might fetch 50% more than oak of the same quality provided you can find a buyer. Most brokers reject small quantities of it.

If your biggest pet peeve is wood boring insects walnut is the wood of choice because those bugs avoid it like the plague.

The wood is also very easy to split by hand.

Words of advice try to process the wood at the site of acquisition because the refuse like bark, leaves and shavings can be toxic to many plants and some animals like plants in the nightshade family i.e tomatoes, potatoes and peppers or horses as examples. Lists can be found on the internet.

The wood also tends to leave quite a bit of fluffy ash behind.

 

[banjobart]

I have burned a lot and it is excellent firewood, if not the longest burning. It is the easiest true hardwood to split. No wedges needed, just a maul. The heartwood is rot resistant and very dry live and seasons quickly. The sapwood is not much good. Big yard or fencerow walnuts are best used for firewood unless you mill your own. Commercial mills do not want yard, roadside or fence row trees.

 

[iowa]

I just cleaned out a guys pasture with tons of walnut. There were at least 8 trees that had a dbh around 24" or better. Some pushing 28". It was a waste cutting them for firewood IMO. But the owner didn't want them to be logged out for money. I told him I would cut the logs to length and have someone get them. Split the $ in half. He said "no" just cut it up for firewood.

There is one huge one left that is at least 32" dbh. Don't know if he wants it gone or not. I would like to find an alaskan mill and cut it up into boards and make some furniture out of it. It is soooooooo beautiful.

As for fuel, it works. Lots of ash, but burns good once seasoned for a while. I hate the actual walnuts though. They are hard on my lawnmower blades in the fall time. I have tons of walnut trees in the back. One is Ginormous. I would say pushing 45" dbh. The top is getting raggity from the ice storm a couple yrs ago. I recon someday soon I'll be dropping it. That tree has to be over 100yrs. old too.

 

[dingeryote]

I have burned a lot and it is excellent firewood, if not the longest burning. It is the easiest true hardwood to split. No wedges needed, just a maul. The heartwood is rot resistant and very dry live and seasons quickly. The sapwood is not much good. Big yard or fencerow walnuts are best used for firewood unless you mill your own. Commercial mills do not want yard, roadside or fence row trees.

Nuzzy and I are working over a bunch of it currently. Nothing of a size to mill except one big old Monster, and it's all roadside fencerow nightmares waiting to happen to the saws.

It burns like a wet Mattress when green, but after a season seasoning, it seems to burn OK. But then what do I know, I ain't picky, and am burning half green sap down Sassafrass right now.

It beats the aternative.... Paying somebody.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Photog95]

I tried it one time...Nothing but smoke and ashes. I still have three of them in my yard. When it comes time to remove them I will just cut them down and drag them out to the woods to rot away.

 

[JBinKC]

I just cleaned out a guys pasture with tons of walnut. There were at least 8 trees that had a dbh around 24" or better. Some pushing 28". It was a waste cutting them for firewood IMO. But the owner didn't want them to be logged out for money. I told him I would cut the logs to length and have someone get them. Split the $ in half. He said "no" just cut it up for firewood.

There is one huge one left that is at least 32" dbh. Don't know if he wants it gone or not. I would like to find an alaskan mill and cut it up into boards and make some furniture out of it. It is soooooooo beautiful.

As for fuel, it works. Lots of ash, but burns good once seasoned for a while. I hate the actual walnuts though. They are hard on my lawnmower blades in the fall time. I have tons of walnut trees in the back. One is Ginormous. I would say pushing 45" dbh. The top is getting raggity from the ice storm a couple yrs ago. I recon someday soon I'll be dropping it. That tree has to be over 100yrs. old too.

Personally, I would attempt to sell those trees Iowa especially if the tree's trunks are straight. Although, I am not sure who is the exact walnut broker down in southwest Missouri you might have some luck contacting American Walnut in KC as a lead. Oddly enough I have a hunch their business could be needing sources of wood given the recent rise in gun sales. As for the problems with the nuts you can sell them. Hammons Walnuts buys them and there are pretty many shelling stations within Missouri. I believe they paid $14 per dehusked 100 lbs weight. Good luck.

 

[iowa]

Personally, I would attempt to sell those trees Iowa especially if the tree's trunks are straight. Although, I am not sure who is the exact walnut broker down in southwest Missouri you might have some luck contacting American Walnut in KC as a lead. Oddly enough I have a hunch their business could be needing sources of wood given the recent rise in gun sales. As for the problems with the nuts you can sell them. Hammons Walnuts buys them and there are pretty many shelling stations within Missouri. I believe they paid $14 per dehusked 100 lbs weight. Good luck.

It's too late for the walnut in the pasture. They are ALL dropped and in my backyard awaiting the splitter. There is just one big walnut left in that pasture. But I don't know if he wants it taken. More than likely he does.

I however, have about 7-8 large walnuts in my backyard. So when the time comes I'll give them a call and see. Thanks for the info.