Hackberry?

[Butch(OH)]

Had a real big hackberry just given to me, cut down the the powerline trimmers. Big darned thing and cut up to power line crew specs, too darned long as is and too short when cut in half, I wish they would just drop them , chip the brush and leave 'em alone.. Right next to the house so couldnt hardly turn it down. How does Hackberry compare? Acts like its going to be light when dry.

 

[Ohiowoodguy]

Compares to Black Cherry according to the chartsopcorn:

 

[Wood Doctor]

You have to let it dry for a year. Weighs a ton when green. After it seasons, it's fantastic firewood! One of the best there is.

Treat it with TLC. Trust me, you have a gold mine.

 

[Lignum]

You have to let it dry for a year. Weighs a ton when green. After it seasons, it's fantastic firewood! One of the best there is.

Treat it with TLC. Trust me, you have a gold mine.

I have sold a ton of it, so it can't be bad.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

About half way between American Elm or Ash and Red Oak. I rate it Med/High for heat and coals. It doesnt take forever to season and lights easily. Generally easy splitting because of it being straight grained. Not the greatest smell but it insnt unpleasant. Makes good all around firewood.

Best thing about Hackberry is that it doesnt spit or pop coals. I can burn it without worrying about fireworks when I open the door

 

[retired redneck]

You have to let it dry for a year. Weighs a ton when green. After it seasons, it's fantastic firewood! One of the best there is.

Treat it with TLC. Trust me, you have a gold mine.

I hope you are right,I bought six full cord green last fall. But wont burn it till next winter, will it still be that good dryed two years??? I could not resist it only cost $600.00 delivered....

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I hope you are right,I bought six full cord green last fall. But wont burn it till next winter, will it still be that good dryed two years??? I could not resist it only cost $600.00 delivered....

Keep it covered or it won't keep long. You got a good price on it, don't let it go to waste sitting uncoverd the whole time.

 

[Bowtie]

Hackberry is good firewood. I rate it close to ash in how it burns. It dries quickly, cuts easily, and I like the smell of fresh cut hackberry. It is a softer hardwood. It does have a lot of moisture when cut green, but dries quickly. ! year of seasoning here in the midwest of perfect for hackberry. Just like KsWoodsMan said, if it sits too long it will go punky and rot. I just cut 3 pickup loads of hackberry last weekend, its all over the place here.

 

[retired redneck]

Keep it covered or it won't keep long. You got a good price on it, don't let it go to waste sitting uncoverd the whole time.

It hasben under tarp for 1 year,will be under tarp till 09-10 winter, will use it in inside wood furnace. will it hold a fire all night in this tipe furnace dryed 2 yrs??

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Will it hold a fire all night ? Not as well as dry Red Oak but it does real well. It does hold coals better than Am. Elm for me. If all I had in my stack was Hackberry it wouldn't bother me one bit to be in the dead of winter and keeping my house warm with it.

Like I said, you got a good buy on that wood. If you arent satisfied with it dump it off here and I will make good use of everybit of it.

 

[cityevader]

Regarding length, I have separate areas enclosed with pallet rooms... I make a floor and walls and throw the chunks in from pieces I have to cut to proper length.
I've got nearly two cords of end cuts and goofy splits and wierd sizes that are all completely burnable, just not cosmestically stackable.

My goal is heat output vs. time/energy used. So I burn everything my hands have worked, including the splitting mess....well I toss the bark into the yard.

 

[Mkarlson]

hackberry is a great firewood in my opinion. Last year while running low on dry stuff I was using hackberry that had only been down and split for about 3 months for filler wood. Get a good fire going and throw in a few pieces of hack berry. Then I discovered even green it can burn extremely hot. Even started a few fires with some of the more stringy pieces. This year there is plenty of year old hack in my stacks and its burning great.

 

[wdchuck]

I have sold a ton of it, so it can't be bad.

Green or seasoned? It's a volume thing.

 

[Mike PA]

Not a fan

I'm not sure if your hackberry is different than mine, but I don't like it at all. Maybe I'm spoiled by the hardwoods that I mostly get, but I wouldn't go out of my way for hackberry. It does split well, but it is very heavy wet, rots quickly, produces a lot of ash, and doesn't last overnight. I am burning hackberry now when it is cool and saving my better woods for later in the season.

When I burn oak, I can go for weeks without emptying my stove. Hackberry ash gets fluffy and I need to empty the stove quicker. I have several cords of it right now, as it was easy to get and free. It burns, but I don't like it one bit.

 

[avalancher]

I'm not sure if your hackberry is different than mine, but I don't like it at all. Maybe I'm spoiled by the hardwoods that I mostly get, but I wouldn't go out of my way for hackberry. It does split well, but it is very heavy wet, rots quickly, produces a lot of ash, and doesn't last overnight. I am burning hackberry now when it is cool and saving my better woods for later in the season.

When I burn oak, I can go for weeks without emptying my stove. Hackberry ash gets fluffy and I need to empty the stove quicker. I have several cords of it right now, as it was easy to get and free. It burns, but I don't like it one bit.

I like Hackberry for several reasons, the biggest is that most folks seem to think its trash wood and often give it away. I hauled home 3 cords of it last year, the farmer cut it down and left it in his field. he was tickled pink that someone would haul it away. Still have some of it left,kept dry it seems to last a few years anyway.But, as you mentioned, it does leave a lot of ash in the stove.

 

[sredlin]

I go for hackberry over ash--great firewood--seasons quickly--splits easily except for crotch wood ---only drawback is that it does go punky sooner than most if left out---keep it off the ground for sure

 

[Lloyd H]

good wood?

Just remember no matter how good or bad the fire wood, it is all better than the gas/oil/propane/etc. bill. 29 years heating our home with wood and only take ashes (and maybe a few nails etc.) out of the stove, over the years have heated with punky dead stuff and oak and locust, it was all good.

 

[Dennis_Peacock]

Hackberry is wonderful wood for woodturning too!!!!!! Turns nicely and finishes most excellently.