Is Poplar worth the effort?

[Darth Hawken]

I have an opportunity to get a very large poplar tree for my OWB. My access lane to lots of free Oaks and Maples is still under water, so I would like to get next season's supply started with this poplar. My question is "Is it worth the effort to harvest and season the poplar for the OWB, or is it going to burn quickly like a pine?" I have checked the hardness charts and it is pretty low on the list. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for the input!

 

[beerman6]

I would.

 

[fredmc]

I have an opportunity to get a very large poplar tree for my OWB. My access lane to lots of free Oaks and Maples is still under water, so I would like to get next season's supply started with this poplar. My question is "Is it worth the effort to harvest and season the poplar for the OWB, or is it going to burn quickly like a pine?" I have checked the hardness charts and it is pretty low on the list. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for the input!

Poplar burns better green in an OWB. If it is FREE why not burn it? My neighbor burned two poplar trees this past winter in a wood stove. It works better when mixed with harder stuff.

 

[Wet1]

Poplar burns better green in an OWB.

Baloney. All wood will burn better, hotter, and cleaner when seasoned than when green... regardless of what it's burnt in.

Personally, I don't bother with poplar unless someone gives it to me split and ready to go. It contains little btu so I would always go for the better low hanging fruit if given a choice. But, if poplar is all you have, burn it... just expect to go through a lot of it.

 

[fredmc]

Baloney. All wood will burn better, hotter, and cleaner when seasoned than when green... regardless of what it's burnt in.

Personally, I don't bother with poplar unless someone gives it to me split and ready to go. It contains little btu so I would always go for the better low hanging fruit if given a choice. But, if poplar is all you have, burn it... just expect to go through a lot of it.

I stand corrected! what I meant was it burns longer when green. I have customers that burn year round for hot water, poplar green is a good choice then(less frequent trips to the OWB.)
Poplar is worthless from a btu stand point which is why I give it away-I can't sell it.

 

[Joshlaugh]

I don't usually pass on free wood so if you can't get started on next year's wood in other places, I would go for it.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

poplar has a pretty small window from being seasoned to being useless. it goes punky very quick. it does good for overnite burns it smolders away and throw's off not to bad heat when green. i agree on mixing it with some sort of hard wood. it also makes quite alot of ash. but if it's free go for it.

 

[Sawmill]

I heated last year with popular that blew down in my woods from a storm. I used more wood but it was free and I cut it in Aug and Sept so it was only partly seasoned and I got 12 to 14 hr burn times from it, I would say that 50 to 60 % of the houses around here heat with popular and have for years. If it was free I would get it as you can always mix it with hard wood. Oh I forgot the temps here in Jan never got above 10 and went to -20 at night.

 

[peterc38]

I would say that 50 to 60 % of the houses around here heat with popular and have for years.

So it is pretty popular there then?

:greenchainsaw:

 

[Laird]

It's good for this time of year and in the fall when you are not trying to get a 12 hour burn time in cold (20's or lower) weather. This time of year you get more smoldering time and it last longer. It also make a good weekend wood in colder weather when you are home to throw more in during the day.

 

[woodbooga]

It's good for this time of year and in the fall when you are not trying to get a 12 hour burn time in cold (20's or lower) weather. This time of year you get more smoldering time and it last longer. It also make a good weekend wood in colder weather when you are home to throw more in during the day.

Laird and I use different appliances to heat, but our assessment is the same.

If there was an ash log and a poplar log side by side, I'm gonna buck and haul the ash. But if my saw's idle in the barn and I have the choice of cutting nothing or bucking a poplar, I'm gonna go with the latter.

In addition, this time of year, it just feels wasteful to be burning my good wood. No pangs of conscience tossing in a stick of poplar when temps are in the 30s and 40s.

 

[Tree Pig]

So it is pretty popular there then?

:greenchainsaw:

lol good pun I get it...

 

[avalancher]

I avoid Poplar when I am cutting wood to sell, one stick of the stuff in a pile headed to someones elses house and they not only get upset, they have a real tendency to inspect each and every stick coming out of the truck.

Other than that, I cut a cord or two of it each year and split it small.Makes good kindling to get the other stuff going, and helps the wife get a fire going when I am not home.Never have been able to figure that woman out.She is smarter than anyone I know, but cant build a fire to save her life.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[woodbooga]

Other than that, I cut a cord or two of it each year and split it small.Makes good kindling to get the other stuff going, and helps the wife get a fire going when I am not home.Never have been able to figure that woman out.She is smarter than anyone I know, but cant build a fire to save her life.:hmm3grin2orange:

Careful, there. She might be lurking around here looking for ideas for what to get you for your next b-day - only to come across some words that might put a damper on her enthusiasm.

 

[avalancher]

Careful, there. She might be lurking around here looking for ideas for what to get you for your next b-day - only to come across some words that might put a damper on her enthusiasm.

Ah, the truth finally comes out eh?I wondered who she contacted about that! She told me she got herself a id and asked some questions,but wouldnt fess up to who she asked.

She wouldnt take offense, she readily admits she cant build a fire,but as she puts it, "Why would I need to build a fire when I have a nice big man to haul the wood in and build a fire?"

 

[bowtechmadman]

I think it's worth it as long as free...primarily what i burn oct, nov. mar. april.

 

[woodbooga]

Ah, the truth finally comes out eh?I wondered who she contacted about that! She told me she got herself a id and asked some questions,but wouldnt fess up to who she asked.

I told her that you seemed like the kind of guy that'd put a Linens and Things gift card to good use. Hope that plush bathrobe and bunny slippers are treating you right.

 

[avalancher]

I told her that you seemed like the kind of guy that'd put a Linens and Things gift card to good use. Hope that plush bathrobe and bunny slippers are treating you right.

Thanks man, when I finally slip that last cog and go postal, I will be sure to wear em.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[MishMouse]

I burn about 10-20% poplar.
Like mentioned in other posts it is best when mixed with hardwood.
I normally use poplar when I want a quick hot fire for those -30's mornings.

I have about 10-15 of them to cut in my yard, the weather been so dry the past few years the slightest breeze knocks them over. They do tend to get punky quickly so once they are cut down they get covered.

 

[AIM]

it's too bad that poplar and willow are so low on the btu list. I have a ton of it all along the creek next to my house that will all eventually fall in if I don't cut em down and drag em back. Even the farmer that owns all the land for about 1/2 mile along it has told me to cut all I want to because it helps keep the creek clean for drainage. I'm talking 100's of poplars, willows, cottonwood, etc that I could cut down all I want. It's just hard to spend much time on that stuff While locust, oak etc are available just have to go a bit further to get.