Walnut opinions

[mhyme71]

I thought i was out of the cold season here in ohio and the temps dropped back in the 20s and 30s this past week so i had to cut up a few walnuts that were standing dead. I split em up and been loading it in the cb 5036 and man this stuff is burning right up and it isnt coaling very well. I have never burned walnut strictly by itself, is it a poor quality firewood?

 

[Rookie1]

I have walnuts in my neighborhood and get a storm damaged one every now and then. Im not really impressed with the burning qualities. It is way better than pine but not near as good as elm. Although it was free and it did keep me warm so........ :msp_smile:

 

[Uncle John]

Not something you would want to pay much for but if its free its ok.

 

[goof008]

I have a bunch of it, and yeah, it doesn't coal too well. It does burn hot, but man does it pop and spit embers everywhere!

If you have it, burn it! I thought I was about done heating too...and the cold weather came back! Hopefully it will be warm again in a couple of days and you can mix that walnut in with other wood.

 

[PA Plumber]

Easy starter. Burn time is just a tad better than Silver Maple.

Not one I would go out of my way for, but, it it's what I had, I'd burn it.

 

[Mike PA]

Thats pretty normal for walnut here in perry county pa. Doesn't last long or coal well, but it does burn. Good for cool, not cold days. Overnight? Forget it! Still, it's better than gas or oil.

 

[Danno]

I've seen the BTU charts on this stuff, and I'm starting to think there is a BIG difference between a yard walnut and one in a timber stand. I just cut up an old (not SUPER old, but old) yard walnut and it was lightweight and split VERY easily. The Black Walnut trees that I have been burning from our timber are equally as old (by a ring count) but are 2/3 the diameter and about 50% taller. They burn much better. Coaling characteristics of even the timber walnut is what you describe, but I feel that it ranks higher than most of the BTU charts I've seen, so It's one of my favorite woods. The BW from my timber seasons quickly, is easy to split, and burns well.

I did find BTU chart that was from some (memory is fuzzy) midwestern university, and that one had it listed much closer to what I tend to see, so I also wonder if there is a regional difference in walnut.

 

[Muffler Bearing]

,

I did find BTU chart that was from some (memory is fuzzy) midwestern university, and that one had it listed much closer to what I tend to see, so I also wonder if there is a regional difference in walnut.

Try this One!

Sweep's Library - Firewood BTU Comparison Charts

 

[mizzou]

I've seen the BTU charts on this stuff, and I'm starting to think there is a BIG difference between a yard walnut and one in a timber stand. I just cut up an old (not SUPER old, but old) yard walnut and it was lightweight and split VERY easily. The Black Walnut trees that I have been burning from our timber are equally as old (by a ring count) but are 2/3 the diameter and about 50% taller. They burn much better. Coaling characteristics of even the timber walnut is what you describe, but I feel that it ranks higher than most of the BTU charts I've seen, so It's one of my favorite woods. The BW from my timber seasons quickly, is easy to split, and burns well.

I did find BTU chart that was from some (memory is fuzzy) midwestern university, and that one had it listed much closer to what I tend to see, so I also wonder if there is a regional difference in walnut.

Have to agree with you about about forest grown walnut. Not as good as red oak but pretty good for early and late season burns. It seems any tree grown in a forest setting makes it better, at least for lumber.

 

[Jmaffei]

Well I don't know how long they were dead but part of the problem might be moisture. The walnut I cut up literally had water pouring out of it, it was live and and the bottom of a hill but I think I've heard others say the same thing. I'm giving mine till next year because it wasn't ready in a couple of months. I did enjoy splitting it and it is gorgeous wood and smells great. I would go after it again, even though I have a crapload of red and white oak I am working on right now.

 

[msvold]

Walnut is one of the most popular species I have and therefore i burn alot of it. It is a relatively high moisture content wood and therefore seasoning takes a little more time than oak. Give it two full years to season properly and it is fine burning wood. Sweeps BTU seems accurate to me.
I'm not sure if I understand the coaling properties/ comments on coals. I think it leaves a lot of ash in the woodstove, but I usually have a bed of coals to stir up in the morning.

 

[Danno]

I don't follow your logic when you say that it takes longer to season than oak but it takes two years. Oak takes three for me and walnut takes about half. I'm not ahhead, though, so I usually burn both before they are ready and I find that 1 year gives me walnut in the low twenties MC.

 

[mizzou]

Well I don't know how long they were dead but part of the problem might be moisture. The walnut I cut up literally had water pouring out of it, it was live and and the bottom of a hill but I think I've heard others say the same thing. I'm giving mine till next year because it wasn't ready in a couple of months. I did enjoy splitting it and it is gorgeous wood and smells great. I would go after it again, even though I have a crapload of red and white oak I am working on right now.

I see the same thing in walnut around here. Slow ooze from the stump. Walnut is pretty common around here so I burn a fair amount untill it gets deep into winter. About a year and a half for me and it's dry as a bone.

 

[wackydeejay]

I'd have to say it's a decent firewood, but nothing great. It sure is a pretty wood, but it's best mixed in with other stuff if you can.