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Cottonwood is a high - ash tree softwood that put out a low level of BTUs compared to other , more popular firewood options . For these reason it ’s far less common than other firewood varieties , but it does have its charms and can certainly produce heat if its the source of wood you have on script . Here , we ’ve rounded up everything you need to know about cottonwood for heating and cooking , let in inside information like dry out sentence , BTU outturn , smoke and creosote concern , and sustainable harvest .
Cottonwood Firewood Details
Firewood name : Cottonwood
BTU : 15.8 million BTU per cord
Weight : 4640 pounds green/ 2272 pound sign dry out
flavour Time : 6 - 12 months
Resin / Sap Content : 62 percent
Splitting Difficulty : Easy
Smoke : Medium
Smell : Slight
Varieties of Cottonwood
There are several sub - metal money of cottonwood . We have let in details for the most popular varieties of cottonwood firewood below .
Black Cottonwood
BTU : 15.8 million BTU per cord
weighting : 640 pound green/ 2272 Sudanese pound dry
flavour Time : 12 months
Eastern Cottonwood
BTU : 16.8 million BTU
weightiness : 3475 pound green/ 2160 pounds dry
Seasoning Time : 6 months
Resin / Sap Content : 60 percentage
Cottonwood Firewood Burn Characteristics
BTU of Seasoned Cottonwood
Cottonwood is low BTU produce hardwood . This think it does n’t burn as hot as other popular firewood like oak or almond . A cord of cottonwood will provide about16 million BTU , which is 50 % less heat than a corduroy of oak firewood .
It ’s less than many softwoods as well , which typically produce around 20 million BTU per cord . You ’ll likely need about 6 cord of Tilia heterophylla to heat your home for one time of year . However , since cottonwoods can be enormous trees , you ’ll need to harvest far few tree to generate the same amount firewood .
Cottonwood is less dim than other hardwoods . This result in firewood that burns quickly but go out a lot of ash tree . However , it can make a enough bed of coals , so your fire wo n’t burn out as quick as a softwood fire .
Seasoning Time for Cottonwood Firewood
Cottonwoods can have a lot of moisture when they are first glean . The results in dense round of wood that are difficult to split . Letting light-green round of cottonwood season for six calendar month before splitting can make the process easy .
After the rounds have dried out a piece , they are much easy to break . Then , let the rip firewood time of year for an extra six months . This will result in decently seasoned Tilia heterophylla .
Compared to other hardwood , cottonwood has a little flavoring meter . Unless you impart the greenwood in large circle , it should n’t need temper beyond one year . Oak firewood can take over two years to flavour completely .
Seasoning your firewood from cottonwood trees is very important . Since it ’s a low BTU firewood , any additional moisture will dramatically reduce the amount of heat produce by the fire .
Moisture content between 15 - 20 - percent is ideal for sunburn most firewood , including cottonwood . The lower the moisture cognitive content in your firewood , the faster and hotter it will burn .
Resin / Sap Content
Cottonwood Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are known for their plaguey sap that oozes from the leaf buds . However , this saphead is n’t a problem when harvesting the tree for firewood . Simply avoid work out with the branches of the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree where the sap is concentrated . If you ascertain yourself in a messy situation because of cottonwood sap , you’re able to use WD-40 , mayo , or baking soda to make it easier to take out .
If you are purchasing white basswood for your firewood , verify you are getting Ellen Price Wood from the trunk of the tree to avoid sap . Firewood with a goodish amount of trapped sap can be very difficult to fire . Additionally , burning sap can create a strong and unpleasant smell .
Smoke
Cottonwood is considered a clean - burn down Mrs. Henry Wood that farm a light smoke . Cottonwood fires that put out a lot of smoke are a signboard of still - green firewood . When flavor , cottonwood produces a restrained amount of fastball , but not much more than oak tree .
Cottonwood fires can create temperate creosote deposit . This is because they burn at a lower temperature than hardwood fires . scurvy temperatures in your fireplace or woodstove cause more constitutional compounds to stay on unburned . These compounds travel up your chimney as smoke . As the temperature drops , they condense to shape creosote . If you mix cottonwood with a hotter burning hardwood , you’re able to reduce creosote sedimentation .
Smell
For some individual , cottonwood fire have an unpleasant tone . This is most likely due to improperly season wood . Green cottonwood logscan have a noticeable smell even before combustion . When burned , green cottonwood bring on a big amount of smoke that may smack like cat urine . Avoid burning the barque as this can contribute to the unpleasant olfactory perception .
harden cottonwood should have a thin fragrance evocative of sage or none at all . Prior to burning cottonwood , look into your firewood for wet content . Do not burn any log with a wet level smashing than 20 - pct . This will aid you avoid an unpleasant smell fire while reducing smoke and creosote .
What should I do with wood ash?
Cottonwood create a lot of ash when burned . you’re able to put this ash to skillful use in a variety of ways . Cottonwood ash tree makes a bang-up garden fertiliser that offer vestige mineral for industrial plant health . utilise about 5 gallons of wood ash per 1000 square feet of garden . Be careful not to use too much ash since it can kindle the pH of the soil and injury loony toons - loving craw .
Wood ash is a great natural ice melt . scatter it over your drive and pavement to forbid or melt ice-skating rink during the winter . you’re able to practice the ash tree by itself or meld it with salt to increase the total melting index .
Another great habit for ash is to houseclean silver . plainly shuffle the ash with a bit of piddle and bush away at your tarnished silver . You ’ll be surprise how quickly the silver-tongued return to pristine condition . If you have severely tarnished silver , integrate the ash with a bit of lemon water supply . The increased acidity will make it easier .
What’s the difference between a full cord and a face cord?
The most common elbow room to measure firewood is by the cord . A full electric cord is 128 three-dimensional feet of wood in a stack that measures 8 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet . A enter a electric cord of wood is abridge to 16 inch in length . This means a full electric cord of Ellen Price Wood will have three rows of logarithm . A face cord is just a exclusive row of logs that are heap 4 feet high and 8 foot long . The logs in a face corduroy have no standard duration . Therefore , the astuteness of a face cord will vary based on the lumberyard ’s standard for cutting log lengths .
Can I tell if the wood is seasoned properly without tools?
There are a few ways to check your cottonwood for mollify without whipping out your moisture beat . The loose way is to just give it snuff . Most individual find that fleeceable white basswood has an unpleasant odor . If the log do n’t have a smell , or smell like sage , that ’s a good sign they might be temper .
Another conjuration to check for seasoning is to jazz two log of firewood together . Greenwood do a dull speech sound while seasoned Ellen Price Wood makes a clear ringing sound . you’re able to also scrutinise the ending of the wood for cranny and colour changes . As the wood dries , it will become gray and have more cracks or split .
Looking for somewhere to store your firewood this wintertime ? Check out this helpfulfirewood wrack guide .
