Best and Worst Types of Wood for Your Fireplace

You can increase the joy in fireside moments this winter by strategically using knowledge about firewood. The best and worst types of wood for your fireplace depend on life circumstances and personal preferences. Read on to learn how you can master your hearth experiences.

The Top Quality of Good Firewood

Before you look at anything else in firewood, begin with this: The best types of wood have been seasoned. Also, the worst types of firewood have high moisture content. 

“Seasoned firewood” is another way of saying that it has a low moisture content of between about 15% and no more than 25%. Easy-to-use moisture meters can be used to measure moisture content, and they are available for as little as $15 or so.

It generally takes 6 months to a year or more to season firewood. Store firewood where air can reach it but rain can’t saturate it. If you are buying ready-to-use firewood, be sure to test the moisture content. The problem with green firewood is that the moisture inside causes fires to be unpleasantly smoky, and the heat goes to burn out the moisture rather than warm the room.

What Kind of Fire Best Fits Your Circumstance?

A hot, slow-burning fire is perfect when outdoor temperatures are particularly frigid. But a fire that burns quickly without leaving behind any lingering coals and embers can be ideal in certain circumstances. For instance:

• The amount of time you can invest in keeping watch over a fire is limited.
• Outdoor temperatures don’t support prolonged heat from the fireplace.

Lasting Heat

Because hardwoods have the greatest density, they are the right choice for long-burning fires that provide lasting warmth. For the hottest fires, the best types of firewood are oak, hickory, or apple. Choose elm, ash, cherry, birch, or walnut firewood if you want to tone down the heat factor just a bit. 

The worst types of firewood in the hardwood category are pine or cedar. They are hardwoods but what makes them most undesirable is their high resin content. The resin can make these logs more difficult to ignite. When the fires are going, the wood pops and shoots sparks. Cedar and pine are also the worst types of wood because they produce excess creosote, which is undesirable.

Creosote is a highly flammable substance that is deposited in the chimney flue whenever there is a wood fire. It’s important to schedule chimney cleaning for creosote removal at least annually.

Quick-Burning Fires

Softwoods are ideal for fires that burn and quench quickly. Willow, eucalyptus, and poplar are the best types of wood in the softwood category. Larch can also be used, but the logs are known to spit a lot, which could be a risk for injury. 

Do You Follow Your Nose?

Looking for the best types of firewood that create the best aromas? You have several great options. Cherry firewood emits a pleasant fruity scent. Hickory has a bold woodsy bouquet. Oak is another good choice, though there is more subtlety in the fragrance. The worst types of wood that create the best aromas are pine and cedar (for reasons previously mentioned). 

Call Dubuque Fireplace & Patio Today for Fireplace and Chimney Readiness

The best and worst types of wood for your fireplace become a moot point if you ignore chimney maintenance. The chimney experts at Dubuque Fireplace & Patio provide annual chimney inspections, chimney cleaning, full and partial masonry rebuilds, and fireplace installation. We also fix chimney leaks plus much more. 

Call Dubuque Fireplace & Patio to use your fireplace with entire peace of mind. You can reach us at 563-582-5156 or fill out our online form.