American elm can serve you well on your firewood rack. In more recent years, American elm has gotten a bad rap for being poor firewood. This is not the case, though, American elm is good firewood. It is a little hard to split, but the benefits of good heat, moderate smoke, and a good smell make it a great choice to use as firewood.
What is American elm good for
American elm is good for firewood, veneers, paper, furniture, and boxes.
The American elm was one of the most common street trees in North America due to its rapid growth and sturdiness.
Many towns have lost majestic rows of American elms due to Dutch Elm disease, an infection caused by a fungus that lives on the elm bark beetle.
How to select the best American elm firewood
You won't find a lot of really big American elm logs. American elm trees tend to not grow long enough to get really big because of disease. When selecting American elm firewood, be sure that it is cut and seasoned.
You will find that wood sellers often split American Elm because it is difficult for buyers to split. Due to the American Elm's tendency to grow straight, tall, and without low hanging branches, they were often used as street trees or for telephone poles.
Is American elm firewood hardwood or softwood
American elm is a fairly soft hardwood. Its hardness rating is 830 pounds-force. At 35 lbs per cubic foot, American elm is moderately dense.
American elm firewood BTUs
American elm firewood has a middle of the road heat output. American elm outputs 20 million BTUs per cord. It will keep you warm any time of year; including the winter. You will just need to burn a lot more of it if it is really cold out.
Splitting and seasoning American elm firewood
American elm is know to be a tougher wood to split. Its grains are very tight woven. Most people use a splitter to split American elm. If you don't have a splitter, you should let your American elm logs dry for about a year before trying to split it.
When splitting American elm you will probably have to use wedges with a hammer. It is going to take some time and muscle to split into pieces of firewood you can use.
Once you've split it, you won't have to wait very long for it to be season. Sometimes it will be dry enough to burn if you've left the logs sitting for a year before splitting.
Burning American elm firewood
American elm firewood can take a little bit of work to get started burning. Once it is started, it burns well. You can burn American elm in the north and south. It will perform better in the south for the winter because winters are milder.
Does American elm firewood make sparks
Few sparks are created by American elm firewood when it is burned. The dryer you get your American elm firewood, the less sparks it will produce.
How much does American elm firewood cost
The cost of American elm firewood is low to mid-range. You can sometimes find a cord of American elm for $300 per cord. It generally runs from $300 - $600 per cord.
Is American elm firewood good to burn in a fireplace, fire pit, stove, or campfire
You can burn American elm in anything. You just need to be cognizant of the amount of smoke it produces. When burning American elm indoors, be sure you have good airflow out of your chimney so that smoke doesn't fill your home. When burning American elm outside, set your seating so that the wind doesn't blow smoke all over your guest
How does American elm firewood smell
American elm firewood may have a foul odor when it is green. The odor usually goes away when it is dried. When American elm burns it has a good smell.
Does American elm firewood smoke
American elm firewood puts out a moderate amount of smoke. You should avoid inhaling the smoke because it can be detrimental to your health.
Is American elm good firewood summary
Yes, American elm is good firewood. You will have to work a little bit more than you would with other woods to split it. It produces a nice heat when; not too hot, but it will keep you warm. Beware of where the wind is blowing because American elm produces some smoke. The smell of American elm firewood is not so pleasant when it is fresh cut, but improves when it is dry.