Is Red Maple good firewood? Yes, it is. In fact, red maple makes for a great firewood because of its light weight and low moisture content. It's also easy to stack and handle, which makes it an excellent choice for wood burning stoves. There are many other reasons why red maple is a good option as well: one being that it has a high heat output relative to its size. Another reason why people choose this type of wood over others is the fact that there's less chance of mold developing on it.
Red maple is a type of tree that grows throughout the eastern United States and Canada. It can be found in many areas, including forests and wetlands. Some people like to use it as firewood because it burns hotter than other types of wood and produces less smoke. However, red maple has been known to produce some sparks when burned.
Red Maple gets its name from the color of the wood. The sapwood is a light pinkish-brown and darkens into deep browns as you move toward the heartwood.
The bark on red maple trees is grayish-white with shallow furrows that turn reddish brown with age. Red maples are fast growing, so they may not have tough old bark at all.
Red maple is a good all around wood. It can be used as kindling to get a fire started hot. It can be a good shoulder wood when living in very cold climates. And it can be a regular season wood when living in areas with milder winters. It generally burns clean and doesn't produce a lot of sparks.
Red maple burn time
Red maple burn fairly long. As a matter of fact, it burns almost as long as oak if it is seasoned well. It produces nice coals that will continue to provide heat once the fire is out. You can use read maple coals to cook on or to get more wood started if you want to revive your fire.
If you want to get the best use of red maple burn time, you can get your fire started with it. Once it has been burning for a while, you can place oak on top. This will allow you to maximize the full burn time of your red maple and your oak wood.
Splitting and drying red maple
Red maple isn't hard to split. Most people feel that is splits easily. Split red maple into smaller pieces to have it dry and seasoned quickly. If you want red maple pieces that will burn longer in your fire, split it into large pieces.
Red maple takes about 1-2 years to dry and season. The time is largely dependent on how big the pieces of wood are sized. Smaller pieces can be ready in one year. Some may even be ready in 9-10 months. Larger pieces will usually be ready to burn in 1.5-2 years.
Because red maple dries fast, it may dry out too fast as well. This would leave you will rotten wood. Red maple should be used in the year it is season or the next year at the longest.
Regions where red maple is good to burn
Red maple can be burned in any region. If you are in the north, you will probably want to use it as a shoulder wood. Burn it in the cooler months in the north. Also, mix it with other hardwoods during colder months to extend your fire's burn time.
In the south, red maple can be your cold season wood. It doesn't burn as hot as as hickory or oak, but you don't need it to be that hot for the south.
Red maple BTU's
Red maple outputs between 18 and 18.1 million BTU's per cord. This is similar to silver maple which outputs about 19.5 million BTU's per cord.
If you compare red maple's output to red oak, which outputs 24.4 million BTU's per cord, you will see that it is significant lower. This is because red maple is a softer and less dense wood than oak.
Some people feel that red maple burns hotter than oak. They say the only reason it isn't rated higher in BTU's is because the fire doesn't last long enough. That sounds a little bite opinionated to me. You should try some red maple and see if it is hot enough for your needs. If it is your first winter using it, make sure you have some oak or other hardwoods around in case it isn't hot enough.
Can you burn red maple in a fireplace?
Yes, you can burn red maple in your fireplace. It will produce a nice heat for your home. The biggest concern is the creosote that red maple bark produces when it is burned. Clean your chimney regularly after burning red maple to make sure you don't have creosote built up in your chimney.
Is red maple a hardwood?
Red maple is a softer hardwood. Its grains are tight, but it is softer than other hardwoods. It is also less dense than other hardwoods. This doesn't mean it is a softwood.
Is red maple wood expensive?
You should expect to pay a middle of the road price for red maple. It is not as expensive as harder maples, oaks, and other hardwoods.
How long does it take to season red maple firewood?
The time to season red maple depends on how big you cut the pieces. If you split it into very small pieces for kindling, then it may only take a few months to season. Medium size pieces of red maple can be seasoned in 6 months to 1 year. Larger pieces of red maple will take between 1 and 2 years to season.
Conclusion
Red maple is a good wood to burn in your firepit, fire place, or wood burning stove. It generates a nice amount of heat. It tends to dry out faster than some woods. This can make it burn up faster if it is too dry. On the other hand, if it is seasoned well, it can burn a long time.
Plan ahead if you are going to use red maple in the winter. You should have other hardwoods to mix with red maple if you live a very cold environment.
