Dan Dalrymple's website

Fun, light and G-rated pages from Dan's family tree, sailing the Great lakes in old Cal Yachts, burning Ohio firewood, herbal cures, my humble opinions on several '70s Great Lakes sailboats, and muzzle loading ballistic charts .

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Home
Our home page.

Cal Yachts
One of my favorite sailboats. I've owned a Cal 2-27 for over 20 years. I've owned larger, newer boats but the cal 27 remains my favorite sailboats for the Great Lakes especially Lake Erie.

fun sailboats
My humble opinion on several older sailboats that were popular on the Great Lakes during the '70s

Firewood facts
Interesting information on burning firewood as a home heating aid.

Our wood stove
We've backed up our home's heating furnace with a firewood woodstove for over 40 years.

Herbal cures
Our ancestors used many different items to cure their ills. Hundreds of these items, or herbs, as people called them were developed into the medicines that we use today. Note: For information only. We do not sell or promote herbs here.

Muzzle Loading
Muzzle loading ballistic tables from my son and my experiences with Ohio muzzle loading deer hunting.

my Family History
This web page contains a complete Dalrymple family line from Andrew Dalrymple, born in Scotland about 1682, all the way down to my grandson, Brian.

Click on any of the yellow buttons above to view more of our site's pages.

 

 ~Firewood heating and weight values chart . . .
                                      with notes . . .              
                                                                                                                 ~ please page down for more.

Almost all firewood will provide good safe heat to a home. Some firewoods are simply better than others. It’s important to choose a good quality hardwood. Each species of wood will burn (and dry) differently because each has it’s own density and moisture content. In order to get the most heat from your firewood, the moisture content should be 20% or less. Freshly cut firewood or "green" firewood has a moisture content of 50% or more depending on the species. So as you can see, properly stacking firewood and allowing air drying must occur before it is burned in a wood stove.

 Use the chart below to find your best  burning firewoods . . . firewoods valued as fair to excellent are great firewoods to burn.

 
Wood Heating and Weight Values
Species Million Btu/Cord* Value as firewood:
 		 Easy to burn? Easy to split? Cord Weight
(pounds) **
DRY		 Cord Weight
(pounds) **
GREEN

Alder, Red

 18.4 - 19.5 Fair Fair Yes 2000 - 2600 3200 - 4100
Apple 26.5 Excellent Yes Yes 3712 4825
Ash, Green, see Note *1 23.5 - 25.0 Excellent Yes Yes 3600 4237
Ash, White,  see Note *1 23.5 - 25.0 Excellent Yes Yes 3689 4242
Aspen 17.0 - 18.0 Poor/Fair Yes Yes 1860 - 2400 3020 - 3880
Beech 27.6 - 29.4 Excellent Yes No 3100 - 3900 4890 - 6290
Birch, Black 25.9 - 27.5 Excellent Fair Yes 2840 - 3650 4630 - 5960
Birch, White 20.3 Fair Fair Fair 2979 3724
Birch, Yellow 23.6 Excellent Yes Yes 3489 4291
Box Elder 17.9 Poor/Fair Fair Low 2597 3765
Buckeye, Ohio 13.8 Poor Fair Yes 1955 n/a
Butternut 14.5 Poor Yes Yes 1900 n/a
Catalpa 15.5 Poor No No 2380 n/a
Species Million Btu/Cord* Value as firewood:
 		 Easy to burn? Easy to split? Cord Weight
(pounds) **
DRY		 Cord Weight
(pounds) **
GREEN
Cedar, Incense 17.8 - 20.1 Fair Fair Fair 1800 - 2350 3020 - 3880
Cedar, Port Orford 20.7 - 23.4 Excellent Fair Fair 2100 - 2700 3400 - 4370
Cedar, Western Red    see *5 below 15.4 - 17.4 Poor Yes Yes 1570 - 2000 2700 - 3475
Cherry 21.3 - 22.7 Fair Yes Yes 2450 - 3150 4100 - 5275
Chestnut 15.8 - 17.1 Poor Yes Yes n/a n/a
Chinquapin (Oak) 23.2 - 24.7 Excellent Yes No 2580 - 3450 3670 - 4720
Cottonwood 15.8 - 16.8 Poor Yes Yes 1730 - 2225 2700 - 3475
Dogwood 28.6 - 30.4 Excellent Yes Yes 3130 - 4025 5070 - 6520
Douglas-Fir 23.5 - 26.5 Excellent Yes Yes 2400 - 3075 3930 - 5050
Elm, American 22.3 - 23.7 Excellent Fair No 2450 - 3150 4070 - 5170
Elm , Red   see Note *2  below 21.6 Fair Fair No 3112 4201
Elm, Rock  see *2 23.5 Fair Fair No 3220 4212
Elm, white  see *2 19.5 Fair Yes No 3052 4120
Eucalyptus 32.5 - 34.5 Excellent + Yes No 3550 - 4560 6470 - 7320
Fir, Grand 17.8 - 20.1 Fair Fair Yes 1800 - 2330 3020 - 3880
Fir, Red 18.3 - 20.6 Fair Fair Yes 1860 - 2400 3140 - 4040
Fir, White 18.8 - 21.1 Fair Fair Yes 1900 - 2450 3190 - 4100
Species Million Btu/Cord* Value as firewood:
 		 Easy to burn? Easy to split? Cord Weight
(pounds) **
DRY		 Cord Weight
(pounds) **
GREEN
Hemlock, Western 21.6 - 24.4 Excellent     2200 - 2830 4460 - 5730
Hickory, Shagbark 26.5 - 30.3 Excellent Yes Fair 4427 5149
Ironwood or"Hop Hornbeam" 
   see Note *6  below		 26.4 Excellent Yes No 4250 5315
Juniper, Western 23.4 - 26.4 Excellent Yes   2400 - 3050 4225 - 5410
Laurel, California 24.6 - 26.1 Excellent n/a n/a 2690 - 3450 4460 - 5730
Locust, Black 30.5 - 32.4 Excellent + Yes Yes 3230 - 4150 6030 - 7750
Madrone 29.1 - 30.9 Excellent No   3180 - 4086 5070 - 6520
Magnolia 22.3 - 23.7 Excellent Yes Yes 2440 - 3140 4020 - 5170
Maple, Big Leaf 21.4 - 22.7 Fair Yes Yes 2350 - 3000 3840 - 4940
Maple, Sugar 22.5 - 25.7 Excellent Yes Fair 3480 4270
Maple, Red (soft maple) 19.8 - 21.7 Fair Yes Fair 3100 3596
Maple, Black 25.5 - 26.7 Excellent Yes Fair 3400 4250
Maple, Silver 19.3 - 20.7 Fair Yes Yes 2724 3459
Osage Orange (Hedge) Note *8 32.9 Excellent + Yes n/a 4728 6146
Species Million Btu/Cord* Value as firewood:
 		 Easy to burn? Easy to split? Cord Weight
(pounds) **
DRY		 Cord Weight
(pounds) **
GREEN
Oak, Black 24.8 - 26.4 Excellent Yes Yes 2921 - 3700 4450 - 5725
Oak, Red  See Note *3 below 25.9 - 27.8 Excellent Yes Fair 2921 - 3825 4450 - 5725
Oak, Live  Note *3 34.4 - 36.6 Excellent Yes   3766 - 4840 6120 - 7870
Oak, White  Note *3 27.4 - 29.1 Excellent Yes Fair 2980 - 3910 4890 - 6290
Pine, Jeffery 19.3 - 21.7 Fair Yes   1960 - 2520 3320 - 4270
Pine, Lodgepole 19.7 - 22.3 Fair Yes   2000 - 2580 3320 - 4270
Pine, Ponderosa 19.3 - 21.7 Fair Yes Yes 1960 - 2520 3370 - 4270
Pine, Sugar 17.3 - 19.6 Fair Yes Yes 1960 - 2270 2970 - 3820
Pine, White  Note *4 below 19.3 - 21.7 Fair Yes Yes 2000 (estimate) n/a
Redwood, Coast 17.8 - 20.1 Fair Yes   1810 - 2330 3140 - 4040
Spruce, Sitka  See  Note *9 below 19.3 - 21.7 Fair Yes Yes 1960 - 2520 3190 - 4100
Sweetgum 20.6 - 22.9 Excellent Fair No 2255 - 2900 4545 - 5840
Sycamore 21.2 - 22.3 Fair Fair No 2390 - 3080 4020 - 5170
Tanoak 25.9 - 27.5 Excellent n/a n/a 2845 - 3650 4770 - 6070
Species Million Btu/Cord* Value as firewood:
 		 Easy to burn? Easy to split? Cord Weight
(pounds) **
DRY		 Cord Weight
(pounds) **
GREEN
Walnut, Black 22.5 - 24.0 Fair Yes Yes 2680 - 3450 4450 - 5725
Willow, Black Note *10 below 16.5 - 17.6 Poor No Yes 1910 - 2450 3140 - 4040
Willow, Weeping Note *10 below 16.5 - 17.6 Poor No Yes 1910 - 2450 3140 - 4040

Note *1. White and Green Ash are both very popular Ohio trees. When air dried "seasoned", they're very similar in heating qualities and appearance. The big difference is their moisture content when "green" (unseasoned For example "green" White Ash contains only 13% moisture, unseasoned Green Ash = 25% moisture).

Ash is a great firewood and also used for baseball bats and other sports equipment such as tennis racquets, hockey sticks, bowling alley floors and polo mallets.

The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis), is a destructive exotic pest from Asia that is killing many of our Ohio Ash trees. This metallic wood-boring beetle attacks all of Ohio's native ash species, and has no known significant natural enemies in this country. The Emerald Ash Borer is infesting Ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

Note *2. Elm: Dutch Elm disease has killed many of our Elm trees. Elm is a decent burning firewood but not excellent. I enjoy burning it. Diseased Elm trees lose their bark and remain standing for a long time. These barkless trees make good emergency firewood when burned "green". If I run low on firewood, I search my woods for these dead and barkless Elm trees to cut and burn without drying.

Note *3 Oak: I try to let my White Oak air dry for two years if possible. GREAT burning firewood but it must be air dried before burning. White Oak is a great firewood for holding a fire overnight. It's nice to mix it with less dense firewoods such as Cherry or Elm when wanting good quick daytime heat.

Note *4 White Pine is used for new home construction. Scrap White Pine lumber makes good kindling. These scraps are already dried and they split easily when cut into short sections. Small scrap cutoffs are usually readily available from construction sites. Scrap 2x4s, 2x6s, etc. make good kindling. These scraps are already dried and they split easily when cut into short sections. I cut them into sections about 8 inches long then split them into pencil size, and larger, pieces. They will light with a match. Note: Treated Yellow Pine should not be burned as it produces dangerous gasses.
 
Note *5 Western Red Cedar is used for many electric poles. Small scrap cutoffs are sometimes available from utility companies. Scrap Western Red Cedar makes good kindling. These scrap utility poles are already dried and they split easily when cut into short sections. I cut them into sections about 8 inches long then split them into pencil size, and larger, pieces. They will light with a match. Western Red Cedar does a lot of snapping and popping when burning.

Note *6 Ironwood or Hop Hornbeam:  Not a large tree, I usually don't bother to split it. Let it dry for a couple years. It's great for holding fires overnight. Very hard and heavy but not durable to weather. Ironwood makes good tool handles, or implements that require taking great strain. It's very wear resistant, Amish use it to make buggy shaft sides, the long wood shafts that go from the front of the buggy up each side of the horse.

Note *7 Creosote: You will have less creosote problems if you use a triple wall stainless steel chimney. Masonry chimneys tend to build up creosote easier since masonry flue walls stay cooler, allowing the creosote to build. Masonry is fine, it just tends to allow creosote to build faster. If you have an older masonry chimney, a stainless steel liner can be inserted by a contractor. I mention this for users that are installing new chimneys. If you have a choice, stick with a quality stainless steel triple wall. Keep the flue run as vertical as possible.

Note *8 Osage-orange (known as Hedge here in Ohio) is one of the best burning firewoods in the world. Hedge throws off a lot of heat, more than any other species in North America. It burns almost as hot as coal. Be careful when handling Osage-Orange. It has large thorns that can injure a person or puncture a tire. Another thing to watch for is that it throws a lot of sparks when it isn't fully seasoned. Burn it when it's moisture content is 20% or below and you will be amazed by the amount of heat that it produces.

Note *9 Sitka Spruce knots (and most pine knots) are an excellent heat source, add several to your wood stove for a fire that will last all night. However, they can cause creosote in your flue. Spruce firewood (except for knots) burns rapidly but puts out decent heat. Spruce and most Pines are easy to split for great kindling.

Note *10  Willows, Weeping or Black both become as light as Balsa wood when dry. They're also very hard to dry since they absorb water easily. They are poor firewood. If Willow firewood is stored anywhere where it can obtain moisture it can sprout and grow into another tree.

Be sure to use only dry seasoned wood. Green wood, besides burning at only 50 to 60% of the fuel value of dry wood, deposits creosote on the inside of your stove and chimney. This can cause an extreme danger of a chimney fire. To be called "Seasoned wood" it must be properly air dried for at least a full year.

Ashes should always be placed in a metal container with a tight fitting metal lid. This container shall not be located near any combustibles (including a wood floor).

Remember, firewood dumped outside, in a pile won't dry, and won't burn well. Rain will run down and soak into cut ends while ground moisture will migrate up and soak into spongy inner bark. Wood left in a heap will soon rot and be rendered useless as firewood.

Firewood must be cut into 16" to 22" pieces, split and properly stacked to properly dry. Shorter pieces will dry faster.

I haven't burned or tested all of the firewoods listed in the chart above. Many of these numbers are from other sources, books, internet, whatever. I don't have the equipment and the time to measure the weights of green and dry firewood. I mostly burn local Ohio firewoods. Some of the firewoods listed are western woods that I haven't burned. I compiled this chart to keep someone from wasting their time cutting firewood that won't offer much heat when dry (I did this one summer by spending time cutting Willow for firewood).

Please send any additions or corrections to go2erie@sssnet.com . Disclaimer: I offer these details in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information.

Remember: Just one cord of good seasoned hardwood will provide more BTUs than 225 gallons of propane, 2.75 CCF natural gas, or 133 gallons of #2 fuel oil. Compare your local prices for each.

Cut down on your work.  Modern wood stoves with higher efficiency ratings produce more heat from less firewood.
 

You also might enjoy looking at our Apple Creek United Methodist Church website at  http:www.applecreekumc.com

Dan Dalrymple, Wooster, Ohio
 This page last updated on May 07, 2016.