Dead Elm for firewood?

[jymbee]

In all the years I've been cutting/burning firewood, I've never burned elm. Mostly due to the abundance of more common hardwoods here in the northeast such as maple, oak, ash, beech, etc. etc.

But given the numerous standing dead elm trees on our property, I'm wondering if I should perhaps reconsider my anti-elm opinions:

Elm-wood burns like churchyard mould,
E'en the very flames are cold;

*BURNING FIREWOOD*

Any satisfied elm burners out there?

 

[westcliffe01]

I thought Elm made great firewood. **** to split though. It has tremendous shear strength. First hit I gave it with the splitting axe, the axe bounced straight back up in the air as if the round was made of rubber... I had to look around to see if I was on candid camera.... If you don't have one, rent a splitter before you wear something out or injure yourself splitting it.

I will add that the wood I split was fairly dry. No idea what it is like wet.

 

[grnspot110]

Depends on the variety of Elm, Red Elm is one of the best! Around here, Red Elm usually dies by the time it's 6" in diameter, bark falls off, tree falls over at ground level. Very hard when dead, doesn't split too bad when dead, burns good w/ high heat!

American Elm is not so good though. ~~ grnspot

 

[ayelvington]

I love burning elm, and I love my log splitter

Word of caution: If the tree shed its bark over a year ago, you will see A LOT of small holes in the side of the wood. These are the bore holes from wood wasps laying eggs and munching on elm beetles. The wasps DO NOT sting, but the quantity of them indicates that the center of the wood is getting punky and may not make the best firewood.

I spent two months this summer cutting standing dead elm for my boiler. The observation on the holes came after splitting some wood and finding wasp larvae in various states of gestation. Now I just drop the rotting trees before they fall on me of their own accord.

"Piss elm" is a phenomena where some trees will burn smelling, well, pissy. It's no problem if you have a boiler, but it can be disagreeable if you have a stove in the house.

Cut it! Split it! Burn it!

 

[Bill 55]

I have burned many tons of red elm it is a wonderful wood. It burns down to a fine powder. We would leave it stand until the bark loosened up and fell off, by then all the smaller limbs had fallen also. Up to about 6 inch diameter you don't even have to split it. It is a very dense hard wood. I have made coasters and done decapage with oddly shaped pieces and was always surprised what a pretty wood it is, but sanding it is like trying to sand a concrete block.

 

[studor]

I burn a lot of elm as a result of the "dutch elm disease". As soon as the tree starts to have no leaves in the spring I try to get them cut to avoid further spread to other trees but it is a losing battle. If I did not have a hydraulic splitter I would probably leave them standing. Very "stringy" wood even when dry. Some say to split it frozen -- I find little difference. - JMHO

 

[The Haymaker]

I too have been burning it. Same deal, wait for the bark to fall off and knock it down. Dries quickly. We have a large amount of old growth stuff around here that is still getting hammered by Dutch Elm. Surprised no one has mentioned (Safety Police are abundant here!) is watch for widow makers. It doesn't take much to knock branches off overhead while you're cutting.

It will be a sad day (But happy for the woodstove) when this old girl at the end of my driveway finally succumbs. There used to be 5 of these on the property line and two bigger ones across the way.

Last, old pic, is probably about 40 years old. My house is now on the rh side of the driveway next to the 2nd farthest away pole. The only elm in the pic still standing is the one to the left of the white house. It looks like dutch elm has already gotten one of them. I don't remember the big barn, I'm 39 now, and the long equipment barn is a pile of skunk habitat.

 

[MotorSeven]

If it's standing dead, or recently down, I'll burn it...really doesn't matter what kind of wood it is...it all burns if dried properly:thumbsup:

 

[The Haymaker]

If it's standing dead, or recently down, I'll burn it...really doesn't matter what kind of wood it is...it all burns if dried properly:thumbsup:

I agree. Everything from 2" thorn to the 150 year old red oak that fell two years ago.

 

[studor]

Always good to leave a few standing dead trees as "cavity" trees for wildlife. If I don't get to a tree before the top splits off I leave it standing since a lot of it will end up being "punky" in short order.