When it comes to the best wood for burning, water content and density mean everything. All types of wood will burn, but wood with the lowest water content will burn better. The less moisture that resides in the wood, the easier the flame will catch. According to the Danish Energy Agency, deciduous and conifer trees have 53% water content, so it may not be a great choice. Additionally, denser wood burns better than wood with less density. Keep reading to learn how to get the most out of your firewood.

Hardwoods vs. Softwoods

Types of wood can be categorized into either hardwoods or softwoods. Hardwoods are denser and burn better than woods with a lower density level. For this reason, hardwoods are better options for burning than softwoods. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, some hardwoods include alder, ash, aspen, beech, birch, elm, hickory, ironwood, oak, and more. If you want better-burning wood, stay away from cedar, fir, hemlock, pine, redwood, spruce, tamarack, and other softwoods.

Heat Value

You cannot count all hardwoods the same. Some hardwoods still burn better than others. You can find the best hardwoods to burn by heat value. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, high-heat value wood includes American beech, apple, ironwood, red oak, and others. American elm, black cherry, and Douglas fir are medium heat values. Some low-heat value wood includes aspen, cottonwood, redwood, and white pine.

Preparing Your Fire

You can burn any wood if you have the right skills in place to start a fire. You can ensure the success of your fire by preparing it well. Begin by laying dry kindling and layering dry, dense logs over the flame. Layer fewer or more logs depending on how long you want them to burn. You'll have the most success with firewood that's low in moisture content and high in density.

If you're trying to prepare yourself to build the best fires, you should ensure that you know the kind of firewood that's best for burning. You don't want to try to maintain a fire with the wrong kind of wood. Wood with high moisture content and low density might not burn as well as you might hope. Look for hardwoods over soft woods if you want to have success with your fire. Reach out to Oregon Wood Sales today for help finding the right kind of wood to burn.