Types of Firewood
With so many varieties of wood available, choosing what to burn may seem like a confusing task.
Not all types of firewood burn the same. It depends on the tree species the wood came from and how well seasoned it is. Denser woods burn more slowly and have a higher heating value.
Hardwoods (wood from leaf-bearing trees) are generally denser (e.g. Oak, Ash, Beech). Softwoods (wood from needle-bearing trees) are typically easier to split, and although they may burn hotter, they also generally burn a lot faster (e.g. Pine, Cedar, Fir).
Here are the main types of wood that we stock, along with a description of each type to help you understand their advantages and disadvantages:
Maple
A common hardwood, Maple has a consistent quality and is high in BTU’s - making it a popular choice for burning.
Ash
High-quality hardwood for burning, because of its excellent coaling qualities. Ash is easy to split, since it has a very straight grain.
Oak
A very dense deciduous hardwood. Oak is high in BTU's, making it a good choice for burning.
Black Cherry
A reddish hardwood with black bark. Black Cherry has a pleasant aroma when burned, and it produces a great blue flame.
Beech
A hardwood with smooth grey bark, common to Southern Ontario. Beech is high in BTU's.
Birch
A unique hardwood with a white flakey bark. Birch is highly favoured for its pleasant crackle and smell in the fireplace, its nice appearance, and its excellent burning qualities. Compared to most hardwoods, it is lower in BTU's.