Is Elm Good Firewood? [Updated Guide]

Elm trees are common and may be located across the Northern Hemisphere. But is elm good firewood?

Quick Response

Is elm good firewood? Elm makes for bad firewood. Compared to thick wood, it produces substantially less heat. Elm creates a considerable amount of smoke and is extremely tough to split.

Table of Contents

What is Elm?

The different plant species Ulmus belongs to the kingdom Plantae Ulmaceae, as well as elms, including semi- as well as deciduous trees in that family. In America, one may frequently find it. Elmwood is generally inferior to other types, including beech, hickory, oak, and maple, in terms of performance.

Elm creates a respectable fire and good coal. However, the amount of heat produced could be better. Since its threads stick together, it has significance for fiber adhesive and is used in many crafts, and the same property also makes it challenging to separate.

What are the Several Types of Elm?

Elm trees come in between 30 and 40 different kinds, and the majority have traditionally been planted as ornamental trees. The most common elm trees producing wood include three of them.

Elm from America

American elm, sometimes known as white elm, is a resilient tree that develops swiftly. It naturally resists the effects of wind and inclement weather.

Red Elm

Because of their rapid growth and aggressive nature, red elm plants are regarded as invading. Due to its lower density, red elmwood burns for a longer period of time and is simpler to divide.

Siberian Elm

American elm is frequently preferred over Siberian elm because of its superior hardwood and crop yield to that of red elm. Siberian elm thrives in tough environments with direct sunlight and nutrient-deficient soil.

Is Elm Good Firewood?

Although some could argue because Elmwood does well, there are numerous species that do this far better.

Due to Dutch Elmwood sickness, dead trees may be found all over you. Dried dead trees can be burned since they are typically almost prepared for usage. Yet, you must always be aware that the water content of such pieces of seasoned hardwood should be at most 20%, as this will result in poor combustion and excessive smoke production.

The average amount of heat was generated by the elm timber 20 million BTU. Some types of wood generate significantly more BTU per cord than others. Therefore, the response is “moderate”; if you possess it, fire it.

Is Elm Good Firewood? Making Firewood Out of Elm

Here are some things to take into account when using elm as fuel.

BTUs (British Thermal Units) – Heat Output

BTU measurements are the most accurate approach to ascertain an elmwood’s heat production. The typical BTU output of elm is 20.0 million. Elm is, therefore, a rather efficient fuel in terms of producing heat.

Elmwood produces decent coals as well as a beautiful flame, but it does not produce the brightest flames. For those individuals who depend on using wood-burning stoves to remain warm throughout the evening or daytime, having a strong coal generator could be an advantage.

Different hardwoods, such as oak and hickory, can be a better option if you need a larger heating capacity.

Time for Seasoning

It may take a long time to ignite, produce a good amount of fumes, and accumulate creosotes when burned, making it a misery to ignite. Elm firewood has to be allowed to cure for at least a year or 2 in order to perform at its optimum. The extra drying time will result in a nicer burn with a little less ash, though.

Wood that has been properly dried out has a water content of under 20%. The difficulty of lighting and the frustration of burning firewood with such a water content above 20%. Additionally, it causes a buildup of carbon and additional smoke.

This is fantastic news when you desire to utilize elm as fuel because it’s common to discover upright dead elms which are almost dry. Seasoning for this wood could only take six to twelve months. To cure new elm, you should plan on waiting at least a year and maybe even two.

According to the weather, as well as how you arrange the logs on your hardwood rack, the duration it takes for your timber to weather may vary. Elm firewood’s drying process will be accelerated by lifting it off the floor as well as placing it in direct sunshine.

Dividing

It’s really difficult to splitting elm timber, specifically if you’re doing it by hand. Elm is difficult to separate because of the stringy threads that keep it tightly together and resemble gum. The difficulty of splitting increases whenever the timber is dry.

Elmwood should be split with a sharp dividing ax while it’s still damp. You might also utilize a mechanical timber splitter to simplify your labor.

Smoke

You should think about how much smoke the wood would make when choosing this for fireplaces or wood-burning stoves. Elm firewood emits a lot of smoke, particularly if it still needs to be well-seasoned. Elm trees soak up a lot much moisture, and it takes them some time to dry off.

Even though thoroughly seasoned, elm timber emits a significant amount of smoke. Elmwood retains a significant amount of water because of its excellent density. The more water that is kept in the fiber grains produces more smoke. Elm becomes less smoky when it is seasoned for a longer period of time.

Elmwood green should never be burned. You might never truly start a fire; it will be uncomfortable and smoky. Elm creates more smokes while fully dried out compared to other premium firewood like oak as well as hickory, but also less overall.

When smoking elm indoors, it’s wonderful because there aren’t many sparks produced by the wood. Firewood which emits few sparks is better. However, you must utilize a display or windows and doors whenever burning indoors. Hazardous fires can be produced by wood that ignites often.

Smell

Being among the poorest options for burning food, elm timber has a bad fragrance. Be careful you know which the elm firewood comes from even before using it. Elm timber may have an unpleasant odor as a consequence of pests and illnesses that damage the wood. The elm tree’s ability to absorb scents from its surroundings may also be stinky.

Elm trees that are growing close to sewage systems or foul swamps will produce firewood that smells terrible. Only when elm trees are located close to a daisy field can their smoke be considered beneficial.

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Is Elm Good Firewood? [Updated Guide]