# Poplar Firewood Advice



## AgrarianDr

Sorry, that's "Pop-lar", not "pop-u-lar"

Had a 70' poplar get uprooted in a recent storm. Wasn't too sure what to do with it - other than the obvious, but I have never burned Poplar before, and searching on the net has left me more questions than answers.

Seems little argument it is not the most ideal firewood - but then again... my needs are different than most in that I "prefer" a hotter, faster burning wood (masonry stove).

So, anyone have any "actual" first hand experience burning Poplar? 
Sure is a lot of wood! (Gotta cut it up anyhow)


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## Badger

It's easy to split, makes a pretty blue flame, makes a great campfire wood - I never burned it in a stove so I cant help you there - Its worth the splitting just for campfire wood in my opinion.


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## DaleK

Depends what you have for an alternative. We let them rot here. Not worth the time and gas to cut them when we could be cutting something a lot more useful.


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## TnAndy

All wood has about the same heat value ( BTU ) per pound. The problem is many woods, like poplar, don't have much density, and thus it takes more of it by volume to equal a better hardwood like hickory/oak/etc. So if a person is buying wood by a volume measure like a cord, they are getting less fuel value.

But since yours is free, burn it. Just recognize you'll be making more trips to the stove than if it was a denser wood.

Like Dale above, I tend to shy away from it in favor of more dense woods that will hold a fire over night IF I have a choice. But if you're going for a quick fire and store the heat in masonry stove mass, that may not be as important to you.


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## goatsareus

We have burned tulip poplar in a home built masonary stove and chimney, in a cook stove and in our current wood burning furnace. It burns hot and fast and splits like a dream. In the cookstove, I considered it my "biscuit" wood. When I wanted a quick hot fire to bake biscuits, I would use the poplar. I like to use it to start fires in the furnace. We mainly burn oaks, hickory, ash, and poplar; using poplar to start the fire and the other hardwoods to keep the fires going. Yes, tulip poplar is considered a hardwood. And we always season all woods before burning them.


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## postroad

I like the smell of the smoke for camp fire wood.

Maybe its just something that got associated in my head as a youngster?


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## Jim-mi

I like working with poplar . ..........
But if you are not a wood worker and can't get some bf out of it. . .oh well..........

for the fire place poplar is "goferwood"


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## fordson major

we use it spring and fall, maple will smolder out in a wood boiler!!
that and box-elder or alder


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## jeff1981

we burn it, not the greatest, but we don't let it go to waste


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## AgrarianDr

Thanks for all the input. 
Got out first thing this morning and took the Homelite to it. Cuts like pine (fairly easy), only had to sharpen the chain once - and MAN does that stuff split up easy!!!

Did a little more research last night after I posted the question. Feel a little foolish I didn't know more about Poplars - other than they grow like a weed (5'-8' yr). Guess it's just one of those things where you assume you know what you need to and never look further.

Obviously will be a while before I can dry out and test it, but am excited I may have literally stumbled onto another really great (for a masonry mass heater stove), easily renewable fuel source. 
Still like the Ash, have had good luck with it and fortunately have an ample supply.

Going to take a nap now - was a lot closer to 100' than to 70. Wore my butt out!! :boring:


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## woodsy

We've been burning some Poplar for twenty years mixed with other hard/soft woods.
Its decent spring /fall firewood as long as its dry.
Heck, we've used it mid winter here at times, just doesn't make much for overnight coals.
Don't let the naysayers deter you from using it, its firewood pound for pound dried.


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## Guest

I have pine and poplar on this property so have burned a bunch. The bark is waterproof so you have to cut it into stove length pieces and split it for it to dry. Otherwise it rots before it dries out. I use it during the day, when I am arround and don't mind feeding the stove. Burn hardwood at night for a longer fire.


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## Rick

Come back and check that split Poplar in a week. It dries pretty fast. 

Even the bark burns nicely (and real fast) in a campfire.

I agree with it being a good flash heat. We use it to keep the oak going in the box stove and cook stove, and alone in either depending on the need. We used poplar in our new home, and there were tons of scrap.

New Home...

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/hillsidegardner/CIMG0075.jpg


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## solidwoods

If you burn wood then burn the easiest cheapest wood that you can get your hands on.

Another use for poplar is to let the log sit until the bark begins to slip off (quicker in the summer longer in the winter). Then run a chainsaw in a straight line end to end on the log and peel off the bark.
We use it as ground cover in flower beds or around trees.
It will work best if you work it while its wet (v.s. letting it dry out ).
I've heard of a company that peels the bark and glues it to a substrate like plywood and it is used as wall sheathing.
jim


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## countryboy84

Have burnt a lot of tulip poplar over the years. Needs to be seasoned or seems to not want to burn well. If you have a furance that can really regulate the air flow well I love it. It is a lot little when packing it in or stacking then more dense woods. I always keep oak also to use as a longer keeper of a fire but poplar is abundant and fast growing so I feel it will be used more and more. Cut a poplar down this year and in 5-6 years there will be another firewood tree right back there again and in 12 years will have a good saw log tree.


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