In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Do You Burn Poplar?

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Jack Straw, Sep 27, 2014.

  1. basod

    basod

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    And they are one of the few trees that will regrow off a cut stump.
    Starting to see a lot more of it as paint grade trim boards, grows fast straight and is easy to work with.

    There is a biomass startup out west making ethanol with a hybrid Aspen, they can harvest the trees every 3yrs
     
  2. Todd 2

    Todd 2

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    I like to split up the straight grain stuff small for starter wood, sorta like my own fat wood.
     
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  3. Paul bunion

    Paul bunion

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    More than just a few regenerate quite well when stumped. It is called coppicing and is a recognized way to manage your woodlot in many places around the world. Sugar maple sap yield has been shown to be dramatically increased by the practice, they just need to figure out how to recover sap from the top of a bunch of nubby stumps instead of from drilled taps.
     
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  4. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    I was just about to say that Paul. Oddly enough, I gave a speech in class a few weeks back and talked about coppicing in it. Very interesting technique

    You end up with a handful of sprouts, and they grow relatively quickly because you have young sprouts being fed by a large, mature root system
     
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  5. Paul bunion

    Paul bunion

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  6. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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  7. rdust

    rdust

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    Steel stove with a cat I could heat this joint all winter with it if I wanted to load every 8 hours. When I had my non cat I hated it, now that I have a cat stove it does just fine. Tulip poplar/Yellow poplar is a little better than cottonwood, willow or aspen.
     
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  8. coal reaper

    coal reaper

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    Tulip poplar good for my firepit. Dont smoke or smell if its dry.
     
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  9. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    I have about a cord of aspen poplar to burn for this year. Holds water like a sponge - feels as heavy as locust when wet, but it's light as a feather once it's dry.

    My dad told me he only ever tried burning it once. He had some split and seasoned for a year, but left it without top cover, and he had a lot of trouble getting it going after it rained or snowed. So I've had a tarp over mine since mid August.

    I agree with the other comments people have made. Great for shoulder season, when you don't want to end up with coals in the firebox after an overnight burn. It's got an acrid smell when it burns. I had to get it out of the way to clear some trails. Won't go out of my way to get it in the future. I have some red pine I'd like to try in a year or two. Poplar is pretty low on the btu charts - lower than many softwoods, including my red pine. And the smell should be better.
     
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  10. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    Every time I see one of these type threads, I get the idea that some are referring to yellow, or tulip poplar while others are referring to aspen. There is a huge difference. Around our parts we do not have yellow popple. Yes, we've burned quite a bit of popple here. No, it is not the best but will still do a good job in spring and fall burning.
     
  11. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    Tulip is what we have around here
     
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  12. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    Ya, I was pretty sure that was all you had down there. It might be interesting if someone could get hold of both yellow and aspen. Put some up then compare the burning of it.
     
  13. milleo

    milleo

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    Yup I think popple is fun to burn in shoulder season....If it is easy to get I will take it....:)
     
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  14. Fanatical1

    Fanatical1

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    Yep your right Dennis. Can be confusing. I have both big tooth aspen (popple) and Tulip (poplar) and they are different.

    Both are good for starting fires as well as shoulder season wood in my opinion....
     
  15. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    That would be interesting for sure :thumbs:
     
  16. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    Yes although its very fast burning its great for quick hot fires in the shoulder season...
     
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  17. MightyWhitey

    MightyWhitey

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    One of the earlier posts described poplar as similar to box elder.

    If'n that's the case, I'll take all I can get!!!!

    I've heated my home with essentially box elder and soft maple for 2 seasons now.

    I don't like a 80* house, so shorter burn times of the "lesser" woods don't bother me. I work during the day, no wife or kids, no worries about a "too cold" house.

    For me 65-67 is right.........................any warmer I'm sweating running the vacuum cleaner!!
     
  18. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    MW, I'm with you. 80 degrees inside would have me outside in the cold :rofl: :lol::dennis:
     
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  19. splitoak

    splitoak

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    I dont go outta my way fer it...but yes i will and do burn it...heat is heat...i just save the heavy hitters fer when its real cold..
     
  20. splitoak

    splitoak

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    DUDE...the pic of the "log" in the toilet is priceless!!!:rofl: :lol: