I can think of a dozen other trees I'd rather have over red oak...anything with hickory or locust in their name (which at least 5 right there), any of the white oaks (at least 3 right there), mulberry, hedge, chestnut, etc. And how the %^&&* is hedge a #12?
White oak is slow to season and not that much higher on the scale. Doesn't split as easy either. But, we all get our favorites, which makes the brackets interesting.
That's it exactly. The brackets were set by who voted for what-- silver maple is popular because every one seems to burn it, hedge is the opposite.
Around here, Norway maple is very invasive. Seeing the seeds fly off with the helicopter like motion it's no wonder.
Catalpa is taking a really beating. Too bad its a botanist's wood and not a burner's wood. I would love to get some for lumber, though.
Hoping american beech wins it all!!!! Just checked some I split and stacked back in march last year and it is so ready to be burned.