Firewood - anyone burn black walnut?

[rburg]

Just wondering how it burns and smells. All these years as a woodcutter, the only place I've ever burned walnut is in outdoor bonfires, and then burning the slash, never the logs themselves.

Things are changing. I swallowed any pride I might have left and bought a load of mixed firewood from a guy. I didn't want trash woods, but he said it was all hardwood, mostly oak, ash, some hickory and some walnut. I got about a half rick of walnut in the deal, and carefully separated it as I was stacking the others.

I'm wondering if its like cherry and smells really good, or if its just an after run, something you burn because it goes up in smoke. Anyone know?

It sure seems to be aged. The bark falls right off, but the heart seems solid and really dark. Some sapwood, but it looks like they split up rounds that were at least 18" or better in diameter.

 

[RdrBill]

Sir.
I had a Aunt and Uncle that had a walnut grove. I helped pick up walnuts as a kid and shucked walnut hulls in the winter. Helped cut and stack wood. I remember it took several years to dry. They burned walnut in a open fireplace. They had fruit trees also, and a pine grove. Burned all of it.
They died of old age so I guess burning the walnut did them no harm.

Bill@Yuma

 

[handejector]

I've burned a lot of it.
Does not last as long as oak, but DOES put out the heat.
Burns to a fine powder in a hot fire.

I never noticed cherry smelling all that good- smells like wood burning to me. Did you put sugar on it?

 

[RdrBill]

I never noticed cherry smelling all that good- smells like wood burning to me. Did you put sugar on it?

Sir.
Most of the fruit wood was used in a smoke house. I don't know that it imparted any unique flavor, but Uncle Ben made good smoked meat.
Some of my relatives were a little rustic from the backwoods of Idaho. I thought we were normal till I left the ranch and saw the big world. I now know we were different.
Bill@Yuma

 

[rburg]

I've burned a lot of it.
Did you put sugar on it?

No, that was the gas tank! Makes the car smell like cotton candy.

 

[Jswiney9]

Sir.
Most of the fruit wood was used in a smoke house. I don't know that it imparted any unique flavor, but Uncle Ben made good smoked meat.
Some of my relatives were a little rustic from the backwoods of Idaho. I thought we were normal till I left the ranch and saw the big world. I now know we were different.
Bill@Yuma

no, you were probably normal til you saw the big world. Ive lived both worlds, ill take my woods over the city any day. as for the walnut question, like another poster said it will take a while to cure for a proper burn and it does usually burn up into a very fine ash. Smells good IMO.

 

[44 Shooter]

It is mediocre fire wood. At current prices, I am surprised anyone is cutting it up for fire wood.

A good log can bring $500.

 

[spricks]

Yep, I also have a burned alot of it. I would call it a semi-hard wood and would have stacked it the rest and mixed in the burning....no need to segregate the species from the burn pile.... LOL!
spricks

 

[max]

I am impressed Mr. Burg, not many folks these days use the word rick.

 

[BoDog]

Burns great smell ok makes great stocks and grips. If you rip saw a few chunks and hit them with a little water to bring out the grain you may be warm and busy the rest of the winter.

 

[truckemup97]

I am impressed Mr. Burg, not many folks these days use the word rick.

What do they say, "half a cord?"

 

[HEAD0001]

The bark on walnut is a bit spongy, and can hold water for a long time if you do not cover it. So you want to make sure it is good and dry or you will get a musty smell when you burn it. Like burning wet paper. It is not a particularly good firewood to burn. It burns up fast when dry, no real particular smell as long as it is dry. It is best to take the bark off the logs to dry it properly. Firewood cutters like to cut it for firewood, it is soft to cut so it is easy on their saws, and it is normally very straight grained so it is very easy to split. Unless the price was extra cheap I would not accept it for firewood. Kind of like getting Poplar. It just burns up like paper, with not near the heat(or longevity) of Oak or Locust. Tom.

 

[gunblade]

I threw a couple of old broken walnut rifle stocks in the fire the other night...burned real good.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I had a walnut orchard for 14 years when I lived in Calif. Burned a lot of the prunings in the wood stove. It's OK but burns quickly. Not much ash. Oak is better.

 

[ar15ed]

i burn a bit of wood every winter, usually red oak, some white oak, with an occasional maple thrown in. i had a neighbor call me to come and get some walnut he had cut and split. it looked nice, and split very easily, but it didn't really impress me much as firewood. didn't last very long, and didn't really produce a lot of heat either. i guess it did smell okay, though.

 

[Gamecock]

Apple. When I lived near Chester, VA, a neighbor burned
some apple tree. The fragrance was amazing.

Joe

 

[handejector]

Even oak varies. I prefer red oak, but will gladly burn any oak.
Hickory is excellent, but usually hard to split.

Everything else around here is very secondary, and burned only because it is already there.
The secondary woods in MY order of preference are Cherry, apple, and walnut. If you are cold enough to need to burn poplar, just keep carrying the stuff around to get warm- works better than burning it cause you can't carry it in fast enough to keep the fire going!

 

[ridewv]

... Unless the price was extra cheap I would not accept it for firewood. Kind of like getting Poplar. It just burns up like paper, with not near the heat(or longevity) of Oak or Locust. Tom.

Might not burn as slowly, but all wood species put off about the same BTU per pound.

 

[Gamecock]

Heck, I used to burn pine. I'd mix it in with hardwoods, and
keep the fire real hot.

Joe

 

[m657]

we don't get too much black walnut in these parts....what I've burned of it is similar to locust.....good HOT fire with short lived coals and a fine ash.

Slabs out much better use as furniture, small cabinetry & jewelry boxes, knife & gun stocks.

Or jeep gear shift knobs.....