What You Should Know About the Wood in Wood-burning Fireplaces

The sale of fireplaces is on the rise as more people look for alternative ways to save on high heating costs. The cost of heating fuel, electricity, and natural gas has all gone up prompting people to investigate the economical side of installing a wood-burning fireplace. There is a lot to consider when contemplating the purchase of a wood-burning fireplace besides the fireplace itself. A person needs to consider the cost of wood and how and where to get it.

Type of Wood

First, not all trees or types of wood are good for use in wood-burning fireplaces. Trees with lots of sap, like the Maple, are definitely out, even if it is cut during the months when the sap is not heavily flowing. Soft woods are also not fireplace friendly. Hard woods are by far the best type to use for fireplaces. Some good choices would be Elm (rock, red, and white), Hickory (shagbark and butternut), Oak (red), Beech, and Ash (white).

How to Get the Wood

Aside from knowing what type of wood to use, a person has to know how to get it. If you live in the country on land abundant with the right type of trees, and own a chainsaw, you are set. However, if you do not have the resources at hand, then you will need to purchase the wood and then haul it home yourself or pay to have it hauled, unless you have a friend who owns a pick-up truck or trailer, who will haul it for you, for the price of a tank of gas and a six-pack. The best place to find wood for sale is in the advertisement section of your local newspaper or tacked on public bulletin boards at the nearest Lowe's, Home Depot, Feed n Seed, or laundry mat.

NOTE: You may want to take along a buddy, who is fairly knowledgeable about trees, so that you are not sold a less than desirable type of wood.

How Much Wood do you Need?