If you are depending on wood to heat your home for the winter, it is a good idea to use wood that burns efficiently and is readily available.

Ash is good for firewood because it is a clean burning hard wood that produces an adequate amount of heat. It has a neutral aroma and won’t leave your hands all pitchy. Some argue that it is the best firewood to use! 

Keep reading to learn more about Ash and what makes it a great choice for firewood.

Common Characteristics of Ash Trees

Ash is a hardwood which means it will burn hotter and will provide the most heat for the weight. It burns clean with no smoke and it throws few sparks.

The trees grow in cool and warm climates, on moist, well drained soil, and in areas that provide enough direct sunlight. The Green Ash is widely planted as a street tree in the United States.

It is a hardy tree resistant to many diseases, but has been recently attacked by the Emerald Ash Borer beetle which responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of ash trees across the United States and Canada.

The Emerald Ash Borer, is believed to have been inadvertently introduced from Asia sometimes in the 1990s and was first detected in Michigan in 2002. This beetle spread rapidly throughout North America, devastating local populations of Ash trees. The beetles’ larvae bore into a tree and feed on the inner bark, eventually killing the entire tree.

Common varieties of Ash trees used for firewood

There are 16 different species of Ash, but the Green Ash and White Ash are the most common species used for firewood.

Green Ash is known as a hardy shade tree and is popular because of its fast growth, nice shade and ability to adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. Since the onset of Dutch Elm disease, the Green Ash has been heavily used as a replacement for the American Elm in urban landscapes across the U.S.

White Ash is known as a handsome tree native to North America. It shades many parks, large yards, and other sizable areas. It also provides beautiful fall colors ranging from yellow to deep purple and maroon.

The size of an ash tree depends on the species. It can grow from 30 to 120 feet in hight and 40 to 50 feet in width. Ash trees have a grayish bark that is smooth in young trees. Their bark becomes furrowed, composed of diamond-like pieces, in old trees. They have strong and wide root systems. Ash trees need to be at least 60 feet apart to ensure that there is enough space for the development of their root systems.

They have compound leaves that are 8 to 15 inches long. Their leaves turn green in the spring and yellow, orange, red and purple during the autumn. They produce purple flowers arranged in clusters.

The fruit of an ash tree is called samara. It is 1 to 2 inches long, flat and consists of thin membrane that protects miniature seeds. Both cows, goats and rabbits like to eat the leaves and branches of ash trees.

Working with Ash Firewood

What does Ash smell like?

All types of wood can be used as firewood but some are better than others. Besides investigating how much heat is produced you also need to consider the aroma of the wood. Most woods produce fruity, nutty, or piney fragrances. Ash has a slight aroma but not over powering like fresh Red Oak, which smells like vinegar when it burns.

Is Ash sap messy?

Often times people think they have sap dripping from their Ash trees, but in actuality it is coming from a bug.

Ash trees are often infested by aphids or scales, both small but common insects. It is possible that the liquid that looks like sap is actually honeydew, a secretion produced by the insects.

Honeydew looks like sap when it falls from a tree badly infected with these bugs, coating bark and leaves.

How hard is Ash to split?

Ash is generally known for its ability to be split very easily and for having a low moisture content. A freshly cut piece of Ash has a moisture content slightly higher than seasoned Ash.

Sometimes Ash is given a bad name because people mistake Ash for Elm. Elm is very hard to split, whereas Ash is generally considered easy.

The first split is usually the toughest, which is usually halving the log. Sometimes there will be ‘stringy’ heartwood that keeps the split logs sides from falling away.

How long does Ash take to season?

Ash can be burned green if you have to, but it will burn most efficiently when split, stacked and left for at least 6 months to season.

To get the most energy out of your firewood, the wood should be seasoned. Seasoned firewood is described as having 20% moisture content. A good rule of thumb is to cut firewood this year so you can use it next year.

Burning green wood decreases the amount of heat generated by the fire. As the green wood burns, the energy created from the fire is used to evaporate the moisture resulting in wasted heat.

Buy an inexpensive easy to use moisture meter like this one, to ensure your split wood is ready for the fire.

Does Ash burn clean?

Ash firewood burns clean with no smoke and it throws few sparks. This makes it a great choice for your wood stove.

Heat Output and Efficiency of Ash

Depending on the species, Ash produces anywhere from 19.1 to 23.6 million BTUs per cord.

On average a cord of Ash is equal approximately to the following common heat sources:

• 20,700 cubic feet of natural gas.
• 235 gallons of propane.
• 155 gallons of heating oil.
• 6301 kilowatt hours of electricity.

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. One BTU the amount of energy required to heat one pound of liquid water by one degree Fahrenheit.

A cord of firewood is equal to 128 cubic feet of wood. Typically firewood is cut into 16 inch lengths and is tightly stacked in three rows, 4 feet high and 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet.

How does Ash compare to other types of firewood?

Ash falls somewhere in the middle in terms of BTUs per cord. At the high end would be Eucalyptus at 34.5 million BTUs per cord and Osage-Orange at 32.9 million. On the low end you have Ohio Buckeye at 12.1 million BTUs per cord and Linden Basswood burning at 13.8 million.

Fire quality, amount of smoke and creosote.

Green wood tends to smoke and smolder creating the possibility for creosote to form in the chimney. Creosote is nothing more than a condensation of small, unburned particles contained in the smoke that coats the chimney surface as it exits. The creosote will stick to the sides of the chimney and can ignite, causing a chimney fire.

All wood creates creosote. Hardwoods, like Ash, burn slower and lower, so the smoke lingers longer inside the chimney, creating more opportunity for creosote build up. You can reduce the amount of creosote by properly seasoning your firewood.

The Pros and Cons of Burning Ash as Firewood

Pros

• Neutral odor when burning.
• Burns hot and long.

Cons

• Hardwoods like Ash, Live Oak, Hickory, and Walnut are more expensive to purchase than softwoods like Pine and Fir.
• Ash trees don’t always grow very straight, which can make splitting more difficult.
• Ash produces more creosote build up in your chimney than soft firewoods do.

Other Common Uses

The wood of Ash trees is strong but elastic at the same time, which makes it perfect for the production of baseball bats, hockey sticks, tennis rackets and canoe paddles. Other common uses for Ash wood are flooring, millwork, boxes and crates, and other objects such a tool handles.

Veneers made of Ash trees are used in the manufacture of office furniture. Ash trees are also used in the production of musical instruments such as electric guitars and drums.

Not only is Ash great for heating your home, but it is also a great firewood for smoking meat!

Its robust structure, good looks, and flexibility combine to make Ash an ideal timber for use in staircases. Ash stairs are extremely hard-wearing, which is particularly important when it comes to the treads (the part of the stairway that is stepped on).

There are many different firewood species to choose from. However, not all of the options will be available to you since some trees only grow in certain parts of the country. In my opinion, Ash is a great choice of firewood because it burns clean and hot.

Tell me what your favorite type of firewood is in the comments below.