How to Burn Maple Firewood

Maple firewood is among the more common types of wood used for burning in a fireplace or wood stove because most varieties burn well and it is found in many places. Harder maples are generally preferred for home fireplaces because they burn hotter than softer varieties, such as the fast-growing silver maple.

Instructions

Choosing the wood

1. Choose the type of maple wood that can make a difference in the results of your fire. Among maples, sugar and red maple are ranked in the middle of the top 10 types of wood for burning in a fireplace because of the steady heat they produce. Oak, black locust and shagbark hickory are generally ranked higher. Those ranked below maple include softer woods such as white pine. poplar or sweet gum. Among maples, the fast-growing silver maple is generally considered a lesser variety when it comes to steady, long-burning firewood.

2. Choose maple wood that has been properly seasoned. Freshly cut trees tend to have too much moisture in them to burn right away. That is why people let their firewood "season" over time in order to dry it out. Maple varieties tend to take longer to dry.

3. Build the fire from the bottom up, beginning by crumpling paper, such as a newspaper. Top that with small, dry twigs or small pieces of split wood. Place seasoned split logs of maple on each side of the paper-tinder pile and then cross those on top with some small split pieces of maple. You can also build a teepee-shaped log structure around your paper-tinder mix.

4. Ignite the newspaper using matches or a lighter, so that it catches the smaller twigs and tinder on fire. This will then catch the larger logs on fire as it pulls oxygen through the structure.

5. Place additional split maple logs on top of the burning embers as the logs burn down to keep the fire burning.

Tips & Warnings

• Wendy Scribner of the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension suggests burning wood that has been cut, split and seasoned for at least six months. Burning newly cut or "green" wood will not only create a smoky fire, but one with less heat because15 to 20 percent of the energy generated is being used to evaporate the moisture in the wood.

• Always make sure your flue vent is open on a fireplace or wood-burning stove.

• Keep a screen or fireplace doors in place so sparks cannot escape firebox area.

References

• University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension: Firewood Basics
• New Mexico State University College of Agriculture: Firewood Facts