Best wood for firewood? (Mesquite: apartment complex, house, landscaping)

[twange]

Anyone have any recommendations on type? This is not for cooking but just for general fireplace use. Also, those little bundles at HEB and Central market don't seem to be properly dried out(less than 20% moisture), is there any other places that sell small bundles for reasonable prices?

Right now I'm still in an apartment so large loads are out of the question.

Thanks

[BevoLJ]

You should be fine with any wood that was cut over a year ago. I keep three stacks at my house. One stack in my garage and two stacks out on the side of the house. I alternate use between the stacks each year so that I know which one is a bit older. To me the type of wood doesn't make any difference as long as it was cut a year or two back.

On where to get it... I pay my landscaper each year to fill up the stack before winter so I don't really know. If there is a landscaping crew in your neighborhood or at your apartment complex ask them if they might be able to hook you up with some wood for a few bucks. It might be cheaper and easier than going to HEB and carrying it all up to your apartment yourself.

[Trainwreck20]

Stay away from Cedar (Mountain Juniper) for any indoor use. It will soot up your chimney something fierce in no time and all, and it also produces lots of sparks. It is great to have a cedar log or two in an outdoor fire...the 'pops' it makes are very traditional fire .

[ROY DUBOSE]

i agree, the bundled stuff is a challenge to burn -- oak is good, mesquite burns hot but not that much flame, and elm is tough to enjoy as it just seems to smolder -- cedar smells sooo good! -- i've got some hackberry around my yard that isn't suitable (for my tastes) either but you'll probably not find it at any wood yard anyway -- my "fireplace" is a firebox on the deck

i've used a wood retailer off 183 n anderson mill (north service road) in the past-- they sell "apartment racks" which are approx 1/4 cord and have even sold wood by the stick - dunno anything about prices -- we've got multiple construction projects going in the 'hood so i've been burning their "trash" pine

[twange]

Thanks everyone...I'll keep looking around.

[woodinvilleguy]

I miss my hard maple trees, that is the best wood to burn.

[BentBow]

OAK or...
Pecan/Hickory, are fine


Mesquite burns really hot and can burn through some of the metal flue's

Cedar will coat the flue with creosole(sp) and can cause a flue fire.

[Trainwreck20]

Yeah, oak is probably your best bet for the money, it burns pretty clean and has a decent density, so it burns for a while. Pecan is great firewood, but will run you a noticeable amount more, I would guess.

[sliverbox]

Oak definitely. Stay away from wood that has lots of rosin- like pine. It will create a lot of creosote which is a fire hazard. Believe or not what I do is when I've driving around if I see stuff like downed branches, trees that have been chopped down or stuff like that I'll stop and ask whoever owns the house if I can take it. I have a small chain saw and I'll bring back my truck and get a load. I've got an outdoor chimaroo fireplace and have not actually bought any firewood in 3 years. All scraps!

[twange]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

Oak definitely. Stay away from wood that has lots of rosin- like pine. It will create a lot of creosote which is a fire hazard. Believe or not what I do is when I've driving around if I see stuff like downed branches, trees that have been chopped down or stuff like that I'll stop and ask whoever owns the house if I can take it. I have a small chain saw and I'll bring back my truck and get a load. I've got an outdoor chimaroo fireplace and have not actually bought any firewood in 3 years. All scraps!

That's the way to do it for sure...it's actually sort of ridiculous to pay for firewood. Not having a truck kind of makes that a little challenging though