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Any tips on using cedar as firewood?

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Upwords45

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I recently cut down this big cedar tree that was a bit too close to the garage. chipped all the smaller stuff but kept about four of the bigger wood that I'm planning to split to burn. Curious if anyone here ever burned cedar for firewood? Curious to know how well it burns and if there are any tips you got for me?
 
Not the worst firewood option if you ask me, but it's not perfect. The crackle sound is cute and I peronally like it, but be carefull if you have an open fireplace. It's easy to split and ignite, but I would mix it with hardwoods to keep the fire burning for longer, like hickory or oak. That's how I did it a few years ago.
 
Upwords45 said:
I recently cut down this big cedar tree that was a bit too close to the garage. chipped all the smaller stuff but kept about four of the bigger wood that I'm planning to split to burn. Curious if anyone here ever burned cedar for firewood? Curious to know how well it burns and if there are any tips you got for me?
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Cedar burns hot and fast, so it's great for kindling or a quick fire. But if you're aiming for an all-night burn, I don't think it can hold up? It pops a lot too, so expect flying sparks in an open set-up. Let it season well! That's the key for a cleaner burn, I suppose.
 
Also @Upwords45 , let it season well because it holds moisture and gets pitchy, so it needs like 6 to 12 months to dry out, minimum. If you're using it indoors, mix it with hardwoods like oak or maple to stretch the burn
 
Upwords45 said:
I recently cut down this big cedar tree that was a bit too close to the garage. chipped all the smaller stuff but kept about four of the bigger wood that I'm planning to split to burn. Curious if anyone here ever burned cedar for firewood? Curious to know how well it burns and if there are any tips you got for me?
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Agreeing with what the others said about cedar burning pretty hot and fast, and throwing a lot of sparks!
But also, you have to watch out for the creosote buildup in your chimney!
Cedar's quite resinous so it can leave more of that sticky residue than some other woods.
Make sure you're getting your chimney cleaned regularly if you use it as firewood, and yeah, it's better to mix it with some denser hardwoods!
Try it at least, I think you might like cedar's lovely aroma!
 
A few winters ago, I spent some time helping my uncle clear out a thick patch of cedar near his old barn. One chilly evening, we chopped up the bigger logs and threw them into the fire pit. The flames shot up quickly, the crackling sound was lively, and the scent gosh, it felt like being enveloped in a forest. We quickly figured out that mixing it with oak was a smart move, otherwise, we'd be out there tossing logs every 20 minutes
 
Not too long ago, I lent a hand to my cousin clearing out some pine trees by his cabin. It was quite the adventure! We chopped up the bigger logs and decided to toss them into the fire pit one evening. As soon as we got it going, those flames shot up in the air, crackling like they had a mind of their own, and oh, that smell! It was just fantastic. But we figured out we had to mix in some maple with the pine, or else we'd be constantly stoking the fire to keep it alive. Pine's great for a quick burn, but wow, it goes fast! Still, it was a memorable night by the fire, just us and the woods.
 
You're right, pine's quick, hot burn means tossing in some maple is perfect. Can't top a cozy, crackling fire for a night out in the woods.
 

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