Why You CAN Use Pine for Firewood

If you have ever Googled “What kind of wood should I use for firewood,” or something along those lines, chances are you have found an article that says to absolutely not use pine for firewood.

Spoiler: You can use pine for firewood and it will not be the end of the world.

 

Why Do People Advise Against Using Pine Wood?

If you had a choice of any wood species in America, you probably wouldn’t choose pine wood. The main reason for this is that pine wood is a softer wood filled with resin.

Pine often has a lot of knots, which, in combination with the softer composition of the wood, makes it slightly more difficult to split (Pine Firewood - Is It Any Good?, n.d.). This may be an issue with some box store log splitters, but Timberwolf’s line of commercial log splitters will handle pine with ease.

Another common complaint with splitting pine is the mess it makes. It is true, but if you are worried about getting dirty, you may want to consider another industry.

 

Pine Wood Will NOT Burn Down Your Chimney

You may have heard that burning pine in your fireplace can lead to a chimney fire. The idea is that sappy wood emits a lot of soot, which adds creosote to the chimney walls, which then causes a chimney fire.

Creosote is dangerous and can cause chimney fires, but the idea that pine specifically creates a lot of creosote is a myth!

Take it from Paul Pugliese at the University of Georgia:

Some people assume the sticky, gum-like resins in pine firewood cause more creosote residues than hardwood. Research has found this is false. The buildup is more often the result of burning wood at relatively low temperatures. Burning poorly seasoned wood favors creosote buildup because evaporating water cools the burning process. 

 

The Benefits of Pine Firewood

Firewood sellers may be interested in pine logs because they are inexpensive and can often be found locally for free! Yup, free firewood. 

Pine is great for starting fires, especially if it is split into kindling. The wood is easy to light because the sap acts as an ignitor and though it won’t have the longest burn, it will burn for a good amount of time.

Lastly, the smell of pine when it burns - everyone knows the smell and everyone enjoys it. 

 

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