These Are the Best, and Worst, Woods to Burn in Your Maine Woodstove

Wood stoves are the best...

The first house my wife and I moved into when we first got married didn't have a woodstove. And honestly, I never really gave it a second thought. However, years later when we bought our second house, that came with two(!) woodstoves, we knew that the ability to burn wood would have to be a non-negotiable item in future homes.

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These days, between our heat pump and our woodstove, we only buy oil twice a year. So we feel like we have our whole heating regimen dialed in. But given the choice, we burn wood most often. It's very comforting, and it's also about as warm as you can get. I do hate that it creates about 3% humidity in the house. But I'm always warm AF.

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Not all woods are created equal.

When it comes to getting firewood, I always recommend finding a reputable supplier who brings well-seasoned, burnable wood. Too often you end with green stuff that'll need to sit a while so it'll burn properly. And you'll always want to stay away from soft woods, or woods that isn't seasoned.

Soft woods like pine or spruce will give off some heat, but they will also clog your chimney with creosote. Green, unseasoned wood is also bad for your chimney, but it also gives off almost no heat. So making sure you always have seasoned wood that's as dry as possible is key.

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Solid hardwoods are best for burning. They create almost no residue in your chimney, and they give off a ton of heat. Although, sometimes you have good hardwoods like elm. Sure, it burns long and hot, but it smells like absolute garbage. Smelly wood is no fun. On the other hand, cherry and birch smell amazing. Anyway, let's dig through a bunch of these different woods and see why they are, or aren't, awesome.