Is Blackwood Good Firewood?

Blackwood (acacia melanoxylon) is a variety of Acacia species. It is very hard to find in the US as it is native to the other side of the world: Australia. However, in South Africa, it is considered an invasive species.

It is a wood most often used to make furniture and tools as it is so dense but can also be used to make instruments – specifically guitar and violin bows. If you do come across blackwood is it worth using as firewood?

Blackwood is a very dense wood avoided by many as firewood. It is capable of producing more than 35 million BTUs per cord, however, it is not widely used as firewood because it’s difficult to process and it does not smell very pleasant.

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What Are The Varieties Of Blackwood

Because it is a variety of the Acacia species already, blackwood does not have any unique varieties of its own.

However, it is known by many different names around the world, such as Acacia Blackwood, Australian blackwood, and mudgerabah.

What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Blackwood

NameBlackwood
Heat per cord (Million BTUs)35.3
Weight dry (lbs per cord)5127
Weight green (lbs per cord)6290
Seasoning time2 years
Resin / Sap contentLow
Splitting DifficultyDifficult
SmokeModerate
SmellVery unpleasant
Coal ProductionVery good
Creosote Build-upHigh

Does its Wood Split Easily?

Though it does often grow as a straight-grained wood, blackwood is very prone to knotting and developing interlocked grains. This can make it very difficult to split.

Even if you do find a piece of blackwood without knots, it es extremely thick and hard to split by hand.

That is why you will need to split blackwood while it is still green. It will still be difficult to split but less so than when seasoned.

How Much Sap Does It Have?

Blackwood is not known for its sap production but will leak a lot of sap when it has encountered excess water in the warmer months.

The sap that blackwood does produce does not make for a healthy burn.

How Does The Wood Smell?              

Most species of Acacia wood are known to smell like urine and blackwood is no different. The smell will not be as bad once the wood has been seasoned but it will still be unpleasant.

Heat Output And Efficiency Of Blackwood

With a BTU measuring up to 35.3, blackwood has one of the best heat outputs of any wood. It beats most oak varieties and easily outdoes pretty much every other hardwood.

Fire Characteristics Of Blackwood

Blackwood is one of the densest woods in the world, growing extremely tough and thick. This means that it will burn for a very long time, generating a very hot but steady heat.

However, for the same reasons, blackwood is a pain to ignite. It will take a while to reach its peak burning abilities, but it will burn for hours on end once it does. It will also produce very good coals to help it burn for longer.

Though it may seem like the ideal heating source up to this point (aside from its smell), blackwood has one crucial downfall: its smoke.

Is It Okay To Burn Blackwood In A Fireplace?

Blackwood is not firewood you want to burn regularly in your fireplace. If its high heat isn’t overwhelming enough, then its smoke and smell will be.

It is a dangerous wood to burn between the high creosote production and extremely dangerous smoke.

Even if you have recently cleaned up any creosote build-up and strong working flutes, it is best to avoid burning blackwood in your fireplace.

How Long To Season Blackwood

Though healthy blackwood trees have less sap than maple or pine, they will need at least 2 years to season fully.

Blackwood already produces dirty, unhealthy smoke. If you do not season it for at least 2 years, its moisture content will be too high and will create that acrid smoke in abundance.

This is why it is not used often on campfires.

Pros And Cons of Blackwood Wood

Pros

  • Very high heat output
  • Very good coaling qualities

Cons

  • Uncommon in the US
  • Horrid smell
  • Acrid smoke
  • High creosote deposits

How Does Blackwood Compare To Other Firewood?

Blackwood does burn better than any oak or hickory wood but is one of the worst smoking trees you could possibly use indoors or outdoors.

Even compared to pine, blackwood’s smoke is extremely unhealthy and should be used in moderation. In fact, in that sense, pine is the better burning option of the two.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Blackwood Toxic?

While the wood itself is not toxic, the smoke that it produces is very damaging and unhealthy for you.

Can I Use Blackwood For Cooking Food?

No, blackwood’s acrid smoke and urine smell make for an awful food combination.

Conclusion

Blackwood would be the ideal choice for any firewood need if it weren’t for its terrible smell and worse smoke. It does produce a lot of heat when burned, but a lot of people do not prefer it because of the smell.

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