Considered a flowering tree, horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is identifiable by its unique teardrop, spikey leaves. Its namesake comes from the nuts that it produces which are poisons to horses and that look like chestnuts
Though some may think horse chestnut to be a chestnut species, it is not. So how does it compare when used as firewood?
Horse chestnut is very poor quality firewood, producing very low BTU for hardwood, only 13.8 million BTUs per cord. Its wood density is low, making it burn up quickly while creating an unpleasant smell.
What Are The Varieties Of Horse Chestnut Wood?
Though there are a few varieties of horse chestnut growing in various parts of the world, they all carry roughly the same qualities when used as firewood.
If you are seeking information on real chestnut species as firewood, click here.
Both Europe and Japan are known for their horse chestnut trees as well as North America.
What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Horse Chestnut Wood?
Here’s a basic overview of horse chestnut wood:
| Name | Horse Chestnut |
| Heat per cord (Million BTUs) | 13.8 |
| Weight dry (lbs per cord) | 1984 |
| Weight green (lbs per cord) | 3210 |
| Seasoning time | 6-8 months |
| Resin/ Sap Content | Low |
| Splitting Difficulty | Moderate |
| Smoke | Low |
| Smell | Unpleasant |
| Coal Production | Poor |
| Cerocote Build-up | Low |
Is Horse Chestnut Easy To Split?
How well a wood splits all depends on its grain and wood softness. If the wood has an interlocking grain or is full of knots, then you will find it harder to split the wood.
However, horse chestnut has a closely organized grain, making it very easy to split.
What Does Horse Chestnut Smell Like?
Just like box elder firewood and poplar wood, horse chestnut does not have the most pleasant aroma when first cut. But, once seasoned, that smell does neutralize before burning.
When brunt, horse chestnut does release a very distinguishable and unpleasant smell.
How Much Sap Content Does Horse Chestnut Have?
The sap is produced by all trees to allow for the distribution of nutrients throughout the tree.
Working with trees that generate a lot of sap or resin can be a nuisance. Luckily, horse chestnut has a low sap content so is not as messy to work with as pine or fir.
Still, it is best to burn horse chestnut firewood that has been harvested in the winter.
Moisture Levels Of Horse Chestnut
Even though horse chestnut thrives in moist soils, it does not retain that water. So, its moister levels are moderately low. This tends to be true of most hardwoods.
This is partly why horse chestnut wood does not take a long to season as real chestnut firewood which contains a higher water content, takes years to season.
Heat Output and Efficiency of Horse Chestnut
European, Japanese, and North American horse chestnut firewood provides a general BTU of 13.8.
Considering it is a hardwood, this is not a very high BTU. Especially when compared to other hardwoods like oak or hackberry which generates BTUs of more than 20 million.
The flame simply will not last more than an hour, so will not warm your home effectively
Fire Characteristics Of Horse Chestnut
Now that we know what kind of wood horse chestnut is, let’s evaluate the kind of fire that it produces.
Creosote build-up
Having a build-up of creosote is dangerous for any indoor fireplace. Too much creosote can cause chimneys to catch fire undetected.
Wood that burns slower is more likely to cause a quicker build-up of creosote as it releases smoke over a longer amount of time.
Horse chestnut does not have a lot of sap and is a low-density wood, burning up quickly. Therefore, it does not create a lot of creosote.
Amount Of Smoke
Much like any other wood, horse chestnut will release more smoke when not seasoned. Though horse chestnut does tend to smoke more as fresh wood than other woods.
If you do give horse chestnut long enough to season, then it will hardly produce any smoke. Therefore, it can be used as indoor firewood but is not preferred.
Does It Produce Coals?
A clear sign of good firewood is the amount and quality of coals that it produces. The better quality coals a wood can generate, the longer a fire can keep burning.
Unfortunately, horse chestnut does not burn for long nor produce coals. Any coals that it does manage to produce are of poor quality and will not sustain a fire.
If you want a longer burning fire, then do not use it or mix horse chestnut firewood in with other woods that can create high-quality coals – oak or black locust will get the job done.
Is It Okay To Burn Horse Chestnut In A Fireplace?
Due to it being a low-density wood, horse chestnut will not last long in your fireplace. But it will produce a good flame for the short while that it burns.
As an upside, it does not produce many sparks, but the smell is unbearable for many people.
Overall, it is not recommended to use horse chestnut indoors or for outdoor campfires.
How Long To Season Horse Chestnut Wood?
If you want firewood that can be used quickly after being cut, then horse chestnut is a good choice, though even then even the fir varieties would be preferred more.
For a hardwood, its seasoning time is exceedingly quick: only 6 – 8 months. Cut a horse chestnut in February/ March and have dry wood by winter.
Do keep in mind that horse chestnut firewood is not rot-resistant. It can easily be stored from one winter to the next but keeping it stored for longer than a year is not advised.
Is Horse Chestnut Firewood Expensive?
Horse chestnut is not preferred firewood so it is hard to put a price tag on it. Many people would not burn it even if it was free.
Pros And Cons Of Using Horse Chestnut as Firewood
Now that we know the ins and outs of horse chestnut, what are its final pros and cons?
Pros
- Short seasoning time
- Very easy to split
- Little smoke or sparks
Cons
- Quick burning
- Low BTU
- Smells
- Rots quickly
How Does Horse Chestnut Compare To Other Firewood?
As a hardwood, horse chestnut does not do as well as firewood as other hardwoods. Oak, hackberry, and black locust all produce a significantly higher BTU than horse chestnut’s 13.8.
Even if compared to softwoods, horse chestnut loses every time. The smell, poor heat production make it the bottom of the barrel type of wood.
As an upside, being a low-density hardwood also means that horse chestnut only takes 6-8 months to season, compared to other hardwood which can take years. So it can be used if you are in a pinch.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Horse Chestnut A Chestnut Tree?
Contrary to what many think, horse chestnut trees are not a species of chestnut. They are just called such because of the chestnut-type nut they produce.
Does Horse Chestnut Do Well When Burnt Outside?
Due to its low BTU value of 13.8, you will not get a lot of heat from horse chestnut firewood. So, if it is cold outside then it will not fare well as a campfire wood and its smoke tends to smell really unpleasant.
What Does BTU Stand For?
BTU means British Thermal Unit and can be used to measure how much energy a cord of firewood produces when burnt.
Typically, the higher the BTU of wood, the better firewood it will make.
Conclusion
To conclude, horse chestnut may be hardwood but possesses few of the qualities that good hardwood firewood has. It burns fairly quickly while producing minimal smoke and sparks, but it is not recommended to use as firewood.
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