A type of eucalyptus tree, stringybark belongs to the myrtle family and refers to a collection of trees with unique, stringy bark. These trees can grow to be very large and are hard to miss once you know what you’re looking for.
Stringybark is native to Australia but can also be found in the US. So if you come across a stringybark, should you use it for firewood?
Generally, stringybark-type trees perform better than paperbark trees but slightly worse than ironbark trees. They will burn hot but not as hot as ironbark. They are a great medium heat with limited smoke production.
What Are The Varieties Of Stringybark
The name stringybark is more a description of a certain species of trees that include blue-leafed stringybark, brown stringybark, and thin-leaved stringybark.
Its variations are not that different so make for similar firewood across the board.
What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Stringybark
| Name | Stringybark |
| Heat per cord (Million BTUs) | – |
| Weight dry (lbs per cord) | – |
| Weight green (lbs per cord) | – |
| Seasoning time | 18 months – 2 years |
| Resin / Sap content | Little |
| Splitting Difficulty | Difficult |
| Smoke | Minimal |
| Smell | Neutral |
| Coal Production | Very good |
| Creosote Build-up | Minimal |
Does its Wood Split Easily?
Like most eucalyptus firewoods, it is very difficult to split stringybark trees once it has been seasoned.
It is better to split these kinds of trees as soon as you cut them. Both so they can season properly and because the wood will not be too dense to split.
How Much Sap Does It Have?
Stringybarks do not have a lot of sap but the wood can be quite high in moisture anyway freshly cut.
If you are splitting a stringybark tree and find it to be messy, then that is more its moisture than sap.
How Does The Wood Smell?
As a general rule, stringybark trees don’t have much of a smell. They do not smell unpleasant, but there is also no particular fragrance that they produce worth noticing.
Heat Output And Efficiency Of Stringybark
There are so many types of stringybark wood that researchers can not decide on one BTU measurement for the species. But it is clear that they burn at very high heat and can often bypass the heat of oak firewood.
Fire Characteristics Of Stringybark
Stringybark woods are very dense so will burn at a steady high heat for hours on end. This is also aided by their good coaling qualities, allowing you to heat your home all the way through the night and then some.
As you fully season stringybark then it will not smoke terribly or will it create a lot of creosote.
Being so low in sap means that you will mostly have to worry about the amount of moisture that is left in a stringybark’s wood after seasoning.
But even if you need to burn stringybark before it has reached the desired 20% moisture content, it is a clean-burning type of firewood.
Is It Okay To Burn Stringybark In A Fireplace?
Stringybark is a great wood type to burn in a fireplace, so long as you don’t mind how hot it can get.
If you do want a cooler fire but with the long-lasting benefits of stringybark wood then you can mix some softwoods like pine into the fire. This will also help to get a fire started quicker, too.
If you do not want to mix in softwoods, another great option to use together in a fireplace would be alder varieties
How Long To Season Stringybark
Due to its high moisture content, you will want to wait at least 18 months to burn stringybark, in some cases, more than 2 years.
If your stringybark still has a moisture content higher than 20% when you burn it, it will smoke more and will produce as effective heat. So use a moisture meter to ensure that your firewood is ready to burn.
Pros And Cons of Stringybark Wood
Pros
- Very effective heat output
- Clean burning
- Very good coals
Cons
- Very difficult to process
- Rarer in the US
- Can be an overwhelming heat
How Does Stringybark Compare To Other Firewood?
Stringybark wood generally burns better than most softwoods like fir or pine as it has considerably less sap. It also tends to burn hotter.
However, it does not hold up as well against ironbark woods which has the likes of oak among its varieties.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I Use Stringybark On A Stove?
Due to its high heat, it is best to burn stringybark-type firewood on a log burner or in a fireplace rather than the stove.
Can I Use Stringybark On A Campfire?
It will smoke a lot if burnt green, but the smoke produced by stringybark is light, so will be less of a problem than when burning unseasoned maple.
Conclusion
Stringybark trees tend to burn better than paperbark trees but fall short of ironbark trees. You will be able to get a good heat out of them at the same time, they do not produce a lot of smoke.
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