1. Heat output
Firewood’s main purpose is to create heat, so it’s an important consideration. Although the heat output of oak will vary depending on the species, rest assured they’re all rated highly in this area. Red oak produces 24.6 million BTUs per cord, white oak offers 29.1. A higher BTU is desirable and oak rates above almost every type of firewood.
2. Smoke
Seasoned oak that’s been well-dried will give off very little smoke. For indoor fires, this is an ideal firewood. You don’t have to worry about going to bed with sore, red eyes from smoke. The top firewoods like ash, hickory, and oak produce minimal smoke once dried. Remember that burning any green or wet wood will result in lots of smoke.
3. Sparks
Sparking and popping wood could start an unwanted fire or burn someone. Thankfully, oak is a safe wood that doesn’t produce many sparks.
4. Aroma
Oak varies in smell depending on the type of tree the wood comes from. White oak is far superior, with a fragrance like fresh sawwood or vanilla.
If you regularly smoke meat, then oak is a good choice. Its slow-burning coals are ideal for barbecues, smokers, and roasters. For more ideas, winemakers use white oak to produce wine barrels. The timber imparts flavor and aroma into the wine during the aging process.
5. Coaling
Coal is what results from burnt firewood. It impacts how well a fire burns and how long it will last. Wood with good coaling properties will keep a campfire or home warm all night. It also allows a fire to be re-lit by adding some kindling the following day. Oak is a dense hardwood; a large log will burn most of the night in a wood stove. Compared to pine, basswood, fir, and aspen, oak is much better for coaling.
6. Creosote build-up
Creosote is a type of gunky tar that makes chimney ventilation less effective and may cause health issues. Some varieties, like pine, generate a lot of creosote build-up. Oak produces low levels of creosote so long as it’s sufficiently seasoned. No matter what wood you select, cleaning your chimney once a year is a good idea.
OAK FIREWOOD
Oak is one of the top firewood options, offering a long, slow burn and intense heat output. It takes longer than most other woods to season fully, but you’ll get fuel that keeps burning all night.
- An excellent option for wood stoves, indoor fires, outdoor campfires, and BBQ.
- Produces a mild aroma and low levels of smoke and sparks. While there are hundreds of types of Oak, we’re focused on the White Oak family. They pretty much exclusively use Post Oak, which is from the same family.
- Oak produces a lovely, distinctive color in most smoked foods, it falls in the middle of the spectrum for strength and flavor, typically milder than Hickory, but stronger than most fruit woods.
