Classified as a soft hardwood, alder is a specific choice for firewood that excels in recreational and cooking applications rather than deep-winter heating. Its unique burn characteristics and ease of preparation make it a valuable, if specialized, part of a balanced wood stack. The overall quality of alder firewood depends entirely on the user’s intended purpose.
How Alder Performs When Burning
Alder provides a relatively low heat output compared to dense hardwoods like oak or maple. A cord of seasoned red alder typically yields between 17.5 and 19.5 million British Thermal Units (BTUs), placing it in a similar range to softer woods such as aspen or cottonwood.
Its fast-burning nature is a defining characteristic; alder lights easily and burns quickly without leaving a substantial bed of long-lasting coals. This rapid combustion is an advantage for starting a fire or for short, intense recreational burns, but it necessitates frequent refueling for continuous heating.
The wood produces a relatively low amount of smoke and, when fully seasoned, is known for producing a pleasant, mildly sweet aroma rather than a harsh odor. Alder also tends to be a low creosote producer, especially when burned hot and dry. Creosote is the highly combustible, tar-like residue that forms when smoke gases cool too quickly in a chimney. Because alder burns quickly and cleanly, it helps maintain high flue temperatures, minimizing creosote buildup in a wood stove or fireplace.
Preparation and Seasoning Requirements
Alder is notably easy to handle and split due to its soft hardwood nature and straight grain structure. This characteristic makes processing the wood significantly less labor-intensive compared to denser, often knotty, varieties. Splitting the rounds soon after felling is recommended to maximize the surface area exposed to air, which accelerates the drying process.
The wood is considered a fast-seasoning species, often reaching the recommended moisture content of below 20% in about six to twelve months. This is a distinct advantage over dense hardwoods, which often require 18 to 24 months to fully dry.
Proper storage is particularly important for alder because the wood is prone to rot and degradation if left exposed to moisture for extended periods. Stacking the wood off the ground and ensuring excellent airflow, with only the top covered to protect against rain, is essential for successful seasoning and preserving the wood’s integrity. The seasoned wood should be noticeably lighter and produce a sharp, clear sound when two pieces are struck together.
Best Uses for Alder Firewood
Alder’s primary strength lies in its application as a cooking and smoking wood, not as a primary heat source. It is prized for its delicate, sweet, and earthy smoke flavor, making it a traditional choice for smoking fish, particularly salmon, in the Pacific Northwest. The mild flavor profile complements delicate proteins such as poultry, pork loin, and vegetables without overpowering their natural taste, unlike stronger woods such as hickory or mesquite.
For general heating, alder is best utilized during the “shoulder seasons” of spring and autumn, when temperatures are moderate and only a short, quick fire is needed to take the chill off a room. Its quick ignition and clean burn make it an excellent choice for recreational fires, such as fire pits or camping, where a robust, long-lasting coal bed is not the main objective. It also serves well as a reliable kindling or starter wood to quickly establish a draft for a fire of denser logs.
The wood is generally unsuitable for deep-winter residential heating because its low density means it consumes quickly, demanding constant attention and replenishment. By blending alder with a slower-burning, higher-BTU wood like oak, users can leverage alder’s fast ignition and clean burn to get the fire going, while the denser wood provides the sustained heat.