I’m assuming you’re here to find out what you can about using eucalyptus
wood for firewood. Well, you came to the right place! In this article I will share with you all there is to know about eucalyptus firewood.
I’ve researched this type of wood because I often wondered about it. I love the oil it produces, it has a lot of uses, but for the sake of this page, I’ll keep it to about the wood itself.
Eucalyptus firewood is comparable to oak. And oak is one of the most sought after firewoods. So you know eucalyptus is good. There are some drawbacks, however. When burning it will pop and spark a lot. So make sure your good on that (fireplace screens and that type of stuff).
The other drawback is availability. If you’re from the north (USA) you’re screwed, eucalyptus trees grow from the Carolina and south and out west in California.
Random Fact: Eucalyptus trees are native to Australia and were brought and planted in California during the gold rush.
Splitting Eucalyptus Wood
It’s not fun if you’re using a maul or splitting axe! And if it’s seasoned, you can almost forget about splitting it by hand. As it dries, the grain in the wood starts to twist and that makes it tough to split by hand.
Best time to split eucalyptus firewood is about a week or so after it was cut (green). What you look for is the cracks in the wood to start forming and that’s when you should start splitting it if you’re doing it by hand. If you’re using a hydraulic splitter, then you can split it as soon as you can.
Seasoning Time For Eucalyptus Firewood
Because of the high moisture content and the oil that’s in eucalyptus wood, it will take longer than most other types of firewood. You’re looking at a year and a half to two years for it to season properly.
Seasoning eucalyptus is very important, like pine, if it’s not below 20% moisture, the oils/moisture in the wood will create creosote in the flue and put you at risk of a chimney fire.
You might want to look into a moisture meter to test the moisture content before you burn it. You can find them on Amazon for a decent price. Here is a link to the one I have. Moisture Meter.
Conclusion
When it all comes down to it, eucalyptus is a good burning wood that puts off a lot of heat and creates a nice bed of coals. Also, it leaves behind very little ash to contend with.
All in all, if you have it burn it or at least mix it in with your other firewood. Also note, even though it might be completely seasoned, it will still have oil pockets in it, so like I said before it will pop and spark. Keep safety in mind when burning this stuff!
