It’s called a “wood” burning stove for a reason! The only thing to burn in your stove is: wood! Yes, use a few wads of newspaper to get kindling going from a cold start, but never burn the following in your wood stove:
- pressure treated lumber
- particleboard
- plywood or chipboard
- wood with nails or screws
- dryer lint
- driftwood
- painted lumber
- garbage, or trash
- Christmas trees or pine boughs
- plastics
- cardboard or paper with colored print
- any cordwood that has not been properly seasoned
The species of wood isn’t nearly as important as ensuring the wood is dry. Cut it, split it, stack it, protect it from rain and snow, and leave it for a year! Use a moisture meter to make sure the wood has <25% moisture content.
