Johann Hunt
Before you get your fireplace roaring, it’s important to know which woods to avoid. Burning certain types can release harmful chemicals or cause dangerous buildups in your chimney. Here are 15 woods you should never burn.
Driftwood
Driftwood might look like the perfect kindling—it’s dry, weathered, and plentiful if you live near the coast. But here’s the catch: burning driftwood releases toxic chemicals. When driftwood is soaked in saltwater, it absorbs sodium and chlorine, which, if burned, release dioxins—nasty pollutants you definitely don’t want in your home.
Driftwood (Cont’d)
It’s not just the salt that’s the problem; it often contains a mix of pollutants from the ocean, such as heavy metals, plastics, and other debris that can be harmful when burned. These contaminants can release dangerous chemicals into the air.
Green Wood
Freshly cut or “green” lumber is still loaded with moisture. Once you burn it, you’ll get more smoke than heat, and that smoke can lead to creosote buildup in your chimney—a recipe for a chimney fire. Plus, green kindling doesn’t toast efficiently, so you’re basically just smoldering away good energy.
Wet Wood
Similar to green wood, wet or waterlogged wood is a no-go for your fireplace. Wet wood doesn’t burn efficiently; instead, it produces excessive smoke that can quickly fill your home and can result in creosote accumulating in your chimney. This smoke can also have a musty, unpleasant odor that lingers long after the fire is out.
Pine Wood
Pine might smell like Christmas, but it’s not so jolly when it comes to burning. Pine is a softwood loaded with resin that can cause it to pop, crackle, and throw sparks—pretty but dangerous. Worse yet, that resin can create creosote buildup in your chimney, increasing the risk of a fire.
Pinewood (Cont’d)
While we’ve already touched on the dangers of burning pine due to its resin, it’s worth mentioning that pine also burns much faster than hardwoods. This can lead to your firewood pile dwindling quickly, requiring constant tending to keep the fire going. The fast burn rate can also cause excessive heat buildup in your chimney.
Construction and Furniture Wood
Do you have some old furniture or leftover construction wood? Don’t toss it in the fireplace! Construction and furniture logs are often treated with chemicals, stains, and varnishes that can release toxic fumes if burned. You might think you’re just getting rid of scraps, but you could be filling your home with dangerous pollutants.
Non-Local Wood
Burning wood that isn’t from your area might seem harmless, but it can introduce invasive species and diseases to your local environment. Insects and fungi hitch a ride on timber, and when you set it on fire, you could be spreading them to places they don’t belong.
Poisonous Wood
Some logs are downright dangerous to scorch because they contain toxic compounds. For instance, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac should never be burned—ever. The smoke from these plants can cause severe allergic reactions if inhaled, and nobody wants to spend their cozy evening in the ER.
Poisonous Wood (Cont’d)
Aside from the well-known toxic plants like poison ivy, burning Oleander wood can release highly toxic smoke that’s harmful if inhaled. Yew trees contain compounds that are also fatal if burned and inhaled in concentrated amounts. Even in small doses, the toxins released can cause nausea, dizziness, and respiratory issues.
Endangered Wood
It might go without saying, but let’s make it clear: don’t burn endangered timber species. Not only is it illegal to harvest certain endangered lumbers, but it’s also just bad for the planet. Timbers like ebony, mahogany, and Brazilian rosewood are better suited for musical instruments or fine furniture, not your fireplace.
Rotten and Moldy Wood
Burning rotten or moldy kindling is a one-way ticket to a smoky, smelly disaster. Rotten logs have lost their density, so they won’t combust well, and moldy planks can release harmful spores into the air when torched. If you wouldn’t touch it with your bare hands, it’s probably not a great idea to blaze it.
Pressure-Treated Lumber
Pressure-treated lumber is wood that’s been chemically treated to resist rot and insects. Sounds great, right? Not when it comes to burning. Those chemicals—like arsenic—can turn your cozy fire into a toxic bonfire. Breathing in the fumes from torching pressure-treated logs can cause serious health issues, so it’s best to steer clear.
Painted Wood
Got some painted timber lying around? It’s tempting to toss it into the fire, but don’t. Painted logs can release harmful chemicals, especially if the paint is old and contains lead. Even modern paints can emit toxic fumes when flamed, so it’s best to keep painted planks out of your fireplace.
Christmas Trees
Once the holiday season is over, you might be tempted to chop up that Christmas tree and burn it. Resist the urge! Christmas trees are loaded with sap and can cause your fire to scorch unevenly, creating lots of smoke and potentially dangerous flare-ups. Plus, the needles are like little firecrackers—they pop and snap, sending sparks flying.