Understanding the properties of wood pellets helps consumers to choose wisely when stocking up fuel, making the most of their heating investment. You may have seen wood pellet products labelled as softwood pellets or hardwood pellets, and wondered which to choose. Many people would assume that, like campfire or wood stove fuel, hardwood is best, but in the case of wood pellets that assumption would be wrong.
What Are Hardwood and Softwood Pellets?
Wood heating pellets are manufactured using wood fibers, made from sawdust and lumber byproducts, among other things. Whether those ingredients come from a hardwood (or deciduous) tree or a softwood (also known as coniferous) tree makes no difference in the overall quality of the finished wood pellet. Many manufacturers actually sell a blended pellet in today’s market, consisting of both types. This blended product burns just as well as the unblended types.
Hardwood burns longer or slower on an open fire (wood stove, campfire, etc.) due to the greater density or weight of the wood. Softwood is less dense or lighter, meaning flames can reduce the wood to ash quicker. But in that case you are comparing logs or firewood. Comparing wood pellets does not stack up the same way.
Heating wood pellets are made by compressing wood fibers into a certain size and shape, resulting in uniform density and weight no matter what type of wood is used to produce the fibers. So a pellet made from softwood has exactly the same density and weighs the same as a pellet made from hardwood. And a blended pellet comes in with equal stats. All three burn at the same rate and produce the about the same BTUs. However, in my experience I have found that if you are looking for a “hotter” burn, then a softwood pellet from Douglas Fir tends to consistantly burn hotter than hardwood or blended pellets
Quality and efficiency can vary based on your wood pellet stove design and manufacturer, but rest assured that purchasing hardwood, softwood or blended pellets will not make a huge difference to your final result and production. The most important thing when burning pellets is keeping your stove clean!! regular maintenance is vital. Your cleaning schedule will vary depending on the quality of pellet you purchased.
9 Comments
Wood pellets differ in BTU
Bullcrap ,from my experience depending on the type of wood product pellets do different in btu output!!! So in my estimation your theory is wrong !!!
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Are there companies that mix hardwood and softwood pellets together in the same 40lb bag ?
I have been remiss in that I haven’t posted an amendment to my April 11/2018 review of Lacwood pellets. I phoned the company with my complaints and within the hour the plant manager, Steve Lacroix, also a principal in the company, returned my call, listened to my concerns, asked for photos of lot #’s from the bags, and promised to launch an investigation. He did and followed up with 8 to 10 comprehensive emails outlining his findings, all of which seemed forthright, plausible, and not contrived. All of them were related to production issues,(bagging machine) on a specific day. Steve then offered to reimburse me for all the product I had purchased, plus an equal number of free bags, as a goodwill gesture and they would be delivered to me when a rep was in my area. True to his word, a couple of months later, a pick-up truck with Quebec plates pulled into the yard, and it was Steve Lacroix in person, with ten free bags of pellets, which he carried into my shop. I promised him at the time that I would submit new review, good or bad, in the fall, after I had tried the new pellets. AND I FORGOT !Sooo….here it is. Excellent product, zero crumble, near zero fines, low ash and good heat. I would use these as my primary pellet but Home Hardware is the only company local to me to carry them, and they have chosen to market them a full $1.00 +tax higher than comparable premium grade pellets ($250.00 + more annually to heat my shop) However, since C.T.C. has chosen profit margin over consumer concerns and replaced Canawick with the worst pellets on the planet, (BioPower), bedding grade at best), I have elected to spring the extra buck + a bag for Lacwoods, to finish out the season.Here is hoping they make more inroads into S.W. Ontario, and find a retailer who will market them at a competitive price point. In my estimation, Lacwood is a top shelf company run by a genuine gentleman, Steve Lacroix, who far exceeded my expectations when I registered my initial complaints. My apologies Steve, and again, thanks
We use a Wiseway stove.. I find softwood pellets burn slightly hotter. Main thing is keeping the stove clean. Even if when I clean it and very little ash comes out it still runs quite a bit hotter. Goes from running at 400 back up to 600f when I light it up again.
I was wanting to know which is the best pellet stove that Menards sells I have a 2050 sq ft mobile home don’t want to go indet to heat my home but want to live comfortably thank u
We have a Quadrafire….have found dead that Cascade Premium Doug Fir pellets burn hottest and best…
we have a quadrafire pellet stove and so far the best pellets are packsaddle
I use pellets for cat litter. My dogs, unfortunately, scrounge for kitty poop, and appear to be licking the pellets that get kicked out of the catbox. Is this harmful to them? A friend thinks they might be coated with fuel.
What is the best way to mix hardwoods white oak is there a good way should you put things like oil ,soybean, backing soda or will these thing not work