I don't think my wood will ready!

[Noslo65]

I don't think my wood will be ready!

Went out and checked my wood stacks today. We had some rain yesterday. But the wood still seems like it is far from seasoned. I have some sugar maple and hackberry that has been split and stacked since Feb. Some ash that was cut in Nov. of 07, then split and stacked in Jan. The ash should be ready. But I was hoping to have the maple and hackberry to burn also. Maybe I will have to wait until late winter for that stuff. Just wondered if I left enough time for the maple and hackberry? I plan on covering it up in Oct. It is all stacked single row. It is a 100' row in north to south direction. Seems like I have alot of bugs also. Alot of boring type bees. Anyway when I saw the wood the wind was let out of my sails. Looking forward to burning the four cords of wood I have stacked.

 

[TJ-Bill]

wow.. I plan on burning maple that was cut in March, and some birch that was cut in June.

 

[Mike Van]

I cover the top only of mine in the spring, as soon as it's split - I've never had wood too wet to burn come fall. Every rainy day, every thunderstorm is just re-soaking an open pile, it can take days to dry out what rained on it before the wood itself even starts drying again. We had a really wet summer here, June & July, it was hard to get hay in. Seemed like when it wasn't raining, it was so humid nothing would dry. I'd cover the top of that pile now, don't wait 'till the short days of October. Did you just get all that rain from Gustav? That won't help drying for sure......

 

[wdchuck]

Went out and checked my wood stacks today. We had some rain yesterday. But the wood still seems like it is far from seasoned. I have some sugar maple and hackberry that has been split and stacked since Feb. Some ash that was cut in Nov. of 07, then split and stacked in Jan. The ash should be ready. But I was hoping to have the maple and hackberry to burn also. Maybe I will have to wait until late winter for that stuff. Just wondered if I left enough time for the maple and hackberry? I plan on covering it up in Oct. It is all stacked single row. It is a 100' row in north to south direction. Seems like I have alot of bugs also. Alot of boring type bees. Anyway when I saw the wood the wind was let out of my sails. Looking forward to burning the four cords of wood I have stacked.

Is it possible to have a few days or a weeks worth near enough to the woodburner so it'll dry that last bit. ?

I load the basement up with quite a load once we start burning, and the end checking gets more prominent day by day. So, the wood continues to lose moisture even indoors.

 

[LumberjkChamp]

Is it really that bad? I cut,split and stacked all my wood for this coming winter last fall right through this spring (early April) and its all going to be ready to go. We've had over two feet of rain in just a couple of months but recenty we're in a dry spell thats lasted a few weeks and the drying has progressed nicely. I checked some of my wood today -which is covered all of the time on the top only- and it is as dry as it ever will be -unless I throw it in a kiln dryer that isnt going to to appear by magic anytime soon. I have mostly cherry, ash, paper and black birch, sugar and red maple, apple, and red oak.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The maple, especially if it's soft maple, such as silver maple, and the ash will be ready. So should the birch.

Hackberry takes a full year to dry. It's like mulberry, apple, cherry, and oak. They take longer. Give them time or they will just hiss at you in the stove.

When hackberry dries, however, it's one of the best burning woods that there is.

 

[CharlieG]

Generally if the wood is grey, it's good to go.

 

[abohac]

Went out and checked my wood stacks today. We had some rain yesterday. But the wood still seems like it is far from seasoned. I have some sugar maple and hackberry that has been split and stacked since Feb. Some ash that was cut in Nov. of 07, then split and stacked in Jan. The ash should be ready. But I was hoping to have the maple and hackberry to burn also. Maybe I will have to wait until late winter for that stuff. Just wondered if I left enough time for the maple and hackberry? I plan on covering it up in Oct. It is all stacked single row. It is a 100' row in north to south direction. Seems like I have alot of bugs also. Alot of boring type bees. Anyway when I saw the wood the wind was let out of my sails. Looking forward to burning the four cords of wood I have stacked.

I don't know what hackberry is but hard maple would be better if you could give it two years if you are using it in a air-tight inside stove. It's just not worth the chimney problems. I don't know what other guys experience is but most of the hardwoods with the exception of ash just seem to take longer to dry. I'll burn about anything myself in my outdoor stove but I won't sell anything that I cut that was green without curing for 2 years.

 

[woodbooga]

Went out and checked my wood stacks today. We had some rain yesterday. But the wood still seems like it is far from seasoned. I have some sugar maple and hackberry that has been split and stacked since Feb. Some ash that was cut in Nov. of 07, then split and stacked in Jan. The ash should be ready. But I was hoping to have the maple and hackberry to burn also. Maybe I will have to wait until late winter for that stuff. Just wondered if I left enough time for the maple and hackberry? I plan on covering it up in Oct. It is all stacked single row. It is a 100' row in north to south direction. Seems like I have alot of bugs also. Alot of boring type bees. Anyway when I saw the wood the wind was let out of my sails. Looking forward to burning the four cords of wood I have stacked.

How finely split are the pieces? This will have an impact since the more finely split, the greater the area that moisture can be drawn from.

 

[woodbooga]

Is it really that bad? I cut,split and stacked all my wood for this coming winter last fall right through this spring (early April) and its all going to be ready to go. We've had over two feet of rain in just a couple of months but recenty we're in a dry spell thats lasted a few weeks and the drying has progressed nicely. I checked some of my wood today -which is covered all of the time on the top only- and it is as dry as it ever will be -unless I throw it in a kiln dryer that isnt going to to appear by magic anytime soon. I have mostly cherry, ash, paper and black birch, sugar and red maple, apple, and red oak.

Same experience here, on the other side of the Connecticut River.

I was starting to get a bit nervous by mid-August. But then the rainy pattern broke and we had 2+ weeks of sunny dry weather. Most of my red maple, birch, beech, and even red oak are good to go. Everything was tarped over from the first rains of June (May was very arid - only cut the lawn once all month before it turned brown). Normally don't cover, but glad I did this year. Uncovered when the rainy cycle broke to maximize sun exposure and air flow.

Glad I woke up early this a.m. just as the rain was starting to recover for what will be a rainy 24 hours with the remnants of Hannah fixing to dump 2-4" of moisture on us.

 

[Peacock]

What's the deal?

I've got wood ranging from oak to hedge to locust to several types of ash and maple. It's all pretty dry now. Most of it has been cut for 6-9 mos and split for 1-9 mos. My wood is all turned gray with the ends checking. I've 'sampled' a bit of it for weenie roasts and it burns with no hissing.

I've got very little stacked. Almost all of the stuff is just thrown into a big pile of 20-25 cord.

 

[testlight]

Yeah, lay down stringers, split, stack (as loose as you can), cover. Otherwise water gets in from the ground, the rain/snow. Keep in mind what direction the wind usually blows from too.

 

[Noslo65]

I have all of my wood stacked on utility pole cross arms. They are 10' long cedar and treated with creosote. Most of my splits are 4" or so. This is my first year so I will learn this year. I am already starting on next years wood. I have A BUNCH of cherry to harvest behind the house. That will be my mainstay for next winter.

 

[chainsawaddict]

I know that when you split wood into smaller chunks it burns faster. Is that because the wood is smaller and there is more air between the logs, or is it because there is less sap in the wood?

Im thinking that the more you split the wood, the better it seasons, leading to less build up in the chimney. Am I all wet?:monkey:

 

[testlight]

Yup, smaller pieces means more surface area for the wood to burn. Small pieces will dry faster, and possibly season a little faster, but sap should be the same one way or the other. Don't forget to leave some big wood for those long winter nights

 

[savageactor7]

I say any wood C&S-ed in feb would be ready to burn this fall...eps so if its been outside seasoning. I'm willing to bet the maple and ash are good to go...never heard about hackberry though.

 

[046]

you'll be fine... ash burns the best of any wood green... this info is for emergency purposes of course.

wood split in Feb will fine by the time you run out of the ash...
rainy season is on us... I'll be covering up my wood soon..

Went out and checked my wood stacks today. We had some rain yesterday. But the wood still seems like it is far from seasoned. I have some sugar maple and hackberry that has been split and stacked since Feb. Some ash that was cut in Nov. of 07, then split and stacked in Jan. The ash should be ready. But I was hoping to have the maple and hackberry to burn also. Maybe I will have to wait until late winter for that stuff. Just wondered if I left enough time for the maple and hackberry? I plan on covering it up in Oct. It is all stacked single row. It is a 100' row in north to south direction. Seems like I have alot of bugs also. Alot of boring type bees. Anyway when I saw the wood the wind was let out of my sails. Looking forward to burning the four cords of wood I have stacked.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Noslo65 : If that Hackberry has been cut and split since last winter it should be ready to go, even uncovered. Mine gets pretty punky if it sits for 2 years uncovered. I keep the top covered and try to get it used up by Spring.

Hack and Ash are about equal according to the firewood charts. Maple goes a bit better on the BTU's. I always thought any Maple I had should have been stacked a little further to the back for more seasoning time. One season just wasnt enough time to cure. But it was there for me to mix with Hedge if needed.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

Grandpa burnt firewood for 30yrs. He cut in fall and winter took it home rolled oak, hickory and locust from woods into his garden. split it in march - april and stacked it, burnt it the same yr. He never covered his firewood at all and never had a creasote problem. I follow his example.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Zodiac45]

Mine is usually cut into rounds in the fall and then overwintered with cover. In the Spring I have it split and stacked by April latest. It seasons all summer uncovered (I find it does better) It's really all about airflow. Right now in Sept, I'll start wheeling it into the barn for use. I have mixed hardwood including hard and soft maple, yellow and white birch, some ash, oak and a bit of hatmatack (easter larch) that burns quite well.
Maple trees are just starting too turn at the tops (leaves) and the mornings are getting crisper. Won't be long now.