How long do you dry your firewood before burning?

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How long do you dry your firewood before burning?


  • Total voters
    190
I cut/split/stack in the winter then cover it up with a tin roof and start burning it in the fall. Mostly standing dead oak and whatever else that comes my way usually Beech, Hickory, Cherry. I do get some sizzlers sometimes, usually they'll be lowest pieces off the stack, even pecker poles too. I just save my heaviest pieces to cram the stove full as I can for all-nighters.
Now having a hyrdo splitter I'll be keeping 2yrs worth of firewood. So in 2 yrs my answer will change to....2yrs!
 
I cut/split/stack in the winter then cover it up with a tin roof and start burning it in the fall. Mostly standing dead oak and whatever else that comes my way usually Beech, Hickory, Cherry. I do get some sizzlers sometimes, usually they'll be lowest pieces off the stack, even pecker poles too. I just save my heaviest pieces to cram the stove full as I can for all-nighters.
Now having a hyrdo splitter I'll be keeping 2yrs worth of firewood. So in 2 yrs my answer will change to....2yrs!

I stack all the oak/elm and what little else I burn in the house in an 18 by 21 carport with sides all the way down. The wood is stacked directly on the ground, gravel on top of crushed concrete. I notice about the same this winter, the pieces down on the ground, and in the middle of the carport weren't nearly as dry as the others, no sizzle but they burned dirty. I thought having small gaps between the rows would be enough, this would was split 3 years ago, but I finally made the decision to put pallets down on the ground. Four standard pallets fit 5 wide in there, with a few inches between the pallets. Guess I'll find out in a few years, but I'd imagine that'll provide a ton more airflow, so even the ground pieces in the middle dry out nearly as much as the stuff up top. I didn't want to lose the nearly 6" of height, adds up to a lot of volume but I figured I'd just stack damn near all the way to the top of the carport, wood doesn't need a ton of airflow right?
 
Just curious how long you dry (or "season") your firewood before burning? I'm looking for what you do, not how long you think wood should dry for.

I normally give it at least one summer to dry.

And go!
Although I try to store 2years or more Time is not the deciding factor I check it with a moisture meter one of the 4 prong ones to check the content I try to get it as near to 16% as possible but will use any with a south of 20 % reading several factors come into plat Weather, how dry was the wood when cut wood type with my stacks only the tops are covered & the wood is raised off the ground & not to tightly stacked to allow air circulation
 
I stack all the oak/elm and what little else I burn in the house in an 18 by 21 carport with sides all the way down. The wood is stacked directly on the ground, gravel on top of crushed concrete. I notice about the same this winter, the pieces down on the ground, and in the middle of the carport weren't nearly as dry as the others, no sizzle but they burned dirty. I thought having small gaps between the rows would be enough, this would was split 3 years ago, but I finally made the decision to put pallets down on the ground. Four standard pallets fit 5 wide in there, with a few inches between the pallets. Guess I'll find out in a few years, but I'd imagine that'll provide a ton more airflow, so even the ground pieces in the middle dry out nearly as much as the stuff up top. I didn't want to lose the nearly 6" of height, adds up to a lot of volume but I figured I'd just stack damn near all the way to the top of the carport, wood doesn't need a ton of airflow right?

I use pallets too, but my pallets were getting old and crammed all fulla dirt and hunks of bark. I tore em up this year raked out all the junk and started fresh with new pallets. Should be decent airflow for the lower pieces now. But I know some groundhog or other pest gonna try and set up shop under there, I'll be watching for him though :)
 
Firewood season begins right after deer and bird go out here in MD ! In the past I would be two seasons ahead. Usually about 20cords or more under cover in sheds. IM moving this year and will have an outdoor boiler at the farm so I'm not sure how much wood I will burn. Im planning on splitting up another 20 and see what happens after first winter.
 
I just got into Red Oak and Maple that was split, stacked and top covered for just over two years. It sizzles and is a bastard to light, but once the stove is warm, minimal problems. I ideally want to go 3 years on green cut to minimize this, but right now i am behind. This summer will be spent trying to catch back up. I burned through all the dead standing and down stuff that was a treat stacked and dried for two years.
 
I simply cut a split this year and burn it next year.....don't care what it is.
I always get a crackle and pop, never a sizzle.
I will say i live at high altitude, air is dryer.
 
Every one has a different answer. Here is different than some. It takes 6 weeks for green Oak and 3 weeks for green Pine. Drying time is usually during June through October. I cut about 6 cord of green Oak in September by January was pretty much all gone. In the late 90's when we had an El Nino year wood molded because we only had 5 months of semi dry weather. Then some years we only have two months of damp weather. Thanks
 
Something that hasn't been addressed that effects drying times is the shape the wood is split in. I feel that wood split to resemble 1.5-2" boards will dry faster than a similar split weighing the same amount that is split in wedges or pie shaped because it has more surface area. I NEVER toss small 4-6" limbs in the stack unsplit. Those don't dry at all except 1" from the end per year.

Here is an example of what I call "board split".

15pibfo.jpg
 
Something that hasn't been addressed that effects drying times is the shape the wood is split in. I feel that wood split to resemble 1.5-2" boards will dry faster than a similar split weighing the same amount that is split in wedges or pie shaped because it has more surface area. I NEVER toss small 4-6" limbs in the stack unsplit. Those don't dry at all except 1" from the end per year.

Here is an example of what I call "board split".

15pibfo.jpg


I would agree as far as drying time goes on those, we call them making planks. I just follow a routine, if it's shorter than the wedge it just gets split in half, over the wedge up to 1' diameter usually gets quartered, beyond that it's just split them however. I'm not too worried about it drying as fast as possible though, an anything smaller than 4" doesn't get split, it gets cut 2' long and goes into the garage stove.
 
I organised my set up based on two years drying. In our conditions, 1 year is normally enough but two is a bit better. However, I'm now 3 years ahead and it shouldn't be too hard to keep it that way. Should have built a bigger woodshed! So I have 1 year's worth stacked on a tarp (as a barrier from the dirt - I would use pallets but I don't have any) and in a row on the retaining wall uncovered. I also have a couple of cord in my man-shed. Two year's worth in the main woodshed where it keeps nice and warm. Stuff on the tarp and retaining wall will go into the shed during the winter. I work my way along the side of a bay and burn the stuff at the back then start to burn my way forward. Then I can start stacking the stuff on the tarp from the back as winter goes along.

3rd Dec 2.jpg
 
I organised my set up based on two years drying. In our conditions, 1 year is normally enough but two is a bit better. However, I'm now 3 years ahead and it shouldn't be too hard to keep it that way. Should have built a bigger woodshed! So I have 1 year's worth stacked on a tarp (as a barrier from the dirt - I would use pallets but I don't have any) and in a row on the retaining wall uncovered. I also have a couple of cord in my man-shed. Two year's worth in the main woodshed where it keeps nice and warm. Stuff on the tarp and retaining wall will go into the shed during the winter. I work my way along the side of a bay and burn the stuff at the back then start to burn my way forward. Then I can start stacking the stuff on the tarp from the back as winter goes along.

View attachment 643404

I want to get far enough ahead, that I have 1 year worth of firewood cut into rounds, stacked in rows outside to "pre season." Actually, I want to cut enough in the fall to build me a snow fence 4' high on the east side where it's open to the wind.
 
Something that hasn't been addressed that effects drying times is the shape the wood is split in. I feel that wood split to resemble 1.5-2" boards will dry faster than a similar split weighing the same amount that is split in wedges or pie shaped because it has more surface area. I NEVER toss small 4-6" limbs in the stack unsplit. Those don't dry at all except 1" from the end per year.

Here is an example of what I call "board split".

15pibfo.jpg
I agree
 
Every time this thread get revived, I want to answer, it depends. It depends on how much I have left over from last year, how cold it is outside, and if I need wood now and I am out. I usually have wood left over each year. I stack it inside a metal carport. I fill it each year and will burn out of one end this year and the other end the next. some of the wood in the middle of the shed has been their more than two or three years. I will be buring that wood this next winter as I have my house for sale and am not stockpileing a whole lot of wood. I have rounds that have been laying in a pile for over a year, I will be splitting to help make it thru next winter, and I got a load of logs a month ago that will have to be processed. Between what in the shed and what has to be processed, I should make it thru next winter. My wood will be a mix of well seasoned, almost seasoned and a little dryer than fresh cut. If the house sales, well I wont need any wood as I build a new house. New house plans call for a smaller, more energy efficient, foot print as I try to cut way down on the amount of wood, as well as electricity, I use each year.
 
Every time this thread get revived, I want to answer, it depends. It depends on how much I have left over from last year, how cold it is outside, and if I need wood now and I am out. I usually have wood left over each year. I stack it inside a metal carport. I fill it each year and will burn out of one end this year and the other end the next. some of the wood in the middle of the shed has been their more than two or three years. I will be buring that wood this next winter as I have my house for sale and am not stockpileing a whole lot of wood. I have rounds that have been laying in a pile for over a year, I will be splitting to help make it thru next winter, and I got a load of logs a month ago that will have to be processed. Between what in the shed and what has to be processed, I should make it thru next winter. My wood will be a mix of well seasoned, almost seasoned and a little dryer than fresh cut. If the house sales, well I wont need any wood as I build a new house. New house plans call for a smaller, more energy efficient, foot print as I try to cut way down on the amount of wood, as well as electricity, I use each year.

You may want to consider radiant / hydronic heating in your new house.
We cut our wood consumption in half.....that is if your still planning on using wood.
 
You may want to consider radiant / hydronic heating in your new house.
We cut our wood consumption in half.....that is if your still planning on using wood.
I dont know what radiant/hydronic heating is, never heard of it. How does that work?

I have plans for a solar heating system as a hybrid wood heated/solar heated radiant system. I also plan to air condition the house using creek water that will be pumped thru the radiant system in the summer time. I will also be using hydro generated electricty to supplement my grid tied electrical system. I will not be using net metering, power company puts too many restrictions on how I have to generate my power and how I am re-embursed for any power I put into the grid. I have a pretty good creek with 75ft of fall for the hydrosystem.
 
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