Drying

[oldmatelot]

Due to ilness, weather and saw problems I have about 1/2 of my wood requirement dry -- the other 1/2 is reading 23-24 on the moisture meter.
Have a couple of household fans here and was going to put them in the shed and run them about 6 - 8 hrs a day for Sept and Oct -- Do you think this would get the moisture content in the "wet" 1/2 down to an acceptable level.
Thanks again for your help

 

[Whitespider]

If you could use fans to exchange the damp/humid air in the shed with dryer(?) outside air, and improve air circulation through the stacked wood at the same time, it may help... but just moving the same damp/humid air in the shed around won't do squat.
Your best chance for getting that wood ready to burn would be to stack it outside, loose stacks, in single rows, where it will get the most sun... the results from two months in the sun and wind will surprise you.
*

 

[svk]

The good news is 20% is the generally acceptable starting point for cured wood so you aren't too far off. You are in a lot better shape than someone taking 35% wood straight from the tree.

I'd do as whitespider advised. Once burning season starts, can you get some of it into the house stacked near the stove? This will quickly pull some moisture out also.

 

[Ironworker]

Dude, you're fine 24 percent ain't too bad in my book, if you are worried just restack like w spider said or bring in a couple of days early near your stove.

 

[svk]

Just to confirm, the 24% is after you resplit the wood and measure the center of the fresh split?

 

[oldmatelot]

thanks for your replies -- If we would get a bunch of nice sunny days it would be good but our weather this (non) summer has been 2 nice days - 3 days rain - one nice day - rain again---- Have some dead elm ( dead for 2 years or more) still standing with the bark and some branches falling off - will cut down and see what they are like also.
Thanks again

 

[TeeMan]

You could always mix the wood that you burn.

 

[Marine5068]

My wood is generally at about ten to twelve percent when it goes in the stove.
My moisture meter is a nice tool to confirm what I know about when my wood was cut and how it's doing.
Try to stay ahead a year or two and you won't need to dry it out fast.

 

[Whitespider]

If we would get a bunch of nice sunny days it would be good but our weather this (non) summer has been 2 nice days - 3 days rain - one nice day - rain again----

So what if it rains on it?? Heck man, 95% of that rain water just runs off the ends and hits dirt. We had 4 straight days of rain last week, 6 hours after the sun came out I took wood from one of the stacks to build a fire in the fire pit... only the very top layer felt a little damp, but the second layer down was bone dry. When it's raining the air is basically at 100% (or more) relative humidity... the wood in your shed ain't drying when it's raining either. But when the sun comes out, wood stacked outside is gonna' dry a whole bunch faster than any stacked in a shed. That tiny amount of rainwater the top pieces soak in (What?? Maybe ¼ inch into the wood, at the absolute very most) will burn off in just a couple hours of sunshine.

I seriously do not understand this fear of letting rainwater fall on firewood stacks... it flat don't mean sour owl squat. "Wet" firewood ain't the same as "green" (or unseasoned) firewood; what you have now is unseasoned "green" firewood... heck, I'd take seasoned but rain-wet any day over unseasoned green firewood. Unseasoned green firewood is "wet" all the way through... seasoned but rain-wet firewood is still dry on the inside 95% of it. Stack that stuff outside... cover the top with old boards or tin in November to keep the snow off if'n ya' want.

I know I've said this before (many times)... but until I joined this board I'd never heard of putting "green" firewood under a cover or roof. If someone drove by and saw me doing that... well... they'd likely call the boys with straight-jackets to come get me and put me in the rubber room. And no, I ain't buyin' the "differences in climate" argument either; your climate may be "rainy" enough to justify putting fully seasoned firewood under a roof or cover... but it's flat silly to do so with "green" firewood. When it's raining your firewood ain't seasoning, covered or not‼ And when it ain't raining, your firewood will season faster uncovered, even if it's been rained on‼
*

 

[stihly dan]

Man Spidey, I wish you where with me the other day when I was checking the stacks. There is one section that has 12' L X 6' H X 5' deep then a 4' space until there is an identical stack as the first. Both top covered 3 years old. Between the 2 in that 4 ft opening is a single row of splits 4 ft high with no cover, the same age. Top was dry and barkless, ( because at some point I picked it off.) I was going to bring this small row in to burn this winter, which I still will. But after the top row was removed, the rest of the wood was moldy, musty, slimy, turning to crap. The wood under cover stacked 5 ft wide is perfect.

 

[Torch68]

I would be more concerned about having enough wood than being off by a few percent on the drying aspect, just my two cents. You will be fine.

 

[Poindexter]

I find that if i bring in splits that I know are 20-25%MC and put them in the garage with my oil furnace (back up and hot water heat) they generally dry to under 20% in about a week. I only heat the garage to +55dF, but there is like zero humidity in there during the winter.

And, as mentioned above, you can mix in the firebox to keep your average MC in the firebox under 20% also.

I find mixing in the firebox to be an exercise in aggravation. I try to keep enough wood for two weeks in the garage, and fill the empty of those two racks back up once a week.

 

[CRThomas]

Due to ilness, weather and saw problems I have about 1/2 of my wood requirement dry -- the other 1/2 is reading 23-24 on the moisture meter.
Have a couple of household fans here and was going to put them in the shed and run them about 6 - 8 hrs a day for Sept and Oct -- Do you think this would get the moisture content in the "wet" 1/2 down to an acceptable level.
Thanks again for your help

Any air movement will help but you need to get the moister out of the building if the building is sealed tight. If I have wood drying in my Kiln I always have my 4 foot fans on low. My kiln is set up to discharge the heat from my shop out side or in the shop if its cold If I dis charge the heat in to the shop a run a dehy. If I have a rank of wood in my kiln discharging the air into the shop I have to emty the tank 3 times in 12 to 16 hours thats 6 gal each time.

 

[CRThomas]

thanks for your replies -- If we would get a bunch of nice sunny days it would be good but our weather this (non) summer has been 2 nice days - 3 days rain - one nice day - rain again---- Have some dead elm ( dead for 2 years or more) still standing with the bark and some branches falling off - will cut down and see what they are like also.
Thanks again

If you have ash in your area with a little heat and air flow you can dry ash down to 6 to 8 on the ends and 14 to 15 in the middle of a stick in 24 hours My cage holds a rank I set it in my kiln NG heat slow air flow dehy. in 24 hours the wood will start splitting on its own. If I put two cages in the kiln add 6 more hours. Get you some ash for filler I have layed ash chunks out in the driveway some times they almost split open I have worked with ash for 30 years and it is the finest to dry and burn. ash is also great emergency wood

 

[blades]

Well CRt you will be good for awhile yet, but best be looking for a replacement material, EAB isn't going to leave much just like Dutch Elm.

Funny your initials are the same as mine.

 

[Whitespider]

Man Spidey, I wish you where with me the other day when I was checking the stacks.[/black]

See... here's the problem with that... you're expecting me to believe it's impossible to stack firewood uncovered in New Hampshire without it getting "moldy, musty, slimy," and then "turning to crap." I just can't buy into that... especially when I Google "New Hampshire firewood" and get several hits that lead me to websites of companies selling firewood, showing pictures of millions of cords stacked uncovered.

I'm supposed to believe all the firewood in the picture below, that stretches as far as the eye can see, all the way to the rear treeline, is "moldy, musty, slimy," and "turning to crap"... really?? Really??

Roberts Firewood
Chocorua, New Hamphire

 

[Streblerm]

If your moisture meter is reading 25% in the center of a fresh split and lower around the edges then I would just burn it as is. Rather then spending a bunch of effort trying to accelerate the drying of this year's wood I would spend my time getting next year's wood stacked and drying.

Your stove may take a few more minutes to get up to temp @ 25% but I don't foresee it causing any real problems.

 

[slowp]

Different climates mean different drying techniques and time. Maybe I'll have to add that to my signature cuz some folks just don't get it.

 

[svk]

Popcorn alert! @Whitespider and @slowp are active on the same thread. If @olyman shows up too it's party time!

Seasoning and storing are two different things.

We have wet (especially this year) and cool summers compared to most. Not as wet as PNW mind you. Seasoning here goes at the same speed whether it is covered (top only) or not. I verified this using a MM several times during the process. However any wood here that isn't covered will begin going punky by the end of year 3. Therefore I cover everything immediately after stacking to avoid any risk of loss of wood.

 

[Whitespider]

Different climates mean different drying techniques and time. Maybe I'll have to add that to my signature cuz some folks just don't get it.

Yeah right... some people...
I'm sure you know exactly what your talkin' 'bout... ya' flat can't season firewood uncovered in Washington.
Or do you know what you're talkin' 'bout??

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