For all the Nay Sayers

[dave_376]

Last year I was burning wood that was seasoned for about one year. One year was the magic time that was always preached to me, "Your wood needs to be cut for one year before burning!" After reading the advice on this site I decided to get more wood cut and split so I was a year ahead and my wood better seasoned. This burning year my wood will be 2 years cut split and stacked. I have to be totally honest!!!! My wood heated the house great last year, it was plenty warm and the boiler only turned on to ad extra heat 2 times. I know its still early in the heating year but the difference in the way the stove burns is definitely noticeable.

Last year I would load the stove N/S of red oak and had plenty of heat with enough coals to restart after 10 hours. I also had to leave the fresh air opens slightly to maintain a good burn, 450F stove top which I thought was acceptable. This year I am loading the stove with silver maple and have plenty of coals for a reload after 12 hours. The biggest difference is I now am closing the fresh air completely off, the only air is coming from the secondary burn tubes. OHH yeah my stove top stays around 550F.

I loaded a few splits of oak when it dipped below freezing and it burned even longer. with a beautiful bed of coals and a 200f stove after 14 hours. The best part is how fast the DRY wood catches fire.


For all the old school folks who thing a few months is enough to season wood let me tell you YOUR WRONG. yes it will burn but it will burn so much better if you have the ability to let it season longer.

 

[dustytools]

I also love the way that a good bed of hot coals will ignite seasoned wood in a hurry. Im loving my new PE stove so far.

 

[gulity1]

???... Heres your sign....while I dont practice what I preach I do know for a fact longer season times on any wood is Mo' betta I was a lazy ass this year and did not finiish until mid September I still had about cords form 2 years ago. So I am ok...ish kinda not really, but Its not my heat so I dont care but I do try to take pride in what I do so ramble over

 

[Photog95]

I always bur what I cut the same year. In fact I just finished Friday cutting for this year. I dont see any need to have piles of wood laying all over the place to dry when I can be burning it now. That being said, I do only cut standing dead elm and ash with the occasional cherry tossed in. Most of the time this stuff is ready to burn.

 

[CTYank]

"Season" here is meaningless. The operative concept is "air-drying" and the extent of that can be measured, with moisture-meter. And, yes, fuelwood cannot be too dry. You should expect a big difference between silver maple (kindling) and denser hardwoods.

Air-drying wood needs more than time. Stacking off-ground, with access to sunshine & air-flow very important.

 

[Steve NW WI]

"Season" here is meaningless. The operative concept is "air-drying" and the extent of that can be measured, with moisture-meter. And, yes, fuelwood cannot be too dry. You should expect a big difference between silver maple (kindling) and denser hardwoods.

Air-drying wood needs more than time. Stacking off-ground, with access to sunshine & air-flow very important.

Ohhh, it does have meaning. At least in your state it does. From here: http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/forestry/tips_for_buying_firewood_new_final.pdf

---Seasoned wood is defined by law as having been “cut and air dried for at least six months."

 

[slowp]

Once again, it depends on the climate where you live and what you are cutting (dead or alive).

 

[Fred Wright]

The longer you leave your firewood stacked to cure, the more BTUs or heat you'll get from it. That sermon was always preached by the old-timers.

Some species cure faster than others, I get that. Red maple will burn after a few months stacked. We've done it. But how much heat do you forfeit by burning it so soon?

There's also the aspect of creosote deposits. It'll burn, sure. But if it ain't burning as hot as it could be, how clean is it burning?

 

[zogger]

I know down here, it still makes a difference. One year, stacked correctly, she'll burn, two years, burns really well.

I have tried the just random heap of wood method, dang if I can see how it works, never got anything but the top outside layer to dry adequately.

 

[rancher2]

I have a Garn boiler if my hedge is too dry it likes to get to surging when you fill the fire box up. So I like to mix some fresh cut in to slow the burn a little.

 

[sunfish]

Two years works better for me also.

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

Just finished stacking my supply for next winter. Lots of pine with some cedar (damn cedar has alot of knots ) some Maple and oak aswell. Hope its ready for next fall.

 

[unclemoustache]

It also depends on the species. Denser woods need more time. Red Oak seems to take forever.

 

[haveawoody]

Yeah nothing like burning well dried wood, the difference between pretty dry and completely dry is quite noticeable in the stove.
I think most softwoods are at wonderful burning quality at around the 6 month time frame, most hardwoods 1 year and then things like locust, hedge, red oak and a few other slow to dry ones 2 years seems to be best.
All comes down to how any wood is dried though so your mileage may vary.

 

[blacklocst]

It also depends on the species. Denser woods need more time. Red Oak seems to take forever.

Your not kidding about Red Oak taking for ever, I have about 2 cord sitting for 3 years and its still not ready. It makes me wonder if its worth it, with it taking up valuable space when I can burn Ash sitting in the same location in a year.

 

[zogger]

Your not kidding about Red Oak taking for ever, I have about 2 cord sitting for 3 years and its still not ready. It makes me wonder if its worth it, with it taking up valuable space when I can burn Ash sitting in the same location in a year.

I am having my best luck so far with the stacks really up off the ground, pallets set over rail road ties. In retrospect, I should have put down a ground layer of plastic first. And loose stacking over tight stacking.

 

[c5rulz]

You'll think the one year is fine,............until you burn some you let go two years.

My piles sit in the sun and get no shade all day, on pallets and get unobstructed wind.

 

[jrider]

For burning in stoves, I agree that 2 years is better than 1. However, in a fireplace I prefer 1 year old wood. The 2 year old stuff burns too fast with no way to control the air. Now I know I am not really gaining much heat from a fireplace - that's the OWB job - but I just like to see flames while I drink my beer and watch sports from the comfort of my recliner/sofa.

 

[Fred Wright]

Yup, we quit mixing red oak in with the rest on our second year of wood cutting. It's fine firewood but seems to take forever to cure out. We have a stash of willow oak I cut two years ago, just now starting to shed bark.

 

[mallardman]

Yup, we quit mixing red oak in with the rest on our second year of wood cutting. It's fine firewood but seems to take forever to cure out. We have a stash of willow oak I cut two years ago, just now starting to shed bark.

Fred how does that willow oak burn? Never saw any till I went to Delaware this summer. Now I'm I'm the process of buying a place there and moving in the next few weeks. I had to get out the field guide to ID it. Looked like oak bark but the leaves looked like willow. There is quite a bit on the farm I'm buying.


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