Seasoned softwood vs. Unseasoned hardwood

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sebring

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Oct 3, 2011
148
PA
Ive always burned hardwood, but never worked on seasoning that wood because I was not a member of Hearth.com yet. So in an effort to get ahead a year I bought a grapple load of wood from my neighbor woodcutter. It seems like I got all softwood on the load, easy to cut and split. So I will get it stacked for next year.

Here's my question. Is the seasoned softwood I have now better or worse heat output wise than the unseasoned hardwood I was burning. I am burning a majority of elm and black locust now.
 
I'd rather burn seasoned softwood - seasoned wood is just easier, cleaner, less creosote, lights faster. I am not sure which one produces more BTUs.
 
I also wants something that lights on fire easily, get HOT and does not smolder. The burn times will be reduced over seasoned hardwood but... Black locust seasons quick (I read)
 
sebring said:
Ive always burned hardwood, but never worked on seasoning that wood because I was not a member of Hearth.com yet. So in an effort to get ahead a year I bought a grapple load of wood from my neighbor woodcutter. It seems like I got all softwood on the load, easy to cut and split. So I will get it stacked for next year.

Here's my question. Is the seasoned softwood I have now better or worse heat output wise than the unseasoned hardwood I was burning. I am burning a majority of elm and black locust now.
Click to expand...

ALWAYS BURN SEASONED ! When you burn unseasoned wood you get less heat and burn time because it is wet. Some may argue this point but science doesn't lie when you season wood it dries out and gives much better btu than when it is wet. Any cured wood will reduce the risk of a chimney fire greatly ( that's enouph reason for me ) due to the lower creasot and water levels. You will find most soft wood when dry will burn decent and give a nice coal bed to work with as well. I have burned most of my life in one form or another and I can say that we burned pine a lot because it was free to us and as long as it was dry it burned well. Most of the issue you are looking at is will it provide enouph btu for your home if that is a problem then get it going and form a coal bed with dry wood first. After this you can add a few pieces of wet splits as long as the stove is hot it will dry the wood. But be carefull how much you put in you can cause the smoke from the wood to smother the fire. Keep in mind if you are going to burn fresh cut wood check the flu on a regular basis and keep your chimney clean.

Good luck
Pete
 
Having experimented with some wet wood on purpose (Oak I cut in Oct). I can honestly say that Pine that I C/S/S in May is 1000% better. It will create Much More heat and still last just as long as the Oak.

The Oak will last awhile, but creates little heat (and flame) because its wet and needs so much primary air to keep going.

While the Pine is Dry as a bone and the air can be shut down almost all the way. Keeping the heat within the stove and less air, means the wood will last longer.

Have very little Pine left now, but have a lot of Silver Maple, Ash, and Elm left for this year..... All of what I am burning has only had about 6-8 months minimum (not the greatest, but better than some) I have a whole bunch of Honey Locust, White Oak, and Pin Oak for down the road.

I am sticking to Soft wood this year. Mostly Ash next year (if my Locust isnt ready) and then the "Good Stuff" after that.

Still get great burn times out of the 30 with Softer woods. I have some HUGE splits of Silver Maple that burn very well and last the 10 hrs needed before I get home (or wake up).

So burn what works. But burn seasoned wood. Soft or Hard.
 

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Burn seasoned softwood in the fall and spring. Keep the locust and elm for cold winter temps.
 
you definately want to burn seasoned wood, for all of the above reasons mentioned by Dexter and Pete. you can speed up your wood seasoning a little by making smaller splits, but it will still take a while for the wood to season. Unseasoned wood in your stove = very little heat and LOTS OF CREASOTE.....and that spells disaster in the long run. And do like BeGreen says, use your Elm, locust and good dense hardwoods for the really cold overnight burns.
 
Get ahead, stay ahead. Burn seasoned wood. The pay off is well worth it. Last year I burned not so seasoned and I went through so much more wood. I bought presto logs, cut up pallets, and cut wood for this year. I would rather buy kiln dried wood than try to burn unseasoned wood, it sucks!
 
Seasoned wood will burn better, cleaner & more heat than unseasoned wood, species don't mater.
 
DexterDay said:
I am sticking to Soft wood this year. Mostly Ash next year (if my Locust isnt ready) and then the "Good Stuff" after that.
Click to expand...

Your locust will be ready - and you might want to include that in your "Good Stuff". Honey locust is a fantastic fuel.
 
Yepper - Keep cuttin', splittin', & stackin'... It'll all be good nexy year. Around here I season Oak 2 years, but everythng else is ready to go in 6-8 months. Most of me wood is `1-2 years old before I burn it.
 
Jags said:
DexterDay said:
I am sticking to Soft wood this year. Mostly Ash next year (if my Locust isnt ready) and then the "Good Stuff" after that.
Click to expand...

Your locust will be ready - and you might want to include that in your "Good Stuff". Honey locust is a fantastic fuel.
Click to expand...

That Locust is what I was referring to as my "Good Stuff". I didnt know if it wouod be ideal by next year. Its been C/S/S for about 2-3 months now. But the Pin Oak and White Oak, I am not gonna touch till 2013-2014.

Next season should be mainly Ash. But will definitely burn the Locust if its ready. And maybe some leftover Silver Maple from this season.

After next year, it will all be 2.5 yr old wood. Will finally get to use the fruits of my Labor. The wood I have now burns well, but I know every year its gonna get better... Much better.......

So Locust will be pretty dry after 1 yr? I was hoping so.... But of not, burning just Ash (about 1-1.5 yrs C/S) wont kill me either. ;-P
 
sebring said:
Ive always burned hardwood, but never worked on seasoning that wood because I was not a member of Hearth.com yet. So in an effort to get ahead a year I bought a grapple load of wood from my neighbor woodcutter. It seems like I got all softwood on the load, easy to cut and split. So I will get it stacked for next year.

Here's my question. Is the seasoned softwood I have now better or worse heat output wise than the unseasoned hardwood I was burning. I am burning a majority of elm and black locust now.
Click to expand...

I too would burn seasoned softwood before burning unseasoned hardwood . . . as mentioned seasoned wood burns cleaner, ignites easier, etc. . . . but more important to the question at hand . . . I suspect if you attempted to burn unseasoned hardwood you would "waste" some time and energy and BTUs in effect by trying to "dry" or "season" the wood in the woodstove as you would have to bring the temp up and spend time getting the wood to dry out to the point where it would burn well vs. being able to quickly and easily get the most BTUs out of the softwood.

Sure, you may have to load up the stove a little more often with softwood . . . but to me the cleanliness and ease of getting the fire going would be worth it.
 
DexterDay said:
So Locust will be pretty dry after 1 yr? I was hoping so....
Click to expand...

In my experience - Yes.
 
DexterDay said:
Jags said:
DexterDay said:
I am sticking to Soft wood this year. Mostly Ash next year (if my Locust isnt ready) and then the "Good Stuff" after that.
Click to expand...

Your locust will be ready - and you might want to include that in your "Good Stuff". Honey locust is a fantastic fuel.
Click to expand...

That Locust is what I was referring to as my "Good Stuff". I didnt know if it wouod be ideal by next year. Its been C/S/S for about 2-3 months now. But the Pin Oak and White Oak, I am not gonna touch till 2013-2014.

Next season should be mainly Ash. But will definitely burn the Locust if its ready. And maybe some leftover Silver Maple from this season.

After next year, it will all be 2.5 yr old wood. Will finally get to use the fruits of my Labor. The wood I have now burns well, but I know every year its gonna get better... Much better.......

So Locust will be pretty dry after 1 yr? I was hoping so.... But of not, burning just Ash (about 1-1.5 yrs C/S) wont kill me either. ;-P
Click to expand...

Locust! Yes burns good after a year.
 
DexterDay said:
Having experimented with some wet wood on purpose (Oak I cut in Oct). I can honestly say that Pine that I C/S/S in May is 1000% better. It will create Much More heat and still last just as long as the Oak.

The Oak will last awhile, but creates little heat (and flame) because its wet and needs so much primary air to keep going.

While the Pine is Dry as a bone and the air can be shut down almost all the way. Keeping the heat within the stove and less air, means the wood will last longer.

Have very little Pine left now, but have a lot of Silver Maple, Ash, and Elm left for this year..... All of what I am burning has only had about 6-8 months minimum (not the greatest, but better than some) I have a whole bunch of Honey Locust, White Oak, and Pin Oak for down the road.

I am sticking to Soft wood this year. Mostly Ash next year (if my Locust isnt ready) and then the "Good Stuff" after that.

Still get great burn times out of the 30 with Softer woods. I have some HUGE splits of Silver Maple that burn very well and last the 10 hrs needed before I get home (or wake up).

So burn what works. But burn seasoned wood. Soft or Hard.
Click to expand...

I haz jealous of your barn and stacking areas!!! So very very jealous....
 
I'm perpetually amazed by the knowing comments about "seasoning" of wood. Like it's something we all KNOW and understand, and can converse on. Actually the whole conversation is so fuzzy as to be meaningless. Lots of posing, though.

Underlying all this is the wood property of interest: moisture content (MC) as effected by air-drying of the wood. That has a basis in fact, and can be measured to a close approximation with a cheap meter. The admission of ignorance is the start of the learning process.

When you see someone posting about "seasoning" the odds are great you'll see mostly BS.
 
CTYank said:
When you see someone posting about "seasoning" the odds are great you'll see mostly BS.
Click to expand...

And on the flip side, the many discussions that have taken place on this forum about seasoning (drying) your firewood has helped countless people become better and more successful wood burners. YMMV. But then again, maybe I am just full of it.
 
CTYank said:
I'm perpetually amazed by the knowing comments about "seasoning" of wood. Like it's something we all KNOW and understand, and can converse on. Actually the whole conversation is so fuzzy as to be meaningless. Lots of posing, though.

Underlying all this is the wood property of interest: moisture content (MC) as effected by air-drying of the wood. That has a basis in fact, and can be measured to a close approximation with a cheap meter. The admission of ignorance is the start of the learning process.

When you see someone posting about "seasoning" the odds are great you'll see mostly BS.
Click to expand...

Wut?
 
CTYank said:
I'm perpetually amazed by the knowing comments about "seasoning" of wood. Like it's something we all KNOW and understand, and can converse on. Actually the whole conversation is so fuzzy as to be meaningless. Lots of posing, though.

Underlying all this is the wood property of interest: moisture content (MC) as effected by air-drying of the wood. That has a basis in fact, and can be measured to a close approximation with a cheap meter. The admission of ignorance is the start of the learning process.

When you see someone posting about "seasoning" the odds are great you'll see mostly BS.
Click to expand...

John, perhaps you are getting a bit strong with the words. Sometimes it helps to go back and read what you just wrote and try to picture how others might read it. For sure we are not on this forum to make enemies. Better to make friends.
 
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