How many people really know how much wood they burn/have?

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rdust

rdust

Minister of Fire
Feb 9, 2009
4,604
Michigan
I was stacking some wood the other day and my mind got the best of me. How many of us truly know how many cords of wood we burn? The wood I was moving came from a tree service around 3 years ago and as you know tree services cut in all kinds of varied lengths. I cut them to fit my stove so they're the max of 18 inches in length but vary greatly so I really have no idea how much wood is there. I suspect others have the same types of varying lengths in their stacks.

I can see a couple scenario where people will know the exact amount they have. If your firewood comes from tree's that you knock down and you only cut a specific length lets say 16 inches and only take 16 inch pieces while leaving the chunks and odd lengths to rot in the woods. If you use a wood processor and don't end up with any shorties I can see it being pretty darn close.

Even if you buy logs that are 8' in length you'll get close but you lose a couple inches due to the chain width.

I know it's primarily a Michigan/NY thing but in my case I really think "face" cord is a better term to define the wood I was moving due to the varying lengths. I think "3" face cords better represents one of my rows rather than 1 cord since in reality it's an unknown value much like a "face" cord is. Even when I cut a tree down I end up with varying lengths due to cutting around knots or shortening/lengthening cuts so I don't end up with a chunk at the end of a branch or trunk.

I'm thinking "face" cords may better define a lot of our stacks around here. I'm mostly bored and figured I could fire up some people during our slow time! ;)
 
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You have a good point with what you are sying about various lengths. One thing I would add to it though is like you said some of us fell and cut up all our own wood. So I cut everything to 16-17 inches, the shorties and uglies go into another pile that I reserve for outdoor firepit and some shoulder season burning. So I believe I have a farily accurate figure as to what I have CSS. I also have a lot currelty in log length waiting to be CSS so that I dont know yet.
 
As far as I'm concerned my stacks can be face cords,arm cords,ear cords, or full cords. As long as there is some there when I go to the stack and it keeps my butt warm I'm good to go. Maybe that would make it a$$ cords.
 
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swagler85 said:
You have a good point with what you are sying about various lengths. One thing I would add to it though is like you said some of us fell and cut up all our own wood. So I cut everything to 16-17 inches, the shorties and uglies go into another pile that I reserve for outdoor firepit and some shoulder season burning. So I believe I have a farily accurate figure as to what I have CSS. I also have a lot currelty in log length waiting to be CSS so that I dont know yet.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I do, I built a couple crates out of pallets and throw any odd sized pieces into the bin. I have exactly 10 cords neatly stacked with some more wood to split. Should put me over 11 when done plus the two bins have to be over half a cord combined.
 
All I use is firewood, so I think it wise to have a really good idea of what is used in a season, and how much I have.
Things are in flux right now since I'm in the middle of moving wood into the shed, but I know that I have over 2 years worth ready to go.....maybe more.
I always put more in the shed than we usually use too, just in case. I like to be prepared. A little work now, saves a lot of work later.
Usage has been (discounting last year) pretty consistent over the last 6 years, although we've reduced it a bit since I got the stove fixed.
Facecord is mercurial.
Last couple years I've cut to 16-17 inches with an occasional longer round. Very easy to calculate.
Most log loads should be a bit over 8'. Here anyway. Mine have been. I lose about 1.25-1.5" every log, for 5 cuts to get my approximately 16" rounds. It's all inexact, but we can get close if we want to.
 
Well said LocustPost,
Cord, face cord, pile, stack, etc. It's all approximations to me. I don't buy or sell so I'm not worried about being exact. As long as I have enough seasoned to keep the place warm.
Rdust,
I do stand out there looking at my stacks, scribbling math in the air with my finger from time to time figuring out approximately how much I have, then I lose interest and move on to something else that makes me look foolish.
 
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some will find this question relevant, others not. regardless, we all survive the winter.

i actually ponder this question alot...maybe too much:confused:. i figger i burn about 4-5 cords a winter, depending on the severity of the season. so i'm buring about 1 cord per month in mid-winter...dec thru march = about 4 cords. but what i don't factor into that is all the blowdowns, cookies, cutoffs, kindling, bark, trim, uglies and any other clean burning plant material that gets used from late september/october and also in april/may. that has always been an unknown and i probably won't ever know that quantity. my goal was always: don't touch the primo seasoned hardwood till thanksgiving.

so when i finally build that palace woodshed (with attached poker room) i'm going to plan for 5 cords. sometime, just as an experiment, maybe i'll burn just out of the shed and see when it runs out. then i'll know how much i actually burn.

OT
 
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I don't worry about getting to crazy and figuring how much wood to the exact square foot. I make a calculated estimate and call it good. I Know roughly how much I need for the winter and make sure to have some extra.
 
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I used to try and figure out how many cord I burned in a winter (highest was around 7) but then you have last year (around 4 1/2) so if you ask me there are more variables than just how much wood you have, it's also "how bad is it going to be this winter?"....that's the question that makes me not worry about how much I burn, I simply make sure that I have way more than I will ever need. I am at least 3 years ahead as I stand now (easily 21 to 22 cord) C/S/S. Then there is the maple syrup I make in the spring, and I use almost as much wood as I heat my house with in the winter to cook syrup for 4 to 5 weeks in the spring! I get that wood over the winter months, using blowdowns, punky junk and standing deads. I hate to put my good seasoned wood in that maple syrup evaporator!
 
This will be our first full year burning (installed a woodstove in Feb this year) so we are excited and nervous to see how much she burns. Good point with the various lengths of your splits, I cut my own and try to stay close to 18" but if I notice a bunch longer or shorter I will change the calc. I just multiply out the length x height x avg length of all the stacks to get a total; for me it is close to 4 cords but then thans to you guys I have started 2 more cords of oak for 2013-2014 to let that season. The rest will be locust, maple, and cherry which seem to season fairly well in one year. We burned about 1 1/2 cords this Feb-April and it wasn't even all that cold. Just love tinkering with the new toy. :)
 
If you are worried about the saw kerf impacting your cord calcs, you should consider using the displacement method to get some real accurate measurments....or not worry about it....
 
lukem said:
If you are worried about the saw kerf impacting your cord calcs, you should consider using the displacement method to get some real accurate measurments....or not worry about it....
Click to expand...

I don't worry at all, I just figured I'd start the conversation. ;) I always get a kick out of posts when people speak "so matter of fact" that a cord of wood is 4x4x8 and talking about it in any other way is just wrong. That wood I was moving was so all over the place I thought it would make a fun topic. If I'm cutting in the woods I cut mostly 16-17 inches so I get close enough to call it good.

I stack in 24' rows that are roughly 4' high and call them cords since even with the variation they're close enough for me. I usually just tell people who come over and ask about it "I burn anywhere from 3-5 of those rows a year depending on the winter".
 
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Yep rdust you are bored , guess me too to answer; I burn 3 - 5 cords depending on the winter, I have on hand 18 -20 cords ( 128 sft type ) I cut my own wood 19" - 21" I did cut about a cord of oak 10" to try some N - S burning, will be ready in 2 more yrs. The main thing is I have plenty of wood and plan on staying that way, when it cools off Oct. I will put up a few cords.
 
I knew rdust was just stirring the pot, same here. I actually had never heard the term face cords until I started watching this site. I really never paid much attention to how many cords I burnt either. I have a big pile and I burn off one end 1 year and replenish it then burn off the other end. Sometimes I will go down the row from the end and work on some if I like the flavor better than what is on the end. When I measure that stack and use the cord calculator it is just over 11 cords but I don't burn half of it in a winter. I usually help someone out with a pickup load or 2 and if not I will move the middle out and burn it first the next winter. I burn between 4 to 5 cords a winter. (on a normal winter) Since I now have the disease that a lot on here do, I have a few other piles now. I have just over 19 cords. Full cord rdust full cords !!!!!
 
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I've done a lot to measure boiler btuh output, heat loss, storage capacity, boiler/wood to btu conversion efficiency, and a lot more. All of my measurements are done on weighed wood, and for this last year I weighed everything I burned. My weights are at an assumed 20% moisture content, as my wood is stored outdoors but covered from rain and weather. Of course actual MC may be different, likely less than 20%. I then use the standard chart(s) to convert from weight to cords.

I don't encourage others to do weighed wood burns unless you are looking for specific data. And other than for data purposes, I don't care to know exactly how much I burn. My stacks are about 5' wide (18-19" splits x 3), and 4-5' high. I look to have at 8-10 full cords (4 x 4 x 8) by June, and I burn about 3.5-4 cords per season. All wood therefore has had two full summers of drying. The wood is pine/aspen mix, with small additional amounts of various species.
 
jebatty said:
I've done a lot to measure boiler btuh output, heat loss, storage capacity, boiler/wood to btu conversion efficiency, and a lot more. All of my measurements are done on weighed wood, and for this last year I weighed everything I burned. My weights are at an assumed 20% moisture content, as my wood is stored outdoors but covered from rain and weather. Of course actual MC may be different, likely less than 20%. I then use the standard chart(s) to convert from weight to cords.

I don't encourage others to do weighed wood burns unless you are looking for specific data. And other than for data purposes, I don't care to know exactly how much I burn. My stacks are about 5' wide (18-19" splits x 3), and 4-5' high. I look to have at 8-10 full cords (4 x 4 x 8) by June, and I burn about 3.5-4 cords per season. All wood therefore has had two full summers of drying. The wood is pine/aspen mix, with small additional amounts of various species.
Click to expand...
wow, you need a hobby! o_O Just kiddin, bud. As Jeff Foxworthy would probably put it, "If you find yourself talking about heating your house with wood on Hearth.com on a 90 degree day in the middle of June, you might be a woodneck......" We all share your addiction, brother!
 
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I know exactly how much I burn right to the stick.......

Enough to keep warm!:p

I make the same 24' racks & stack em 4.5' tall. Avg length is 20" so about 1.5 cord each x 6 racks = 9 cords. Cut & sell another 20 to 30 cord + 2-3 years ahead for my use = a lot of work.;ex

Thanks for reminding me how much work I've got left this year rdust.:eek: Oh well, at least it cooled off a little. A C
 
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LocustPost hit the nail on the head.

I have ABOUT 12 cords on hand, but that is only an estimate. I burn ABOUT 3-5 cords per winter, but I'm not exactly sure about that. I know that last year I used less than half of my wood supply. All of my pieces are different lengths and none of them are measured. Since I cut all of my own wood, I have no one to blame but myself! Until I get more precise I'll never be able to give exact numbers, but as long as there's still wood on the stacks I'm good.
 
I burn between 5.015 & 7.213 cords per winter. Depends on the winter.
Last winter, most of you lower 48r's only burned because you like fire :cool: . The winter that wasn't. LOL :)
Last winter here it was a colder than normal winter, I burned 6.337 cords.
Wood now on hand CSS, 14.178 cords, plan to get 5.822 more CSS, hopefully I'll have it in by Oct, for 14/15.
(all figures +/- .7%) plus today was hot (75°) & sunny, so I may have a bit less due to shrinkage ;)

Actually I only know what I have when it goes into the shed, everything else is a walk off guesstimate.
I have enough to almost fill the 15.5 cord shed, . Some is out in the elements uncovered, seasoning, I hope.
 
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I've always estimated my wood usage . . . mainly because I start off the Fall pulling wood from my punk, chunk and ugly pile which is often heaped in a pile as I tossed this wood aside when loading up the woodshed with the "pretty" wood.

I figure on 4-6 cords a year . . . and honestly . . . I always figure as long as I have plenty of wood to get me through the winter I am happy . . . never been a Class A personality.
 
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My round stacks are pretty precisely 8 ft in diameter, so I know the volume of space in each one by measuring the height. I have to estimate the percentage of wood inside each stack, so that is the big source of error in my estimate of how much wood I use. I generally assume my round stacks are about as densely packed as a typical cord, so 128 cubic feet of volume in my stack is the same as a standard cord. I could be off by 10%? 20%? I doubt I am much farther off the mark than 20%, so to answer the original question, I'd say I know within about 20% how much wood I burned last year. I can't say for sure how much I'll burn next year.
 
I scrounge everything so it comes in different lengths which I cut down or leave as is. NOTHING is the same length but I know it will fit into the stove and if i have to cut a couple pieces shorter to fill the space so be it. Last year was the first year i burned wood and i'm sure i burned more than i needed to due partly to learning, partly to a stove that needed new gaskets etc. I probably have a rough estimate of about 9 cords c/s/s and always looking for more!
 
Maybe I don't understand the first post/question but, I have 20 cords (128 ft) of CSS wood on hand . Ten of them at least two years CSS. There was a time that I weighed and recorded the weight of wood I burned during the winter so as to know how many BTUs I went through and given winter but I stopped that practice after I got a girlfriend
 
I personally dont have a very good very good idea of exacting amounts of wood/coal i use each year because with new deliveries it just gets piled ontop of whats their, but i do know there is very large amount of coal/wood burners who are absolutely methodical about what they do, how they do it and how much they pay for it... its probably the way the were raised and taught from a young age.
 
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