Buy or burn less dry? What would you do?

An hour a day 2 or 3 days a week, in a month or two, you will be amazed at how much you accomplished and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.... That's how I did it....work now for the future and you won't continue to have this problem....gl

The other way is find some friends.. offer pizza and beer.. and give it hell for a solid day.

I have on occasion decided during a vacation that I would work on wood a tank of chainsaw gas every morning.

JP

Augie said:

, rig a simple solar kiln and make sure you have dry wood for next year, I know it is heretical but I used a simple solar kiln to get oak ready(read below 20 percent) in one spring/summer.

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FWIW, I put about half of a face-cord of white oak in the rafters of my detached garage this past summer. There's no breeze and only minimal ventilation in there but the roof is not shaded so it gets pretty warm, and of course the wood never gets rained on. I measured a sample at 80% MC on May 7th, when the tree came down. Two days ago I re-split a piece and it was around 23% in the middle -- not the holy grail by any means, but certainly usable in a pinch. It's not the most rigorous testing scheme, but my impression so far is that heat does make a substantial difference in drying time.

Going hog wild right out of the starting gate is for some people. It took me about 5 years to adjust to wood heating over a span of time when fossel fuel prices wernt that bad.
Buying fuel oil...processing trees here toward the goal of burning as future fuel. Weighing options.
When fuel costs reached 4.60 a gallon, it was financial necessity that finally kicked in.
Wood will always be my cheapest option, even if I purchase it.

I was just in the same situation. I just started burning last year, got a full season of wood split and stacked thats not ready for this winter. My wood is around 9 months old mostly oak and sitting around 34% Moisture Content. Knowing that it's going to be a struggle this whole season burning unseasoned wood and inevitably going to be faced with the same problem next year. I purchased a good mix of seasoned and semi seasoned wood. I now feel good that this should hopefully be the last year I have to buy wood. While still enjoying this burning season without the headache of trying to burn wet wood.

BillLion said:

I've learned so much here in such a short time. So thank you for all the collective insight!

So, here's my situation:

I started gathering, splitting and stacking my own firewood for the first time starting January this year (this upcoming season will be my 3rd burning season with a fireplace insert).



I have maybe 2&1/2-3 cords CSS wood (a combo of Norway maple, black locust, elm, apple, pin oak & sugar maple), but some definitely won't be ready to burn this season and some is on the fringe. That leads to my question.

Would you buy all/most of your wood this year to have really dry wood for next season (as many here prefer) and get ahead of the curve. OR would you burn wood say that registers up to 25% moisture content knowing the burns won't be as efficient as could be, but are at least still free?

I welcome your perspective...

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If I had the wood I would burn it, rather than buy it, regardless of the moisture content. Check the chimney often and mix drier wood with greener. Just like Dennis said, get ahead a little more each year, devote an hour or so a few days a week, and it'll add up pretty quick.

As for the kids, they can be a great help. I will split for about 15-20 minutes, then call them out. I'll tell them they stack while I keep splitting. When they catch up with me we're done and get ice cream.

Works for older people too if you want to promise beer!

JP offered some great advice . . . dedicating a little time often sometimes results in better results vs. dedicating more time less often. Plugging away an hour or two each week or every few days may pay off.

And many guys being guys would love to hang out with their friends, use chainsaws and splitters and eat pizza and drink beer . . . I've actually had a great time hanging out with my friends cutting wood with them.

I believe 30% moisture is suposed to be outdoor equalibrium. And 6% is kiln dried. 20% moisture is a measuring standard for establishing species specific gravity. Pounds per board feet.
20% moisture is some sort of Industry benchmark.
30% is guesstimated outdoor campfire wood.(exposed to elements)

Applesister said:

I believe 30% moisture is suposed to be outdoor equalibrium. And 6% is kiln dried. 20% moisture is a measuring standard for establishing species specific gravity. Pounds per board feet. 20% moisture is some sort of Industry benchmark. 30% is guesstimated outdoor campfire wood.(exposed to elements)

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Hey, stuff I actually know about.

EMC (outdoors) in most of the US is actually more like 15%. In extremely dry environments (parts of AZ, NM, CO, NV, CA) it can be substantially lower but it's rarely much higher unless you're talking about wood that's in direct contact with the ground.

There's no particular MC that makes something "kiln dried" but 6-8% is a common recommendation for wood to be used for interior finish material, i.e. furniture, flooring and trim. Unless you live in the desert, wood generally won't get that dry outside of a kiln.

12% is a more common standard for establishing specific gravity.

I believe 20% is "Semi-Dry," the target MC for structural lumber, e.g. studs, plates, rafters, floor joists, headers, etc.

28% is roughly the Fiber Saturation Point, at which point the remaining water is bound up in cell walls but there's no liquid water inside the cells.

BillLion said:

I've learned so much here in such a short time. So thank you for all the collective insight!

So, here's my situation:

I started gathering, splitting and stacking my own firewood for the first time starting January this year (this upcoming season will be my 3rd burning season with a fireplace insert).

I have maybe 2&1/2-3 cords CSS wood (a combo of Norway maple, black locust, elm, apple, pin oak & sugar maple), but some definitely won't be ready to burn this season and some is on the fringe. That leads to my question.

Would you buy all/most of your wood this year to have really dry wood for next season (as many here prefer) and get ahead of the curve. OR would you burn wood say that registers up to 25% moisture content knowing the burns won't be as efficient as could be, but are at least still free?

I welcome your perspective...

Click to expand...

I'd burn the wood you have, then what I'd do is throw that moisture meter in the garbage. Then I would start cutting next years wood right now.

I did not read all of this post so may be adding to the redundancy but getting ahead is not that tough if you have two things going for you:
1. access
2. obsession/passion

One of which is out of your hands a bit because some just do not have access - the other is part of most of our DNA on Hearth. Not right or wrong but I truly enjoy the hunting/gathering phase of firewood as much or more than burning and when/if that passion dies I will go the truck load rout as it is cheaper than gas.

I gather all my wood between January 1 and typically sometime in March when the ground thaws making access a mess. with 99% of my effort completed one day a week for the gathering phase working maybe 6hrs per day average. So I skip a week or two in there and still end up replacing what I burn(4+ cord) and adding to the future with a goal of at least doubling or gathering a minimum of 2yrs worth. CSS is random nights, weekends, and when I can or feel like it through the spring with 99% done before the leaves are on and the skeeters are out. Then I take pics of my stash and post them here with all the other wood tics and wait for fall.

If affordable and available in your situation and IF I knew I could not get ahead for next season I would strongly consider buying 1-2yrs worth now. Get it CSS'd over the winter and start next year with good wood and a years+ supply. Buying in bulk - or super bulk will land you the best deal so consider and shop for a full jag of wood vs. a few delivered cords IMO.

BobUrban said:

with all the other wood tics

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I develop wood tics too. When I can't get out and cut, split or gather for a few weeks weird things start to happen. Heidi is getting worried.

BillLion said:

I know a moisture meter isn't 100% accurate, but don't you think they help at least give a ballpark on where the wood is?

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Up to FSP (around 28%) they can be usefully accurate. Over 28%, damn near meaningless.

CMAG said:

310

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Wow! Ok. How many cords do you think that equates to? Do you burn 24/7, or evenings and night? Just curious. I know that Envi Blocks are sold in my area too.

16,000,000 BTU same as pellets. so like a chord of soft/ hard wood but fits in the space of a face chord and no bugs so indoor storage okay
Yea pricey $$$ but no such thing as seasoned wood for sale around my neck of the woods
I mix em with green wood and do one burn blocks only every day or two to keep flue clean as they burn hot
last year burned all green wood mixed with some pallet wood not fun.
I figure 200 gall oil at $730 is about 24.5 million BTU vs $730 in blocks is about 37.5 million BTU so still ahead of the game
Yea I burn 24/7

BillLion said:

Good idea! It's amazing how powerful of an incentive ice cream can be.

When you say regardless of MC, is there a level you'd max at when burning?

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Well, I don't own a moisture meter so I can't really answer that. I know that when I first started burning I would burn wood that had only been split days or weeks. I don't want to go back to that ever. So if you have wood that has been split since January you are going to be better off than a lot of wood burners (just not many on this forum!). So I would burn the driest non-oak wood that I had, or the wood that has been split the longest. If I had to burn the oak I would mix it with other species on an already hot fire. Not ideal by any stretch but it can get you through. Check your chimney regularly and frequently and clean as needed.

BillLion said:

I know a moisture meter isn't 100% accurate, but don't you think they help at least give a ballpark on where the wood is?

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Maybe. But I think they cause more heart burn than they're worth.

I read this thread and I realize just how fortunate I am to have access to trees that are dry enough to burn right away. Like the original poster, I would probably run out of room if I had to get 3 years ahead with my wood stores, unless I started doing something drastic like using the driveway for my wood stacks and parking the car across the street.
Some are suggesting the OP burn the unseasoned wood he already has, but he mentioned he just had his chimney "professionally" cleaned. This suggest to me that he may not have his own chimney cleaning tools, and/or is perhaps is not confident in doing this himself. If that is the case I don't think it's a good idea for him to burn high moisture content wood that he knows will creosote up his chimney quickly, unless he does in fact have the tools and plans on becoming very familiar with cleaning his own chimney, and doing so very regularly.
Buying wood is an option, if the OP feels it is worth it. First of all it could cost just as much as his alternate heating source to burn, especially if it is unseasoned and he burns it right away, as we know unseasoned wood doesn't burn very efficiently.
On the other hand, if he buys the wood now to use 3 years from now, he'll have to calculate if that long term investment is worth the cost. 3 cord X $200 per cord = $900 for something you can't touch for 3 years and maybe don't even have room for in the first place. Might be well worth it if all he needs is 3 cords a year and his current heating bill is double that or more, but does he have that money to invest right now? Only he knows. it's really a mater of doing some serious, realistic number crunching.

I was at the Big E last week and saw a guy selling biobricks. The factory is actually in CT. I took his card but did not purchase any. It appears they are made out of sawdust and horse manure. Interesting.

Has anyone ever tried these? They are sold by the ton and have a good price point for helping get ahead.

Website is here. He was selling for $250 a ton at the fair.

chazcarr said:

I was at the Big E last week and saw a guy selling biobricks. The factory is actually in CT. I took his card but did not purchase any. It appears they are made out of sawdust and horse manure. Interesting.

Has anyone ever tried these? They are sold by the ton and have a good price point for helping get ahead.

Website is here. He was selling for $250 a ton at the fair.

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$250 a ton is a good proce, but I guess you have to cart them home form the fair.

Since when are they using horse manure? They used to be 100% wood.