Newbie Question

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iluvpikn

Member
Sep 11, 2014
36
White Lake, Ontario
Hi All.

This will be my first year burning wood. I am in the process of building a house, and will have a Pacific Energy Super 27 installed in the basement.

I have about 3.5 full cords of wood stacked for this winter. It was cut and split last winter, and has been stacked all summer. I have read a lot on this board about seasoning wood, which I will be working toward in the future. In the meantime, do you think the wood I have will be OK for this year? It is a mix of maple, oak, ironwood, and beech.

Thanks in advance.
 
If it was stacked so it had good air, I'd say the beech, maple, and ironwood will be far better than what many people are burning. Maybe not ideal, but adequate. The oak, is going to be the wildcard.

In all, you are still doing better in the first year than many do on a yearly/reoccurring basis.

Give it a go and see how you make out. If you find the oak won't get the stove top temps up as a load of the maple/beech does, then maybe think about finding a source of bio bricks / eco blocks / etc to help supplement......

Welcome to the site and good luck.

pen
 
Now is the time to get more wood for the following year. Stay away from oak. Look for maples and ash.
 
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The maple, beech, and ironwood will be alright. I've got beech stacks that were split the beginning of this year that are already reading 18% on the meter

The oak will be dry on the outside, but a bit wet inside. Not terrible, but not ideal. Start trying to get ahead. Let any oak you get dry out for 2-3 years and it'll be primo stuff. Like gzecc said, try to grab some quicker seasoning wood for next year

Good luck
 
Another thing: use up the non oak wood first, any little bit of extra seasoning you can give the oak will help. If it isn't already split small, do that too
 
Do you live in White Lake just west of Ottawa or near White Lake Provincial Park on the Lake Superior circle route? Last September I traversed that circle route by bicycle - spectacular.

My goal is to start each heating season with wood that is at least two years seasoned -- even three years for any oak. Dry wood that often can be lit with a match makes wood heating very easy.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I am going to get some more wood from the same supplier to start saving for next year. He has still has lots of wood that was cut and split last winter, so that should give me a good head start.

I was mostly curious what you guys thought about the wood that I have for this year. I know my situation is not ideal, but I still think I am better off than some people.

Oh, and I live in White Lake, near Ottawa.

Thanks.
 
You might want to mix the oak in with your drier wood. I think it will be ok, but check your chimney and understand the oak may be a bit harder to get going and keep going.
 
Yup, the oak should probably wait another year on the stacks before burning. Oak is excellent firewood. Where some folks go wrong, they try to burn it too soon after splitting. When cured well, oak burns nice and hot.

Maple, or soft maple anyway, can be burned after 6-8 months stacked in sun and air circulation. Soft maple isn't the highest on BTU charts but it does burn well. I like red maple, it's good firewood.
 
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