can a downed tree be cut, split, and burned without much wait?

There are a lot of people who cut trees and burn them the same winter, you are not alone. Most people have no idea how much of a difference truly dry wood makes until they try using some. Standing dead usually is not dry enough to burn until at least a year after it's split & stacked. If you have a choice of trees, ash, poplar, basswood all dry faster than hardwoods but obviously they will provide less heat per piece.

If that's your only choice, you will have 2 problems. The VC Vigilant will not get as hot or provide as much warmth as it will with dry wood. It takes a fair bit of BTU energy to burn off the moisture in the wood. Second, you will want to check your chimney regularly and make sure the creosote build-up is cleared away.

Now is the time to cut, split and stack wood in a dry area for the next 2 winters. The smaller you split it and if you can stack the splits in a dry, windy area, they will dry out much faster. Tarp or cover the top only (not sides) to keep rain and snow off the wood.

I would look for limbs that are off the ground, I think that would be your best bet. Get yourself a $30 moisture meter from Lowes and check it too. You could then supplement with bio bricks if you only burn 2 cord a season. Keep c/s/s and you will be ahead for next year

standing dead tree with the bark off- the upper limbs will likely be good to go for this season, rest of it for next year. due to capillary action the bottom 2/3 of a tree will likely be to wet yet for this season,although depending on the species the upper 1/3 of the lower 2/3 might be ok by early spring if split small (2x2) and single stacked in the wind particularly if you can bring it in and stack it in the same room as the appliance for a week or so before trying to use it. I second the compressed wood block mix for this season

rawlins02 said:

I will scrounge what I can from limbs and small downed trees. I have a moisture meter. Actually only need a little more than a cord if it's an average winter. Will keep trying to buy 'seasoned' wood but know that's a long shot.

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Just give 'er. One cord of dry enough wood should be no problem on several acres of land. You might have to cut down two or three cords to do it though, as mentioned some standing dead is only seasoned the top 1/3 or maybe half. I'm not sure on wood types in Mass., but around here poplar is an easy scrounge, and dries quick.

I cut up some ponderosa pine and doug fir that were downed last year by the forest service, some was already dead but some still had green. About a third of the wood was ready to burn, another third needed a couple of months to drop that last few percent, and the rest needed more time. I've also cut down some standing dead aspen that was so dry it shattered upon landing. So yes, it's possible, but there's no guarantee.

DougA said:

ash, poplar, basswood all dry faster than hardwoods

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Ash, poplar, and basswood are hardwoods.

I you can find standing dead elm with the bark off (white colored) you may be in luck. The upper part of those trees is usually ready to burn.

You could also keep a close eye on Craigslist for free firewood and pallets. free firewood is probably old and you can use cut up pallets to supplement semi seasoned wood.

For some reason, silver maples in the forest behind my house die at a young age, 20 or so years, so they are only 18" or so in diameter, when all of the bark is gone and they look like toothpicks sticking up out of the ground, I can get the top 3/4's of the tree dry in a month, small 3"-4" splits.

Split it small, cover the top and bake it in the sun, single row, should be good (enough) dead maple dries quickly, as long as it's not Black or Sugar Maple.

I downed two standing dead oaks and they burn excellent. Probably not quite dry enough for a newer cat stove but it burns good in the older one I have, doesn't hiss or steam. When I cut it, it seemed soaked and I was skeptical, but once I split it, it dried out far more quickly than I thought. I did cut it into smaller splits than I normally would to help.

I find downed dead barkless black locust usually 12-18" diameter that test under 20% at the center of a fresh cut, not sure how long these trees have been down...found some that were probably 10 years or more on the ground ready to burn...

rawlins02 said:

Will see what's on my friend's large property.

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If you can find small dead standing trees with the bark fallen of, they will most likely be 20% or less and ready to burn.

albert1029 said:

I find downed dead barkless black locust usually 12-18" diameter that test under 20% at the center of a fresh cut, not sure how long these trees have been down...found some that were probably 10 years or more on the ground ready to burn...

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Wow! They must have been down a long time. I just cut some locust a couple of months ago, which had been down for 16 months. It wasn't just still sopping wet - it was sprouting leaves!

Good stuff, though. Just about the best we have around here in any quantity. There's some hedge now and then, but not much.

I felled a dead hickory a few weeks ago. Checked it with a moisture meter while splitting the rounds last weekend, it's at 18% now.

Got a fallen ash over the summer, it's also ready to go at less than 15%

Got a fallen oak last fall... not yet ready...

Answer: Maybe.

Ill go with usually no, but there is hope for smaller beanches up off the ground.

If it's oak, locust, mulberry for example, forget it. Standing dead laying dead it 3 years for truly seasoned after being split. Being split is the key.

Woody Stover said:

If you can find small dead standing trees with the bark fallen of, they will most likely be 20% or less and ready to burn.

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I cut a 15" silver maple in this condition last night, top half was at 17% to 15%, bottom half was at 18% to 22%, I think in a month the 18-22 half will be good to go.

Going to cut another tonight, I'll post pics of moisture % from top, middle and base.

I'm not sure where exactly you are located in Western MA, but I just saw this today on Craig's List. The claim to have 60 yards of burnable wood in Springfield -- a few pick up loads and you'd be good for the winter.
http://westernmass.craigslist.org/zip/5263942680.html

TomatoLover said:

I'm not sure where exactly you are located in Western MA, but I just saw this today on Craig's List. The claim to have 60 yards of burnable wood in Springfield -- a few pick up loads and you'd be good for the winter.
http://westernmass.craigslist.org/zip/5263942680.html

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um wow.....

I had a similar experience to some above in regards to dead trees. Chopped down a big apple tree in July, expected to have to wait until next winter. Lo and behold, 3 months later we're at 15%. What a bonus that has turned out to be.