Another wood buying question, what type of wood?

[spur0701]

I'm sorta in the same situation as nola mike in a post below, first year burning and am behind on seasoned wood....especially with how cold it's been so far this Dec....so think I'm gonna have to buy at least a couple of cords. Which wood is most likely to be seasoned? There's a guy not too far away that will deliver two cords of beech for $300 that was split about eight months ago.....then there's another guy that will deliver two cords of mixed hardwood (50% popular, 50% red oak) that was split 6 months ago....I guess my question is that given how hard it is to find seasoned wood what would be my best bet to target buying to get seasoned wood...pine? beech? something else? ...and I assume it would have to be a common type?

 

[firefighterjake]

At this point chances of getting wood that is actually seasoned are pretty much slim to none . . . but if you need wood your best bet would probably be white ash.

 

[gzecc]

With those choices I would definetly choose the beech. Beech is high in BTUs and low in time to season.

 

[Kenster]

Unless you're likely to get out very soon to cut and split your own wood for next year, I'd go ahead and get a double order now so you'll have some good stuff for next winter and not be in this position again.

 

[Wood Duck]

In general the woods that are higher in BTU's per cord, which is to say higher in density, season more slowly than less dense, lower BTU/cord woods. Anything you buy is likely to have had relatively little time to season, so the lower density woods are probably closer to being seasoned properly than the high density woods, and therefore a better choise. I'd avoid oak, sigar maple (hard maple) and hickory which are slow to season. Soft maple (Red and Silver Maples are called soft maple), ash (high is BTUs but relatively quick to season), tulip poplar, elm, pine, sweet gum all seem like good choices. If the beech is really 8 months seasoned (and why, if he were lying, would the seller claim 8 months of seasoning? why not a year? maybe he is telling the truth) then beech might be a good choice. I haven't burned or seasoned any beech so I can't say how it would be after 8 months. Pine seasons relatively fast and even unseasoned makes a nice, hot fire, so I'd think about pine, especially since it should be cheaper than other woods. If you decide to buy poplar, I guess in southern MD it is Tulip Poplar, not aspen.

 

[midwestcoast]

Beech is faster seasoning than most dense hardwoods. If the Beech has been stacked & getting air for that 8 mos, it should be pretty good. In a huge heap for 8 mos & it will be a struggle to burn.
Red Oak split 6 mos ago would be virtually un-burnable in my stove. Never burned Poplar, but if it's stacked 6 mos it should be alright.

To Wood Ducks list of faster seasoning woods I'd add Cherry & Birch.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

spur0701, of the two choices you have given, I would definitely choose the beech.

 

[ellipup]

I went to look at the wood that my place had to sell. He seemed to be very honest about the wood he had. He said the wood was not seasoned, however, he said that in a wood stove, once the stove was very hot, it didnt matter and I could burn unseasoned wood. Im skeptical about this advice. I would appreciate any advice. He gave me 4 pieces of different species of wood to try. Whats the consences?? Thank in advance for any advice.

 

[Gary_602z]

Beech! Does he have any Ash that age?

Gary

 

[Battenkiller]

Beech that old is probably lower in moisture than fresh cut white ash. It is quite a bit higher on the BTU charts and I've burned it plenty in the past and it is better than almost anything. Other choices besides white ash are black locust and cherry. Shagbark hickory is the very best. It won't be ready until next season, but get some now for next year and you'll be able to slip in the occasional split on top of a hot fire for a great overnight burn come February.

 

[gzecc]

I would only try fresh splits of ash or black locust. I would have to be desperate. See if there are any hearth members close to you that you could swap for.

 

[woodman44]

That is a easy choice go with the beech. It may be in pretty good shape after 8months if he has had it in a area that gets good air.

 

[NH_Wood]

+1 on the beech. If it's not burning well, split smaller, have smaller, hotter fires, and keep a close eye on your chimney for creosote as you burn through it. Cheers!

 

[Wood Duck]

I agree with the wood guy; you can burn unseasoned wood in a hot stove. I have done it many times with all types of wood. The question is how efficient the burn will be (how much of the heat is wasted as smoke and hot air going up the flue?), how much gunk is going to build up in your chimney, and how much of a pain it is going to be to start and maintain a hot fire with unseasoned wood. I think the answers are not very, a lot, and a big pain compared to seasoned wood.

I think I'd try the semi-seasoned beech, and if that doesn't work, maybe try some sawdust bricks. Even if the beech doesn't burn well this year it should be good next year, so you won't have wasted your money, just invested early. I haven't burned sawdust bricks but a lot of people do and seem satisfied with the results.