Got lucky on my first cord of wood

[Jack22]

Well as everyone warns on this site, most of the time when you buy "seasoned" wood from a dealer it is usually not properly seasoned. That was my case only I got lucky because the cord I received was all ash. From what I hear on this site the ash should be ready by the fall. Am I correct in assuming this? The cord I purchased was just bucked and split a week ago but the guy considered it seasoned because the tree was downed in November.

I bought another cord from another guy. The wood was chopped last summer. A mix of hard woods but it was kept in a pile rather than stacked. Is it possible for split wood to season at all when it is in a large pile?

The good thing is that both deliveries looked like good solid cords or maybe even a bit more. I contacted the first guy and he said he had enough ash tree left for one more cord so I am going to buy it from him. I'm thinking this is my best bet. He is also cutting it to the 16 inch length that I want so I guess it is a good deal.

 

[thewoodlands]

Well as everyone warns on this site, most of the time when you buy "seasoned" wood from a dealer it is usually not properly seasoned. That was my case only I got lucky because the cord I received was all ash. From what I hear on this site the ash should be ready by the fall. Am I correct in assuming this? The cord I purchased was just bucked and split a week ago but the guy considered it seasoned because the tree was downed in November.

I bought another cord from another guy. The wood was chopped last summer. A mix of hard woods but it was kept in a pile rather than stacked. Is it possible for split wood to season at all when it is in a large pile?

The good thing is that both deliveries looked like good solid cords or maybe even a bit more. I contacted the first guy and he said he had enough ash tree left for one more cord so I am going to buy it from him. I'm thinking this is my best bet. He is also cutting it to the 16 inch length that I want so I guess it is a good deal.

If your wood is stacked in full sun & full wind you should be fine unless you have some oak. My experience with wood seasoning in a pile was the top was good but anything underneath was not seasoned.


SolarandWood could give more info on seasoning in a pile.




Zap

 

[woodsmaster]

If It's been laying on wet ground It may be wetter than when it was dropped. Be sure to split and stack soon to insure good wood this fall.

 

[bogydave]

Stack it on some pallets, 12" or so separation between rows for good air circulation
In the sun if possible. All but oak should be good to go by burning season.
I cover the top when it rains, (some head space if you can) painted sheet of ply wood is a good cover.
Some say no, some yes. I think rain on the wood slows down the seasoning some say it don't.
To me dry is dry, rain ain't dry. IMO & you need t get it dry , ready to burn in 6 months.

 

[PapaDave]

Jack22,
Sounds like you got a couple good suppliers. How much do you burn every year? If more than 3 cord, keep getting wood, so you'll have enough for the next TWO winters (if you have room). Then, do it again next year. You'll be a much happier burner.
What's your stove? Home size? Inquiring minds are nosy. Oh, and w/o pics, didn't happen! :cheese:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Well as everyone warns on this site, most of the time when you buy "seasoned" wood from a dealer it is usually not properly seasoned. That was my case only I got lucky because the cord I received was all ash. From what I hear on this site the ash should be ready by the fall. Am I correct in assuming this? The cord I purchased was just bucked and split a week ago but the guy considered it seasoned because the tree was downed in November.

I bought another cord from another guy. The wood was chopped last summer. A mix of hard woods but it was kept in a pile rather than stacked. Is it possible for split wood to season at all when it is in a large pile?

The good thing is that both deliveries looked like good solid cords or maybe even a bit more. I contacted the first guy and he said he had enough ash tree left for one more cord so I am going to buy it from him. I'm thinking this is my best bet. He is also cutting it to the 16 inch length that I want so I guess it is a good deal.

Jack the guy who considered the wood seasoned because the tree was downed in November either doesn't know much about seasoning wood or was just trying to pull your leg. Sometimes they will say just about anything that "sounds good" just to make a sale or try to make them sound knowledgeable. However in this case you will probably be fine burning that ash next winter if you stack it right so it gets lots of wind and is also up off the ground. Ash doesn't take a long time to season because it is low moisture to begin with. Another thing in your favor is you have longer summers but I'm thinking you may have to cover the top of the stacks because it seems like that area can get lots of rain. We don't cover ours in the first year but we also don't get as much rain as you do.

We have at least one member on this forum who just keeps his split wood in a pile rather than stacking but most folks find it does not dry well except for the very outer edges and the top. Better to stack it so wind can blow through the stacks. Sun is nice too but wind is the most important for drying wood.

Good luck.

 

[firefighterjake]

+1 to everything Dennis said and says . . . except for his insistence that splitting vertically is the best way to split wood with a hydraulic splitter.

Seasoning starts when the wood is bucked up and split . . . and preferably stacked . . . as Dennis said . . . wood in a pile may season on the top and edges and realistically probably continues to dry out in the interior -- but the speed at which it will season will most likely be very, very slow and would not work for many folks . . . best bet is to get the wood stacked ASAP and let the wind and sun do its thing.

 

[Jack22]

Thanks you to everyone for the replies. The wood is now stacked and the moisture content from both cords is around 25% (from the middle of the split). I have another cord of ash being delivered this Friday. I have room for one maybe two more and plan on getting them as soon as I have the money. I really want to get ahead and burn good seasoned wood.

Jack22,
Sounds like you got a couple good suppliers. How much do you burn every year? If more than 3 cord, keep getting wood, so you'll have enough for the next TWO winters (if you have room). Then, do it again next year. You'll be a much happier burner.
What's your stove? Home size? Inquiring minds are nosy. Oh, and w/o pics, didn't happen! :cheese:

This is my first season so I can't say for sure how much wood I will need. I ordered a Woodstock Keystone to heat about 1500 square feet of my 1800 square foot house. The stove has not arrived yet. My buddy and I built the hearth last week so I can assure you this project is real. In case you are interested I built the hearth with a 2X3 and plywood base, a layer of half inch cement board (hardybacker I think) and then black granite tiles that I got a good deal on. This hearth was built to Woodstock specifications and I even managed to get the wife's approval. As soon as I get a chance to finish painting the wood trim on it I promise there will be pictures.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jack, congratulations on the Keystone. Please keep us posted on the progress and than again next winter to see how well it heats. And that ash should definitely be fine by fall.

 

[joefrompa]

Ash will burn well after a week of being split, if it's in smaller splits and open aired.

Ash will be "seasoned" in 3-4 months of summer-time open air and good exposure. Sure, it'll be pretty much perfect after a year, but in reality 3-4 months is all it'll take for ash to burn beautifully.

 

[smokinj]

Well as everyone warns on this site, most of the time when you buy "seasoned" wood from a dealer it is usually not properly seasoned. That was my case only I got lucky because the cord I received was all ash. From what I hear on this site the ash should be ready by the fall. Am I correct in assuming this? The cord I purchased was just bucked and split a week ago but the guy considered it seasoned because the tree was downed in November.

I bought another cord from another guy. The wood was chopped last summer. A mix of hard woods but it was kept in a pile rather than stacked. Is it possible for split wood to season at all when it is in a large pile?

The good thing is that both deliveries looked like good solid cords or maybe even a bit more. I contacted the first guy and he said he had enough ash tree left for one more cord so I am going to buy it from him. I'm thinking this is my best bet. He is also cutting it to the 16 inch length that I want so I guess it is a good deal.

It will season in a pile and in log form just not as quick. The difference between milling a fresh log and a one year log is light years different.