How much wood do you burn a season?

I'm planning a wood shed. I'm sick of the varying quality of wood I get when I buy as I go. I heat a 1000-1500 sq ft home depending on what doors are open but not 24/7. I keep the heat set low around 60 or 62 and usually start a fire up when I get home from work. If I feel ambitious or the wood I have been using is burning good I'll start one up before work. The oil furnace hardly turns on, I've used about 200 gallons of oil in about 1 year . My projection is I'll end up using 5-6 face cord of wood? First part of the season I was using an old Vermont Casing stove, I just updated to a new Quadra-fire but have only been using it about 1 month. I'm sick of dealing with wet wood, I'm building a shed off the back of the garage. I think I can easily keep 2-3 full cords of wood, is that enough for the season? How big would you build?

I'm going to be building a wood shed this summer. I'm not sure how big I'm going to build mine either.

I still have to decide if I build it big enough for two seasons worth of wood, or just stick with space for the current season.

-SF

3 years ago I burned almost 4 cord.

Two years ago I burned about 3.5 cord

Last year I burned just under 3.

This year I'll be about 3.5 cord this year I think.


Last year I burned mostly maple and Doug Fir. 2 and 3 years ago I burned a lot of alder. This year it's mostly hemlock and Doug Fir.


EDIT - An 8 x 12 x 6 will hold 4.5 real (not face) cord and that's not exactly a huge building.

I'm going to build mine off my garage this summer and it will hold 6 cord, enough for 2 years. Best to have 2 years supply to ensure dry wood.

I have a 12 cord shed which should be good for a two year supply. The rest stays outside. I heat a 10 year old 1-1/2 storey chalet style 2100 sq ft home that is supplemented with natural gas.

I think the back wall of my garage is 24'. I was thinking a 24'x6 or 7' deck on the back wall with a lean too type roof should hold 2-3 full cords? With the floor raised off the ground I can probably stack at least 7' tall racks. I figure I can have 9 stacks if I set it up right.

I have considered one of those carport type things they sell all over the place. This would keep a roof over the wood to keep the snow off the pile. There would be no sides or ends so the wood should season okay. Trouble is, we keep 6-7 years wood supply on hand. That means we'd need a bit one or more than one.

Still, we've had no problem just stacking outdoors. It's just that we wouldn't have to fight the snow so much.

24x6x7/128=7.875 cords

We've been 24/7 burners since the '70's, while I have never measured wood. People in the know here have measured it and I'm told we went threw 40 face cords...or 13 real cords. Now that was with our old smoke dragons and 16" splits. Now we have an newer EPA stove that takes 20" splits and we're coming up on the 1 year anniversary of that stove.

It's my impression that we're burning way less wood while I dunno for sure my best guess would be very close to 22 face cords a year at 20" splits...and I couldn't tell how much that is in real cords if my life depended on it.

I'll have a better idea in May so if I'm off by much I resurrect this thread and post the more accurate amount of wood burned for the benefit of other upstater's that will want to plan ahead.

Like was already mentioned it's best to be at least a couple years ahead esp so if you buy wood cause that way you know it's seasoned.

It's my first year with the epa but it looks like I'm on target to use 20-25 face cords or 7-8 cords.

Thanks for all the info. I've got more data for planning purposes now.

I use on the order of 25 toe cord- about a frinkle and a quarter

A frinkle is pi cord- which is about what most people use in a year.

Finding Frinkle

I should end up burning about 3 cords this season. I've been conservative with the wood up to now. I just began burning 24/7 last Saturday and I figure the two cords I have left will be enough to make it to spring. I have a 3/4 cord reserve pile just in case. My plan is to end the winter with 1/2 tank of fuel oil. I'm at 5/8 tank right now.

I put an eight foot high retaining wall be hind my garage last year and I plan on putting a roof between the garage and wall to make a wood shed. It should end up being 20'X9'X8'.

I would agree with JAG's, utimatly you would want to build a woodshed that held 2 yrs. worth of wood! I am going to bu one thos sprng as am tired of Michaigan's weather and snow melting on piles, even though I have tarped them. I plan on buing a 20' x12' wood shed this spring. I also have a 8'x8' adder on my basement that is 8 ft. tall that opens up close to my wood furnace in basement and has a set of Bilco doors on it, for dropping wood in.

Thanks again for all the info.

I was doing a little more planning tonight. With a 4" platform off the back of the 24' garage I could hold 3 full cord of wood. I would have three 8' sections, and could easily stack 2 rows 6' high in each section. I'll see where I end up for wood use this year before I make a final decision.

That comes out to be a little over 9 cords.

4ft x 1.67(20 in) x8ft / 128 cu ft = 9.185 cords.

Thanks roac that's was very gracious of you.

Capacity for 2 years supply sounds right.

But since 2 years supply is a variable amount, I'd take your average 1 year use and build space for at least 2 1/2 times that.

I 'm close to 2/3 through my supply already this year.

24/7 10 cords +

Wow ,You guys are burning a lot of wood . My house is over 3000 feet and i don't think i will burn 5 cord . I would burn 3.5 cord with my old stove . I don't even have a furnace that works any more . at least i have not tested it in years . My shed will be 12x16 x11' I want room for 9 cord + a place for my splitter . John