Just got a stove. Now I need something to burn.

[gernblandston]

Just bought a new wood stove (our first). Bought a Hearthstone Homestead. Now I gotta get wood.

I was thinking of ordering a cord of seasoned wood from a dealer for this winter and then buying some logs and splitting them myself for next year off Craig's List.

The stove is not our primary heat source, so I think maybe 1.x cords should last the winter.

Here's a few questions that I've got:

* How do I make sure I'm getting seasoned wood BEFORE it's delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers?
* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer?
* How do I identify the different species of wood so I know what they look like?
* What should I look out for when buying wood from private seller (e.g. someone just had a tree cut down and wants it gone)?
* Once I get the wood, how best do I store it? On pallets? Under tarps?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Chris

 

[oldspark]

Just do a couple of searches and you will have enough reading for a month of sundays.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Buy a $12 Moisture Meter and Harbor Freight online and split a piece when it is delivered (then put the prongs with the grain, ideally it should be 20% or lower, over 30 percent and you may have some issues), or better yet check it out at the source first. Order Cherry, Maple, Locust or Ash and you will be pretty well off even if it was only cut in the the spring. Stay away from Oak your first year, it takes 2 years to season. When you talk to a dealer ask when the wood was split, not when it was cut. Alot of them cut it and split it just before they deliver it.

 

[Wood Duck]

Just bought a new wood stove (our first). Bought a Hearthstone Homestead. Now I gotta get wood.

I was thinking of ordering a cord of seasoned wood from a dealer for this winter and then buying some logs and splitting them myself for next year off Craig's List.

The stove is not our primary heat source, so I think maybe 1.x cords should last the winter.

Here's a few questions that I've got:

* How do I make sure I'm getting seasoned wood BEFORE it's delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers?
* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer?
* How do I identify the different species of wood so I know what they look like?
* What should I look out for when buying wood from private seller (e.g. someone just had a tree cut down and wants it gone)?
* Once I get the wood, how best do I store it? On pallets? Under tarps?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Chris

The answers to these questions essentially comprise the entire contents of all the archives of the Wood Shed forum, except for Zapny's pictures, which take up about 50% of the storage space by themselves. Still, I'll take a swipe at them:
1. first ask how long ago the wood was cut, split, and stacked, then go look at the wood. It should have been split no later than this spring. There may be reputable dealers near you, but they may not use the same definition of 'seasoned' that I or you would use.
2. i think I would ask for the species that season faster, since oak, the firewood most people prefer, is very unlikely to be seasoned properly when you buy it. Ask for Soft Maple, birch, pine, or something besides oak and hickory, which season slowly. Other species might be cheaper, too.
3. wood identification is a challenge. I think most of us learned by cutting up trees we identified in tree form.

4. wood from private sellers will be green. If you have to cut it up, haul it away, and plsit t yourself it should be free or darn close, since you are performing a service.
5. stack your wood on something like pallets, stone, etc. in a sunny, windy place.

good luck! you'll find something that will burn this winter and think it is OK, then next winter realize you had lousy firewood this winter.

 

[soupy1957]

Sorry for the CAPS but I wanted to distinguish my responses from your questions:


* How do I make sure I’m getting seasoned wood BEFORE it’s delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers?
FIND SOMEONE LOCAL IN THE PAPER OR ON CRAIGSLIST.COM, AND ASK TO GO SEE THEIR SUPPLY. GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER WOOD BURNING FOLKS IN YOUR AREA. TAKE YOUR MOISTURE METER ALONG AND CHECK FOR 20% OR LESS. CLANG A COUPLE OF THEM TOGETHER (IF THEY "THUNK" THEY ARE STILL WET). LOOK FOR THE "WITNESS MARKS ON THE ENDS OF THE WOOD. AVOID VERY "YELLOW" LOOKING WOOD.
* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer?
MOST FOLKS USE HARDWOODS LIKE MAPLE, APPLE, CHERRY, HICKORY, ETC......CREATES LESS CREOSOTE AND BURNS LONGER
* How do I identify the different species of wood so I know what they look like?
I HAD TAKEN A FORESTRY COURSE YEARS AGO, BUT AM NO WHIZ AT THAT. I WENT OUT TO MY LOCAL BARNES & NOBLE AND BOUGHT A "TREE" BOOK FOR MY REGION. IT SHOWS BARK PICTURES, LEAVE PICTURES,ETC.
* What should I look out for when buying wood from private seller (e.g. someone just had a tree cut down and wants it gone)?
CHECK THE WOOD AT THEIR SITE (SEE QUESTION 1) AND WHEN DELIVERED, MAKE SURE IT MEETS YOUR PARTICULAR NEEDS FOR LENGTH, CONDITION, ETC..
* Once I get the wood, how best do I store it? On pallets? Under tarps?
LOTS OF FOLKS WILL TELL YOU DIFFERENT PREFERENCES, AND "IT'S ALL GOOD" STUFF TO HEAR. TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT WHERE YOU WANT TO STORE IT, (FOR AN EXAMPLE, SINCE YOU ARE NOT PLANNING ON BURNING "24/7", I BOUGHT AND BURNED A HALF CORD FROM DECEMBER TO MARCH LAST YEAR, BURNING FROM 6 AM TO 8 PM MOST EVERY DAY, HERE IN NEW ENGLAND, AND KEPT IT IN THE GARAGE, BECAUSE I HAD ROOM FOR IT IN THERE), AND ASK YOURSELF WHERE YOU HAVE THE MOST ROOM. TARPS, PLYWOOD, SKIDS, PLASTIC SHEETING, STORAGE BARN, ....THERE ARE LOTS OF INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR STORING. MAINLY, YOU WANT TO KEEP IT DRY, AND LET IT CONTINUE TO AGE WITH AIR FLOW IN THE PROCESS.

-Soupy1957

 

[4acrefarm]

Pallets are free, dry, burn very well and are a pain to cut, but that is how I did it my first two years.

 

[4acrefarm]

I just remembered, you may want to check with saw mills for slab wood. These are the cut offs to square lumber. They are cheap and closer to seasoned than any cord wood you can buy for this year. I just paid $150 for 3+ cords of hard soft mixed.

 

[Got Wood]

All good advice. I'll add....

you will likely burn more than you think

Get next winters wood NOW - plan where you want it stacked. Ideal place is in sun and windy spot, off the ground (pallets work nice).

start scrounging... let family and friends know you want wood. Never say no to an opportunity. Goal is to get 2-3 years ahead so you are always burning seasoned wood.

 

[firefighterjake]

Sorry for the CAPS but I wanted to distinguish my responses from your questions:


* How do I make sure I’m getting seasoned wood BEFORE it’s delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers?
FIND SOMEONE LOCAL IN THE PAPER OR ON CRAIGSLIST.COM, AND ASK TO GO SEE THEIR SUPPLY. GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER WOOD BURNING FOLKS IN YOUR AREA. TAKE YOUR MOISTURE METER ALONG AND CHECK FOR 20% OR LESS. CLANG A COUPLE OF THEM TOGETHER (IF THEY "THUNK" THEY ARE STILL WET). LOOK FOR THE "WITNESS MARKS ON THE ENDS OF THE WOOD. AVOID VERY "YELLOW" LOOKING WOOD.
* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer?
MOST FOLKS USE HARDWOODS LIKE MAPLE, APPLE, CHERRY, HICKORY, ETC......CREATES LESS CREOSOTE AND BURNS LONGER
. . .
-Soupy1957

Correction here Soupy . . . while the wood species you listed are pretty popular choices (and this list could expand to include oak, locust, ash, elm, etc.) I would say that any tree species -- if not properly seasoned -- creates creosote. It is often not the species of tree that determines the level of creosote production, but rather how well seasoned the tree is and how well the person runs the stove (i.e. not running the stove at the proper temps.)

Also, while some maple species may provide decent burn times (i.e. sugar maple), other species of maple may not provide a long burn time (i.e. silver maple).

 

[firefighterjake]

Just bought a new wood stove (our first). Bought a Hearthstone Homestead. Now I gotta get wood.

I was thinking of ordering a cord of seasoned wood from a dealer for this winter and then buying some logs and splitting them myself for next year off Craig's List.

The stove is not our primary heat source, so I think maybe 1.x cords should last the winter.

Here's a few questions that I've got:

* How do I make sure I'm getting seasoned wood BEFORE it's delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers? It seems as though many folks who buy wood ask the dealers when they split the wood and hope to hear that it was split 6-12 months prior . . . and many let the dealer know that they will check the moisture content with a moisture meter to make sure the wood they are buying is truly seasoned . . . there have been stories where folks have let the dealer know ahead of time that they would refuse a drop-off if the wood wasn't truly seasoned. As for who is reputable . . . ask around with friends and family members . . . but don't be surprised to find the wood isn't as good as you are hoping for . . .

* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer? Oak is highly desirable . . . but not for a first year burner since most sellers are not keeping oak around for over 2 years to properly season it. Instead, you will want wood with a low moisture content such as ash, cherry, birch . . . this wood would be more likely to be seasoned than some of the more dense wood species. From what I've read some dealers allow you to pick and choose and you may pay a premium . . . others tell you what you're getting.

* How do I identify the different species of wood so I know what they look like? I took a class in high school that helped me . . . that and just being out there and working with the wood you get used to knowing what the different species look like. For a newbie sometimes telling the different trees -- especially IDing the trees just by the bark and color of the grain -- can be a challenge . . . even with a book . . . but other than using a book or finding someone who is very familiar with trees there isn't much else you can do except take the dealer's word at face value . . . or post pics here for us to ID the trees.

* What should I look out for when buying wood from private seller (e.g. someone just had a tree cut down and wants it gone)? I haven't ever gotten wood this way, but I do know there are a few things I would want to know before going in. 1) The price (and since this is a beneficial thing for both you and the other person in many cases) the price should be fair (i.e. cheap or free . . . unless the wood is already cut and split.) 2) If the tree was cut down, what does the home owner expect you to do (i.e. how will you get to the tree and remove the wood if the tree is not right beside the driveway or road, who will take care of any branches, what does the home owner expect you to do with the sawdust and woodchips on the lawn, etc.) and 3) What is the wood that the home owner is selling or giving away -- this ties into the price aspect since someone with an eastern white pine tree or popple will most likely be giving away the wood vs. someone who is moving and has a cord of 3-year old seasoned oak that they need to clear out of their home which would be worth some money.)

* Once I get the wood, how best do I store it? On pallets? Under tarps? Store it in whatever way works for you. Me . . . the first year I used free pallets and stacked the wood on top to allow it to season and get good air flow. I left the wood uncovered until the first snow flew in the Fall and then top covered. Now, I leave my wood outdoors uncovered for a year, bring it under cover of the woodshed for a year and then burn it in the third year. Other folks store wood on their covered porch, put it in their garages or basement . . . some folks dig it out from the snow . . . whatever works for you . . . although I might suggest doing what I did in the first year to give your wood the best chance at continuing to season with the wind and sun.

Thanks in advance for any feedback! Best bit of advice . . . start scrounging or buy enough wood this year . . . so it will be seasoned over the next 12 months and be ready for you next year at this time.
Chris

 

[fire_man]

Regarding obtaining LOGS once you get your first year's supply of seasoned wood:

We both live in Northern MA so your log dealers are mine too and I have some history. I have had delivered one terrific grapple load of oak,ash and some soft maple, and then one other grapple load
of oak, soft maple, a giant (4 foot diameter) frickin cotton wood tree, and a bunch of logs with fence posts wrapped around them. My point is you have to be careful when you place the order and DEMAND no obvious
crap wood like cotton wood,boxelder,willow and no obvious steel fences and posts and human body remains sticking out. They will most likely make you sign a contract and it may say "hardwood only" but in my book I'd rather get pine than a frickin cotton wood tree.

 

[Pagey]

You're getting good answers. The only thing I will stress again is to see if you can find out for sure when the wood was SPLIT. Wood does not generally season well while still "in the round," though this does help to some degree. You want as much surface area exposed as possible to facilitate the seasoning process. If the trees were felled and bucked into rounds 2 years ago but only split in August, for example, chances are you are going to have some wet wood. These newer, EPA-certified stoves really like wood that's 18-22% moisture content. Now, some species will season faster than others, and some will season better in the round than others. But you take a dense wood like oak or hickory and you'll be hard pressed to burn anything with ease/joy that was split later than early in the year.

If you are getting hard woods, and you want a better chance of having truly seasoned wood, look for things like ash, cherry, locust, and some types of maple. I've had good luck with Silver Maple, for example, seasoning relatively quickly (key word: relatively). You may also find that you have to do a mix of hard and soft woods your first season. My first season I had access to a TON of Eastern White Pine that was still in the round when I had my stove installed. When split, it averaged 20% moisture content and was some of the cleanest burning stuff I ran through the stove that year. Of course it will not hold and overnight fire like a dense hardwood. So don't worry about the old wives' tales that "pine causes chimney fires". Just replace "pine" with "any unseasoned wood" and you'll have it right.

 

[krex1010]

[quote author="Gern Blandston" date="1283909562"]Just bought a new wood stove (our first). Bought a Hearthstone Homestead. Now I gotta get wood.

I was thinking of ordering a cord of seasoned wood from a dealer for this winter and then buying some logs and splitting them myself for next year off Craig's List.

The stove is not our primary heat source, so I think maybe 1.x cords should last the winter.

Here's a few questions that I've got:

* How do I make sure I'm getting seasoned wood BEFORE it's delivered? How do I identify reputable dealers?

finding a reputable dealer can be tricky, be sure the dealer knows that you expect a full cord (4x4x8 when stacked) and let him know that you know how much is in a cord.as for seasoned wood, in my experience it may be hard to buy seasoned wood at this time of the year, but if you do find someone with it you will probably pay a premium price for it. in my opinion if i were to buy wood i would assume it is unseasoned regardless of what the dealer says, so if you are buying get next years wood now!


* What species should I be looking for? Should I be able to request them specifically from a good dealer?
just look for someone who has hardwoods, oak, beech, ash, maple, most good dealers will have a mix of hardwoods, which i think is fine.


* How do I identify the different species of wood so I know what they look like?
there are plenty of books and online sites that will help you identify tree species by region, leaves and bark.

* What should I look out for when buying wood from private seller (e.g. someone just had a tree cut down and wants it gone)?
i would not pay someone for wood if i have to go to their house, cut the wood and haul it away, a cut down tree is not firewood until it is cut, split, stacked and seasoned, so i wouldn't pay for this unless the wood was already cut and easily accessible, and even then i would say no more than about $30-40 a cord (in my area i can get unseasoned firewood delivered for about $150 a cord) don't let someone try and tell you a cut tree is "firewood" a cut tree is as close to firewood as it is to furniture! there is a lot of work and sweat to make a tree firewood!

* Once I get the wood, how best do I store it? On pallets? Under tarps?
i keep my wood on pallets, but anything that keeps it up off the ground will work in my opinion, and i dont use tarps or cover it in any way when it is seasoning, i may cover a portion of my seasoned wood when i am expecting snow or rain and i want to keep the wood that i will be burning dry and ice free before i bring it in the house.

one other thing, i would buy more than one cord, i think once you get burning you will want to burn alot more that you are planning, even if your stove is only for supplemental heat. i would plan on about 3 to 4 cords of wood per year, this depending on your climate and i would try to get two years worth before this fall, you may be able to get a better price by buying that much wood. but i think your plan of one cord will leave you with an empty wood pile by christmas! best of luck with your stove!

 

[gernblandston]

Thanks to everyone for the GREAT feedback!

I notice that some people bring their wood into their garage or basement. Doesn't this invite pests (e.g. bugs, rodents, etc)? Or are you using so fast they don't have time to setup shop?

I appreciate the advice!