Wood decisions..

[Ducky]

Right now I have 4 face cords of very dry mixed hardwood.


I have 4 face cords of dry semi ready black locust.

I'm looking to pick up another 2-4 face cords of wood... My guy has alot of mixed... For $75 a FC. Or hickory for 85 a FC.

Hickory has a much higher but rating, and I have been warned by a few that hickory can get really hot really fast and to watch my temps...

So.. If it were you, what would you get?


Also I been mixing the woods... Like I'll start with the mixed then add in black locust as I burn. Right now I am burning 4-6hrs a night to keep my shop between 65-75f. It's cozy In here... Meanwhile my house is cold lol

 

[pen]

I burn whatever well seasoned wood I have coming up next in the stack. Tonight, even though it's only getting down to about 29, the stove has locust in it. If on January 20th when it's -11, I have beech or ash, etc that's next to go, that's what she'll be feeding on.

I don't see that extra 10 bucks for the hickory really gaining you much unless the other woods were of a less quality as in some punk, twisted/hard to stack, etc or lighter woods like birch, basswood, etc mixed in w/ their 75 buck load.

Burn whatcha got, even softwoods, and enjoy, just make sure they are truly well seasoned.

Moving this over to the wood shed.

pen

 

[BrotherBart]

That is what I do. I just burn the next oak that is in the front of the shed. Instead of digging through it for the oak that is behind it in the shed. Or the oak that is behind that.

My wood supply is kinda dull...

 

[Paulywalnut]

Ducky, locust burns very hot also. I think hickory burns well too but I would not pay extra for it.

 

[eclecticcottage]

That is what I do. I just burn the next oak that is in the front of the shed. Instead of digging through it for the oak that is behind it in the shed. Or the oak that is behind that.

My wood supply is kinda dull...

Ha, ours is similar...except substitute pine for oak....

We do have some box elder in there...and probably some willow and a little maple. Otherwise, it's pine pine and more pine.

 

[BrotherBart]

There is a reason they named this area The Oaks of Shenandoah. Actually there are some really nice Beeches on my place. But I ain't gonna whack'em.

 

[pen]

There is a reason they named this area The Oaks of Shenandoah. Actually there are some really nice Beeches on my place. But I ain't gonna whack'em.

Even your splitter will thank you for that.

Unless they are different in other places, they can be miserable to split but are great fuel,,,, not like you are running short of that with oak.

 

[BrotherBart]

The tornado spin down in the front yard in 2004 took out a couple of small Beech trees and I racked'em. I could happily burn that stuff forever. I have a huge one in the middle of the woods and a little smaller next to it. I have always called them Beech and Son of a Beech.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Right now I have 4 face cords of very dry mixed hardwood.


I have 4 face cords of dry semi ready black locust.

I'm looking to pick up another 2-4 face cords of wood... My guy has alot of mixed... For $75 a FC. Or hickory for 85 a FC.

Hickory has a much higher but rating, and I have been warned by a few that hickory can get really hot really fast and to watch my temps...

So.. If it were you, what would you get?


Also I been mixing the woods... Like I'll start with the mixed then add in black locust as I burn. Right now I am burning 4-6hrs a night to keep my shop between 65-75f. It's cozy In here... Meanwhile my house is cold lol

$75 vs $85 is difficult for anyone to say without knowing what the other wood is. However, I would be tempted. It is already a high price but if you get all hickory then you know you have one of the best....after it had dried. The problem with buying wood though is that it is usually fresh stuff. Hickory is heavy stuff, tight grained and therefore will need a bit more time than some other good firewood, for example, maple.

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

Just out of curiosity...the face cord issue. Is it different parts of the country or something that the wood quantity is in face cord and not cords itself? I can't say I hear face cord around my parts hardly at all.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Yes. In different areas some folks never talk about a cord of wood. I recall when my wife and I moved into our present home, we found many wood sellers in the area as you can see the wood stacked out by the roads. To the crazy folks around here, a 4' x 8' stack is a cord of wood. They don't even know there is a difference between a face cord (or rick) vs a full cord.

 

[red oak]

That is what I do. I just burn the next oak that is in the front of the shed. Instead of digging through it for the oak that is behind it in the shed. Or the oak that is behind that.

My wood supply is kinda dull...

Haha! I hear ya on that one! I'll be through my non-oak wood in the next week I think!

 

[red oak]

Right now I have 4 face cords of very dry mixed hardwood.


I have 4 face cords of dry semi ready black locust.

I'm looking to pick up another 2-4 face cords of wood... My guy has alot of mixed... For $75 a FC. Or hickory for 85 a FC.



I personally would not pay extra for the hickory but I would separate out some locust for mid-winter. That stuff burns pretty hot and I would not want to waste it in October.

Hickory has a much higher but rating, and I have been warned by a few that hickory can get really hot really fast and to watch my temps...

So.. If it were you, what would you get?


Also I been mixing the woods... Like I'll start with the mixed then add in black locust as I burn. Right now I am burning 4-6hrs a night to keep my shop between 65-75f. It's cozy In here... Meanwhile my house is cold lol

 

[Ehouse]

Well, let's see, this seller is trying to maximize his profit. Central NY around me right now I'm seeing $60 a face cord mixed, with deals to be had with due diligence. If he's smart enough to divide by species and charge a premium, he won't mention Popple, Willow, Box Elder, Silver Maple etc. in the mixed. No sin for him, but no sin for you being smart either. I'd offer him $70/face cord for the Hickory and not budge. Give him your phone # when he says no and keep looking. It's another advantage to being at least a year ahead. And get to know your woods.

 

[PSYS]

Well, let's see, this seller is trying to maximize his profit. Central NY around me right now I'm seeing $60 a face cord mixed, with deals to be had with due diligence. If he's smart enough to divide by species and charge a premium, he won't mention Popple, Willow, Box Elder, Silver Maple etc. in the mixed. No sin for him, but no sin for you being smart either. I'd offer him $70/face cord for the Hickory and not budge. Give him your phone # when he says no and keep looking. It's another advantage to being at least a year ahead. And get to know your woods.

Awesome info... I really need to make it a point to get better and more diligent about wood identification.

 

[midwestcoast]

Like Backwoods said, Hickory is very much on the slow drying side. That said, it is great when fully dry.
Since you need dry wood this year & assuming the hickory is too wet (a safe assumption unfortunately ) I'd lean towards the mixed hardwood. UNLESS what he means is a mix of Poplar & Willow or something… Then I'd just keep looking.
Those prices aren't cheap. Buy the driest he has & keep working on next year & the following year...

 

[Chopernator]

Right now I have 4 face cords of very dry mixed hardwood.


I have 4 face cords of dry semi ready black locust.

I'm looking to pick up another 2-4 face cords of wood... My guy has alot of mixed... For $75 a FC. Or hickory for 85 a FC.

Hickory has a much higher but rating, and I have been warned by a few that hickory can get really hot really fast and to watch my temps...

So.. If it were you, what would you get?


Also I been mixing the woods... Like I'll start with the mixed then add in black locust as I burn. Right now I am burning 4-6hrs a night to keep my shop between 65-75f. It's cozy In here... Meanwhile my house is cold lol

Take note at the 3rd line please.... I dont know about you hickory kicks but.....lmao!

 

[eclecticcottage]

To the crazy folks around here, a 4' x 8' stack is a cord of wood. They don't even know there is a difference between a face cord (or rick) vs a full cord.

ditto. There's a big tree company advertising "cords" for $80 each. I can't tell you how badly I'd love to order a bunch then nail them for TRUE cords. It makes me crazy. I have seen (on occasion) sellers specifying FACE cords (and VERY occasionally, full cords).

The real trick is when they cut the wood short, like 14" and stack 4x8, since it's still a "face cord" (since it isn't a real measurement, like a (full) cord is). We bought face cords from a local guy and some were too long to fit our stove! He wasn't short changing anyone, lol (he said he sells a lot to people with OWB and open fireplaces so they're ok with longer lengths than stoves can handle).

 

[teutonicking]

Right now I have 4 face cords of very dry mixed hardwood.


I have 4 face cords of dry semi ready black locust.

I'm looking to pick up another 2-4 face cords of wood... My guy has alot of mixed... For $75 a FC. Or hickory for 85 a FC.

Hickory has a much higher but rating, and I have been warned by a few that hickory can get really hot really fast and to watch my temps...

So.. If it were you, what would you get?


Also I been mixing the woods... Like I'll start with the mixed then add in black locust as I burn. Right now I am burning 4-6hrs a night to keep my shop between 65-75f. It's cozy In here... Meanwhile my house is cold lol

If you need to burn it this year I would buy the mixed hardwoods, but if you have time to season it I would get the hickory. It costs only about 10% more, and will likely give you anywhere from 10-50% more BTUs for your money over most other mixed wood other than oak and hard maple. Plus, hickory smells good.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

If you need to burn it this year I would buy the mixed hardwoods, but if you have time to season it I would get the hickory. It costs only about 10% more, and will likely give you anywhere from 10-50% more BTUs for your money over most other mixed wood other than oak and hard maple. Plus, hickory smells good.

And have tour burn times be longer. $10 for 20% more heat, sign me up.

 

[gzecc]

Get the Hickory. The other will have oak in it and take forever to dry. IMO hickory dries faster than oak.