A couple of questions about drying firewood

[fadetoblack72]

I'm new to burning wood and live here in Vermont where there are lots of old timers who have their own opinions on things. Though I'd ask you guys what to do. I have poplar that I started cutting 2 months ago and have been splitting and stacking it as I go. Now I have 4-5 cord stacked outside uncovered and I am wondering what to do. Do I put it inside my barn? Will it still dry inside if it is stacked many rows deep? I guess the rain will stay off of it but it won't be stacked in single rows with the wind and sun going through it. How much does the rain effect it? I have a friend who keeps telling me that the stuff I cut 2 months ago will be ready to burn by october. I'm sure it will be ok but will it be better to leave it out? I priced a moisture meter @ Western Tools and it was 110. Out of my price range by a lot. Any ideas on where to get one cheaper? Also someone told me that birch is not great to burn because it has a lot of creosote. Is this true? sorry I have so many questions. I just want to do this right and I know there is a science to properly seasoning wood. Oh and someone told me that if they cut a maple tree now and just left it laying there uncut that it would be seasoned for the next year. Wouldn't it still need to be split and dried next summer?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

 

[bluefrier]

I have poplar that I started cutting 2 months ago and have been splitting and stacking it as I go. Now I have 4-5 cord stacked outside uncovered and I am wondering what to do. Do I put it inside my barn? Will it still dry inside if it is stacked many rows deep?

Leave it outside uncovered until late september. Let the sun and wind speed up the drying process.

Will it still dry inside if it is stacked many rows deep? I guess the rain will stay off of it but it won't be stacked in single rows with the wind and sun going through it.

Yes it will still dry inside but probably not this burning season.

I priced a moisture meter @ Western Tools and it was 110. Out of my price range by a lot. Any ideas on where to get one cheaper?

You can get a cheapo moisture meter on ebay for $25 or so.

Also someone told me that birch is not great to burn because it has a lot of creosote. Is this true?

I don't know too much about birch but most experienced wood burners would agree that well seasoned wood of all types will burn clean.

 

[BrotherBart]

What he said. But that maple needs to be gotten off the ground, cut and split right now.

 

[fadetoblack72]

Thanks a lot guys. Sounds like I'll be ok. I'll be getting one of those moisture meters. They work ok? Any way of telling how dry wood is without one?

Thanks again,
J

 

[BrotherBart]

Smack one of those oldtimers over the head with a split. It it dings like a baseball bat it is dry. If it thuds, either the wood or the oldtimer isn't seasoned yet.

 

[fossil]

My wife thought every last split in our stash was seasoned...then she figured out it was just the sound of my hollow skull ringing, and all the wood needed more time. I'm not looking forward to when she decides to test again. :ahhh: Rick

 

[Todd]

LMAO Bro Bart. Thanks I needed that.

Make sure when you test with the moisture meter you test the inside of a split piece. Other ways to tell is loose bark, checks or cracks on the ends, weight, and banging two pieces together and hearing a crisp crack not a dull thud. Oh, and if it sizzles in the stove it's still too wet. Also look up the bubble test.

 

[JustWood]

Smack one of those oldtimers over the head with a split. It it dings like a baseball bat it is dry. If it thuds, either the wood are the oldtimer isn't seasoned yet.

Actually ,the best way to tell if wood is seasoned is to do a taste test.

If you do this BB, Cherry should taste like pie, maple like syrup, oak like flooring and piss elm...... well , nevermind .

 

[bigoak9745]

The popular should take about 6 months to dry. So should be able to use it this season. Maple needs a year stacked to dry out. I like to cover tops of piles so the weather stays off.

Good luck!

 

[N/A N/A]

Smack one of those oldtimers over the head with a split. It it dings like a baseball bat it is dry. If it thuds, either the wood are the oldtimer isn't seasoned yet.

Actually ,the best way to tell if wood is seasoned is to do a taste test.

If you do this BB, Cherry should taste like pie, maple like syrup, oak like flooring and piss elm...... well , nevermind .

So that I understand this, you like to lick your floor????

 

[jdurando]

I recently purchased a Pacific Energy T5 and found this paragraph in the owner’s manual. I guess I could try it in an outside fire pit if you want to see if the wood is ready now.
---------
How to Test Your Wood
Add a large piece of wood to the stove when it has a good large bed of coals. It is dry if it
is burning on more than one side within one minute. It is damp if it turns black and lights
within three minutes. If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.
----------

 

[fossil]

...If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.

Terrific, it failed the test. Now you gotta grab that sizzling, hissing, blackened hunk of wood with your tongs and get it back out of the stove and carry out of the house and find a safe place to let it stop sizzling and hissing. I think I'll stick with my moisture meter. Rick

 

[fadetoblack72]

I just bought a MD-2G moisture meter for $17 on ebay. 2 pin. Is this a decent meter? I know it's cheap...I'm just wondering if it will do. I'm not trying to split atoms with it. Just test firewood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Popple seasons fairly fast, especially after it has been split.

Personally, I'd burn birch before popple. It also seasons fairly fast.

Never used a moisture meter. After a short time you'll know if the wood is dry or not without using one. Just make it a habit to cut your wood a year in advance of using it.

As for the taste test, I'll leave that to Lee.

 

[Henz]

Where do you live in VT? N or southern

 

[jeff6443]

I have the same meter stuck it in my arm 33 % I too new to say but split then test . my ends are 18 inside 39 % .My first year , I will be better prepared wood wise next year .
Been scrounging hard lately for wind fall dead dry wood

 

[woodconvert]

...If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.

Terrific, it failed the test. Now you gotta grab that sizzling, hissing, blackened hunk of wood with your tongs and get it back out of the stove and carry out of the house and find a safe place to let it stop sizzling and hissing. I think I'll stick with my moisture meter. Rick

Or quick like, lick it and see if it tastes like freshly singed cheap furnature.....

 

[woodconvert]

I have the same meter stuck it in my arm 33 %

Not bad, by late fall, weather pending, your arm should be ready to burn :sick:

 

[jdurando]

...If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.

Terrific, it failed the test. Now you gotta grab that sizzling, hissing, blackened hunk of wood with your tongs and get it back out of the stove and carry out of the house and find a safe place to let it stop sizzling and hissing. I think I'll stick with my moisture meter. Rick

Take it out ? It’s one piece if it fails the test just let it burn an don't put any more form that stack in. what are you going to do test every piece of wood you put in the stove. I guess you have a lot of time on your hands. Just take a split from the middle of the stack if it burns right the whole stack should be good. Besides if you recently had rain your fancy meter is not going to be accurate unless you split every piece before you test then load in the stove.

 

[N/A N/A]

I just bought a MD-2G moisture meter for $17 on ebay. 2 pin. Is this a decent meter? I know it's cheap...I'm just wondering if it will do. I'm not trying to split atoms with it. Just test firewood.

It will be fine. I use the same one.

 

[fossil]

...If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.

Terrific, it failed the test. Now you gotta grab that sizzling, hissing, blackened hunk of wood with your tongs and get it back out of the stove and carry out of the house and find a safe place to let it stop sizzling and hissing. I think I'll stick with my moisture meter. Rick

Take it out ? It’s one piece if it fails the test just let it burn an don't put any more form that stack in. what are you going to do test every piece of wood you put in the stove. I guess you have a lot of time on your hands. Just take a split from the middle of the stack if it burns right the whole stack should be good. Besides if you recently had rain your fancy meter is not going to be accurate unless you split every piece before you test then load in the stove.

Stick around, John, and open up your humor solution space...one of these days you'll begin to be able to tell when someone here's being a bit facetious/sarcastic/less-than-serious (it happens once in a while). Trust me, I know how to tell whether or not my wood's ready to burn, but thanks for the tips. Rick

 

[N/A N/A]

...If it sizzles, hisses and blackens without igniting in five minutes it is
soaked and should not be burnt.

Terrific, it failed the test. Now you gotta grab that sizzling, hissing, blackened hunk of wood with your tongs and get it back out of the stove and carry out of the house and find a safe place to let it stop sizzling and hissing. I think I'll stick with my moisture meter. Rick

Take it out ? It’s one piece if it fails the test just let it burn an don't put any more form that stack in. what are you going to do test every piece of wood you put in the stove. I guess you have a lot of time on your hands. Just take a split from the middle of the stack if it burns right the whole stack should be good. Besides if you recently had rain your fancy meter is not going to be accurate unless you split every piece before you test then load in the stove.

Stick around, John, and open up your humor solution space...one of these days you'll begin to be able to tell when someone here's being a bit facetious/sarcastic/less-than-serious (it happens once in a while). Trust me, I know how to tell whether or not my wood's ready to burn, but thanks for the tips. Rick

Wow...lol. break fluid works wonders....Rick, sometimes it just cruses right over peoples heads....funny

 

[stanb999]

I'm new to burning wood and live here in Vermont where there are lots of old timers who have their own opinions on things. Though I'd ask you guys what to do. I have poplar that I started cutting 2 months ago and have been splitting and stacking it as I go. Now I have 4-5 cord stacked outside uncovered and I am wondering what to do. Do I put it inside my barn? Will it still dry inside if it is stacked many rows deep? I guess the rain will stay off of it but it won't be stacked in single rows with the wind and sun going through it. How much does the rain effect it? I have a friend who keeps telling me that the stuff I cut 2 months ago will be ready to burn by october. I'm sure it will be ok but will it be better to leave it out? I priced a moisture meter @ Western Tools and it was 110. Out of my price range by a lot. Any ideas on where to get one cheaper? Also someone told me that birch is not great to burn because it has a lot of creosote. Is this true? sorry I have so many questions. I just want to do this right and I know there is a science to properly seasoning wood. Oh and someone told me that if they cut a maple tree now and just left it laying there uncut that it would be seasoned for the next year. Wouldn't it still need to be split and dried next summer?

Thanks in advance,
Jason

Yes, Birch is a fine fire wood, One of the best. If you choose to burn it you will find that it gives two fires
with each load.

In the first stage it will burn bright like Pine or Spruce, This is the sugars burning off. Then it will calm to a large coal bed that will last. The thing to remember with Birch is if you don't split it it will rot. Even then It's a one year wood. Meaning if you cut it burn it in a year.

The old addage goes like this,
The King warms his Castle with ASH.
The Lord warms his Manor by Birch.
The Wealthy are warmed by OAK.
The poor huddle by Maple.

 

[jdurando]

Stick around, John, and open up your humor solution space...one of these days you'll begin to be able to tell when someone here's being a bit facetious/sarcastic/less-than-serious (it happens once in a while). Trust me, I know how to tell whether or not my wood's ready to burn, but thanks for the tips. Rick

Hey thanks Rick I didn't mean to say you didn't know when your wood was dry. I wasn’t really offering the advice to you. The person who asked the question was fadetoblack72. But I do appreciate your advice to me and I will stick around, I guess if I had enough time on my hands to contribute over 1600 posts in less then 11 months. I might have been able to understand your response better. I’ll try to do better in the future. I only meant to offer a solution to fadetoblack72's and let him (and anyone else reading this) know that using a meter is not the only way to tell if wood is dry.

 

[fossil]

I'm retired. This place is fun and informative. That's fewer than 5 posts/day. Plenty of time to go out and watch my wood dry. Keep postin', John, and you're absolutely right...a moisture meter is a nice-to-have, but by no means essential, tool in the savvy woodburner's toolbox. Glad yer here with us! Rick

EDIT: My comments were a feeble attempt at poking some fun at the absurd notion (from an earlier thread) that a woodstove manufacturer actually published in their owner's manual that drivel about "if you burn it but it won't burn, then you shouldn't burn it". I think that after you've tossed your wood into your stove is a bit past the optimal point for evaluating its readiness for burning. We're all smarter than that.