Congratulations and the booby prize, kiln dried?

[jatoxico]

So congratulations to me I finally got the wife to say "don't we have enough wood"? Took eight + cords so she held out pretty good. Bad news, I know I'm going to be short for next year . I had to re-stack a pallet of oak that got partially upended from Sandy that I plan on using next year. It was cut dead standing in 2011 and split but it's a little punky and the bark was holding all kinds of moisture. So today I painstakingly knocked the bark off each stick and stacked it in nice single rows so at least I saved it from going to chit.

It was always going to be close but after I was done I can clearly see I'm going to come up short for next year. The season after (2015) I will have plenty of three year CSS oak, hickory, locust etc and as long as I put up a couple cords a year I should be good from here on out.

I'll have some 1 yr CSS cherry ready for 2014 that I could use which might save my butt but I'm thinking a 1/2 cord or more of kiln dried might be order. Any one ever try kiln dried wood? If I buy in March/April will it be ready for the coming season?

 

[paul bunion]

Sounds like your 2011 standing dead would have benefited from being covered and kept dry.

As for kiln dried wood, the only kiln dried wood that I have burnt is lumber scraps. If I bought kiln dried firewood and paid a premium for it I would expect it to be dried to 20% or better and burnable that day. The killing process can be used to kill bugs and parasites which takes less time than to dry the wood, so I would be sure that the wood you are buying is kiln dried and not just kilned sterile.

 

[jatoxico]

Sounds like your 2011 standing dead would have benefited from being covered and kept dry.

As for kiln dried wood, the only kiln dried wood that I have burnt is lumber scraps. If I bought kiln dried firewood and paid a premium for it I would expect it to be dried to 20% or better and burnable that day. The killing process can be used to kill bugs and parasites which takes less time than to dry the wood, so I would be sure that the wood you are buying is kiln dried and not just kilned sterile.

That's my concern. Guess I could wait till the off season and buy some ash or cherry maybe thats the way to go.

 

[Applesister]

Im in the same Oak boat. I keep processing oak. Im short this year and will be for next and its getting late.
And I keep messing with the wrong wood to even out the seasoning equation.
And when you burn semi seasoned oak you are basically wasting it.
Kilm dried is expensive but...here and there when you have some extra cash , stock up.
Or what Im doing now is going after dead stuff. Im hoping dead oaks will only need a year, other dead wood has questionable btu value.
I might even focus on the dread pine. Ive got plenty of white pine driftwood.

 

[jatoxico]

Im in the same Oak boat. I keep processing oak. Im short this year and will be for next and its getting late.
And I keep messing with the wrong wood to even out the seasoning equation.
And when you burn semi seasoned oak you are basically wasting it.
Kilm dried is expensive but...here and there when you have some extra cash , stock up.
Or what Im doing now is going after dead stuff. Im hoping dead oaks will only need a year, other dead wood has questionable btu value.
I might even focus on the dread pine. Ive got plenty of white pine driftwood.

Yeah I just did not get enough done in 2011. I also have maple some locust and cherry. The oak will be ready, just need more of it.

 

[Applesister]

Yes..Cherry is a great quick seasoning wood. Ive heard from here that the soft maples dry quick but I havent had enough years burning it to confirm short seasoning times.
Ash for me takes 14-18 months. I have green ash and it is more bottomland than upland White ash. I dont get the short drying with it.

 

[jatoxico]

Yes..Cherry is a great quick seasoning wood. Ive heard from here that the soft maples dry quick but I havent had enough years burning it to confirm short seasoning times.
Ash for me takes 14-18 months. I have green ash and it is more bottomland than upland White ash. I dont get the short drying with it.

Burning ash this year, right now as a matter of fact. This was also CSS'd in fall of 2011 so its 2 yr and burns well. Didn't even think about trying that oak, I'll wait till year 3.

 

[Applesister]

2011 is long gone for me. I have always underestimated usage and been shortsighted and I never planned beyond the current year.
Im trying to get ahead now but its starting to look funny here. People are starting to ask questions.

 

[PapaDave]

Can you get your hands on some Poplar/Aspen, or more Ash?
Do that.
When it comes to the wife asking that question, explain the need for dry wood.....have her attempt to start a fire with some that just got split. That'll be fun.
This is how much we use, this is how long it takes it to dry.......do the math.
Show her the stacks to help visualize. Folks who don't already do this (not just some wives) seem to understand how much wood 3/4/5 cord is.

 

[Applesister]

Aspen and birch were my main 2 sources of fuel because they take over open fields and I dont want them growing in the fields.
Never really bothered with the more difficult woods till I started to actually heat all winter with wood.
Now I have to plan better. And planning ahead is not a real character trait of mine.

 

[jatoxico]

Can you get your hands on some Poplar/Aspen, or more Ash?
Do that.
When it comes to the wife asking that question, explain the need for dry wood.....have her attempt to start a fire with some that just got split. That'll be fun.
This is how much we use, this is how long it takes it to dry.......do the math.
Show her the stacks to help visualize. Folks who don't already do this (not just some wives) seem to understand how much wood 3/4/5 cord is.

Very little ash by me, no aspen some poplar types. I'm a scrounger so I take what comes. I cut some on my property but that's all hardwood, locust, maple, oak and hickory mostly. There's some sassafras that I could drop that might be ready in short order but IDK if its worth the effort. I'm burning some cedar and a little pine from last year which is burning well.

The wife can't figure what's taking so long out there, I don't even know what I'm doing out there half the time.

 

[Augie]

Solar kiln and you will have enough for next year

 

[jatoxico]

Aspen and birch were my main 2 sources of fuel because they take over open fields and I dont want them growing in the fields.
Never really bothered with the more difficult woods till I started to actually heat all winter with wood.
Now I have to plan better. And planning ahead is not a real character trait of mine.

I hear ya, and there's no way to short cut the drying of wood but it's worth it. My first year was typical since then its a world of difference.

 

[red oak]

Kiln-dried wood can be expensive. I personally would never buy wood when I have wood. I would mix in some of my 2015 wood next year if I have to. I'm kind of in the same boat, this year and next I'll be burning wood that has been seasoning 2 years. While not ideal, it's what I have and it's what I'll use. By 2015 and beyond I'll be burning wood that has been seasoning for the full 3 years. Until then, I'll burn what I got.

 

[jatoxico]

Solar kiln and you will have enough for next year

I read those threads, its a thought.

 

[Applesister]

Yeah...what the heck!!

 

[JayD]

Ya I'm gonna try a home made kiln also just looking for a good design. Your in NY their should be alot of wood shipping skids, Around use them with some so-so wood,--your golden. as most have oak-ash runners. Jay

 

[jatoxico]

Ya I'm gonna try a home made kiln also just looking for a good design. Your in NY their should be alot of wood shipping skids, Around use them with some so-so wood,--your golden. as most have oak-ash runners. Jay

Just picked up 7 skids for stacking. Stinks if I don't have what I need for next year. Got more maple today (1/4 cord). After I split that and the rest of the locust I have I will prob have 9+ cords and would hate to have to pallets. Guess I would burn oil first. I'm not burning 24/7 anyway.

 

[Matt Ruggeri]

I had to re-stack a pallet of oak that got partially upended from Sandy that I plan on using next year. It was cut dead standing in 2011 and split but it's a little punky and the bark was holding all kinds of moisture. So today I painstakingly knocked the bark off each stick and stacked it in nice single rows so at least I saved it from going to chit.

Oh, man, I thought I was the only one! I have some I C/S/S'd in late 2011, same deal. Only the Oak that I have is like this, but it made me re-think top covering from now on. I gave up on dealing with tarps, plastic, etc, but found 2 rolls of roofing paper in the shed, gonna give that a whirl on my most recent Oak score! I also thought about Landscapers Fabric and/or plastic underneath my pallets, or am i just simply crazy and over-thinking? I'd just hate to have this happen again.

 

[jatoxico]

Oh, man, I thought I was the only one! I have some I C/S/S'd in late 2011, same deal. Only the Oak that I have is like this, but it made me re-think top covering from now on. I gave up on dealing with tarps, plastic, etc, but found 2 rolls of roofing paper in the shed, gonna give that a whirl on my most recent Oak score! I also thought about Landscapers Fabric and/or plastic underneath my pallets, or am i just simply crazy and over-thinking? I'd just hate to have this happen again.

Yeah I need a system too. I have some stuff top covered with some extra plastic corrugated roofing I used for my wood shed. I move my next years wood under there in the spring. The stuff that wasn't dead before being CSS is fine except for the leaves getting into the stacks. Will turn into mulch in 3 yrs. Maybe I'll get some more of that roofing.

Pic of my little shed. The stack on the left of the tree was the that was upended when that locust went down during Sandy.

 

[Matt Ruggeri]

Here's a pic of what they look like.

Problem is i'm not 100% sure of the source of the wood, so it could've started before i got and split 'em. I've tested a bunch of the splits already, and they're anywhere between 22 and 25%. Not enough for me to comfortably burn.. They may end up as firepit logs if they get worse.
And here's an obligatory "wood porn" pic of some of my stacks, and my system of storing. I suck at stacking, and i have 2 little ones that run around the yard like maniacs, so I built some cribbed-type racks to hold the sides together. We had one stack topple over on me, and i wouldnt want it to happen to one of the kids. These are my my sunniest and windiest spots on the property (we're right on the water), anywhere closer to the house is too sheltered, which is ok with the wife!

 

[jatoxico]

Here's a pic of what they look like.
View attachment 120076
Problem is i'm not 100% sure of the source of the wood, so it could've started before i got and split 'em. I've tested a bunch of the splits already, and they're anywhere between 22 and 25%. Not enough for me to comfortably burn.. They may end up as firepit logs if they get worse.
And here's an obligatory "wood porn" pic of some of my stacks, and my system of storing. I suck at stacking, and i have 2 little ones that run around the yard like maniacs, so I built some cribbed-type racks to hold the sides together. We had one stack topple over on me, and i wouldnt want it to happen to one of the kids. These are my my sunniest and windiest spots on the property (we're right on the water), anywhere closer to the house is too sheltered, which is ok with the wife!
View attachment 120077

Hi Matt, looks better than I expected! Mine had mushrooms growing out of them!; even so there's plenty of good hard wood left in them. If you can get them under cover they will be usable. That little roof I added to my shed makes a huge difference. It's 10' W x 6' D x 6' H at the lowest point and was inexpensive to build. Once wood is out of the weather full time all but the punkiest stuff gets used.

 

[lml999]

Im trying to get ahead now but its starting to look funny here. People are starting to ask questions.

I'm just getting to that stage. I've got about 4 cords of wood that needs splitting. Once that is done and neighbors/friends notice that the wood is *staying*, I will be answering some of those same questions.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Very little ash by me, no aspen some poplar types. I'm a scrounger so I take what comes.

You scrounge? Then scrounge yourself up some pine and get it css asap. Pine dries pretty quick and it's usually easy pickings because people still believe it'll burn your house down.

 

[lml999]

You scrounge? Then scrounge yourself up some pine and get it css asap. Pine dries pretty quick and it's usually easy pickings because people still believe it'll burn your house down.

I've got some freshly cut pine...it's not splitting easily (by hand). Does it split better when it's colder, or when it's sat for a while? Thanks!