fasted seasoning wood?

[stoveliker]

Hi all,
I'm still working on getting ahead. I got myself all set for 2-3 years from now with a boat load of oak, but next year I may be short (just as I'm rationing my dry wood now...).

So, having contact with a tree company here that is happy to deliver me wood for free, what should I ask for that has a chance to be ready next season (yes, split, stacked, covered).
I'm on Long Island. So a lot of maple and oak, but that won't do it.

Pine I know (and I'm fine with). Any other species that would work? The more I can tell the guy to bring, the larger the chance he'll have some for me in time.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[wishlist]

Not sure if the ash borer is out your way yet but ash would be my #1 pick . Red and silver maple , cherry , and beech would work as well .

 

[stoveliker]

Okay. I do have some ash already. Good. Thanks

 

[peakbagger]

I disagree on the beech, it takes two years to dry. Maple cherry and ash all have a better chance of seasoning. Just split it up small.

 

[Caw]

Im just a little north of you and there are plenty of local woods readily available that will be ready in one summer. I think ash, cherry, and red maple (in that order) are your premium one season hardwoods. Lesser "hardwoods" you could target are poplar, box elder, and butternut.

Then of course there is always pine. You can always get a boat load of free pine around here. It sort of gets a bad rap because we have such readily available hardwood but it's great for someone in your situation.

Get it C/S/S asap and make sure to split it small. 3-4" pieces are nice. Small enough to season fast but not too small they are kindling. Anything 5"+ likely won't be ready in time.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I'd say black cherry is your best bet. That can be as short as six months. (Besides white pine.)

I actually like ash much better after 24 months, though 12 months would work. For red maple I like 18 months, though 12 can work.

Not sure if you have tulip poplar, but sometimes 12 months is all right for it.

 

[Stinkpickle]

Definitely ash and black cherry

 

[stoveliker]

I'd say black cherry is your best bet. That can be as short as six months. (Besides white pine.)

I actually like ash much better after 24 months, though 12 months would work. For red maple I like 18 months, though 12 can work.

Not sure if you have tulip poplar, but sometimes 12 months is all right for it.

My ash is already 12 months now but it's 1/2 a cord only. Next season it'll be near 24 months.

I will see if I can get cherry and pine.

Thanks

 

[MoDoug]

I find myself in your situation, I have a lot of hardwood for years 2-4, so I had to scramble for dead wood, and I'm going to kiln some green wood this summer. I don't know if you've checked it out or not, but kilning isn't as involved as I imagined it would be when I first heard about it. Basically wrap a wood rack in clear plastic for the summer using solar heat to speed up the seasoning. Woodsplitter67 documented his process. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/solar-kiln-for-hardwoods-part-deux.175875/

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Your best bet is black cherry.. and no need to split small.. the other will be popular and again no need to split small.. Im not saying to split 5x5 either...Some of the less dense woods in the maple family and pine..
All of this will be good for early to mid and late season burning.. I wouldn't want to use it in the dead of winter .. thats what you save the more dense wood for..

 

[Caw]

Dead of winter and single digits is when you dive into that stack of red oak you've been saving . Im warm just thinking about it.

 

[stoveliker]

I hope the oak that I have (split stacked last winter from a dead standing tree) is good next season. We'll see.

The kiln likely won't happen though I read those threads earlier with interest. The wife does not approve. )Same for the tarps, which is why I'm going to be building a shed this year...

Thanks all.

 

[Caw]

Tarps suck anyways. I used them this year and most of them are trashed. Not to mention undoing and reattached them constantly is mega annoying. I'm in the process or converting to lean-to metal roofing. Will last forever, work and look nicer. Have the plans drawn just waiting for spring!

 

[firefighterjake]

Ash and/or standing dead elm with the bark falling off.

That said . . . if it's free or really low cost . . . I would take whatever they offer and be quite happy.

 

[stoveliker]

Ash and/or standing dead elm with the bark falling off.

That said . . . if it's free or really low cost . . . I would take whatever they offer and be quite happy.

I do get my wood for free, and I'll take all. But I need to plan a bit for next year, considering what I learned from my first season burning the Chinook... Going thru more wood because the stove works so well that it's so convenient to run it... The old stove was only running weekends and the odd afternoon during the week..

Need. More. Wood. Next season, rather than in 3 years only.

 

[Caw]

Now if only it would stop snowing for 5 minutes here we could all get outside and process some more wood!

Wait what's that noise? Oh crap...that's Mother Nature's music! She here and gives zero Fs!

 

[MMH]

Certain maples and ash species, cherry, pines, and spruces also I believe you can get in a year; also as mentioned perhaps time for a solar kiln. Alas the problems and differences on the sides of our nation. Here I have only softwoods (mainly) and my climate I can get them pretty ready to burn in 6-12 months but alas I still envy you hardwooders

 

[shortys7777]

Nothing wrong with burning dry pine. I live in RI and I burned maple and cherry last year that I had top covered for a year. Burned great. Burning a lot of dead ash this year since there is a ton of it behind my parents house.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Certain maples and ash species, cherry, pines, and spruces also I believe you can get in a year; also as mentioned perhaps time for a solar kiln. Alas the problems and differences on the sides of our nation. Here I have only softwoods (mainly) and my climate I can get them pretty ready to burn in 6-12 months but alas I still envy you hardwooders

That works both ways though lol. I have nothing but oak and hickory and that is great.....but when I am lighting a load in a cold stove or especially for shoulder season I wouldn't mind having some pine in the stacks. I take it every chance I get which isn't often. Its nice to have variety in the wood shed.

 

[Caw]

Its nice to have variety in the wood shed.

Absolutely. It hurts inside burning oak on a 35 degree day! I tend to use cherry/maple on the warmer days and ash/oak when it gets cold. I don't get much softwood here but I sometimes get my hands on some poplar or box elder which are good softer woods for shoulder season.

Well, there's a ton of pine but no tree guys keep it. It's all shipped off to mills or for sawdust fuel. The softer hardwoods fill that role nicely.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Hi all,
I'm still working on getting ahead. I got myself all set for 2-3 years from now with a boat load of oak, but next year I may be short (just as I'm rationing my dry wood now...).

So, having contact with a tree company here that is happy to deliver me wood for free, what should I ask for that has a chance to be ready next season (yes, split, stacked, covered).
I'm on Long Island. So a lot of maple and oak, but that won't do it.

Pine I know (and I'm fine with). Any other species that would work? The more I can tell the guy to bring, the larger the chance he'll have some for me in time.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Look into building a solar kiln this year to speed up the drying. @Poindexter is our resident solar kiln guru. Check out his threads on solar kilns.

 

[MMH]

That works both ways though lol. I have nothing but oak and hickory and that is great.....but when I am lighting a load in a cold stove or especially for shoulder season I wouldn't mind having some pine in the stacks. I take it every chance I get which isn't often. Its nice to have variety in the wood shed.

completely agree a good variety is nice!