Faster way of drying firewood

[CW1]

I'm just about out of dry firewood. I have tried cutting some standing dead Red Oak, but it is too wet to burn. I had an idea for future years when and if I run out of dry wood again- maybe cutting the wood into 2" thick slices so I would have almost all end grain and maybe it would dry in a few months? Anyone try this?

 

[Jack Straw]

try it now......

 

[Woody Stover]

Yeah it would help but I would try it on something, anything, dead standing, other than Oak.

 

[NortheastAl]

Bio-bricks, if you have to have heat.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm just about out of dry firewood. I have tried cutting some standing dead Red Oak, but it is too wet to burn. I had an idea for future years when and if I run out of dry wood again- maybe cutting the wood into 2" thick slices so I would have almost all end grain and maybe it would dry in a few months? Anyone try this?

Welcome to the forum CW1.

That would be a lot of sawdust! Yes, it would work but if planning for future years you should never run out of dry wood. I've never yet seen a better plan that getting 3 years ahead with your wood. Get it cut to length, split and stacked off the ground and let Mother Nature do the drying. This is best done in the windiest spot you have on your place.

Besides knowing then that all your wood will be dry, other benefits include the fact that you will actually need less wood! Once you get ahead, if something bad should happen, like sickness or injury in some year, you would not have to worry because you would still have wood and not have to buy it or depend on someone else to come in to put up wood for you. In addition, you won't have that worry about creosote and you won't even have to clean your chimney as often.

Other benefits include the satisfaction you will get once you are there. You know you have done the work to provide for your and your families heating needs. It is better than money in the bank and you won't even get taxed on it.

True, it takes lot of work to get 3 years ahead and that may take you a couple years to reach that point but once you are there, all you need to put up every year is one year's worth of wood.

 

[ScotO]

If even REMOTELY possible, get on board with the "3 Year Plan". Yes, you'll be busy when you first start out as you will be trying to get three years' worth of wood in one summer.......but the payout is worth the work. Every year after that, you only need to replenish what you used up over a winter (one season's worth), so it isn't bad after that.
You'll never ever have a problem with seasoning again. But, before you know it, you'll be like the rest of us, and you'll have to check in to the "nuthouse".....

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/firewood-hoarders-club-ltd.52839/

By the way, welcome to the club!

 

[NortheastAl]

Dennis and Scotty are absolutely right. Getting three years ahead give you the peace of mind that should an unforeseen event take place you will be able to heat your home. It also gives you a cushion for that one very cold and long heating season that can come along.

If you have the funds, it might be a good idea to purchase a cord or two now to at least give you a start on the three year supply. This was my first heating season and I only got the stove at the end of December. There is no way in the next two years I'd be able to scrounge or cut up to nine cord to keep me supplied for three years. I plan to buy a few cords of kiln dried for next year's burning season, along with some green, seasoned split wood or logs to make it fairly easy for me to get a base for keeping ahead. I need to build a woodshed at one point or completely border my small lot with split-wood walls (which I think look great) in order to have that much of seasoned reserve.

 

[Ehouse]

Dennis and Scotty are absolutely right. Getting three years ahead give you the peace of mind that should an unforeseen event take place you will be able to heat your home. It also gives you a cushion for that one very cold and long heating season that can come along.

If you have the funds, it might be a good idea to purchase a cord or two now to at least give you a start on the three year supply. This was my first heating season and I only got the stove at the end of December. There is no way in the next two years I'd be able to scrounge or cut up to nine cord to keep me supplied for three years. I plan to buy a few cords of kiln dried for next year's burning season, along with some green, seasoned split wood or logs to make it fairly easy for me to get a base for keeping ahead. I need to build a woodshed at one point or completely border my small lot with split-wood walls (which I think look great) in order to have that much of seasoned reserve.

Putnam, NY, lower end of Champlain? Working through there on the railroad, I saw and can verify and attest to the fact that woodchucks climb trees. He was about 6' high in a small popple and happily munching on new spring growth, and I hadn't even been to the Fort View yet.

 

[NortheastAl]

Putnam, NY, lower end of Champlain?

The lower end of the state. The Lower Hudson Valley region.

 

[Ehouse]

Well , darn. brought back a good memory though. Watch out for low flying woodchucks.

 

[CW1]

Yeah I know about needing a 3 year inventory of firewood (from lurking here!). I have a Sandy pile of split and stacked Red Oak 85' long x 4' high x 2 rows deep, but that will be a while until dry. I have been doing this for 25 + years and I have never purchased firewood and I can't bring myself to doing it now- so I will need to create dry wood. Maybe I'll saw up and split some Sandy Ash- I have at least 12 @ 60' tall trees- Ash, Red Oak and Sugar Maple still on the ground in the woods from Sandy. I'm in the landscape business, and I have a rubber-tracked skid steer loader and a backhoe for bringing out big logs -10' length x 24-36" diameter. I'll have enough firewood for 5 years at least. I just need to dry it faster. Great forum here, appreciate the responses.

 

[red oak]

First of all, welcome to the nuthouse, as Scotty calls it!

Suggestion for next year, if you haven't done so already. Separate your wood, burn the ash and maple next year, save the oak for future years. Some of the ash and maple may not be fully seasoned, but it will burn much better, and cleaner, than the oak that is only partially seasoned. Where in PA are you?

 

[CW1]

Hey red oak I am in Southeast PA near Doylestown. I think I will separate the Ash and Maple from The Oak. I also have access to quite a bit of standing dead Red Oak, so I'll probably get started on that too. The standing dead all has very small borer holes of some kind- looks like tiny ants- so I will keep that separate from the rest of my pile.

 

[TimJ]

If you want to get ahead, the best way to do it is to get all faster drying species at first. Get at least two years worth and then add some denser species that you now can afford to let sit for 2 to 3 years. Keep the mix of species going always getting 2 loads of the faster drying stuff to 1 load of the other.

 

[red oak]

Hey red oak I am in Southeast PA near Doylestown. I think I will separate the Ash and Maple from The Oak. I also have access to quite a bit of standing dead Red Oak, so I'll probably get started on that too. The standing dead all has very small borer holes of some kind- looks like tiny ants- so I will keep that separate from the rest of my pile.

My wife is from Johnstown, other side of the state. We're up there quite often. A lot of my red oak has those same holes in it. Don't worry about it - once the wood is split and stacked off the ground those ants will leave for greener pastures.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Dennis and Scotty are absolutely right. Getting three years ahead give you the peace of mind that should an unforeseen event take place you will be able to heat your home. It also gives you a cushion for that one very cold and long heating season that can come along.

If you have the funds, it might be a good idea to purchase a cord or two now to at least give you a start on the three year supply. This was my first heating season and I only got the stove at the end of December. There is no way in the next two years I'd be able to scrounge or cut up to nine cord to keep me supplied for three years. I plan to buy a few cords of kiln dried for next year's burning season, along with some green, seasoned split wood or logs to make it fairly easy for me to get a base for keeping ahead. I need to build a woodshed at one point or completely border my small lot with split-wood walls (which I think look great) in order to have that much of seasoned reserve.

That's good Al but also keep in mind that most folks will dry the wood outdoors then move it into the shed. Danged stuff just won't dry worth a hoot inside the shed.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

Hey red oak I am in Southeast PA near Doylestown. I think I will separate the Ash and Maple from The Oak. I also have access to quite a bit of standing dead Red Oak, so I'll probably get started on that too. The standing dead all has very small borer holes of some kind- looks like tiny ants- so I will keep that separate from the rest of my pile.

We are almost neighbors! I'm as east as you can get from Doylestown, before you hit NJ, in Point Pleasant, on River Road. You too probably have Emerald Ash Borers, if the holes are "D" shaped and you find little tunnels when you peel off the bark, yep, that's them. They popped out of alot of the wood we had from Sandy, little green buggers were all over!

If you have to buy wood, I HIGHLY recommend the kiln dried wood from Sure Seal, you can burn it when you get it, it is awesome. Yes, they are a driveway sealing company but sell firewood in the winter months to keep ther crews busy. If you haven't tried it yet, they sell bags of it for about $5 at the ACE hardware on 611 in Plumsteadville. It's not cheap, I think it's $350 a cord, but it's a REAL cord, plus around $30 to stack and burns like a dream!

I would rather buy this great wood than the crap then the other "big guys" sell around here as it is FAR from seasoned (he wasn't expecting a woman with an axe in one and a meter in the other, lets just say I turned them away) I also recommend their kiln dried kindling, a huge shopping bag of perfectly cut little sticks (like the grocery stres sell now) is $6.50 WELL worth it.
I scored some a few months back from my tree guys who were on a job and owner needed to get rid of it, he was moving and new owners didn't want the stove or wood - dummies. i just paid them to deliver and stack it, my lucky day for sure.

FYI. I have been throwing my "sandy ash" into the stove with the kiln wood. It has only been css for 3 months and we split it pretty small so while the moisture hovers about 25% the kiln wood helps.

Also, you can go pickin' at the "dump bin" at Wehrungs on 611 too. You can drive right into the lumber hanger, on the right, at the end of the saw table is a big wire bin full of bits. I got 6 pcs of 2x3x48 out of there to screw the runners of a pallet for a log rack. Granted, can't load your stove up with the super dry lumber but it helps to have "free" wood to balance out the "not so ready to burn" wood.

Good Luck!

 

[alex johnson]

I'm just about out of dry firewood. I have tried cutting some standing dead Red Oak, but it is too wet to burn. I had an idea for future years when and if I run out of dry wood again- maybe cutting the wood into 2" thick slices so I would have almost all end grain and maybe it would dry in a few months? Anyone try this?

In my opinion the best ime to cut wood is after the leaves fall off the trees. This is the point your gonna get the least amount of moisture. The tree is getting ready to hibernate, no leaves no moisture flowing to keep those leaves green. A spring cut, is bad. the tree's water started to run through the gain, full of water.

 

[NortheastAl]

That's good Al but also keep in mind that most folks will dry the wood outdoors then move it into the shed. Danged stuff just won't dry worth a hoot inside the shed.

You are right, Dennis. Thanks, I'm learning from you constantly.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Don't forget Al, we can learn from you too!

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I love burning wet oak. Don't flame me, It works for me. Nice long burns and nice heat. You could always make liquid smoke and sell it. Oak makes REAL GOOD smoke.....dang it, you made my mouth water.

 

[NortheastAl]

Don't forget Al, we can learn from you too!

Thanks, Dennis. I appreciate that. Good thing about this site is that we all can learn from each other, and usually do

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I love burning wet oak. Don't flame me, It works for me. Nice long burns and nice heat. You could always make liquid smoke and sell it. Oak makes REAL GOOD smoke.....dang it, you made my mouth water.

Right....

 

[Hearth Mistress]

I love burning wet oak. Don't flame me, It works for me. Nice long burns and nice heat. You could always make liquid smoke and sell it. Oak makes REAL GOOD smoke.....dang it, you made my mouth water.

For your sake (and the safety of your family and home) I REALLY hope you are kidding. That ain't funny..at all.