Firewood Novice Accepting Tips and Advice

[EPS]

Hi All,

My wife and baby boy made it through the last winter up here in New Hampshire and spent much of the time in front of our wood stove. Problem was that I didn't get on top of firewood cutting, splitting and stacking early enough and ended up buying bundles from the gas station and Lowe's--not always the best and really added up. We've lived in our home for just over a year now, and I really want to take advantage of the fact that about 2 acres of our 3 acre property is wooded. Lots of already felled trees and some dead ones that I can knock down pretty safely and easily.

I'm accepting any and all advice from the experts on this forum (I'm envious of all your massive stacks of wood and the three+ years' worth of heat they provide). I am omitting all of my efforts up until now to avoid the humiliation of doing things wrong.

Thanks in advance.

 

[DougA]

Start cutting, splitting & stacking right now. Find some free skids somewhere and stack on the skids in an area that gets as much sun & wind as possible. A cheap tarp held down by rocks will help keep the rain off the wood but if want any chance of wood for this coming winter, you should keep the tarp off unless it is raining. Split into smaller pieces will allow the wood to dry faster. Stacking up against a shed or house is OK but only if the wood is getting sun & wind. Stacking on the north side or a shady spot will not work.

 

[DodgyNomad]

Look for dead standing or down first. Everything you cut and buck needs to get up off the ground asap. As mentioned, pallets, or use some skinny little pecker poles you cut down lined up to keep the wood off the ground.

Get it split and drying as best as you can. If you can keep it in the sun, even better. Good luck.

 

[Babaganoosh]

Cut, split, stack, repeat.

 

[Woody Stover]

Scour the woods for small standing dead trees with the bark off. Most of that stuff will be ready to go by fall, if it isn't already. Even on the ground, it might still be good...take a hatchet and check. Oak is for subsequent years; You need quick-drying stuff like Cherry and soft Maple for this winter. Luckily, it's a lot easier to scrounge around the 'hood since many don't consider it desirable. After you're 3 yrs. ahead, then you can be a wood snob if you want and only take the high-BTU, slow-drying woods. Split small and stack in the wind, single-row. BTW, what stove do you have? You can put it in your sig. Some deal with damp wood better than others...

 

[Seanm]

Do you have any softwoods? They may be a good bet especially if they are standing dead or even if they are blow downs. If you dont have any and you see someone giving it away then jump on it! I know I can go out and find some downed pines and if they are dead I can have them below 20% if I process them now. Like others have said cut smaller, get it off the ground, top cover only when rain is on its way, stack single row and not tight! Its important to know your woods as you will have to pick the quicker drying ones. Some here have said the standing dead stuff might be good to go especially from higher up the tree. Have a look at the btu chart Ive provided below to see how your wood "stacks up" FYI if you dont know some of the trees on your wood lot then let us know as we all enjoy threads called wood id! Welcome to Hearth EPS!
(broken link removed)

 

[EPS]

Thank you everyone. We have a wood stove in our den/living room--not exactly sure the company. We have a oil-burning furnace so the wood stove, for now, is supplemental heat. I would like to, one day, have enough wood to make it my primary source of heat.

I can identify trees okay with their leaves on them, but I have a real tough time distinguishing all the different kinds when they are dead. Is there an easy-to-use chart that would help me decide which trees to bother with?

It's actually a lot of fun cutting, splitting and stacking wood for the coming winter in June. Good exercise and I like being able to say to the cold, "Bring it on!"

 

[Woody Stover]

Do you have any softwoods....standing dead stuff might be good to go especially from higher up the tree.

Good call on the softwoods; Pine is a quick dryer. Yep, I forgot to mention that with standing dead, the upper branches will be drier than the trunk.

 

[Andy S.]

Just weighing in to add an exclamation point to PINE. It has been critical to getting me through my first couple of years and will always have a place in my stacks even though I'm ahead now. (The other advice throughout the comments is rock-solid, too).

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Hi All,

My wife and baby boy made it through the last winter up here in New Hampshire and spent much of the time in front of our wood stove. Problem was that I didn't get on top of firewood cutting, splitting and stacking early enough and ended up buying bundles from the gas station and Lowe's--not always the best and really added up. We've lived in our home for just over a year now, and I really want to take advantage of the fact that about 2 acres of our 3 acre property is wooded. Lots of already felled trees and some dead ones that I can knock down pretty safely and easily.

I'm accepting any and all advice from the experts on this forum (I'm envious of all your massive stacks of wood and the three+ years' worth of heat they provide). I am omitting all of my efforts up until now to avoid the humiliation of doing things wrong.

Thanks in advance.

Start cutting and splitting now

Get everything that is cut and split off the ground

Measure your cuts

Get a good saw

Learn to file your chain

Don't believe everything you read on this board

Carry on

 

[Soundchasm]

A good starting estimate would be one cord a month for heating. Split small with softer woods and you've got a fighting chance. Get a Sooteater and clean the stack and report back to us (not me - the smart guys). If you see moisture cooking off, shiny black stain on the glass, chimney cap obstructed, then it won't hurt to clean the stack once a month.

Almost anything is better than dealing with an unknown seller at the last moment. This way you know what you're up against.

 

[DougA]

It's not that important to identify which hardwood is which when it's standing dead. All hardwood is good to burn, just that some will give you more heat per piece than others. A rule of thumb is that if you have two pieces of wood that are identical in size and dryness, the one that weighs more will give you more heat. With standing dead, if the tree cuts too easily (quickly) compared to others, pass that by if there are others to cut. If it cuts easily, it's probably started to rot and the value for firewood is way less. Very few of us can be totally sure what a tree is once it is dead and the leaves and bark is gone. It helps to see the color, rings and even the smell of the freshly cut wood for ID. Some people get too caught up in IDing each tree. You will get a better handle on this once you've been burning a few years and see which ones burn longer and give more heat.

Of course, always use dead trees before cutting live ones but if they have lots of big holes from woodpeckers, squirrels, etc, it's probably rotting and it's much better to leave it standing for wildlife habitat that trying to burn spunky wood.

Pine/spruce and other softwoods will usually have multiple branches coming from each foot or two (one whorl each year) and also the needles usually stay attached for a few years after they are dead.

 

[peakbagger]

Its tough getting ahead on wood. Realistically you should consider buying a couple of cords now, stacking them in single rows in the sun and then starting to log your woods. As long as its not rotten and adequately dried and split. If you are in southern or central NH, you most likely run into oak and it takes two years to dry so no matter what you do it wont be ready this winter. Picking trees to cut does require some skill. A nice resource is the Northern Woodland website that have back issues on line. If its typical woods, 2/3rd of the trees ultimately get thinned out, the key thing is picking which trees should be left and which should stay. They also sell some books for small woodland owners. I use this book for tree ID http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/handbooks_guides/forest_trees/index.html. I would buy the book but it is on line at that link.

Whatever you do, if you can afford a chainsaw, you can afford chaps and a helmet. Ideally take a chainsaw course if you can find one, otherwise the USFS does have some online training courses.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Get 5 yrs ahead. Have a glass of ice tea and then start over. Welcome...

 

[DodgyNomad]

Start cutting and splitting now

Get everything that is cut and split off the ground

Measure your cuts

Get a good saw

Learn to file your chain

Don't believe everything you read on this board

Carry on

This. Except Believe everything you read on this board. Except for what Bigg Redd said here.

 

[byQ]

Five points: (my opinion)
1. Always burn dry wood (dry = 20% or less moisture)
2. Burn the wood in an EPA stove (or masonry heater) discard pre EPA stove because they waste wood/$
3. Buy a pro chainsaw even though it costs a bit more
4. Centrally locate wood stove & have pipe/masonry inside the house - if outside, $ wasted
5. Consider getting a log splitter, else get a Fiskars ax.

 

[kennyp2339]

Option A: cut, split, stack & repeat..keep going until you think you have enough, then do one more rack. Option B, and I'm being serious with this one, do as much as you can, if you are still behind, or the wood to wet to burn, price out bio bricks, (compressed logs, not to be confused with dura flame fire place logs) Look into it now, (1) full pallet equals approx. (1) full cord, its cheaper than buying gas station bundle fire wood, and you are garneted dry wood (as long as its stored properly)

 

[bob95065]

Build a woodshed. Tarps suck. Make sure it will hold at least two year's worth of firewood with margin

Make sure your firewood is off the ground when you stack it. Find a source of free pallets.

Let firewood season for two years. Get a moisture meter and learn how to use it.

Get a decent chainsaw. Learn how to file the chain properly Start reading: (broken link removed to http://www.madsens1.com/muu_barchain.htm)

Make friends with a tree trimmer. When tells you he has wood for you pick it up ASAP and leave the area clean. Around here you flake once and you are out.

Get ready to be consumed by one of the best activities for your mind and body. I'll always burn wood for heat.

 

[Fred Wright]

Excellent advice on getting started. You can't accumulate "too much" wood that first year.

Since you'll be cutting on your woodlot, I'll offer some tips and tricks I have learned over time. Get a hydraulic splitter. Yep, we can all agree to disagree on hand- versus mechanical splitting. But at the end of the day, you've got a lot of wood to get worked up and not an endless amount of time and energy to do it.

Buck and split in the woods if possible, it's a bit faster and easier than handling the rounds twice.

Consider how you'll get your splits from the woods to the stacks. Many folks use small tractors with a loader bucket, or ATV with trailer. If the terrain isn't too hilly or steep a garden tractor and dump cart could serve. The GT may need a set of tire chains for use in the woods.

Put a good saw kit together before you start. This is a lesson I learned the hard way. Pair of plastic felling wedges (use while bucking, too), spare chain loop, a file guide for chain sharpening, spare bar mounting nuts, extra spark plug (pre-gapped) and a small ax or hatchet to clear poison ivy/oak vines and trim little branches.

 

[bholler]

I agree with pretty much everything said but realistically to get started skids and plastic top covering your stacks work just fine. And although a pro saw will serve you much better in the long run something like a poulan pro 50cc 20" bar will get you through for a good number of years for not much money till you can get a better saw. But get a better chain the stock safety chains suck. Other than that split small and stack single rows with good sun and wind you might get a decent amount of wood dry for this year if you cut faster drying species. And i have found top covering is very important if you are trying to dry as fast as possible

 

[mass_burner]

Why did you buy bundled wood at the store, isn't oil cheaper that that, especially this past winter.

 

[bholler]

Why did you buy bundled wood at the store, isn't oil cheaper that that, especially this past winter.

Yeah or compressed wood blocks they are cheaper and much more consistent

 

[Seanm]

spare bar mounting nuts

Aint that the truth! I didnt learn this the hard way by the way.

 

[Hardwood Hunter]

Standing dead and/or downed first. Next short rounds split small and stacked in full sun. Stuff like ash and soft maple dry quickly. Split any rounds at least once. Save your oak for next year. Post up what species you have in your woodlot so we can advise what dries quickest and would be priority to burn this year. Good luck. But be careful as firewood is an addicting hobby.

 

[kennyp2339]

Speaking of tips and tricks, I want to remind everyone to check themselves for ticks after coming out of the woods, high grass, ext. It seems like limes disease and rocky mtn spotted fever are becoming more wide spread, the best way to avoid these two diseases are prevention. Long pants, tick repellant, hot soapy shower afterwards. About 9 years ago (21 years old at the time) I was bit by a tick, it was imbedded in me on my chest, I pulled it off and threw it out, I didn't think twice because I thought it was only on me for a couple hours. About a week later I developed the classic bulls eye rash which was accompanied with flu like symptoms. I went to the doctor and was prescribed these big green horse pills for the next 30 days. It took a good 10 days for my energy levels to return, it took longer for my digestive system to get back to normal due to the medicine. Also the medicine made tolerating direct sun light a little difficult. I just want to remind everyone to check themselves and avoid what happened to me.