I have a friend who sells seasoned ponderosa pine for 110$ split and delivered. Is that a good wood to burn? We're fairly new at this.
Good Wood?
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Yep - it will burn just fine. I would ask your friend a question though - how long has it been SPLIT and STACKED. Sitting in the rounds or in tree length doesn't count as seasoning time.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
JOHN BOY
Minister of Fire
Ponderosa Pine is a decent wood , is this for a full 4x4x8 cord . Thats a good deal for a real true cord. As others have said ask how long its been seasoning . If its been a year the ends should be somewhat spliting open. Oh and welcome to the forum .
It's a good wood for your area.
What other choices do you have?
Some areas in S Oregon have oak, that would be better BTU wood but longer drying time.
$110 for CS & D, seasoned wood is a good price anywhere for most any wood
What other choices do you have?
Some areas in S Oregon have oak, that would be better BTU wood but longer drying time.
$110 for CS & D, seasoned wood is a good price anywhere for most any wood
red oak
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum!
I think that would be a pretty decent price. I also think that pine tends to dry fairly quickly, after a few months split and stacked maybe.
I think that would be a pretty decent price. I also think that pine tends to dry fairly quickly, after a few months split and stacked maybe.
Seanm
Minister of Fire
If you check the BTU charts Ponderosa is lower on the scale than Lodgepole but higher than white pine from what I can recall. It will dry fast and give you good heat. I find it harder to split than lodgepole but lots of people burn it around here. Price seems ok but it depends on your local market.
Buying wood from him is only a temporary thing this year. We're just starting out and have no chainsaw, and we need to get tires on the truck. Starting next year we're going to start cutting our own, it's much cheaper and we can pick our wood! Thanks for the replies, I'll ask him how seasoned it is, but honestly it doesn't matter for us because it's already freezing and we need wood! Plus from what I hear its a pretty good deal.
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
It really depends on the quantity. $110 for a true cord is good. $110 for a pickup truck full or for a "face cord" would not be so good.
If you don't plan to start gathering your own until next year, then you may be buying more a year from now.
If you don't plan to start gathering your own until next year, then you may be buying more a year from now.
" I'll ask him how seasoned it is, but honestly it doesn't matter for us because it's already freezing and we need wood!"
It might matter, trying to burn wet wood can be a pain in the butt plus a dirty chimney can lead to problems.
It might matter, trying to burn wet wood can be a pain in the butt plus a dirty chimney can lead to problems.
mattjm1017
Feeling the Heat
I understand the need to wait but as a bit of advice I wouldnt wait to long if you can start collecting wood this year youll better off when next years burn season starts. Keep in mind wood takes anywhere from 6months to 3 years to season properly and that doesnt start until its split and stacked. I learned this the hard way last year and am now working hard on getting three years ahead with my wood supply. You can probabaly start finding stuff now on Craigslist that yall could gather and and not need a chainsaw.
teutonicking
Feeling the Heat
True cord! I'm excited to get it already, but I won't be the one going outside to get it! I'm pregnant, and get cold easy (good excuse, right?), and I don't do spiders
So I'm leaving it up to Hubby!
Yeah - we'd love to start, but my husband doesn't have a chainsaw and he just rebuilt the motor in his truck and bought new wheels, and hasn't put the tires on or registered the ol' beater yet, so I don't see it happening till spring.
The newer stoves (post-1990 or so) re-burn the smoke and that is where a lot of the heat comes from. If you have one of these, performance will be sub-par if the wood isn't real dry. And as oldspark said, it will leave more creosote in the chimney, and you'll have to brush frequently or risk a chimney fire.
What stove are you burning? Did you buy a house that came with a stove or did you buy the stove? What is the chimney setup (stainless liner to the top, masonry chimney, etc?) The reason I ask these questions is that you said you're new to burning wood, and when you've got a fire in your house, safety is of the utmost importance. We can also help you get the heat you need from your stove.
Starting next year can be good but if you start cutting next year, that should be wood for the following year. So, if there is any way possible, I suggest you cut wood this winter so it has time during the winter, spring and all summer long. It might then be ready to burn and save you some dollars. But if you cut next summer, that will not be good wood for next winter.
Shiver me timbers matey, uh, Tara. Argh.
Seems like a good price, but you'll need to get more than just this years wood.
You could probably wait until spring to get next winters wood, but don't wait longer than that or you'll likely be disappointed.
If this is $110/cord, you could get a saw for the price of 3 of those and cut your own.
How long is winter for you? I forget all the folks who live out there, but maybe someone who does can help with an idea of what you'll need this winter.
Welcome to the Hearth,matey, uh, Tara.
Seems like a good price, but you'll need to get more than just this years wood.
You could probably wait until spring to get next winters wood, but don't wait longer than that or you'll likely be disappointed.
If this is $110/cord, you could get a saw for the price of 3 of those and cut your own.
How long is winter for you? I forget all the folks who live out there, but maybe someone who does can help with an idea of what you'll need this winter.
Welcome to the Hearth,
mattjm1017
Feeling the Heat
Listen to Dennis and everybody else. Everybody is here to help you they have the best advice you could ask for.
Seanm
Minister of Fire
Congratulations! In a couple of years they can help you gather firewood. I think somewhere around here I have pictures of the wife and I in the bush with our little one strapped into a car seat (safely away from the action of course) shes now 12 and her and her brother get in on the action and help us!. If you do wait until spring make sure its early spring and c/s/s right away off the ground with top cover only in a sunny windy spot and you should be ok if your splits aren't to big (Im referring to softwoods). Im assuming your location gets lots of rain in spring and fall like I used to get in Whistler but if the summers have lots of sun you have a chance of getting it below 20% by the time you start burning.True cord! I'm excited to get it already, but I won't be the one going outside to get it! I'm pregnant, and get cold easy (good excuse, right?), and I don't do spiders
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There is a joke in this thread but I will take the high road, any one know what I am talking about.
Someone told us that ours reburns the smoke. It's some fancy EarthStove from 85, lol. We bought it for 40 bucks at a yardsale, and we're getting ready to put it in today, and throughout the next week since we have to tile and whatnot. We're using dvl double wall pipe inside, and dvl triple outside, we went this route because it's through his parents home depot card where we have no interest no payments and we're strapped for cash right now. Right now I'm using a space heater
BTW, you guys make this sound like a science, lol. I didn't know there was so much to cutting/stocking wood.
Don't let them scare ya, Tara. We have been toasting trees for heat for thousands of years. But DO listen to these fine folks. We can make life easier when it DOES come time to toast those trees. Where the rub comes from is the old tech of yesteryear and the new EPA rated stoves. Some practices for the old stoves simply don't work well for the new tech (such as burning 3 month split firewood). Stick with us. We can make this a pleasure instead of a fight.
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