Hello guy's.. need advice with buying seasoned wood.

[mwatt65]

I have just installed an Enviro Cabello 1200 now I'm looking to pick up a couple of cords of seasoned firewood
in northern New Jersey! please feel free to chime in with and help or thoughts.

I have looked on craigs list but I think most of it is unseasoned. I have two cords already that is not seasoned
and I scrounge as much free wood as I can.

Thank you.

 

[DAKSY]

I have just installed an Enviro Cabello 1200 now I'm looking to pick up a couple of cords of seasoned firewood
in northern New Jersey! please feel free to chime in with and help or thoughts.

I have looked on craigs list but I think most of it is unseasoned. I have two cords already that is not seasoned
and I scrounge as much free wood as I can.

Get yourself a moisture meter so you can verify the "seasoning." Many folks will sell "seasoned" wood that has only been split for a couple of weeks. If you can measure the moisture content it's less than 18%, you'll know that you can burn it & get heat from it.
Thank you.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Scrounge some standing dead maple or beech if you can. You get a jump on seasoning.
Its tough the first year. some of those enviro pressed wood blocks burn well. Old pallets
split up maybe. Welcome to the forum.

 

[blades]

The only seasoning most of that stuff from firewood sellers sees is burnt 2 stroke mix fumes and bar chain oil!

 

[hockeypuck]

Use BioBricks mixed with "seasoned" wood bought this year. In the spring I suggest you buy seasoned wood for next winter and then green wood for the following. Need two summers of drying for oak and most other hard woods.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have just installed an Enviro Cabello 1200 now I'm looking to pick up a couple of cords of seasoned firewood
in northern New Jersey! please feel free to chime in with and help or thoughts.

I have looked on craigs list but I think most of it is unseasoned. I have two cords already that is not seasoned
and I scrounge as much free wood as I can.

Thank you.

Welcome to the forum mwatt65.

Sadly you have found the most common mistake that folks make. The fuel should be considered before the stove. However, all is not lost. Keep looking for sure because there are times when you can find some good wood. Many have picked up pallets free, cut them and then mix them with the poor wood. The Biobricks, like hokeypuck stated can sometimes get you through some tough times. I noticed here that Tractor Supply has the Ecobricks on sale. Although I've never used these I know of someone who has and they liked them.

The good part of all this is that you have learned a good lesson and you won't be caught like this again. You also found out one good reason we recommend being 3 years ahead on the wood pile. Good luck.

 

[mwatt65]

I have the moisture meter already, half a cord from last year split and stacked. The two cords from this year were cut in June and split in July I did split them pretty small
hoping to season the quicker! will resplit to check the moisture content,

I asked that many questions of a seller on craigs list they asked if I was a seller! I will buy some seasoned wood soon, now the hoarding begins!!

Thank you.

 

[red oak]

Welcome mwatt65!

Like Backwoods says, getting ahead is key, then you won't have to wonder if it's seasoned. Until then, it sounds like you've got 2.5 cords to count on, so you may only need 1 or 2 more. If you get wood that isn't properly seasoned, you can mix a piece with more seasoned stuff when you burn it. Or throw a couple of unseasoned pieces on a good hot fire. Not the most efficient for sure but it will work in a pinch. Check your chimney often and clean as needed as unseasoned wood produces much more creosote.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Half seasoned wood finishes fast in front of the stove in a few days.

 

[Craig S.]

I did split them pretty small hoping to season the quicker! will resplit to check the moisture content,

I do this as well.

 

[weatherguy]

In addition to mixing bio bricks I'd check out the one's in log form, not sure what kind is sold in your area but if you do a search here you'll find some reviews and vet out the good ones and then see if you can find a dealer in your area. Around here I buy what's called an overnight logs and the damn things burn forever and burn super hot, better bang for the buck than bio bricks which work well also.

 

[blades]

a pallet is over $1500(380 logs), sight says 268 logs = 1 cord still damned expensive at $1200/cord. all Plus shipping I would guess. Might as well burn NG at 1/2 or less the price.

I can get a type of brick here pallet wise at apx $4/40lbs = So about $200/cord which is about the avg of cord wood

 

[Oregon aloha]

look for firewood at estate sales. Many don't consider the old man"s wood stash as an asset to sell, so you may be able to get dry wood that way.

 

[BillLion]

Half seasoned wood finishes fast in front of the stove in a few days.

Is this true?

 

[rowerwet]

it is for kiln dried wood, it may be for a wood stove baked stack, only the meter will tell

 

[maple1]

Is this true?

It can be. Requires some work, but you can get wood seasoned pretty quick inside once you start burning. You need a good place to stack it, that is exposed to some heat. Set up a box fan on low blowing at or across it during the day. The lower winter indoor humidity levels will suck out the moisture, and humidify your house. You will need to work at it, rotating wood through & re-piling as stuff dries out. But it still beats paying the oil man.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Is this true?

No.

 

[Dix]

Put the word out to friend's, relatives, and co workers, that you are looking for seasoned wood.

If some of the Craigs list ads have pine, grab it. If it's the pine typical to our area, left top covered in single rows, you'll be burning it in February

Do you now any one who can swap you out a cord or two?

Also Envi/ Bio/ Whatever bricks will get you through mixed with what you have, or alone.

 

[JOHN BOY]

If your going to buy firewood , put your moisture meter to it . It should read 20-25 % Should also look aged . and somewhat splitting on the ends . Welcome to the forum !

 

[mwatt65]

Great day today. Took your advice and scored some white oak ready to burn seasoned two years. Cost me $175- looks like 2 to 3 cords, but I had to pick it up. Well worth it and what a difference it makes

 

[weatherguy]

a pallet is over $1500(380 logs), sight says 268 logs = 1 cord still damned expensive at $1200/cord. all Plus shipping I would guess. Might as well burn NG at 1/2 or less the price.

I can get a type of brick here pallet wise at apx $4/40lbs = So about $200/cord which is about the avg of cord wood

What kind are those Blades, a pallet of Idaho Energy Logs is $349 here. Some guys get them for under $300, a pallet is 240 logs so 380 would cost about $550

 

[teutonicking]

I have just installed an Enviro Cabello 1200 now I'm looking to pick up a couple of cords of seasoned firewood
in northern New Jersey! please feel free to chime in with and help or thoughts.

I have looked on craigs list but I think most of it is unseasoned. I have two cords already that is not seasoned
and I scrounge as much free wood as I can.

Thank you.

Buy a couple of cords of kiln dried firewood for this year, and a few cords of regular firewood to use for next year.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Is this true?

No it's not true.

 

[PDXpyro]

No.

I go with "no" in general as well. Lots of "wishful seasoning" goes on in the woodburning realm...

 

[Jon1270]

Warm and dry indoor conditions can noticeably lower the surface moisture content pretty quickly and make it easier to ignite if it had recently been rained on or something, but it's unlikely to have any significant effect more than a small fraction of an inch deep.