I bought lousy wood

[burnham]

Well I guess it may not be lousy, but it doesn't burn very good. I always cut my own firewood, but I didn't have time to this year, so I didn't. I had about a cord of seasoned wood left over from last season, so my plan was to just burn that and see how cold this season turned out. Well it turned out to be really cold, so I bought two cords of seasoned firewood yesterday.

It's terrible. I have to work to get it to burn. If I bring in some splits and leave them near the stove for the day, they burn a little better, but still nowhere near what I would call good.

I've ordered a moisture meter, but here's my question. Is there a standard for how dry seasoned wood should be? It looks like a lot of white oak. I'm guessing it was seasoned for a year. I'm mixing in the dry wood I have on hand now, but I think I'll just have to save the rest of this stuff for next year.

 

[ratsrepus]

I lucked out, i found a guy that has so he claims as much ash as I want. Claims its been dead standing for a while, had him bring me a face cord to try it. It the best Ive ever had. had him bring me 10 face cord. Love ash

 

[coutufr]

Below 20% is considered ideal. You could bring a good quantity inside and use the dry wood you have to bring the humidity down a little bit over a couple of days. You can burn hotter to try to reduce the creosote formation. First call the seller and explain the situation and see what he can do. You can also put it aside and try to buy properly seasoned wood (test it before they empty the truck).

 

[Tar12]

If it was a year you will be waiting at least another year for it to be close to being ready.

 

[xman23]

Ratsrepus, nice looking plane. Looks experimental. What is it?

 

[toddnic]

Under 20% on the inside of fresh split! If you ever get another delivery, tell them that you will be checking a fresh split for moisture content before accepting the wood.

 

[FTG-05]

There's a very simple way to tell if bought firewood is ready to burn, dry and well seasoned:

If the firewood vendor insists it's dry and seasoned - it's not. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

 

[peakbagger]

You unfortunately didnt buy lousy wood, you bought typical wood.

 

[Bad LP]

Probably better off with bricks and mixing your dry wood with that.

 

[jwfirebird]

oak takes 2-3 from what ive read. ash is 90 percent of what I burn is good in a year, single line out in the wind

 

[Sprinter]

There's a very simple way to tell if bought firewood is ready to burn, dry and well seasoned:

If the firewood vendor insists it's dry and seasoned - it's not. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

Unfortunately, that's true more often than not. The problem is that there is no accepted standard for the term "seasoned". It's tossed around without real meaning. It's a very old term from when, with the old style stoves, people didn't pay that much attention to actual moisture content.

So It's up to you to do your due diligence and measure it with a moisture meter for around $15 that will save you a lot of aggravation and shoot for 20% ideally. Open up some larger splits and measure the inside face of the fresh splits. If it's much more than that, it is possible to mix it with a compressed wood product (bio bricks, etc) or old pallets or whatnot as long as the whatnot stuff isn't painted or treated or anything like that. If you do it right, you could probably get away with 25% for a while, especially if mixed a bit with truly dry wood or a compressed product. Even my better stuff was 25%, but I did get some glass darkening. You would have to pay extra attention with your operational technique with that to make sure the secondaries stay active and the flue temps stay above creosote levels.

I was able my first year to get a good hot fire with active secondaries started with what good wood I had, then put a piece or two of 30% stuff on it when hot enough so that it wasn't wasted.

 

[Sprinter]

As for how long it takes different species to dry properly, there are so many variables involved that you need to take the guesswork out with a meter. I think bholler in another thread said that he can get his oak done in one year, so it can be done, but the meter will tell all. It's just too important not to use one to see where you stand.

But it's true that the denser hardwoods will take longer than the lighter, softer woods. It's just that it depends so much on various factors.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

The wood I sell is cut and processed during the Winter and sold the following fall. I take great pains to do what I call "board split", meaning the splits resemble planks rather than triangular wedges. It sits all Summer on pallets where it gets sun all day and plenty of wind. It is plenty good enough to burn by the time late fall comes and averages 20%. I only cut red & white oak, plus hickory. People have been very happy with it. I tell them 2 years would be better but no one does that.

This pic was taken around October, wood was split about February.

 

[coutufr]

My understanding was that wood dries mostly from the tips. What kind of difference would it make in your experience to plank split vs regular split (triangular shape).

 

[Sprinter]

I often split my wood that way when I can, but most of my current wood is a little too gnarly to cooperate. I call them slabs, but the point of is to get the most surface area exposed to the drying air as possible. Wood dries from the outside-in, but not through the ends (tips) nearly as much. It dries wherever it's exposed to drying air, and the more surface area exposed, the better. It does work. Also if on slabs, it will dry more evenly throughout. The thicker the piece, like the thickest part of a triangle shape, the longer it will take to dry the inside of it at that point. The thinnest edges of a conventional split of course will dry in first.

It's good to see a supplier like Bandit take the extra care to season as well as possible before selling it. We often kind of beat up on suppliers in general for selling poor wood and many deserve to be, but not all. This sounds like a case in point, and I'd bet that he would take no offense if a customer wanted to spot check moisture content for their own peace of mind. He seems to take pride in his product. More wood suppliers should.

 

[SeanBB]

Another major factor is when the tree was felled. If it is felled in the summer it will be full of water/sap. In the winter most of the water has gone.

 

[Sprinter]

Another major factor is when the tree was felled. If it is felled in the summer it will be full of water/sap. In the winter most of the water has gone.

At the risk of starting a debate here, it seems to me the best time to fell a tree for firewood is whenever you are ready to cut and split and stack it. Even if it's true that there is more moisture in the tree at a certain season, it will be well compensated for when cut and split. Who cares if there is a little more moisture in the summer, it will dry plenty quick enough once split. I just don't think that it makes much if any practical difference.

Best time IMO to cut is right now (whenever "now" is), so you can get that stuff drying asap. If you have the time and need the wood pretty soon, get 'er done regardless. No need to wait just because it's summer time. Just my take on it.

Having said that, I do prefer to cut my hardwoods after the leaves have dropped, but only because it's much less mess to clean up and easier to limb. Other than that, I've never noticed a difference.

 

[FTG-05]

Don't really care about how much water is in a tree when I process it. Like you said, probably not practical difference. Far bigger difference, IMO, is getting it CSS.

Having said that, I process wood strictly in the late fall, winter and very early spring (March at the latest). Too forking hot here to mess around with chainsaws and splitters during the summer!

 

[Firewood Bandit]

My understanding was that wood dries mostly from the tips. What kind of difference would it make in your experience to plank split vs regular split (triangular shape).

I disagree with you regarding wood drying from the ends. My understanding is it dries 1" per year from the ends. So the result is unsplit rounds season very little if they are not split. A good example is not splitting a stick 6" in diameter and burning at the end of the year, it will have dried very little.

Wood dries much quicker when "plank split" for the following reasons:
It has much more surface area without bark
It's thinner
Side grain gives up moisture quicker than end grain

 

[Firewood Bandit]

I often split my wood that way when I can, but most of my current wood is a little too gnarly to cooperate. I call them slabs, but the point of is to get the most surface area exposed to the drying air as possible. Wood dries from the outside-in, but not through the ends (tips) nearly as much. It dries wherever it's exposed to drying air, and the more surface area exposed, the better. It does work. Also if on slabs, it will dry more evenly throughout. The thicker the piece, like the thickest part of a triangle shape, the longer it will take to dry the inside of it at that point. The thinnest edges of a conventional split of course will dry in first.

It's good to see a supplier like Bandit take the extra care to season as well as possible before selling it. We often kind of beat up on suppliers in general for selling poor wood and many deserve to be, but not all. This sounds like a case in point, and I'd bet that he would take no offense if a customer wanted to spot check moisture content for their own peace of mind. He seems to take pride in his product. More wood suppliers should.

Thanks for the kind words and I agree 100% with your thoughts regarding drying.

You are correct if a customer wanted to test the wood. Early in the season the campfire folks want wood and I warn them that the wood is not seasoned as I like but then that is generally about May. By June the wood will burn good enough for a campfire but campfires have unlimited air. Almost all the wood I sell is picked up by the customer. I insist the customer hold the tape measure when I mark the stack with a logging crayon so they see what their purchase will be. Many comment they can't believe how much wood it is. I tell them, "It is what you paid for, no more no less". A lot of people get ripped off buying firewood.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

At the risk of starting a debate here, it seems to me the best time to fell a tree for firewood is whenever you are ready to cut and split and stack it. Even if it's true that there is more moisture in the tree at a certain season, it will be well compensated for when cut and split. Who cares if there is a little more moisture in the summer, it will dry plenty quick enough once split. I just don't think that it makes much if any practical difference.

Best time IMO to cut is right now (whenever "now" is), so you can get that stuff drying asap. If you have the time and need the wood pretty soon, get 'er done regardless. No need to wait just because it's summer time. Just my take on it.

Having said that, I do prefer to cut my hardwoods after the leaves have dropped, but only because it's much less mess to clean up and easier to limb. Other than that, I've never noticed a difference.

Too bad you don't live closer Sprinter, I'd buy you a beer and grind your chains for you.

My adage is, "it's not firewood till it's split". Virtually everything I cut is within days or weeks of standing and it comes from whole tree trunks that are the refuse on log landings.

Here is an example of just how fresh my wood is:

This is a load my logger buddies loaded with the forwarder on my trailer. This wood was at my house probably within 90 minutes of being standing.

Round was so big I had to noodle in order to handle, this was inside:

Getting rounds accumulated before the snow flies, I try to get as much as possible, I shoot for 25 cord. (I have a MUCH larger truck/trailer now)

 

[Sprinter]

Thanks for the kind words and I agree 100% with your thoughts regarding drying.

You are correct if a customer wanted to test the wood. Early in the season the campfire folks want wood and I warn them that the wood is not seasoned as I like but then that is generally about May. By June the wood will burn good enough for a campfire but campfires have unlimited air. Almost all the wood I sell is picked up by the customer. I insist the customer hold the tape measure when I mark the stack with a logging crayon so they see what their purchase will be. Many comment they can't believe how much wood it is. I tell them, "It is what you paid for, no more no less". A lot of people get ripped off buying firewood.

Nice looking system. I'd take you up on the offer if possible.
Geez,half the questions we get here would be unnecessary if all the suppliers were this diligent about quality and quantity. Good job.

BTW, we do have other good suppliers as members here. I wouldn't want to ignore them. It's just the fly-by-nighters that cause us to sometimes make unfair generalizations and we probably should stop making the more sweeping statements (I'm guilty of it too, out of bad experiences).

 

[armanidog]

The problem is most people do not want firewood until the fall. That is when the ads start popping up. There are a lot more suppliers in the fall than in the spring. Some of those suppliers don't cut the wood until they post the ads.

 

[Sprinter]

The problem is most people do not want firewood until the fall. That is when the ads start popping up. There are a lot more suppliers in the fall than in the spring. Some of those suppliers don't cut the wood until they post the ads.

Very good point. Probably most problems start there, and that's a result of two factors as I see it. One, lack of knowledge or lack of care with the buyers just waiting til the last minute, or if you are in town or suburbs, it's hard to put up enough wood to allow enough time for sufficient drying especially if you burn several cords a year. (I'm starting to hate the term "season").

Sometimes too, a new homeowner just moves in in the fall and wants a wood stove. What's he to do? Unless he can hook up with a good, reputable supplier and verify the wood's moisture content, he's going to get into trouble, especially if he doesn't realize how important properly dried wood is to the success of burning. We moved into our place in spring and the first thing I did was put up firewood from some local folks (green). I did the best I could, but even after summer seasoning, it was still only marginal at best.

But I guess that's why we're here. There's just way too much misunderstanding about firewood requirements.

BTW, when I use the term "he", I mean it in a gender neutral way...

 

[Paulywalnut]

Burnham, it would probably be worth it to re-split the two cords you have and stack it. If you don't, it's not going to be ready next year either. White oak takes 3 years to really burn correctly. Chaulk it up to experience.