Iffy wood supply, supplement?

[ColdNH]

I have about 5-6 cord of wood stacked and "seasoning" The maple and cherry will most likely be ok for burning this year, but thats only about 2.5 cords of the wood. the rest is white oak, which i highly doubt will be ready to burn after only seasoning for one full summer, albiet a hot and dry one.

Im contemplating buying a cord of kiln dried or a pallet of bio bricks to supplement with, buying "seasoned" wood seems to iffy at this point of the year and id rather pay a little bit extra to know i have something that will burn good.

Price for a cord of kiln dried seems to be on par with a ton of bio bricks.

Which would you buy? I have a nice empty spot for the pallet of bio bricks in the garage, so I am leaning that way, would be nice to have a cords worth of fuel neatly stacked indoors for those rainy/snowy days, although i dont know if a ton of bio bricks truely equalls a cord of fire wood.

 

[CageMaster]

i'm not really sure how to advise you on that, i have never personally burned bio brick, but i can say for sure don't rush the white oak, its not worth burning partially seasoned wood. The good thing about buying some kiln dried wood is if you don't use it all then you can store it outside next summer whereas the bio bricks are in the garage until they are gone.

 

[ScotO]

might pay you to look for some junk pallets. Cut them up and mix them in with your less-than-ideal wood. Also, consider looking around for someone that has HONESTLY seasoned firewood for sale. I can't give any advise on the bio bricks or eco bricks, I never used them and never will. The best advise I can give you is to get ahead during the next several months, heck do it right through the winter. That way you'll be more than ready come next winter.

 

[DexterDay]

That Oak may not be perfect, but mixing it in, with the Cherry shouldnt be to bad.

The Oak will burn when fresh cut. Not great. But around me, it is still common practice for people to start cutting now. And being in Ohio, people love Oak (Pine causes chimney fires! ) So burn what you have, but check the flue often/monthly.

Last yr I experimented with 3 different blocks. They worked well and allowed to shut the air down sooner and slightly lower. But a full Summer on the Oak, should be sufficient to get a decent fire. Others will disagree. But finding true seasoned wood, is gonna be harder than you think. IMO

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There is now way I'd attempt to burn that oak. One could get away with it a bit more with the older stoves but not in today's stoves. But even with an old stove, I'd still wait 3 years on the oak before burning.

Like others, I can't advise on the bricks. Kiln dried should be fine but it brings the price up a lot.

 

[blades]

Go with the bricks, Pallets work but such a pain( mostly free though) plus the nails. one or two of the bricks and questionable splits and you will be good to go. Bonus with bricks can store anywhere dry, no bugs.

 

[cptoneleg]

That Oak may not be perfect, but mixing it in, with the Cherry shouldnt be to bad.

The Oak will burn when fresh cut. Not great. But around me, it is still common practice for people to start cutting now. And being in Ohio, people love Oak (Pine causes chimney fires! ) So burn what you have, but check the flue often/monthly.

Last yr I experimented with 3 different blocks. They worked well and allowed to shut the air down sooner and slightly lower. But a full Summer on the Oak, should be sufficient to get a decent fire. Others will disagree. But finding true seasoned wood, is gonna be harder than you think. IMO

Others will disagree, but not me, burn that one summer stuff, I did my first yr with the same stove that you have. Stayed warm, I did clean my chimney a about the first of Jan. and it wasn't bad. I also experimented with the bricks they were O K but not as good as the one summer Oak.

That being said you do need to get ahead on your wood supply, and let your Oak dry a little longer.

 

[red oak]

Others will disagree, but not me, burn that one summer stuff, I did my first yr with the same stove that you have. Stayed warm, I did clean my chimney a about the first of Jan. and it wasn't bad. I also experimented with the bricks they were O K but not as good as the one summer Oak.

That being said you do need to get ahead on your wood supply, and let your Oak dry a little longer.

In my humble opinion the captain is 100% correct.

 

[teutonicking]

I have about 5-6 cord of wood stacked and "seasoning" The maple and cherry will most likely be ok for burning this year, but thats only about 2.5 cords of the wood. the rest is white oak, which i highly doubt will be ready to burn after only seasoning for one full summer, albiet a hot and dry one.

Im contemplating buying a cord of kiln dried or a pallet of bio bricks to supplement with, buying "seasoned" wood seems to iffy at this point of the year and id rather pay a little bit extra to know i have something that will burn good.

Price for a cord of kiln dried seems to be on par with a ton of bio bricks.

Which would you buy? I have a nice empty spot for the pallet of bio bricks in the garage, so I am leaning that way, would be nice to have a cords worth of fuel neatly stacked indoors for those rainy/snowy days, although i dont know if a ton of bio bricks truely equalls a cord of fire wood.

I have never tried either, but I am supplementing my supply this year with one cord of kiln dried firewood (there is a company in Northern Virginia that is offering it this year to new customers at $250/cord with free delivery). I would say try the kiln dried firewood. Keep in mind you can also store the kiln dried wood in the garage, because all of the bugs are destroyed in the drying process.

 

[firefighterjake]

I tried a few of the bricks . . . they were OK, but I preferred actual firewood . . . if nothing else for their coaling effect.

If the price was the same for kiln dried wood and bricks . . . I think I would lean towards the kiln dried wood . . . but I first might try to find some truly seasoned wood at a more reasonable price.

I don't think I would attempt to mix in the oak . . . even with the better seasoned stuff or with pallets. But this is just me . . . I guess I would think in the long term and realize that the oak in another year or two will be primo fuel.

 

[trguitar]

I was in your exact situation last year. I had about a 1/2 cord of 6 year old red oak, and had purchased 2.5 cords of "seasoned" wood (mostly red oak). By the time I finished up my dry red oak in mid-December, and got into the "seasoned" stuff, I found out it wasn't seasoned. I tried burning it, but it was terrible.

So, I ended up getting two pallets of BioBricks. I ended up using 1.5 pallets. They took me from January through the end of the season. I'm heating 2400 sq. ft. They worked great for me. Yeah, they're not as fun and rewarding as cord wood, but I didn't have to worry about burning wet wood. And I worked my tail off during the winter and spring to get a year ahead now.

So, I had a good experience with the BioBricks. I still have about 25 packages left to burn this winter.

 

[mfglickman]

I was in your exact situation last year. I had about a 1/2 cord of 6 year old red oak, and had purchased 2.5 cords of "seasoned" wood (mostly red oak). By the time I finished up my dry red oak in mid-December, and got into the "seasoned" stuff, I found out it wasn't seasoned. I tried burning it, but it was terrible.

So, I ended up getting two pallets of BioBricks. I ended up using 1.5 pallets. They took me from January through the end of the season. I'm heating 2400 sq. ft. They worked great for me. Yeah, they're not as fun and rewarding as cord wood, but I didn't have to worry about burning wet wood. And I worked my tail off during the winter and spring to get a year ahead now.

So, I had a good experience with the BioBricks. I still have about 25 packages left to burn this winter.

I could have written this, minus the pallets. We supplemented with Bio Bricks (ECO bricks was the brand name I think) and they worked well, stored compactly, and gave a good amount of heat. I'd recommend those before wasting your oak - you will be glad you waited another year or 2 before you try to burn it.

 

[Stegman]

i'm not really sure how to advise you on that, i have never personally burned bio brick, but i can say for sure don't rush the white oak, its not worth burning partially seasoned wood. The good thing about buying some kiln dried wood is if you don't use it all then you can store it outside next summer whereas the bio bricks are in the garage until they are gone.

CageMaster, I love your avatar.

 

[Gina Bellino]

Can anyone offer some knowledge on Envi bricks? I burned bio bricks two years ago and absolutely hated them. Used eco bricks last year...loved them, but it seems the envi is cheaper and at a closer location. I don't want to spend my winters money on another bio brick disaster. Is it a "you get what you pay for" product?

 

[cptoneleg]

Can anyone offer some knowledge on Envi bricks? I burned bio bricks two years ago and absolutely hated them. Used eco bricks last year...loved them, but it seems the envi is cheaper and at a closer location. I don't want to spend my winters money on another bio brick disaster. Is it a "you get what you pay for" product?

Do you have a woodstove or a brickstove- 2nd winter, need to start gathering wood so you won't have to go through this a third winter.

Plenty of post around here on typs of wood that dries fast.

 

[cptoneleg]

Can anyone offer some knowledge on Envi bricks? I burned bio bricks two years ago and absolutely hated them. Used eco bricks last year...loved them, but it seems the envi is cheaper and at a closer location. I don't want to spend my winters money on another bio brick disaster. Is it a "you get what you pay for" product?

Welcome Gina I have only burned a few of those things, we l c ome

 

[willyswagon]

Wow I can't get over how long you guys say it takes for Oak to dry.
We have no amount of oak up here on the island, it has been harvested over the last 100 yrs, and there are only a few trees left.

After huge NW winds there are some oak leaves that do show up in my yard.
Neither I or my neighbours have been able to find it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Wow I can't get over how long you guys say it takes for Oak to dry.
We have no amount of oak up here on the island, it has been harvested over the last 100 yrs, and there are only a few trees left.

After huge NW winds there are some oak leaves that do show up in my yard.
Neither I or my neighbours have been able to find it.

Follow the squirrels!

Some say oak does not take that long but it has to be a lot different than the oak we have or the climate has to be a lot drier. We've burned oak in 2 years after being split and the stuff just don't burn worth a hoot. Give it another year and it is much better.

 

[bogydave]

Im contemplating buying a cord of kiln dried or a pallet of bio bricks to supplement with, buying "seasoned" wood seems to iffy at this point of the year and id rather pay a little bit extra to know i have something that will burn good.

Maybe some kiln dried wood, other than oak.
But "You burn what you got, seasoned or not"
Never tried the bricks, better than no wood though.

 

[weatherguy]

coldnh, theres a place in northern mass that sells kiln dried, not sure of the cost per cord since I havent done the calculations and Im not sure how much is on their pallet but if your interested Ill send you a link. If theres a place near you that does kiln dried but you dont want to pay the high price they usually sell the small pieces, ends and bits for a lot cheaper price.

 

[smokinj]

I will be trying the bio bricks this winter. Hope i can get them cut and split in time.