Indiana Firewood

[mcstatz5829]

Hi everyone, I'm getting my first wood stove installed next week. I live in Indy and I'm curious what other people's experiences are with burning wood in this climate, for primary heat.

I have a 1300 sqft 1948 ranch with a basement. Doesn't seem particularly well insulated.

How many cords do you use a winter? Where do you buy your wood from?

Thanks in advance!

 

[webby3650]

My last house was about 2100 square feet, I used around 2 cords. Pretty well insulated mid 70’s ranch with no basement.
Being indiana and circa 1948, it has no insulation in the walls unless it’s been remodeled extensively.
What stove will you be using?

 

[mcstatz5829]

Pacific Energy Alderlea T6

 

[begreen]

Lots of variables depending on the wood species, how well it's seasoned, how quickly the house loses heat and what indoor temp is comfortable. I'd have at least 3 cords of split, fully seasoned wood on hand

 

[mcstatz5829]

That’s one of the things that worries me - most of the wood I see available is “mixed hardwood” which I have no idea how good or bad that is. It could be all softwood and I wouldn’t know the difference.

Best deal I can seem to find is 300/cord delivered, which doesn’t seem that great a deal to me, just comparing what (I’m guessing) the gas boiler will cost and what I’ve seen people in other states claim they pay for wood.

 

[webby3650]

That’s one of the things that worries me - most of the wood I see available is “mixed hardwood” which I have no idea how good or bad that is. It could be all softwood and I wouldn’t know the difference.

Best deal I can seem to find is 300/cord delivered, which doesn’t seem that great a deal to me, just comparing what (I’m guessing) the gas boiler will cost and what I’ve seen people in other states claim they pay for wood.

Ya, that’s really high. Do you have a truck? I see it for sale pretty often $150 a cord. Even delivered sometimes for that price.
Do not expect to find anyone selling seasoned wood. If you’re lucky you can find someone with wood leftover from last year.

 

[begreen]

Wood prices vary a lot. Often, the closer one is to an urban center the higher the prices. Locally mixed wood sells for $250 -300 a cord. That can include doug fir, alder and big leaf maple. Good hardwood like cherry, apple and madrone can be $350-400.

 

[webby3650]

Wood prices vary a lot. Often, the closer one is to an urban center the higher the prices. Locally mixed wood sells for $250 -300 a cord. That can include doug fir, alder and big leaf maple. Good hardwood like cherry, apple and madrone can be $350-400.

That’s crazy money! Then again, we burn oak in a campfire around here..

 

[blades]

I would buy at least one pallet of compressed wood blocks and then what you can find reasonable in wood splits. That way you can mix the compressed with the not so good ( drying time wise ) splits for this winter. and work on getting enough for up coming years. how much for one winter? as was said lot of variables but 3 - 4 full cords ( 4'x4'x 8' stacked up - that is 128 cubic feet worth ) and that does not fit in a pickup bed or what is referred to as a baby dump truck- particularly if tossed or dumped in , a full cord of mixed wood weight wise, any where from 2000 to 4000 pounds dryed to 20%, fresh cut would at least double those numbers.

 

[begreen]

That’s crazy money! Then again, we burn oak in a campfire around here..

Yeah, don't I know it. It's cheaper out near Highbeam, but I'm not sure for how long. The urban centers have become so expensive that folks are moving farther out every day.

 

[webby3650]

Yeah, don't I know it. It's cheaper out near Highbeam, but I'm not sure for how long. The urban centers have become so expensive that folks are moving farther out every day.

I’m fortunate enough to have 37 acres of oaks to keep me supplied, just gotta find the motivation and the time to cut.

 

[Rickb]

I agree with blades, buy at least 1 pallet of compressed logs from (the tractor store, buchheit, or rural king, ect.) No wood you buy now will be seasoned enough to burn next year unless its softwood. I would have some hardwood (oak, hickory, walnut, ect) delivered, but make some calls for softwood. I found a couple places around me that will deliver silver/red maple, and even ash sometimes for cheaper and that stuff dries much faster. Might even be burnable next fall.

 

[begreen]

If you can find someone that has ash wood that was split in spring that may be dry enough by fall for burning.

 

[mcstatz5829]

Thanks everyone. I don’t own a truck. I can fit maybe 1/3 a cord in the Jeep, MAYBE. A lot of the wood is advertised as seasoned, 1 year old, etc. I should probably invest in a moisture meter to be sure. I have a lot and a half so it’s not really a problem to start storing wood for winter 2020 though.

Are compressed logs safe for a stove? They won’t overfire it?

I was hoping someone would have a good tip on where to get wood for cheaper. Even if I had to pay someone with a trailer to drive an hour or two I figured it might save money to get it all delivered at once.

 

[begreen]

Compressed logs and bricks are safe when used as directed. One can overfire a stove burning cord wood too.

A false promise of seasoned wood is not all one has to look out for. Wood cut to the wrong length and cords that are shy several cu ft are also common, especially from the bargain sellers. If you can find a reputable source consider buying extra for next year too.

 

[Slocum]

I’d check this guy out. He might have some seasoned wood by looking at his stacks the wood to the back is weathered. If your buying wood I’d buy now.

 

[Slocum]

Search indianapolis Craigslist


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[begreen]

A rick is a face cord, right? If so that's $270 a full cord, but if it is well seasoned then it could be a decent buy. Ask what the seller means by seasoned. Ask when it was split and stacked. That's when seasoning starts.

 

[mcstatz5829]

This may be my paranoia coming out, but how does one tell the difference between hardwood and softwood once split? Could someone easily pass off pine for ash and pull one over on me?

 

[timfromohio]

After relocating from NEOhio down to SWOhio I faced a similar dilemma for burning the first year in our new home with the new stove. I had an ample supply of split wood on-hand, but had just obtained it and it was not yet seasoned. To get me through the first burning season I bought a pallet of the compressed bricks along with a couple trailer loads of slabwood from a local sawmill. Slabwood, if you're not familiar, is the arc-shaped slabs cut from logs at the mill when turning the rounded logs into square/rectangular cross-sectioned beams that can then be rough-sawn into whatever the desired dimensions might be. Sawmills usually have either large piles or banded bundles of this stuff around for super cheap. If you are lucky, you can find some that has been sitting around for quite some time and due to the thin nature of the pieces, quite dry. I was able to get banded bundles of 8'-10' long pieces for something like $25 per bundle. Keep in mind you'll then need to cut to length and perhaps re-split. Also, the wood contains the bark (which I knock off) and isn't the greatest, but it can be cheap and when used in conjunction with the compressed bricks might do the trick for you.

 

[webby3650]

This may be my paranoia coming out, but how does one tell the difference between hardwood and softwood once split? Could someone easily pass off pine for ash and pull one over on me?

It’s something that you’ll just need to learn through experience. Get a tree ID book and practice identifying common trees in this area. Heck, a lot of people who burn wood don’t know the difference between most species! They act like they do though, but I know better.

 

[mcstatz5829]

Thanks everyone I will put advice to good use.