Is Kiln Dried Worth the Extra $$$ ?

[chrishearth]

I am very new to the scene, I just got my Vermont Castings Montpelier wood insert installed less than a week ago, and so far I've been burning bundles you get from your local grocery store to break it in. I am now getting ready to pull the trigger on a full cord. I live in MA, and I am trying to decide between paying $350 for a cord of seasoned firewood vs. $700 for a cord of kiln dried firewood (both prices include delivery), and I am having a hard time making up my mind. I would love to be able to store the wood in my basement (I have plenty of room for it) so I don't have to trek out into the snow in the winter to grab more wood, but I am not sure I can justify double the cost for that luxury alone. Besides being able to store the wood in your house without fear of bugs/termites, what are some of the other advantages of kiln dried firewood? In your opinions is it worth double the cost?

Please help me, I am on the fence. Thanks,
-Chris

 

[Fastdonzi]

if the seasoned is Truly Seasoned then it is a better deal... Buy a Moisture Meter and bust open a few of his splits and measure the moisture content on a fresh split face and see... if it averages less then 20% it is seasoned, more than 20% it is next years wood (which is okay to buy for next year)

 

[jotul?]

To quote Austin Powers "Ouch baby, very ouch". I live in western pa. and an entire log truck load of mixed hardwood (7.5 cords once CSS) cost me $725. Go to your local farm supply store, or big box, and buy Eco bricks or the equivalent. One ton for $300. Then buy a cord of the best " seasoned" stuff you can find and mix them. It got me through my first year. That doubles the btu's for less money. Make sure the firewood seller knows that you'll test his stuff with a moisture meter before it comes off the truck though.

 

[Wisneaky]

buy the eco bricks or find pallets. Even dry slab wood would be better. I wouldn't even burn wood if I had to pay that price.

 

[chrishearth]

Won't using eco bricks void my Vermont Castings insert's warranty ?

 

[Wisneaky]

Won't using eco bricks void my Vermont Castings insert's warranty ?

Why would it? They are just wood.

 

[DoubleB]

I wouldn't even burn wood if I had to pay that price.

No kidding. I could only see buying it if you have money to spare and want the romance of the fire. But if only considering the heat value, I use 5 cords/yr = $3500, and I could heat with LP for half that amount, and even less if you are on nat. gas.

 

[brenndatomu]

I could heat with LP for half that amount

Even when oil was $3 per gall, I could have got by on $2000-$2500 per year! $700 per cord...hex no brother! Who's buyin that stuff anyways, Donald Trump?!

 

[graycatman]

I paid $300/cord for kiln dried and thought that was a bit steep. $700/cord is just plain gouging IMO. I generally agree with the above posts, however, if you can spare the coin you might want to consider getting one cord of the kiln dried just to avoid the typical frustration of being a new wood burner with a new stove and high expectations and crappy wood. Treat yourself to the experience of seeing what it's all about--starting next year and assuming you get next year's wood now.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I was in the same position as you last year and still a little bit this year. I paid $400 a cord last year (north of Boston). I was lucky enough that most of it was fairly good, but I generally re-split every piece that went in the stove. Most were generally around 21% which I called close enough. There were definitely some stinkers in there too though.

I have some leftover from last year but not enough to get me through. I bought 2 years worth in the summer from a different place to get ahead but I won't trust it enough to burn it without checking it. The past week I've been experimenting with Bio-Bricks and it's a totally different experience. I found a place that sells them cheaper than my cord wood. I'm going to pick up a pallet next week. Looking forward to more time in front of the fire and less time out in the cold garage splitting wood.

If you want to do kiln I think you can find something much better than $700, even in MA.

 

[kennyp2339]

There is a difference between eco/bio/compressed wood bricks and the man made firewood logs ie: duraflame. The man made stuff uses wax binders to hold the product together, the compressed wood bricks uses the pressure of manufacturing to hold it together.
* from experience I would lean towards the compressed wood bricks over kiln dry stuff, it will be a little cheaper, plus with the bricks you are gaurenteed a product of 6-8% moisture content and they are easier and less messy to use.

 

[prezes13]

Wow $700? I pay $265 for a ton of Eco bricks and I think that's high.

 

[xman23]

I have never heard of kiln dried fire wood. It's a good idea, but I'm always skeptical. No regulations or standards like "S" dry lumber dry? How dry is it.

We all know, virtually all so-called seasoned fire wood sold was split in the last few months.

 

[Wisneaky]

I have never heard of kiln dried fire wood. It's a good idea, but I'm always skeptical. No regulations or standards like "S" dry lumber dry? How dry is it.

We all know, virtually all so-called seasoned fire wood sold was split in the last few months.

There is kiln dried firewood. It is really dry. Research it.

 

[laynes69]

Kiln dry, 700 a cord.....ouch! I would look around and try to find the best seasoned wood you can find, before paying 700 for kiln dried. Considering you can get double the wood for the price of the kiln dried stuff. Maybe split down the other stuff if not quite ready and mix with some bio bricks or something dry. Around here a cord of seasoned wood is $125. I know it's higher in other places, but at even 300 a cord I don't think it would be worth it, unless there's significant savings.

 

[Fastdonzi]

Last year I bought some wood from a guy at work, He had just split it a few days before ( I Knew that) I took 10 pieces and put them in the big oven at work, 350* for 1hr lost 13lbs of water.. I thought that was a lot.. I just wanted to see how heating it, dried it. I don't know how long or hot they kiln dry it..

 

[dafattkidd]

I would stay away from th kiln dried stuff. I've seen kiln dried wood hiss and bubble out the ends. As stated above, kiln dried wood can vary tremendously. It can be cooked to a super dry beautiful state for bu Ning or just cooked enough to get the bugs out.

I share the opinion that your money is better spent on cord wood and bio bricks. Store the bricks in your basement. Mix the bricks with the cordwood. This should be half the cost or less than the kiln dried stuff. Good luck. Congrats on the new stove.

 

[Oldman47]

I think if I was looking at $700 for a cord of wood I would be pricing 2x4 studs. That much money will buy a lot of studs that are dry enough to burn and pest free.

 

[Wisneaky]

I think if I was looking at $700 for a cord of wood I would be pricing 2x4 studs. That much money will buy a lot of studs that are dry enough to burn and pest free.

it would be almost $1000 to make a cord of wood from studs at around $2.50 each.

 

[NewHarmanOwner]

it would be almost $1000 to make a cord of wood from studs at around $2.50 each.

I think you missed the point.

 

[gerry100]

$700/cord wood, even if perfectly dry, is 2X as expensive as heating oil

 

[Longstreet]

I'd be paying day labor to bust free pallets apart before I bought kiln dried at $700/cord.

 

[drz1050]

700/ cord is crazy talk.. bio bricks/ envi blocks can be found for around 300/ ton if you really need dry wood.

If you're OK with burning nails/ if you don't have a cat, a Sawzall makes quick work of pallets.

 

[Wisneaky]

I think you missed the point.

doubt it.

 

[jharkin]

Chris, whereabouts in MA are you?


$350 for a cord of "seasoned" is not unusual in Mass if he is close to Boston. About the best Ive ever seen is $250-275 for guys delivering wood by the cord in summer - and no its never truly seasoned. Ive seen some cheaper prices advertised for split green and that's usually a good deal if you can find it as the "seasoned" isn't typically much drier.

Agree with the consensus not to buy kiln dried. Even if its good stuff at that price you are better off cranking the thermostat - even on oil. If you have natural gas even the $350 seasoned wood is not cost effective. Mixing less than ideal wood with the envi-blocks is not a bad idea but you are not completely out of line to worry about the warranty... Every VC stove manual has a paragraph stating the stove is designed to burn natural split wood only - so if something happened I don't think its out of the realm of possibility they would try to blame the envi-blocks. Just don't run a full load of them and watch the temps, you should be fine.