Just bought a cord of not actually seasoned wood...

[imaltesers]

Hi all, new member here. I'm spending my first winter at my new house and using a wood insert for the first time (a newbie in several areas!). I have an Osburn 2000 wood insert and have discovered the joys of burning firewood. I still stare at the flames for a few minutes every time I light it up.

Anyway my question is about firewood and moisture content. I've separately ordered 3 cords of wood so far this winter. First order came at about 15-20% MC, although the seller sold me a face cord instead of a full cord (lesson learned: specify "full cord"). Second order from a different seller came in very large, very dirty, and lots of unsplit logs (lesson learned: ask if it's split and check length), about 20-25% MC. Third order from a third seller came last week, and at this point I assumed 15-25% MC was standard for "seasoned wood", so I didn't bother checking MC (lesson learned: always check MC!!). This last batch looks very clean, as if it was freshly cut, and it struggles hard to light up in the stove. Previous two cords burned like a champ in comparison. This batch turns out to be 25-30% MC, so I guess partially seasoned? (lesson learned: "seasoned wood" doesn't necessarily mean the MC is low enough to burn)

Is there anything I can do to get the MC down quickly? I currently have it stacked in my unfinished basement and have a box fan blowing over it. There's also a pellet stove running on low so temps are about 60F; I could turn it up high which would get it up to 80F but it would run down the pellets real quick, so I only want to do that if it speeds up the drying a lot.

In the meantime I picked up some bags of wood from the box store and mix those up with the wetter wood for every load. And lesson learned: buy this year's supply for next season's use.

 

[Ashful]

Welcome aboard. You've satisfied several rites of passage of the new woodburner, all in a single season!

Lesson 1: "seasoned" wood is rarely as advertised. It is in fact as rare as hen's teeth.

If you don't mind the bugs and all that comes with it, bringing some indoors can help. Better yet, mix the poorly seasoned wood with something known to be dry, to achieve net average 20% MC by weight. This could be lumber, pallet wood, bundled kiln-dried, or artificial compressed sawdust product logs (eg. North Idaho Energy Logs = NIELs).

When you get on your feet, order the wood NOW for the next two years, so it can be stacked and drying in your yard, the next two summers. Try to always stay 2 - 3 years ahead.

Oh, and it's actually illegal for sellers to sell "face cords" in many or most states. I will look up NY law momentarily, but I suspect it matches our PA law, which only allows selling of firewood by "cord", "fractional cord", or "cubic feet". Terms like "face cord" are strictly forbidden, as they represent area, not volume.

 

[Ashful]

Here you go:

A cord is 128 cubic feet of firewood... A seller may not use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack" or "pile."

Source: https://www3.erie.gov/consumerprotection/firewood

 

[imaltesers]

Thanks for the info. I will probably mix the wood with known dry wood for the remainder of the season. And then find a spot in the yard to stack more wood for future seasons.

Would increasing the temp of the basement significantly reduce the drying time of the wood?

Also I’m pretty surprised by that law. I see listings on Craigslist/FB with all those illegal terms…

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It’s probably safe to assume people on Craigslist and fb aren’t aware of the laws.

If you have a tractor supply you can get compressed sawdust logs that are probably cheaper than box store wood. Pallets are often free and dry. Slab wood will dry fast too.

 

[gzecc]

Unfortunately there is no definition of seasoned. Get more wood delivered now, for next year. Stay away from oak. It will not be ready for next year. Get ash and maple. It will be ready. Stack in off the ground in the sun and wind. Do this before it gets too hot.

 

[Niro]

My first year was burning in an open fireplace. This our second year with an insert an I still stare at the flame.

I stared at the flame with some wine and thats when it hit me, I turned to my wife and said we need chainsaws and a trailer.

Build a shed and they will come. I started monitoring letgo, next door, and FB market place for people looking to get rid of free wood, along with tree service wood , we haven't paid for wood yet.

 

[Eman85]

Have you inspected your chimney since you started burning?

 

[Investmentdude]

Yep, chainsaw, wedges, maul, axe and get familiar. Free free free. FB marketplace

 

[Niro]

Yep, chainsaw, wedges, maul, axe and get familiar. Free free free. FB marketplace

Additional benfit is I cancelled my gym membership and get more vitamin D.

 

[Ashful]

Yep, chainsaw, wedges, maul, axe and get familiar. Free free free. FB marketplace

Or for some of us: front end loader, grapple, multi-axle trailers, heavier truck, hydraulic splitter... then bigger engine and pump for said hydraulic splitter, bigger chainsaws, bigger trailer, winch on the trailer. The wood is free, but the equipment will cost ya!

 

[Eman85]

And for some they get a lesson, others get a hospital bill.

 

[imaltesers]

If you have a tractor supply you can get compressed sawdust logs that are probably cheaper than box store wood. Pallets are often free and dry. Slab wood will dry fast too.

Stopped by a nearby tractor supply today and they said they have no more logs for the season. I’ll keep it in mind for next winter.

Have you inspected your chimney since you started burning?

No, I had it cleaned in November and assumed it would last the whole winter. But that was before I knew I’d be burning higher MC wood. Should I get it inspected just in case?


As for processing my own wood, I think I’ll have to build a wood shed first. Contemplating how to go about that for my next project. May steal I mean borrow some ideas from this forum

 

[Ashful]

No, I had it cleaned in November and assumed it would last the whole winter. But that was before I knew I’d be burning higher MC wood. Should I get it inspected just in case?

Once a year will be fine, under normal circumstances. But since you're burning the wet stuff, it might be a good idea to get eyes on it. This can be an easy DIY thing, no need to involve a pro. Most issues will be at very bottom and very top of the pipe, so if those are clean, I'd not be losing much sleep over it.

Of course, we're not there on the scene, so use your own best judgement. I can only say what I'd do, from 300 miles away, not what you should do.

 

[Barry C]

Stopped by a nearby tractor supply today and they said they have no more logs for the season. I’ll keep it in mind for next winter.


No, I had it cleaned in November and assumed it would last the whole winter. But that was before I knew I’d be burning higher MC wood. Should I get it inspected just in case?


As for processing my own wood, I think I’ll have to build a wood shed first. Contemplating how to go about that for my next project. May steal I mean borrow some ideas from this forum

In my wood stove I try to burn only oak. I split it thinly, not more than 3" thickness which means it dries quickly and completely. Summer to fall gets it to 15-18 MC. Very little to clean out each year from the pipe. I may cover the tops only of the stacks and sticker it off the ground.

 

[Woody Stover]

If you can pick out the lighter species as you split/stack, you can separate those and they should dry faster, maybe by fall. Oak takes at least two years, maybe three. As mentioned, smaller splits dry faster, but you may want bigger splits to help control the burn rate of your stove. Throw a bunch of dry 3" splits in there, and it may go to the moon on you..

 

[lml999]

Best way to season that wood is with sun and wind. Stack it loosely, top cover it, or store it in your new woodshed (with plenty of flow through ventilation) and wait a year or two. You can't really accelerate seasoning, unless you build a greenhouse/kiln. Others have documented this in this forum. Search is your friend.

 

[Eman85]

Stopped by a nearby tractor supply today and they said they have no more logs for the season. I’ll keep it in mind for next winter.


No, I had it cleaned in November and assumed it would last the whole winter. But that was before I knew I’d be burning higher MC wood. Should I get it inspected just in case?


As for processing my own wood, I think I’ll have to build a wood shed first. Contemplating how to go about that for my next project. May steal I mean borrow some ideas from this forum

It's late in the season and like snow shovels and salt they are happy to sell out and not have any left. People stock up in the early fall on those bricks.
If you're new to wood burning and don't have your wood seasoned by you then inspecting and cleaning often until you get a handle on things is not a bad idea. It's cheap insurance against a chimney fire and you'll get to know how you've burnt and how often to clean.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Even if they don’t have it, you may be able to order some and have it delivered to the store for free.

 

[Niro]

Stopped by a nearby tractor supply today and they said they have no more logs for the season. I’ll keep it in mind for next winter.


No, I had it cleaned in November and assumed it would last the whole winter. But that was before I knew I’d be burning higher MC wood. Should I get it inspected just in case?


As for processing my own wood, I think I’ll have to build a wood shed first. Contemplating how to go about that for my next project. May steal I mean borrow some ideas from this forum

Build the shed bigger than you think you will need especially if you plan on getting 2 to 3 years ahead. Also check with your town to see what size you can build without permit. Wood shed thread will be helpful.

 

[GrumpyDad]

Hi all, new member here. I'm spending my first winter at my new house and using a wood insert for the first time (a newbie in several areas!). I have an Osburn 2000 wood insert and have discovered the joys of burning firewood. I still stare at the flames for a few minutes every time I light it up.

Anyway my question is about firewood and moisture content. I've separately ordered 3 cords of wood so far this winter. First order came at about 15-20% MC, although the seller sold me a face cord instead of a full cord (lesson learned: specify "full cord"). Second order from a different seller came in very large, very dirty, and lots of unsplit logs (lesson learned: ask if it's split and check length), about 20-25% MC. Third order from a third seller came last week, and at this point I assumed 15-25% MC was standard for "seasoned wood", so I didn't bother checking MC (lesson learned: always check MC!!). This last batch looks very clean, as if it was freshly cut, and it struggles hard to light up in the stove. Previous two cords burned like a champ in comparison. This batch turns out to be 25-30% MC, so I guess partially seasoned? (lesson learned: "seasoned wood" doesn't necessarily mean the MC is low enough to burn)

Is there anything I can do to get the MC down quickly? I currently have it stacked in my unfinished basement and have a box fan blowing over it. There's also a pellet stove running on low so temps are about 60F; I could turn it up high which would get it up to 80F but it would run down the pellets real quick, so I only want to do that if it speeds up the drying a lot.

In the meantime I picked up some bags of wood from the box store and mix those up with the wetter wood for every load. And lesson learned: buy this year's supply for next season's use.

Firewood dealers arent exactly exact science people. Most get into this group mindset and you'll find that a cord is so many buckets of a skid loader and seasoned means cutting and splitting that summer. Period.

Do yourself a favor and ask around where people got their wood, and dont assume those people know what they are talking about either. I remember a neighbor when I lived in a townhouse telling me I could get a cord for $90, and here comes an over priced face cord delivered in a pickup. Neighbor had no idea what the difference was between a face cord and a cord. He was stunned to say the least when I then had a full cord delivered for $150 and the difference in quantity.

Unless you plan on making this your hobby, surviving on wood heat, and have a large property full of free trees...dont fall into the trap that you need to buy chainsaws, splitters, loaders, and other unnecessary equipment. Unless you are like 18 years old, you will NEVER pay off that stuff vs just getting oil heat for example.

Just find a great dealer that will deliver mixed hardwoods and as close to a full cord for a reasonable price. Buy what you will need for the next 2-3 years, and find a place to stack ALOT of wood.

You cannot and will not find a dealer that will repeatedly have truly seasoned wood to be delivered on the fly. It's almost unheard of especially as the year goes on. You will need to season your own wood and have the space to do it, or be ok with burning absolute minimal amounts and only stacking a couple of cords at a time.

 

[Stove Cricket]

Would increasing the temp of the basement significantly reduce the drying time of the wood?

Running a dehumidifier would help more than just increasing the temperature. But even so, pulling several hundred pounds of water out of the middle of a stack of split wood will take a while. A byproduct of dehumidification will be increased temperature (effect vs cause), and lots of distilled water.

 

[Garbanzo62]

Well if your first seller advertised a Cord and gave you a Face Cord, I would call him up and demand two more loads and state the Consumer protection law. If he says No file a complaint with the state and a Small Claims suit. You should be able to get back 2/3s of your money. The only real issue her is you have burned your evidence and he can claim he delivered a full cord. The Complaint though will still stand.
I would stay away from the Bundled wood at the box stores. It comes out to over $1000 a cord.
You may want to check to see if there are local saw mills. Many times they will have Slab wood or end cuts for sale. MC will vary, but it is generally inexpensive vs split logs. I can get a bundle for $75 or a hand load (when available) for $40 (as much as I can fit). The bundles are about 5000 lbs so a HD truck or trailer is needed.

 

[Woody Stover]

Running a dehumidifier would help more than just increasing the temperature. But even so, pulling several hundred pounds of water out of the middle of a stack of split wood will take a while. A byproduct of dehumidification will be increased temperature (effect vs cause), and lots of distilled water.

I once dried a half cord in the house, with a box fan blowing on it. All I have is a cheap temp/humidity/barometer, but I did re-calibrate it at least. It showed the humidity in the room increasing by 10%.
The wood was some White Ash that had been down for a while, so it had started to decompose slightly. Still good wood, just not 100%. That may have allowed moisture to escape faster, but it went from 25% to 20% in a couple weeks in those 3" splits.
My wife didn't seem as enthused about the experiment as I was at the time.. 😏

 

[Ashful]

Unless you plan on making this your hobby, surviving on wood heat, and have a large property full of free trees...dont fall into the trap that you need to buy chainsaws, splitters, loaders, and other unnecessary equipment. Unless you are like 18 years old, you will NEVER pay off that stuff vs just getting oil heat for example.

I understand your angle, but I can't agree with this generalization, Grumpy. I'm saving ~$5k per year on oil, and have every one of the last 11 years I've been burning full-time. That's very roughly $55k saved, and a forecast for more than doubling that over the next 10 years. I can promise you that when I cash out on the equipment I own, my losses in that department are likely one-tenth that amount, if not less.

I don't cut any trees on my own property, unless one of my yard trees happens to die for storm or disease. Nearly all of my wood comes from neighbors, coworkers, or my church.

Although my consumption, savings, and expenses are above average, due to having a large and inefficient house, I suspect the spirit or direction of them agrees with most on this forum.