Kiln Dried - Is it worth it?

[apples439]

Hi guys,

I've got to purchase my firewood this year. I've got a cat stove and I'm contemplating purchasing kiln dried firewood. The seasoned (non-kiln dried) firewood has about a 20-30% moisture content whereas the kiln dried will have 15-20%. The kiln-dried is approximately 45% more than the standard seasoned. Obviously the kiln-dried is going to burn better, but is it worth it? Anyone with a cat stove have any advice?

-Todd

PS - I purchased 3 cords of "seasoned" red oak at the beginning of this summer but they are still pretty wet. I figure they'll be my supply for 2010-2011.

 

[branchburner]

It's only worth it if it's the only dry wood you can find.
If you can find seasoned (non-kiln dried) firewood close to 20% moisture content, versus 30%, you are set.
That is hard to find, however. If buying wood, best to buy next year's now. (I realize that is no help now.)
Some of us mix in very dry lumber scraps and/or cut up pallets to supplement cordwood, but you still want the cordwood to be as seasoned as possible.

 

[Slow1]

Wet wood is the bane of any modern EPA stove. I think it may be particularly true for a Cat stove simply because if you have a ceramic cat up to full operating temperature (i.e. well over 500f) and then push a plume of steam running 212f or so through it by stacking a bunch of wet wood onto coals (think of pouring water on the rocks in a sauna) and re-engage the cat you are stressing it with considerable thermal shock of 300 or more degrees - that will damage your cat over time if not immediately.

I'm not sure where the magic line is between 20 and 30% mc to be just dry enough to burn acceptably in your stove, but I've read that you can get away with under 25% in many stoves, you just may have to wait longer before engaging the cat and/or split pieces down smaller.

Clearly the lower you get the better efficiency you will get, but I somehow doubt you will get enough to justify a 45% premium in cost... unless your alternative cannot be burned safely/effectively. Perhaps you can buy some wood that is faster to season - i.e. avoid that wonderful red oak for this years buy and go for 'softer' hard woods that season faster. This way even if they are not fully ready today, by Jan/Feb they may well dry out enough to be good to go (less than idea, but good enough).

But then again, this is just my second year burning and all I really have to show for it is a second stove and an addiction to hearth.com

 

[mcollect]

Last year was my first burning to heat my house, I ordered three cords of seasoned wood. It was not even close to dry. What I did was to resplit it and put it in the house for a few weeks the wood was then good enough to burn, not prefect but still good. I would try this with your wood now and by the time to really heat it should be acceptable, just keep on top of it and this season should be OK. Now, order next years wood!

 

[apples439]

Great. Thanks, fellas.

 

[summit]

if you have no wood yet, get 50/50 load one cord kiln dry, one "seasoned" (i.e. cut down two weeks ago).. mix them together for best results.

 

[drdoct]

I saw some kiln dried wood for sale on CL last year. He gets it from South Carolina or something. They wanted around 600 a cord for it though and I literally laughed and said no thanks on the phone. Doubt they sold too much of that, but Atlanta is full of rich idiots so who knows. If it's too expensive then you may come off better just messing around with pallet wood or scraps while burning oil or gas since it's cheap right now. I'd probably go ahead and get another couple of cords though so they can be drying out. Also split some of the driest stuff down so it dries out quickly so you'll have more to mess with.

 

[begreen]

buying good dry wood at this time of year can be challenging. Unless you can confirm a freshly split piece of "seasoned" wood from the local dealer is actually fairly dry on the inside, you'd be better off getting some kiln dried for at least the next few months and stack the rest to dry out under cover for burning in the late winter.

 

[gzecc]

Don't you have a firewood supplier that has piles of wood stacked that you can see from the street when you drive by, somewhere in your area. If so, get a price on some of that stacked wood. You may have to pay a premium, but it will be dry. The firewood guys in my area make walls out of it. They are there for years. Go there and look at it before it goes on the truck.

 

[ikessky]

Do you have an area where you can stack this and blow fans over it and run a dehumidifier? It will help speed things a long a little bit, but definitely not enough to have truly seasoned wood.

 

[Stevebass4]

Do you have an area where you can stack this and blow fans over it and run a dehumidifier? It will help speed things a long a little bit, but definitely not enough to have truly seasoned wood.

wouldn't it be cheaper to burn oil / nat gas than to run a dehumidifier and fans

 

[ikessky]

wouldn't it be cheaper to burn oil / nat gas than to run a dehumidifier and fans

You are probably correct on that. I run at least one dehumidifier in the basement from spring through fall and I know they really suck the electricity. I guess one would have to really sit down and do a cost comparison before jumping into something like that.

 

[Tony H]

Like someone said look around for one of the tree services that sell wood they are your best bet for seasoned and fair priced wood. Better yet see if the owner is a good ole boy who's been doing this for a while. Several of these guys I know let the wood set for 1-2 years before they split it and 1-2 more after so it nice stuff and they have tons so its not a problem.
FYI don't think resplitting red oak a putting it in the house will dry it in a few weeks , this can work with lower moisture woods like silver maple but it's probably not a good solution.

 

[apples439]

Thanks, guys. Great advice as usual.

 

[Duetech]

On the east coast wood seems to be more expensive (if you take note of quoted prices in the forum) but you did not quote what you were potentially paying. the bottom line for expense is will the kiln dried wood be equal to or more expensive the fossil alternative? kI discount labor as most would prefer to work in the woods and work with wood than spend more time in the sweat shop to buy fossil. If you have the time and availability I would exclusively look for standing dead elm and ash that has prettty much dried on the stem. Red elm is just a little ways below red oak on the btu chart and standing dead (down to about 1/2 way down the trunk) can run 22% MC or so. Which is ideal for your cat. Dead ash will be about the same but will season quicker.

 

[apples439]

The fossil fuel point is a good one and one that I had not thought of. The kiln dried around here runs about $375/cord. "Seasoned" can be found for $200-$260. If I burn 3-4 cords of kiln-dried my cost is still well below that of oil (old furnace). I spent about $2,100 in oil last season. I don't currently have the means to procure my own wood supply so purchasing it is my only option.

 

[branchburner]

It might be worth calling around and asking a few questions. A guy asking $200 is likely selling pretty green wood, but a guy asking $275 might (just might) be selling something split a year ago. I wouldn't be surprised if some guys hold back their more seasoned wood for customers who actually demand it. Most people don't.

If you find something half decent you can later supplement it with kiln-dried if it's not quite serving the stove well. You and your stove and your flue will all be unhappy with too much moisture - probably worth a few hundred more to keep everyone happy and worry-free.

Sometimes on craigslist you will find a homeowner who is moving, or has gone to pellets, who just wants his woodpile gone cheap. Check daily, you might get lucky!