Learning the importance of stacking

[holg]

Went thru one of my stacks of wood, and it was time to break into another. Each section of stacks are from different years. Looked at the next logical stack, the oldest, and looked at a closer stack, easier to get to. Thought I would give the closer one a try. That wood, red oak and birch, was cut down in 08 to make room for a garage. It didn't get cut into lengths and split until 09 and was left in a big pile. And it didn't get properly stacked until 2011. I burned a few pieces and it just didn't respond right--slow to get going, more dinking around with the primary air, and my perception of less heat. I had figured that wood that was cut down 5+ years ago, and cut and split 4 years ago would be alright, even if it hadn't been stacked right away.

So I switched to the older, less convenient to get at stack. What a difference. Maybe in some parts of the country, stacking might be less critical, but in northern Wisconsin, my oak wasn't ready with just 2 years in a stack. Good lesson learned.

 

[wahoowad]

You didn't mention the type of wood from the new stack. I have all kinds of wood (poplar, pine, gum, maple, oak, locust, sumac) and oak is always thew hardest to get going even when fully seasoned. Takes more air and longer before it takes off. Then it puts out the higher BTU's once it does.

 

[holg]

You didn't mention the type of wood from the new stack. I have all kinds of wood (poplar, pine, gum, maple, oak, locust, sumac) and oak is always thew hardest to get going even when fully seasoned. Takes more air and longer before it takes off. Then it puts out the higher BTU's once it does.

Same stuff--red oak and maple. The main other flavors I have up here are pine, spruce and fir. I haven't tried any of those yet because I was under the wrong impression that they produced more creosote. Thanks to this forum, I understand that it's the water content (and burning technique) not the flavor of wood that is most responsible for the creosote. I have one of those towering white pines in my yard that is dying, so I now am actually looking forward to cutting, splitting and stacking that baby up and seeing what it's like once fully seasoned.

 

[xman23]

I find wood left in logs, rounds or splits on the ground, unstacked for years will slowly punk the sap wood and then the rest of it. This is the case in my location with high summer humidity. What you can get away with will vary a lot based on your location and exposure to sun and wind. This fall a friend gave me a stack of red oak rounds that was on the ground for 2 years. The sap layer was punkey. The problem is punk wood is a sponge to water. The punk wood is fine to burn but you need to get it dry and keep it dry before burning. I top cover my stacks all year. I'm burning 5 year old oak. It's sweet, looking wood. I can almost match light it. My Oslo needs dry wood, anything but dry, seasoned wood and you will have a hard time keeping them lit, starting up cold a box.

 

[Sunfish]

Yep, makes a big difference!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Went thru one of my stacks of wood, and it was time to break into another. Each section of stacks are from different years. Looked at the next logical stack, the oldest, and looked at a closer stack, easier to get to. Thought I would give the closer one a try. That wood, red oak and birch, was cut down in 08 to make room for a garage. It didn't get cut into lengths and split until 09 and was left in a big pile. And it didn't get properly stacked until 2011. I burned a few pieces and it just didn't respond right--slow to get going, more dinking around with the primary air, and my perception of less heat. I had figured that wood that was cut down 5+ years ago, and cut and split 4 years ago would be alright, even if it hadn't been stacked right away.

So I switched to the older, less convenient to get at stack. What a difference. Maybe in some parts of the country, stacking might be less critical, but in northern Wisconsin, my oak wasn't ready with just 2 years in a stack. Good lesson learned.

Indeed! That is why it is important to get the wood split and stacked as soon as possible. Top covering is extremely important too, however, we split and stack in spring but do not top cover until late fall.

 

[Fred Wright]

Yup, red oak takes a good two years stacked to cure. It won't cure very well until it's been stacked, if stacked too close together or doesn't get sunshine and air flow around it. We burn a lot of red oak and red maple here... I learned the hard way to make sure the oak stacks get exposure to sun and wind or it won't burn worth a hoot.

 

[bigbarf48]

I always stack as soon as its split. If it ain't stacked it ain't drying

Also, there's a good chance that being piled up for a long time like that is actively doing harm rather than just not letting the wood dry

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I like to burn oak before it dries out too much or it burns up too fast. I burn a lot of it the same year. A lot of the other hard woods need to dry for a while, but I like my oak pretty green.

 

[gzecc]

I like to burn oak before it dries out too much or it burns up too fast. I burn a lot of it the same year. A lot of the other hard woods need to dry for a while, but I like my oak pretty green.

Thats an interesting strategy. What moisture content % do you believe is the best?

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I don't have a moisture meter, so I don't know. It seems to burn the best when it is almost green or half dry. Too wet and it will coal too much, and too dry and it will just go poof. I am trying to get ahead on wood storage, so in a few years I will have to burn dry oak, but I still like to use half seasoned oak. I like high moisture oak for overnight burns because there is a nice supply of coals in the morning.

 

[gzecc]

I don't have a moisture meter, so I don't know. It seems to burn the best when it is almost green or half dry. Too wet and it will coal too much, and too dry and it will just go poof. I am trying to get ahead on wood storage, so in a few years I will have to burn dry oak, but I still like to use half seasoned oak. I like high moisture oak for overnight burns because there is a nice supply of coals in the morning.

Get a moisture meter and report back. They 're cheap. Thats an interesting hypothesis.

 

[lml999]

Get a moisture meter and report back. They 're cheap. Thats an interesting hypothesis.

Getting popcorn, pulling up a chair...

 

[Andy S.]

I don't have a moisture meter, so I don't know. It seems to burn the best when it is almost green or half dry. Too wet and it will coal too much, and too dry and it will just go poof. I am trying to get ahead on wood storage, so in a few years I will have to burn dry oak, but I still like to use half seasoned oak. I like high moisture oak for overnight burns because there is a nice supply of coals in the morning.

I'm thinking this is the wood burning equivalent to when I was a kid working P/T after school and one of the older guys sent me to the store for a box of muffler bearings.

 

[lml999]

I'm thinking this is the wood burning equivalent to when I was a kid working P/T after school and one of the older guys sent me to the store for a box of muffler bearings.

Muffler bearings are on the shelf next to the cans of Lucas Blinker Fluid.

Use the wrong Blinker Fluid, by the way, and you might let the smoke out of the electrical system.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't have a moisture meter, so I don't know. It seems to burn the best when it is almost green or half dry. Too wet and it will coal too much, and too dry and it will just go poof. I am trying to get ahead on wood storage, so in a few years I will have to burn dry oak, but I still like to use half seasoned oak. I like high moisture oak for overnight burns because there is a nice supply of coals in the morning.

There is no way green or "half dry" wood will burn right. Until we learn how to burn water, that old way of burning wood is out. For sure the new epa stoves want dry wood and even the old smoke dragons wanted dry wood but old traditions die a slow death. Even as a child I learned the importance of burning dry wood and as I went out into the world it quickly became obvious that those who did not burn good dry wood were the ones having problems and of course the worst problem is creosote. If you persist in burning green wood, you are only asking for problems. Why not try to improve the way you do things? One big benefit is that dry wood will give more heat than wet or green wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I like to burn oak before it dries out too much or it burns up too fast. I burn a lot of it the same year. A lot of the other hard woods need to dry for a while, but I like my oak pretty green.

Right. But why would other hard woods need more time to dry when it is oak that takes the longest drying time?

 

[WiscWoody]

A guy down the road doesn't stack his wood, puts it in a pile and splits it just before he burns it. And he cuts it the summer before using it. I don't do it that way but it's his stove. Isn't it the hardness and density of the wood that determines drying times?

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Oak seems to burn real good when the moisture is still fairly high. Other woods usually don't like to burn unless they are fairly dry. I have been burning oak the same year it is cut, sometimes even the same week and it burns just fine. I put a load in the stove a while ago and ran it with the stove pipe thermometer pegged. It burns just fine and the glass is clean and so is the chimney.I run the brush down it once a month, but there is almost nothing to brush out. My mother in law on the other hand can't run the stove to save her life.

 

[jatoxico]

Oak seems to burn real good when the moisture is still fairly high. Other woods usually don't like to burn unless they are fairly dry. I have been burning oak the same year it is cut, sometimes even the same week and it burns just fine. I put a load in the stove a while ago and ran it with the stove pipe thermometer pegged. It burns just fine and the glass is clean and so is the chimney.I run the brush down it once a month, but there is almost nothing to brush out. My mother in law on the other hand can't run the stove to save her life.

You should add your stove type in your signature so people know what you're running.

 

[ArsenalDon]

I have been burning oak the same year it is cut, sometimes even the same week and it burns just fine.

History in the making....has to be an old timer on here logged in under a new name who is developing ocean front property in Arizona for all of us to buy

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I loaded the stove with half wet oak last night and it shot right up to 900° on the stove pipe. The inside of the stove was 1600° and the fire bricks were glowing all the way through.
There were still some nice coals when I got up today and the full load of the same wood lit right off and got the pipe back up to 800-900° and warmed the house back up to 80°.
I need a moisture meter so I can give solid numbers on moisture. This wood was just split this summer/fall.

 

[jatoxico]

I loaded the stove with half wet oak last night and it shot right up to 900° on the stove pipe. The inside of the stove was 1600° and the fire bricks were glowing all the way through.
There were still some nice coals when I got up today and the full load of the same wood lit right off and got the pipe back up to 800-900° and warmed the house back up to 80°.
I need a moisture meter so I can give solid numbers on moisture. This wood was just split this summer/fall.

Really? Wow.

 

[BrotherBart]

and the fire bricks were glowing all the way through.

Yeah right. And I chit a gold brick this morning and had to dig it out of the toilet.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

That brick must have hurt.


The flames were very clear and were blue, purple and white. Hot enough that I burned my arm just from getting too close with the door open.
I separated 2 bricks with the poker just to see how much they were glowing, and yes, they were glowing solid. The angle iron behind the front air tube MELTED and needs to be replaced. I have seen the top of the stove glow when the fire is burning hard and the blower is turned off. I am unable to stay in front of the stove when the blower is on and the fire is burning full tilt. The blower has doubled the amount of heat we get from this little stove. It is a draft blower from an outdoor wood boiler and it moves some air. It is quite loud too, but it keeps the house warm. The thermometer pegs at about 850° on most burns and gradually drops to about 400-450 for the majority of the burn. Then it slowly drops to about 225 before reloading. Everyone who comes over comments on how warm or hot it is in here and then sees the wood stove as they walk through the kitchen. Most of them walk straight over to it and stand in front until the heat forces them away. The second thing they notice is the thermometer on the wall in the living room that tells indoor and outdoor temp and ask if it is right because it is usually reading about 82° inside.

I have wanted to put a barrel stove in here, but the in-laws would probably melt it or get burned real bad. It would probably roast us out anyway. I will leave the barrel stove in the shop.