Minimum time required to season firewood in drought stricken central North Carolina

[Ravenvalor]

Hi Folks:

You guys have helped me pick out my wood burning stove and I do appreciate all of your advice, it was fun.
Now I am looking for firewood. A local firewood dealer wants to deliver a load of 16" split hardwood to my home for a good price. The only problem is that the wood is only 6 months old and I need to use it this winter. Do you think the wood is sufficiently dry enough to burn cleanly this winter here in dry North Carolina?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[fossil]

Depends. Depends on the species, the current moisture content, the size to which it's split, the climate conditions (sun, wind, humidity), the storage location (exposure)...depends. Maybe, maybe not. Pretty helpful, eh? 8-/ Rick

 

[Ravenvalor]

Hi Fossil:

My guess is this - stored in huge pile in sun with low humidity and a minimum amount of wind, 16" long by 3" in diameter, species is white oak, red oak, hickory and beech.

Jim

 

[fossil]

If you think the price is right, then by all means, take delivery. Imagine a round about 10" in diameter. Split into half-rounds, no chance for this year. Quarter-rounds, minimally possible. Eighth-rounds, perhaps. Maximum exposed surface area = optimum (minimal) seasoning time. Stack or pile loosely in a location with maximum exposure to the elements. If it's gonna rain, you might toss a tarp over the top, but not tight down all around. You got maybe 3 more months before burning season starts, so you've got a chance at having some burnable wood. In the meantime, keep looking around for other wood that may be more seasoned. Consider buying yourself a moisture meter. Do you have splitting tools? Rick

 

[Ravenvalor]

Hi Rick:
Splitting tools I do not have. I've got a Poulan 14" Wood Shark chain saw. What is the optimum diameter of wood for burning?
Jim

 

[fossil]

There's no "optimum diameter", Jim. There's optimum moisture content. If you've got the time to let an 8" round properly season, then it's gonna burn good and for a long time (if it's loaded onto a nice bed of burning coals). Seasoning a round of hardwood that large could take two years or more. If you don't have time to let it season, then about all you can do is to split it smaller. It means a bit more work in loading your stove and tending it when your wood's smaller, but the moisture content of the wood you burn trumps all other variables. In my Lopi Liberty, when I've got a good bed of coals burning from all day long, I'll toss in 6" rounds, or 8" half-rounds to load it up for the night...but only if I know my wood's ready to burn. In your situation, you may find you need to split a bit smaller than you'd like and handle more pieces to get good burns this year. What's important is maintaining a good stovepipe temperature to minimize the creation of creosote in your chimney. The wetter the wood you're burning, the greater the chance of creosote. I strongly suggest you get yourself some splitting tools, and possibly a moisture meter. I'm a softwood burner, and I find that the Fiskars splitting axes are about all I need to get the job done (although I'm old, so I also have a hydraulic splitter). Lots of hardwood guys will tell you that mauls, wedges, and sledges are required...or a hydraulic or electric wood splitter. It's a whole new world you're entering, buddy...welcome to the club! Rick

 

[wahoowad]

Ravenvalor - I doubt you will have a good burning experience with that wood. It takes wood a full year to season once split. Ask around, look in the newspaper, try to find someone reputable with wood a year old.

 

[BrotherBart]

One way to speed drying is to stack in a crosshatch pattern rather than the usual splits on top of splits. You put down two splits in one direction and two on top of them the opposite direction on up. Five or six foot stacks stacked this way take up a hell of a lot of space but the wood will dry a lot faster because of the airflow space.

That white oak is gonna very marginal at best this year. If you get it put that stuff last in the stacks.

 

[burntime]

Ravenvalor - I doubt you will have a good burning experience with that wood. It takes wood a full year to season once split. Ask around, look in the newspaper, try to find someone reputable with wood a year old.

This is some of the best advice that can be given. Dry wood is wonderful to burn, wet wood makes it a chore.

 

[Rockey]

I am going to try a very unconventional method this week and packe the back of my SUV with firewood and see how lobng it takes to dry. Inside temps should reach 1`3-140 deg and I will crack the sunroof to vent some of the moisture. Don't worry the Explorer has been put out to pasture, albeit a bit prematurely.

 

[BrotherBart]

Fact of life is that I have cut my red and white oak firewood from April to June every year for 25 years and started burning in October. The stuff burns but it just isn't the optimum and you need to keep an eye on the chimney. This year will be the first year I have burned one year seasoned wood in my life.

 

[Ravenvalor]

I appreciate the words of caution. I will keep looking around for another few days before buying this wood. Can anyone recommend a good electric splitter?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[fossil]

I am going to try a very unconventional method this week and packe the back of my SUV with firewood and see how lobng it takes to dry. Inside temps should reach 1`3-140 deg and I will crack the sunroof to vent some of the moisture. Don't worry the Explorer has been put out to pasture, albeit a bit prematurely.

Well, if yer gonna use yer Ford as a wood-dryer, I strongly suggest that you open more than just the sunroof (electrical system still working, is it?). Temperature counts for something, no doubt, but ventilation to remove the moisture is critical, that's what yer tryin' to accomplish. Just baking your wood in a nearly enclosed chamber aint gonna get you the results yer lookin' fer. Let 'er breathe, Rockey! Rick

 

[burntime]

On a side note, I have a greenhouse about 14 x 22 give or take. I hauled a bunch of planters in there and one had white birch that I got from my parents when I cut down some limbs, just stacked them in there and forgot about them. A month later I went in the greenhouse while snowblowing (really its warm in there) and the birch was already checking and dry. I guess I could stack a couple cords in there but do not want the extra work, you would almost be better off just wrapping your wood in plastic and using the coffee can as the chimney like some do here. How many cridders will say "have you driven a ford lately" after you pack 'em in there

 

[fossil]

I appreciate the words of caution. I will keep looking around for another few days before buying this wood. Can anyone recommend a good electric splitter?

Oh, gee whiz, buy the wood, get some tools, split it smaller, stack it or pile it loosely, and look for more wood, and do the best you can with what you've got, and learn, and get more, and do even better, and then come back and teach the others...You unlock this door with the key of determination. Beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of wood, a dimension of fire, a dimension of warmth. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of logs and of ash. You've just crossed over into the Woodburner Zone. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

Good grief Rick. We burn very large weeds in our living rooms to heat our houses. Just how weird is that? :lol:

 

[Rockey]

I am going to try a very unconventional method this week and packe the back of my SUV with firewood and see how lobng it takes to dry. Inside temps should reach 1`3-140 deg and I will crack the sunroof to vent some of the moisture. Don't worry the Explorer has been put out to pasture, albeit a bit prematurely.

Well, if yer gonna use yer Ford as a wood-dryer, I strongly suggest that you open more than just the sunroof (electrical system still working, is it?). Temperature counts for something, no doubt, but ventilation to remove the moisture is critical, that's what yer tryin' to accomplish. Just baking your wood in a nearly enclosed chamber aint gonna get you the results yer lookin' fer. Let 'er breathe, Rockey! Rick

I told the ole lady I was taking her on a tropical getaway this year. I plan on growing bamboo in there and spreading a little sand for that beach ambience. A little vacation right in our backyard. The temps and humidity should really bring out the red in our necks.

 

[fossil]

Good grief Rick. We burn very large weeds in our living rooms to heat our houses. Just how weird is that? :lol:

Hmm, it just all seems so normal to me now...how weird is that? Is someone (or something) making us do this? How could we ever know? Oh, so many questions! I've got to go out and split and stack now. :bug: Rick

 

[fossil]

...I told the ole lady I was taking her on a tropical getaway this year. I plan on growing bamboo in there and spreading a little sand for that beach ambience. A little vacation right in our backyard. The temps and humidity should really bring out the red in our necks.

What a great plan, Rockey! I bet yer gonna score big-time. Go heavy on the sand, chicks dig the beach. I'm gonna quit worrying about your wood for a while. :lol: Rick

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Hi Fossil:

My guess is this - stored in huge pile in sun with low humidity and a minimum amount of wind, 16" long by 3" in diameter, species is white oak, red oak, hickory and beech.

Jim

Jim,
Sometimes we have to do the best we can ....with what we can get ....this late in the game, I've been there before.
I started with a hand me down craftsman, 8lb maul and 2 woodgrenades. If in a pinch , learn to seperate your species.......ash seasons very well, I've gotten by with small pieces of birch/ash/swamp maple with med sized oak on top when loading.......White Oak you'll want to mix...that stuff takes forever to season. If it was me......I'd re-split any large pieces and try to "Bleach" them stacked to open air/sun and kept from rainfall.....I'd rather have quick fires with smaller splits than smoldering ones with biggies this late in the season. Try getting a good bed of coals going before adding anything too large...

My 2 cents

WoodButcher

 

[fossil]

Butcher speaketh the truth, Jim. Buy the wood, buy some more, and buy some splitting tools, and begin to learn. I don't know what else we can tell about this. But, we'll continue to make stuff up if you want us to. :lol: Rick

 

[Redox]

I just wanna know where in NC you have low humidity? It can't be any lower than here in B'more!

I just finished splitting some maple that has been sitting around (the temps were lower today) and noticed that the wood I split back in April is already showing good signs of seasoning. It has been stacked in the backyard under some pine trees so it gets air, but not much sun. I suspect it will be ready in the spring.

Chris

 

[Ravenvalor]

Redox we are in the piedmont area. This is our second summer in a drought and I find it quite dry.

 

[pinewoodburner]

Buy the wood, it is probably the best you will find. If it is 6 months old already, that means it was cut in Feb. Stack the wood in the sun and also where it will get a nice breeze. Start on the wood for next year. With all the humidity down south, it takes a while longer for wood to season. This year you will not have the best results from your wood, but things will be better next season. Stay ahead by at least one season.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jim, I agree. Buy the wood as it is probably the best you will find. Finish seasoning it as best you can. That is, don't stack it neatly. It needs to be stacked loosely. The criss-cross method you were advised to use would certainly be the best. I would not cover it at all either, even if it rains. The wood won't soak up the rain but needs to stay uncovered to let the moisture evaporate. Stack it so it gets as much sunshine and wind as possible and make the best of the situation. If possible, sort out the oak and save that until last or even better, save until next year.

Also let this be one of the lessons of wood burning and get next year's supply of wood, if possible, this winter. Dry, seasoned wood is the biggest key to good wood burning and lots of heat without smouldering fires and dirty chimneys.

By all means, do what you can with what you have. If possible, you might also consider picking up some pallets. Mixing that dry wood with what you have will go a long ways towards a good burn.

Good luck.