Moisture content

[chrisman34]

For those that check, what moisture content do you shoot for in firewood?

 

[ansehnlich1]

20 percent or less, i just loaded a couple wheelbarrow loads on the porch to find out it's too green yet, i'm gonna restack it for next year, ain't worth burnin for me at this point i think they are 25 percent and more.

 

[Todd]

I'm down to my last couple inside rows of oak firewood that were stacked 4 rows deep next to my garage. I split some 5" rounds in half and got 25% moisture. They are burning just fine. The two outside rows were all testing 17-22%.

 

[RedRanger]

I'm down to my last couple inside rows of oak firewood that were stacked 4 rows deep next to my garage. I split some 5" rounds in half and got 25% moisture. They are burning just fine. The two outside rows were all testing 17-22%.

Todd-is your firewood still exposed to a lot of wind?

My last row stacked tightly (12-18) months old is mouldy and mildew, but only measures 18-28% moisture,but gives off diddly squat for heat. This is inside of a wood =shed.. Actually some of that wood is hit and miss., some do give off heat , but some doesn`t. A newbie on this forum said that his back rows touching the back of the shed was the same way as mine.

Thinking maybe that I am going to either drill holes in that back part of the sheds or knock out some boards.

Eighteen months that softwood should be dry, don`t ya think? Doesn`t softwood dry quicker than hardwoods?

ya, ya I know that you dry your stuff with those prevailing winds from the nukeplant. :cheese:







eit

 

[Martin Strand III]

Don't need no battery operated gagets showing numbers to tell when yur wood's ready to burn.

Well seasoned dry cordwood usually exhibits:

* radial end cracking
* bark well loosened or falls off
* grey color
* clinks rather than clunks when striking 2 pieces together
* sharp splinters
* mouse nests

Bringing a weeks worth or so, less the mice, inside the house to further dry before burning allows me to start splits, even rounds, of about any size without kindling. Just light some cardboard under a good air spaced stack and yur off and a'blaze good'n hot.

Aye,
Marty

 

[stoveguy13]

some where to 18-25 % is a good goal to look for.

 

[Todd]

I'm down to my last couple inside rows of oak firewood that were stacked 4 rows deep next to my garage. I split some 5" rounds in half and got 25% moisture. They are burning just fine. The two outside rows were all testing 17-22%.

Todd-is your firewood still exposed to a lot of wind?

My last row stacked tightly (12-18) months old is mouldy and mildew, but only measures 18-28% moisture,but gives off diddly squat for heat. This is inside of a wood =shed.. Actually some of that wood is hit and miss., some do give off heat , but some doesn`t. A newbie on this forum said that his back rows touching the back of the shed was the same way as mine.

Thinking maybe that I am going to either drill holes in that back part of the sheds or knock out some boards.

Eighteen months that softwood should be dry, don`t ya think? Doesn`t softwood dry quicker than hardwoods?

ya, ya I know that you dry your stuff with those prevailing winds from the nukeplant. :cheese:









eit

18 months should be plenty of time. Maybe you can knock out every other board and that would give you more air. I left about a 4-6" air space between my last row and garage. You can put your hand in there and feel the breeze come through. No nuke plant here, you must have me confused with Hogwild?

 

[RedRanger]

Todd: yes had ya confused with that wild biker. sorry bout that. I think you are right about knocking out every other board. That is going to be my plan soon as the weather improves a bit. Good advice.!! Think I will swap some horizontal to vertical as well.

 

[crazy_dan]

yep thats what I do "dry your stuff with those prevailing winds from the nukeplant. " only mine is in mid MO not PA
I don't have a wood shed yet but I think I might build one this summer I mean I have been living here for 9 years, just a little worried that it may cut down on the radiation that my wood gets and might decrease the BTUs LOL