New Statistics on Seasoning Wood (Firewood Clinic)

[hotprinter]

I attended a Firewood Clinic put on by the Society of American Foresters Yukon River Chapter. It was held at the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. Now that is a "cool" building (no pun intended). They research all sorts of techniques on building in the arctic climes. They do a lot with solar and are now getting ready to install a heat pump (not many of those in Fairbanks at this time). They also do wood testing, drying methods etc. They studied 3 different ways of drying wood. First they put a blue tarp over it, completely covered (in all the tests the wood was off the ground). The second trial was the top covered but the sides open (much like a shed but they just put plywood on top of the pile). And the third trial they made a kiln (it was basically a greenhouse with 2 x 4 construction covered with visqueen). The conclusion was this. The covered wood did as good as the kiln dried and both methods only took 6 weeks to get to under 20%. The tarp took longer. I could not believe it. Six weeks! Now mind you Alaska has sun all summer so that helps and they were in an open area, lots of sun and air flow. Six weeks was for Spruce and Birch and Aspen took 2 months. All wood was cut and split. They said you should split it as soon as possible as that helps in the drying.

Here is the link if you want to check out the Cold Climate Research Center. http://www.cchrc.org

Here are some more links: http://www.aqfairbanks.com http://www.epa.gov/burnwise

It is supposed to get to -40 tonight so this will put the new blaze king ultra to the test! WOO HOO!

 

[Woody Stover]

The covered wood did as good as the kiln dried and both methods only took 6 weeks to get to under 20%.

How windy, how warm and how humid is it up there in the Summer? You're drying Pine, correct?
And no, I won't be moving to Alaska just so I can dry my wood faster. :lol:

 

[soupy1957]

Sounds like it was an interesting and stimulating visit. Wish "I" could have gone. Makes me wonder if there are any symposiums or whatever, here in CT.........would like to go.

Maybe there will be some sort of wood stove, techniques, sorta show here......anyone know?????

-Soupy1957

 

[SolarAndWood]

It would be interesting if one of these studies just isolated wind speed. This stuff was dropped/bucked/split and tossed in the heap just before Thanksgiving. I dug 5 cord out of the snow about a month ago and it still looked like it was fresh cut. Not surprising as we have had 11.5 ft of snow that started the week after it was tossed in the heap. Stacked it 10' high under a roof open on three sides in a very windy location. One month later with very little sun and cold temps but high wind, it is looking like something that could be thrown in the stove if needed. I dug a little more out of the heap this morning and it still looks nearly fresh cut.

 

[oldspark]

The wood was dried in the summer months, aint going to happen in the cold.

 

[KTLM]

Judging by what I've read, the air is very dry in the interior Alaska during summer. Also, 20+ hours of sun and wood that is less dense than what is found in the eastern US. I suppose 6 weeks to dry is possible if done correctly. Hope the BK is sufficient as I just checked the arctic cam in Fairbanks, -39* F. I honestly don,t know how you do it, but quite an interesting place to call home.

 

[hotprinter]

How windy, how warm and how humid is it up there in the Summer? You're drying Pine, correct?


REPLY: We get some wind, but not much. Summer humidity is moderate (the winters are really dry). No pine here. We have birch, spruce (mainly black spruce) and aspen (poplar). Some Tamarack but not much. He mentioned to make sure you split the wood before drying and stack it in such a way that lots of air circulates. The key was to make sure the top was covered and the sides were open and the wood was off the ground. It looked like they just put a piece of plywood over the top to cover it..

 

[Extremebison]

I cut my wood green stack and dry in the shed for one summer and burn it the following winter here in the Yukon. I always have one season ahead. It burns fine, I don't know the moisture content as I don't have any fancy tools. But it is also really dry and sunny here. One thing I do, is slowly load the shed. Put in a row or two as I split it and move it to the shed, rather then load it in one weekend. This way the center rows get a week to a month of drying before I stack more rows in front of them. Does it make a difference? I don't really know put it sure doesn't hurt. My wood bays or 10x10x6 so the wood in the center doesn't get much air flow.