Newby Question how much wood?

[swagler85]

OK so this past year was my first year burning wood. I live in NE Ohio and we had a fairly mild winter. I live in an 1100 sq ft ranch with a Country Hearth 2500 in the basement. This year I burned some wood that was not seasoned quite enough mixed in with what I had seasoned. I would guess I burned 3-5 cords but I didnt really measure as I added to it a few times throughout the winter cutting and splitting some standing dead trees. This year we kept the house around the 68 degree range. House is insulated and has newer windows so its pretty tight. My question from all of you seasoned burners is how much would should I expect to go through. Currenlty have 5 cord CSS and another cord or so that is cut but still needs split and stacked. From looking around the forums here it looks like peoplpe are burning 3-4 cords, that just seems liek its not enough. Any thoughts?

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm not familiar with that stove, but it seems that you should be able to heat that home with less than five cords. You are heating from the basement, though... Are the basement walls insulated? Also, as you burn drier wood in the coming years you should be able to get more heat out of that wood...how much more, I don't know.

 

[Jags]

Good guess would be your 3-4 range. The only real way to tell is if you actually measure what you start/end with. Keep in mind that this winter was not typical in your neck of the woods (mine either).

 

[Backwoods Savage]

For sure it will depend upon that basement. If it is not insulated, those walls will soak up a huge share of the heat. But as a SWAG, figure about 30% more than you burned this year. Also with dry wood you should be able to keep that house much warmer than 68. Although we do not heat a basement and our sq ft is a bit more than yours, we only burned about 2 cord so far this year. The past 4 years averaged 3 cord. But it is a bit complicated because we added a room and also insulated it a lot plus new doors and windows. I sometimes kid folks when they ask about all that insulation if it done much good and I tell them when it gets chilly we strike a match. If it is cold, we have to use 2 matches.

 

[swagler85]

Basement is finshed and hat has our family room where we spend most of our time. SO that is why we elected to put the burner in the basement. Have direct vents into the main floor and it does really well pushing heat up to the next level. then sucks the cold air down the steps and back into the family room.

 

[weatherguy]

I would guess about 4 cords but I would try to get at least two years ahead so go for 8 cords, more if you can fit more on your lot. Im going for 12 myself, hope to reach that goal by the fall. I started building a 40 foot rack and I have a 24 foot rack for drying wood. You can never have too much, just ask Dennis.

 

[Joey]

Always better to have to much,,,,,then not enough.....

 

[amateur cutter]

I'm in the 4-5 cord guesstimate area also. My theory is cut, split, stack, till you run outta room, & then by a bigger lot. If all goes well, I'll be sittin on 40 50 cord by June. A C

 

[bogydave]

Hard to get an exact amount. Each winter is different. This winter, you probably got by with less than yo will in most winters.
I used 5-1/2 cord last year, but this year I'm over 6 cords. Very cold & many weeks below zero.
I have a 2 year supply ready to do. If more is needed, I'm OK.
I have space for storing it.
Like said "better to much than to little", if you don't burn it this year, it'll be good wood next year.

 

[NH_Wood]

+1 on never too much - shoot for getting 2-3 years ahead and assume 4 cord/year for now - then start replacing what you burn each year. Cheers!

 

[rdust]

I'm in the 4-5 cord guesstimate area also. My theory is cut, split, stack, till you run outta room, & then by a bigger lot. If all goes well, I'll be sittin on 40 50 cord by June. A C

I have to ask only cause you're in Michigan, are you talking 40-50 full cords of wood? If so you have to be in the running for the most wood on this site.

NE Ohio is similar to our weather, I'd plan for 5, if you use any less it'll just be a bonus! It will also depend on how you heat with wood. I pretty much refuse to let the furnace run, some folks let their furnace pick up the slack when the temps aren't too bad. I would be willing to let my furnace do a little more if I had natural gas but the propain costs are silly.

 

[amateur cutter]

I have to ask only cause you're in Michigan, are you talking 40-50 full cords of wood? If so you have to be in the running for the most wood on this site.


NE Ohio is similar to our weather, I'd plan for 5, if you use any less it'll just be a bonus! It will also depend on how you heat with wood. I pretty much refuse to let the furnace run, some folks let their furnace pick up the slack when the temps aren't too bad. I would be willing to let my furnace do a little more if I had natural gas but the propain costs are silly.

Yea rdust I'm talking 40 to 50 dictionary/full cords. We took a job for a friend from church that farms 1100 acres cutting fence rows, & clearing two pastures. We gave up counting @ 350+ dead ash trees. The job's about killing me, cause we're on a deadline to get the first 80 to 90 cord out before the pastures green up & start growing. We're cutting & hauling about 4 cord a day X 2 or 3 days a week till we get that done, then we cut @ our leisure for the next decade or so. No I'm really not kidding. We've got wood stacked/piled all over the farm as well as my property, & my cutting partner's place. I've got about 10 cord css here now, & the rest is waiting @ the farm. I've called in 2 more burners/cutters to help get this done. I'm tired, sun burned a little, & having a heck of a good time with this. If you need a little firewood, pm me & I'll send you my addy, bring the biggest trailer you've got & we'll load you right off the jobsite. I'll have wood to burn & sell for quite a few years once we get it split & drying. I really will take some pics & post them when I get a spare minute. A C

 

[rdust]

If you need a little firewood, pm me & I'll send you my addy, bring the biggest trailer you've got & we'll load you right off the jobsite. A C

Awesome offer but I'm an eastsider. That sounds like a heck of a job, post up some pictures when you get a "free" second! :lol:

 

[firefighterjake]

Always better to have to much,,,,,then not enough.....

+2 . . . no one here ever complains in February of having too much wood left over . . . but in a typical year we see a few folks who under-estimated their heating needs . . . wood left over from one heating season is just a little more seasoned and better to burn in the next.

 

[jeepmedic]

I was in the same boat as you. This was my first winter as well. I cut about 10 cord and stacked that, plus burned misc stuff I cut as well. I think we burned about 6-6.5 cords (that was stacked) this past winter from November 2011 - now. We probably burned a little more than we should have...but at first we had no idea what we were doing, and wasted a lot of wood I am sure.

The rest of my wood I have stacked in perfect cord size rows for next year. That way I can track exactly how much I will burn next winter, assuming we will actually have a "real" winter next year. I figured it will take about 2-3 years to get a good average.

As it sits right now...I have 9 cords already cut for 2012 winter, and am working on 2013 winters wood now. Its better to have too much than to run short.

 

[PapaDave]

Got to this one late, but here's my $.04.
Started burning winter of '06 and was told I'd probably need about 5 cord. I think we used about 4-4.5, but also used the furnace a bit.
Since then, we've used about 4.5 cord/yr. using an older stove in a ranch that could use better insulation in the attic.This year.......well, as has almost everyone else, we've used less than the normal.
That amount is about 3.5 cord so far, with some colder temps coming back in a few days. I think we'll be around 4. Saves work for this winter, moving wood into the shed. I may put more than normal in there in anticipation of an un-normal winter.
I have a bunch of stuff I need to get cut up, but I fear the ticks will suck my veins dry. Anything I cut this year will be for 2014.
Keep cuttin'!

 

[ScotO]

OK so this past year was my first year burning wood. I live in NE Ohio and we had a fairly mild winter. I live in an 1100 sq ft ranch with a Country Hearth 2500 in the basement. This year I burned some wood that was not seasoned quite enough mixed in with what I had seasoned. I would guess I burned 3-5 cords but I didnt really measure as I added to it a few times throughout the winter cutting and splitting some standing dead trees. This year we kept the house around the 68 degree range. House is insulated and has newer windows so its pretty tight. My question from all of you seasoned burners is how much would should I expect to go through. Currenlty have 5 cord CSS and another cord or so that is cut but still needs split and stacked. From looking around the forums here it looks like peoplpe are burning 3-4 cords, that just seems liek its not enough. Any thoughts?

Welcome to the club! As you will soon find out, it pays to have at least two years' worth c/s/s at any given time. I keep three years worth, but two would suffice. Best to let your wood season as long as possible for best burning results. So, my two cents is get as much as you can, get it split as split as soon as you can, and get it stacked and top-covered.