Noob question about wood seasoning

[squngel]

Hi,

I recently installed the large CFM steel stove & began burning wood for the first time... and have become completely obsessed. (And I LOVE my stove... and I am the person who posted a few times earlier in the year with stove questions, wanted a cast iron because I thought they were prettier, but now I can't imagine anything lovelier than what I bought--it is elegant and works very well.)

On to the wood question: last June I had to have a very large silver maple (soft maple) cut down, & we kept the wood. I asked the tree guy when it would be okay to burn it, and his response was, "This stuff has so little sap in it, you could burn it right now. If you don't burn it this year, it probably won't be any good." The tree, when cut, had barely leafed out... it was mostly, but not completely, dead.

So.... we got about half the wood cut and split in June, and I've been burning it. The other half we're just getting around to splitting now, and there is a noticeable difference in the end cracks between the batches. I have been burning the pieces from the June-split pile that seem to have the most cracks in the ends, however, some of these don't seem to have very good cracks. Guess I am wondering if this stuff is seasoned enough, and if the stuff we're splitting now might be seasoned by spring or if we should wait until next year to burn it. Like I said, the tree was sort of mostly but not completely dead so I don't know if it can reaally be considered "downed wood" or not.

It burns well but doesn't compare to the standing dead dogwood I've been dragging out of the woods... that's my favorite.

There's some wood down the street for sale $50 /rick, but I stopped today to take a look and it doesn't appear seasoned at all. I know the guys who are selling it are burning it, but have reason to doubt their lack of inbreeding & wouldn't surprise me if they burned their shack down with it.

Am I being way too paranoid about creosote buildup, since I have a new stove? I don't mind foraging for wood in this weather, but don't exactly relish the idea of climbing up on my 10-slope roof and un-bolting the chimney cap.

All feedback/ replies appreciated!

 

[budman]

Looks like you are going to have to deal with what you have this year but that wood
is not ready yet.Seasoned wood must be cut and split then stacked to dry for at least
eight months if not more.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

unless its pine, that will cure out in as little as 3 months....

 

[squngel]

okay, just phoned in an order for a cord of hickory, guy says it was cut and split in april, promises I will be able to see cracks. I'm skeptical but like $45/rick for hickory so will be happy whether I burn it this year or next.

Thanks for the input, guys. Someone posted something about maple also curing quickly, in the thread about running out of wood.

 

[Gibbonboy]

I really try to let maple go for 2 years after it's been bucked and split. It doesn't give up moisture easily, one full year would be a min. for that, I've had 3"-4" rounds sizzle after 8 months under top cover in a windy spot. Ash starts out drier than other woods, and dries reasonably quickly. Some will say you can burn it green, but if you can get seasoned wood delivered, and can afford it, go for that option. Finding seasoned wood around here is next to impossible at this time of year. The local ads are full of people trying to make a buck off their rotten old piles, since woodburning is becoming more popular as people realize what a chunk of their pay goes for heat now.

Also, I don't know about other states, but ours has a legal definition for a cord of wood, and that is the only legal unit to sell firewood by. Face cords, ricks, truckloads, all are "technically" illegal to sell here. Personally, I ask how many cords, and expect a good honest answer. Doesn't have to be dead-on, but better be within 5% or so. Anyone who tries to dissuade me from that is either cheating or doesn't know what a "cord" of wood is.

Here is a good story about that: http://www.pawam.org/press_release.asp?DocumentID=18

 

[squngel]

I really try to let maple go for 2 years after it's been bucked and split. It doesn't give up moisture easily, one full year would be a min. for that, I've had 3"-4" rounds sizzle after 8 months under top cover in a windy spot. Ash starts out drier than other woods, and dries reasonably quickly. Some will say you can burn it green, but if you can get seasoned wood delivered, and can afford it, go for that option. Finding seasoned wood around here is next to impossible at this time of year. The local ads are full of people trying to make a buck off their rotten old piles, since woodburning is becoming more popular as people realize what a chunk of their pay goes for heat now.

Also, I don't know about other states, but ours has a legal definition for a cord of wood, and that is the only legal unit to sell firewood by. Face cords, ricks, truckloads, all are "technically" illegal to sell here. Personally, I ask how many cords, and expect a good honest answer. Doesn't have to be dead-on, but better be within 5% or so. Anyone who tries to dissuade me from that is either cheating or doesn't know what a "cord" of wood is.

Here is a good story about that: http://www.pawam.org/press_release.asp?DocumentID=18

Wood is sold by the rick here. I have never even seen it advertized for sale by the cord. I know the rick isn't as precise a measurement but I don't have much choice. I do have my 4x4's laid and stakes driven 8' apart though so it'll be pretty obvious if the wood is short.

when you say "rotten old piles" do you mean that literally, as in folks trying to sell off wood that's been sitting around years and years?

 

[Lignums]

Maple takes every bit of a year to season out. It is just one of those funky species of wood that takes a while to do it right. If your stove is as nice burning as it is nice looking then you should have no problem keeping the house warm if you take the time to let your wood set every bit of 2 years. It sounds unreasonable, unfathomable, but if you try it one year, you will never do it any other way.

 

[jpl1nh]

There is maple, thens there's maple and then there's maple. There's a big difference between sugar maple, red maple, and silver maple. Silver maple is really light, red maple is a bit heavier, and sugar maple is one of the heavy "Daddy" woods - up there with oak, hickory, black locust and such. I too find silver maple dries fairly fast. I'd always like to dry for a year or more but considering this tree was already mostly dying, you probably can get by with it. It would still be better next year. If it was red maple, you'd probably be having less success and sugar maple, foghet about it!! 2 years would be best for that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

okay, just phoned in an order for a cord of hickory, guy says it was cut and split in april, promises I will be able to see cracks. I'm skeptical but like $45/rick for hickory so will be happy whether I burn it this year or next.

Thanks for the input, guys. Someone posted something about maple also curing quickly, in the thread about running out of wood.

Not sure why you would be skeptical about $45 a rick for hickory. If I needed wood I would gladly pay that and be happy when it kept my butt warm in January and February.

 

[squngel]

okay, just phoned in an order for a cord of hickory, guy says it was cut and split in april, promises I will be able to see cracks. I'm skeptical but like $45/rick for hickory so will be happy whether I burn it this year or next.

Thanks for the input, guys. Someone posted something about maple also curing quickly, in the thread about running out of wood.

Not sure why you would be skeptical about $45 a rick for hickory. If I needed wood I would gladly pay that and be happy when it kept my butt warm in January and February.

Actually I am thrilled about it, just skeptical of his claim that it's *already cured.* I do need something to burn now, but it'll be great wood for later if it's not ready yet, so I'll be happy regardless. (& may order 2 more ricks from the guy-- but I want to see it first. Guess I am lucky to live in hardwood country where wood is plentiful and relatively cheap. A guy down the street from me put in a corn stove, but I don't think that makes a heck of a lot of sense around here (south central indiana) since we've got a lot more local wood than corn. (plus the damn thing is electric. power outages we do have.)

rambling, sorry I'm getting old

 

[squngel]

Just got the hickory. Ricks were very generous, log length 18-20". Stuff looks old and gray, bark falling off, but is very heavy. He told me the tree was alive when cut. It isn't clean looking like my maple, but has a lot of bug dust on it. He told me that bugs that look liike beemoths eat on it all summer... is this normal or bad??? Will try to burn some tonight & see how it does, told him I'd order more if I ;like it.

 

[wahoowad]

I seasoned a bunch of hickory this past year and was surprised at how the boring bugs really attacked the hickory. Lots of dust, so yes it is normal.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Post beetles. If the post beetles are already in the wood, it should be dry enough to burn for sure.

 

[squngel]

okay thanks, I won't fret about the bug dust. No visible end cracks (maybe some woods are exceptions to this?) The wood seems to burn okay, though it is letting off some steam. It's been very wet here for over a week, though, so probably everyone's wood is steaming unless they're keeping it inside.