Seasoning---rounds vs. splits

[SolaGracia]

I have read in various places that wood does not season well in rounds, but must be split & stacked for optimum seasoning. This makes sense.

I posted an earlier thread detailing some burn duration & quality issues, https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/49197/

I talked to the landscaper today who sold me the wood, and he was quite upset that I declined the delivery of the last 400 pieces of cordwood I had ordered. He claimed I was the first to complain about his wood. Now when I pressed him further for details, he finally admitted that while the wood had been cut into rounds for at least 2 years, maybe even 4, it had not been split until October (2 months ago!) I explained to him that wood will not season well in rounds but must be split & stacked in order to consistently dry out. Was I correct in this?

I explained to him that my burns were short, incomplete, and inconsistent. From split to split I get either popping or sparking or actual water boiling out the ends of what looked like a dry split when I loaded it. Also I am left with a large unburnt chunks when the flames die off, resulting in a large amount of coals. I kept what I already picked up (1.5 cord) which I'll move outside in the spring and dry out for burning next season.

Can anyone offer a more objective view of why rounds will not dry out like splits? Or perhaps confirm if the burn behavior I am getting is indeed consistent with a disproportionate amount of time spent drying as a round then as a split?

 

[LLigetfa]

Bark protects trees from losing moisture and if the wood has bark on it, the moisture exits mostly via the end grain. The surface area of a round that has been split is much greater than just the end grain of an unsplit round. I split everything that can be split right down to around 2" diameter. Aside from drying better, it stacks better and doesn't roll against the glass in the stove.

 

[begreen]

Take a chunk of this fellow's wood, right off the truck, split it in half and stick a moisture meter's probe into the fresh wood face. From the description, I'll be it's significantly over 20%. (or hold it up against your cheek. If damp, you will feel it.)

Splitting the wood dramatically increases the surface area exposed to air. That hastens drying, especially if the wind can blow through the stacked wood. Think how long it would take a wet bathing suit to dry if rolled up in a damp towel or two as compared to if you opened up the towel and spread out the bathing suit, then had a fan blowing over it.

 

[LLigetfa]

Oh, and wood left out in the elements will often absorb water in the cracks of the bark increasing the time it takes to dry.

 

[SolaGracia]

stick a moisture meter's probe into the fresh wood face. From the description, I'll be it's significantly over 20%.

The more I read and experience here, the more likely it is I'll be picking up a good MM---in the very near future! I'll never again buy wood from anyone without a MM in hand...

He was so adamant that no one else has complained---I can't see how anyone not burning this stuff in an open fireplace wouldn't experience poor burns as I have.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Uhhhh . . . Ya may wanna be careful about waving the moisture meter around. As has been stated on other threads, you are quickly going to develop a reputation. Unless they have no on else to sell to, yer not going to be able to buy any wood. Well, maybe at the grocery store. ;-)

 

[gzecc]

Sola, Buy the $20 moisture meter. Call the seller back up and tell him you will look at the wood he wants to deliver again.
Look at it, at his facility. Split a couple of splits take measurements.

 

[billb3]

400 pieces ?
someone actually counts it ?

 

[sandie]

I bought wood from a very reputable dealer of Plants and wood etc., delivered yesterday by them dumping in my yard for me to stack. NOw again I say they are expensive but reputable, as I was stacking the wood I would say one out of 8 had ICE on it and I mean a considerable amt of ice. IF that does not tick me off! Most of the wood is nice some with bark some without bark but what are they thinking giving us wood with ice? I am sure it is not covered and this was the top of their pile which then went on bottom of truck as I think we were the last people to get it delivered yesterday so had a lot of wood debris with it but that will be used for kindling so that is ok. I think the dealers are now cocky, I had given my Moisture Meter to my brother since his wife took a delivery of 2 cords of wood that was supposed to be seasoned and was NOT from another dealer. Caveat Emptor use your moisture meter as it comes off the truck and if there are more than a few that are >20% I would reload it on truck and send it back, enough people do that and they will be more honest.
I would not worry about people not selling you wood, they want the money believe me. You do the right thing and never worry about what someone is going to think of you for doing the right thing.

 

[SolaGracia]

It's actually illegal in the state of Ohio to sell by any other measure than a cord---however this landscaping company apparently doesn't feel compelled to abide by that rule---and thus they are selling by the piece. 200 pieces is roughly 1/3 of a cord by my measure.

I had to count them out as I tossed them into the back of my truck. Sad thing is, I actually sorted through the pile trying to handpick the pieces, and I still ended up with junk.

 

[rathmir]

You should contact your bureau of weights and measure, if they hear about this company selling by the piece there will be some nasty actions. Make sure you get a receipt from the seller showing what you received and how much you paid as well.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

stick a moisture meter's probe into the fresh wood face. From the description, I'll be it's significantly over 20%.

The more I read and experience here, the more likely it is I'll be picking up a good MM---in the very near future! I'll never again buy wood from anyone without a MM in hand...

He was so adamant that no one else has complained---I can't see how anyone not burning this stuff in an open fireplace wouldn't experience poor burns as I have.

So why hasn't anyone else complained? No doubt, they just do not know any better. After you talk to or even see some of the things other people do, you further understand. They think that is how wood burns and that is all there is to it. After all, they were told by a person who knows (the firewood seller).

I know I am constantly amazed with the attitude of people who burn wood. I hired a fellow to do some work last summer and when I asked why he didn't have a wood pile yet, he stated that it was too early to cut. Wood burns better if it doesn't sit around, he told me. All the while we were talking, we were standing right by one of our wood piles that has been stacked about 6 years! Ignorance knows no bounds.

 

[LLigetfa]

You should contact your bureau of weights and measure...

No. There is no misleading advertising. It's not like a bait and switch. The buyer got to select which splits to take.

It's no different than when I buy natural stone for landscaping. The seller sells them by the piece, not by the square inch. As an informed buyer I know there is going to be variations in size and they let be choose the pieces.

At the local Walmart I can buy bananas. They don't have scales to weigh them so they sell them by the piece. Same price regardless of size. I have the option not to buy them there and can go buy them from a fruit stand instead.