The ideal split size?

[mtj53]

Just curious,
I know during splitting you end up with all different sizes, but what would you all consider to be the ideal size to split your firewood that allows you to burn a hotter longer lasting fire in your fireplace? Thanks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Depends upon how much room you have to put the splits in. If you have plenty of room, then some small splits for getting fire going or for short fires and larger ones to hold fire longer.

If you have a small firebox in a stove, then small splits is all you want. Whatever, you need to put in at least 3 splits per fire and 4 or 5 is better for longer fires.

 

[savageactor7]

It all depends on your stove and whether you burn for heat or longevity. With our newer stove we're splitting smaller in order to load the firebox full without bashing those delicate reburner tubes.

 

[mtj53]

I don't have the fireplace bought yet--but it will be one of the larger ones, most likely either a RSF Opel, Quadra-Fire 7100 or Fireplace Extrordinair. Will be heating 2500 SQ FT. I am splitting the wood now for next season. I am installing this to hopefully be my main heat source, hoping to get as long & hot of a burn time as possible. Whatever it takes to get the most heat for the longest period.

 

[Creek-Chub]

THen you'll want a good mix, as Backwoods Savage mentioned. Don't forget that if you split a little on the large size you can always keep an axe or maul handy to make then smaller if needed.

 

[Brian VT]

The c/s/d I bought last year had a good mix of sizes. Problem is I've learned that I like to load full and use larger splits. I'm scared to load full with small splits for fear of them taking off, though maybe I should try it. Now I have a ton of smaller splits set aside. I may try to trade them for someone that prefers them.

 

[pen]

It absolutely depends on your setup. for me, I choose to cut my firewood a bit shorter about 16-18 inches) and load the stove front to back (north-south). This burn pattern works well for my stove with larger splits. Others have more success burning smaller east to west. I will still get a good long burn time out of a stove loaded front to back with small splits, but it just burns hotter. Others like larger east to west. Others like smaller because they can fit more than and pack them closer. Others like smaller because they will burn OK when being less than adequately seasoned. It will also depend on how strong your draft is from the chimney, whether you are using hard or soft woods, and weather you prefer coca-cola or pepsi, jim beam or jack daniels, blones, bruenettes, or redheads, etc.

Well, I just made that last few up, but you get the hint. I burn 4 different wood stoves regularly and they all have their own personality.

pen

 

[n3pro]

For me having a 1.3 cu firebox I typically use more smaller splits then larger. Working for 8 hours and sleeping for 7 causes a problem when the average burn time is four hours have gotten as much as 6 though. Typically I keep several larger pieces and put one in about and hour before bed in the back a small split on bottom and a medium on top of the small and I am filled to the gills. I am still learning what the ideal size it. I tend to get overzealous and put too large in and either can't fit much in or takes longer to get started then I like.

 

[xman23]

I keep a separate pile of mixed sizes, lengths and small splits for fire starting. To get a quick hot fire going the more wood surface you have burning the better. The first 2 fills are small quick burning pieces. After the stove is going, 400- 600 degrees, for the longest burn time most of my splits are as large as they can be and still burn. I can burn unsplit 6 inch rounds. Of course this only works when you have a 4 inch hot bed of coals, then anything will burn. I dry my wood in the sun, and store where it has air flow and keep it dry with tarps.



Tom

 

[ketoret]

do you put in rounds? what's the largest round you would not split? big wood is rather a rarity where i am. would you split a 6" round or just chuck it in?

 

[xman23]

Ketorit, I guess you get a feel for your stove after sometime. Based on the fire temp and size of the of bed coals you can or can not light up and burn certain size logs. Until I have burned a few full loads of small splits, have a hot stove box, I won't try to burn anything big. If I have a lot of 6 -8 inch rounds I will split them 1/2 or 1/4 for starter pieces. But with a hot stove and a sister log the full rounds will burn fine. (My stove and setup). To get the longest time between reloads I burn the biggest pieces I can.

Tom

 

[pen]

large rounds don't dry very well. so splitting them is going to depend on your ability to burn seasoned wood. If you have lots of storage room and can get at least a year ahead on your wood, then its fine to let 6-8 in rounds go (in my opinion and circumstance). However, if you are cutting and splitting wood in May and June that you plan to burn that fall, then you had better split them bad boys down to get the maximum drying possible in your limited amount of drying/seasoning time.

pen

 

[chad3]

Some of mine are too big, even with the over year seasoning. 5-6 inch splits are pretty good to go, I've got some bigger that will burn, but they interfere with putting more in the box.
Some are just too big, don't get stuck with just small as well as they will take off like you read about.
No real good rule, sorry.
Chad

 

[mtj53]

Thanks to everyone, actually, this gives me a pretty good idea of what I need, and that sounds like a real good mixture all around, but it sounds like most folks don't go over 6". I'll have a little bit of everything around so I can try a little bit of everything the first year. Thanks again....Mark

 

[xman23]

Pen, your right on the money about well seasoned dry wood. Yes at least one split if you are trying to use the wood the year it was cut. Fortunately I burn 3-4 year old sun baked oak I cut. My problem is keeping all the wood out of the rain. If you can have wood that's to dry, I might have it. I'd like to have a whole log pile of 6 inch rounds, no splitting required.

 

[Martin Strand III]

There is no ideal wood stove.
Wood stoves do not burn wood ideally.
There is no ideal wood.
There is no ideal size of wood split.
Everything is relative.

Aye,
Marty