"When To Split & When to Leave It Round: That is the Question

[Ralphie Boy]

I've a stack, and man I mean a stack, of white oak and ash limbs, about 18" long, ranging in diameter from 2" to maybe 5". Leave it round and burn it in a couple of years or split 'em and burn 'em next fall?? :red:

 

[dafattkidd]

Seems like these are all viable options. What is your wood supply like for next year? If I was a full year ahead or eve better two years a ahead I'd just leave them and burn them in two or three years. This way your work is done. Next time you have to touch them is in two years when you put them in your stove. But if you need them for next year split em and restack em.

Either way you're in good shape.

 

[Gark]

ImHO, roundwood burns (and dries) slower than splits. I would leave 'em round, burn the ash next winter and save the oak rounds outdoors stacked in wind at least one more extra year (2 year seasoned minimum for oak).

 

[NH_Wood]

I'm a big fan of rounds, but stack them separate in single rows and separate all oak. The oak rounds sit for 3 years minimum (less for real small rounds), many of the others are pretty good after a year, but better after two years. I don't burn much dense species before 4 years anyway, so I don't care much about time. Cheers!

 

[LLigetfa]

I buy my logs so they are all trunk, no limbs and I split everything that can be spit and still have more than enough big pieces. I would imagine limbs could be a PITA to split. I find rounds tend to roll around and can topple a stack or roll up against the glass in the stove. Split wood lights off easier in the stove which is nice in the milder weather with small, short, hot fires that I let go down to a few coals and then ressurect. I wouldn't put small rounds in for overnighters.

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

I wouldn't split the Ash under any circumstances. Even if you need it next year, after one of our summers down here it will be seasoned if stacked out in the open. White Oak, just make yourself happy. Me, I'd have left anything inder 6" where it fell anyway.

 

[ansehnlich1]

Stack it all and leave it to season.

I wouldn't split any of it.

Of course, you may be young and energetic, if that's the case, and you have nothing better to do, you could split it.

I'm 52, and I guarantee if it'll fit through the stove door it doesn't get split

 

[Backwoods Savage]

5" is at the top for what I'll keep in the round. Most of ours are smaller; probably 4" and less.

 

[mywaynow]

My wood is all around 3 years C/S/S and the only time a piece hisses and steams it is a round. I think the bark holds in a lot of moisture. Split the oak for sure, at least the 4 inch and larger. Split in half they make great stack toppers.

 

[corey21]

I split all my wood i think that the rounds do not burn as well as splits.

 

[ruserious2008]

I used the rule that if it was thinner than my arm (I'm not a big guy with muscles either I didn't bother to split it But now after burning some of these rounds, even some ash, and it hisses whereas some much bigger pieces that were split don't it has left me with the new rule that if I can possibly make it stand up and can aim and hit it with an axe I'm splitting it this year.

 

[BrotherBart]

All depends on how long you can dry it and how you load your stove. Big three year dried oak limb rounds loaded N/S are manna from heaven.

Now all of those 24" to 36" inch trunk suckers I have been hauling up the hill are gonna get themselves split this summer. But split large.

 

[bogydave]

3" to about 5" I crack it with the splitter but not split all the way. Above 5" I split.
Birch bark is water tight, so cracking helps the smaller stuff dry.
Spruce, over about 5" gets split, smaller added to the stack as rounds.

 

[NH_Wood]

All depends on how long you can dry it and how you load your stove. Big three year dried oak limb rounds loaded N/S are manna from heaven.

Now all of those 24" to 36" inch trunk suckers I have been hauling up the hill are gonna get themselves split this summer. But split large.

That's what I'm takin' bout! Cheers!

 

[Bspring]

For a stove I would say 5" or larger gets split. For my furnance I can put a 23" crosstie in it if I wanted to. The larger chuncks will have longer burn times and I use them at night.

 

[Hogwildz]

Usually, if it fits through the door, it stays as is. This year, the load I got was fresh cut, and will be stretching it to use it next season. So as much as it pains me to split the smaller rounds, I had to.
I like large pcs, and still could not stop myself from splitting some larger pcs, but alot went down to medium size. Depends how fast you plan on using it.

 

[Wood Duck]

When I find a piece of firewood with fungus growing out of it, the piece is always a round not a split. I'd split the pieces that will split.

 

[NH_Wood]

When I find a piece of firewood with fungus growing out of it, the piece is always a round not a split. I'd split the pieces that will split.

Agreed - which is why I single stack them and top cover - once dry, few worries. I have a few rounds that will punk, but not nearly enough to worry. Cheers!