wood for winter

[beermann]

Is this maple cut small enough to dry out by winter?

The firewood holder is made of pallets and has about a full cord. About 1 foot in length and contstant sunlight, good wind. I tarp it on rainy days.

The other loosly stacked wood will eventually be built with sides so I can stack another roughly estimated full cord of 1 foot lengths....all that wood I have on the left, the small rounds 2-6 inches thick and loosly stacked. Do I need to split them or will they dry out good enough for the winter? Good wind and moderate sunlight.

Thanks all.

 

[tigeroak]

I burn a lot of maple it will be ok to burn this year if it is soft maple, hard maple 2 years at least. I give my soft maple 2 years to season and it is great. Any thing over 4-6 inches I would split if going to burn this year. With me I leave mine a little on the large side 6-7 inches across before I start to split soft maple. I do split some on the small side for the wife , not a lot but a few.

 

[Jay106n]

I can already hear the sizzle, get them smaller..

 

[jatoxico]

Can't tell from the pic if the wood in the first pic is single or double row. Single is far better for fast drying. Even small rounds will take a surprising amount of time to dry unless some bark is stripped off.

As they say, it is what it is. Provide the best conditions you can, then burn what you got. This is exactly why people want to get ahead though. Put up more wood than you need for the next year or you're always going to be burning marginal wood.

That new saw needs a workout!

 

[beermann]

Can't tell from the pic if the wood in the first pic is single or double row. Single is far better for fast drying. Even small rounds will take a surprising amount of time to dry unless some bark is stripped off.

As they say, it is what it is. Provide the best conditions you can, then burn what you got. This is exactly why people want to get ahead though. Put up more wood than you need for the next year or you're always going to be burning marginal wood.

That new saw needs a workout!

It's about 3-4 rows each row. Anywhere from 6 to 12 inch pieces.

I will do what I can to get ahead this year as long as I have a decent place to store them.

 

[Jags]

Some of those look pretty large for the time frame you are talking about.Think of the diameter of a pint glass. I would make sure there is nothing larger than that if you are trying to get it dried down for this coming winter.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

You will have better results come winter if you split those pieces smaller. Even more so if that happens to bad hard maple.

 

[beermann]

You will have better results come winter if you split those pieces smaller. Even more so if that happens to bad hard maple.

I'm listening to the both of you and started splitting the wood into smaller pieces. I'm assuming ill need to load the insert more often and ill use slightly more wood?

I've started searching the forums for ideas on how to speed up seasoning. Some neat concepts... As of right now a storm in coming in so the main stack is covered and tied down but it can still get air flow from all sides (pic below). The other pile is covered with little airflow, once I get my drill ill build a firewood stand just like the main stack and ill reenforce the structers properly.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

If you could suspend some hard board over the top with a plastic/waterproof cover that would probably save some tarping time. But if you are willing it is probably going to have the fastest seasoning by leaving it open and applying the tarp over every rain/snow.

I split all my Norway maple and ash down to 3x2" or smaller this year to get them as dried as fast as possible.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I'm listening to the both of you and started splitting the wood into smaller pieces. I'm assuming ill need to load the insert more often and ill use slightly more wood?

I've started searching the forums for ideas on how to speed up seasoning. Some neat concepts... As of right now a storm in coming in so the main stack is covered and tied down but it can still get air flow from all sides (pic below). The other pile is covered with little airflow, once I get my drill ill build a firewood stand just like the main stack and ill reenforce the structers properly.

You may need to load the stove a bit more often, but I don't think you will notice a major change in reload time. To your question about using more wood, I think it would be the opposite- with the drier wood you will get a more efficient, longer burn time. It has been said that the most important factor in firewood is its dryness.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Ditto on hard too over material. I use corrugated metal roofing. If you go with this option, be sure to bend the sharp corners back so that sharp is not exposed-could easily cut someone quickly. Also with this stuff consider putting it in the garage if a big storm is predicted, as if these things were airborne, that could be a problem.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Silly autocorrect, my first sentence above should read "hard top cover material".

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Here is a shot of my stacks with the tin roofing I referred to its not on all of my wood right now but I made sure it's on the pine. In my experience top covering Pine is necessary as this will lead to the pine not being fully dried it seems to take up a lot of water.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

 

[maple1]

I'm listening to the both of you and started splitting the wood into smaller pieces. I'm assuming ill need to load the insert more often and ill use slightly more wood?

I've started searching the forums for ideas on how to speed up seasoning. Some neat concepts... As of right now a storm in coming in so the main stack is covered and tied down but it can still get air flow from all sides (pic below). The other pile is covered with little airflow, once I get my drill ill build a firewood stand just like the main stack and ill reenforce the structers properly.

I would not have any tarp hanging over the sides. Very top only.

I tarp some - I just spread it out on top of the pile, then put another layer of wood on top to hold it there. No muss no fuss. I couldn't do metal or sheets of anything, they would blow away - very exposed to wind here.

 

[blades]

Your stack of wood- a series of pallets laid on top of that- tarp laid on pallets- another set of pallets to hold tarp, This gives wet protection but allows full air flow, also a tarp or plastic below the bottom pallets deflects rising ground moisture from passing through stack.

 

[beermann]

View attachment 197070

After seeing your picture and hearing what everyone else has to say ill do a couple things.

1) I will definitely have to give my stacked wood a re-chop after I am done processing the uncut and soon to be chopped wood. I'll cut it all smaller/thinner like yours. It's a lot of work but I refuse to have a cold house this winter. Heat and hydro prices are getting to high in ontario and last winter was a chilly one for the famjam.

2) I will make "rooftops" for the wood piles.

I am working on a zero dollar budget so my rooftop idea will be coming from de constructed pallets to make a nice looking roof and left over window plastic under it to provide added protection.

3) finish all my wood cutting this weekend, afterwards ill make a wood processing area for limbs and logs to speed things up in preparation for my next load. With any luck ill get the work done in half the time and if I'm able to get enough wood I may not have to re chop my first pile of wood

 

[beermann]

Your stack of wood- a series of pallets laid on top of that- tarp laid on pallets- another set of pallets to hold tarp, This gives wet protection but allows full air flow, also a tarp or plastic below the bottom pallets deflects rising ground moisture from passing through stack.

I like this. I'll see what I can do to make it visually appealing. My current set-up will be getting a visual upgrade as it continues to grow from behind the shed. Although, if I can squeeze in as much wood behind the shed as I think I can then ill do almost exaclty what your suggesting.

I'm thinking I can get 5 of those piles behind my shed and 3-4 along the fence. The photo is roughly a full cord, slighly less (have not measured)

 

[beermann]

View attachment 197070

Did you chop all that yourself? Since easter weekend I try to keep pace with 30-40 minutes total of hauling wood, chain sawing and splitting/stacking everyday. Now every second weekend I will treat is basically a day-job. The photo + a pile half that size is what I've accomplished since easter weekend. Been a good substitute for the gym and I like how my family will benefit from the "exercise"

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I did chop all that wood myself. I have about 5 to 6 cords there. I did it little by little, but often. Most wood from small scrounges and the dump. I have been at for a bit. Wood you have currently will keep you warm this winter. I tend to split fairly small bc I have fairly limited space so the 3 yr plan is not doable. I will repost a thread I started which describes how I operate my wood supply. It just what works ok for me, might not be others way of doing things. I have also found the info on firewood preparation on woodheat.org to be very helpful- a real must read.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

For The post I referenced above, Search under" one man's stacks...".

 

[beermann]

I did chop all that wood myself. I have about 5 to 6 cords there. I did it little by little, but often. Most wood from small scrounges and the dump. I have been at for a bit. Wood you have currently will keep you warm this winter. I tend to split fairly small bc I have fairly limited space so the 3 yr plan is not doable. I will repost a thread I started which describes how I operate my wood supply. It just what works ok for me, might not be others way of doing things. I have also found the info on firewood preparation on woodheat.org to be very helpful- a real must read.

Ok that puts my mind at ease for this winter. Ibwas under the impression I'd need 5-6 full cords for the winter.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Not sure if you plan to burn wood as main source of heat. If so, 4 cords would likely be needed. Especially in Canada in Either way, not to worry, you have several options if you don't gave all your wood yet. Search posts regarding "bio-bricks" (and how to use them correctly, and other wood options.

 

[beermann]

Not sure if you plan to burn wood as main source of heat. If so, 4 cords would likely be needed. Especially in Canada in Either way, not to worry, you have several options if you don't gave all your wood yet. Search posts regarding "bio-bricks" (and how to use them correctly, and other wood options.

I'm in a toss up. One part of me says burn as much as possible and the other says light it up only when company and kids are home or when we feel the chill. Regardless ill just scrounge away. Might be getting 30 feet worth of tree next week.

 

[beermann]

Not sure if you plan to burn wood as main source of heat. If so, 4 cords would likely be needed. Especially in Canada in Either way, not to worry, you have several options if you don't gave all your wood yet. Search posts regarding "bio-bricks" (and how to use them correctly, and other wood options.

For this winter I am going to burn wood as a main source as much as possible while using my house furnace as a back-up in case I work 12hrs and can't tend to the fire or if a long burn goes out short.

The goal is to recoup most - if not all - the cost incurred during the install. 5-600 bucks.