Work Done in 2021
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EbS-P
Minister of Fire
You people are addicted to wood gathering and chopping and it makes my muscles hurt just to watch all the work you do but I do have a question? If in the wintertime say Colorado and you depended solely on wood burning to get you through the winter time how much wood would you have to have to get your through a winter with "lets say" a thousand foot house if this was the only heat you had in a well insulated house..Now i know your wood is rotated so that it gets dry but for this type of housing and weather--would it be 2 cords maybe or what to get you through the whole winter..Just curious for someday I will have a wood shed and just wanted to know what amount to have on hand for one winter here in Colorado and maybe a back up for another year drying and is "Oak" the best to burn or would it be a mixture of different types of wood....Now everyone of you rest your body and enjoy the summer and stop looking at trees, and Caw get that little lumberjack helping you by sweeping up all the small stuff the have him take a hot bath and cook the darling a steak dinner..lol clancey
I finished up the stacking in area number 3 that holds ten face cord, eight face cord are ready to burn this year. I had some left in picture 1901 so I pulled off the tarp and put it in with some seasoned Ironwood. I also moved just under a face cord of Ironwood too fill that stack up, I still need about twenty rounds and that will be done.
The rest of the prime rib will test great again tonight.
The rest of the prime rib will test great again tonight.
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I think it's going to depend on a lot of factors, including how "well insulated" the house is, the species of the wood, the moisture content of the wood, the efficiency of your stove and chimney, and the particulars of your house like ceiling height and layout.
All those caveats aside, I'd estimate that a best case scenario might take two cords, and a poor setup might be 5+.
If you have records of your past heating bills, it's possible to get at least a ballpark calculation of your fuel needs.
Thanks I was figuring for emergency storing maybe one cord on one side of the "to be" wood shed and another cord of wood on the other side --to rotate maybe yearly and would a 48 inch long wood shed be okay if my stove takes 18 inch logs or could I make the wood shed shorter and divide between two places--just planning here and seeing how much space i should have for a wood shed and enough of wood in a emergency just to get me through a year if need be and then rotate each year... I like the kind where you put the posting in those "Deck Blocks" with the "floor joists" going across with a roof that overhangs and maybe that wood with slats they use to haul stuff on the sides--that what I am thinking at this moment..Those deck blocks sell for 16 dollars a piece and I figure I would need maybe six of them...So thankful that I am not chopping wood like you guys---hard labor---you all take a hot bath with epson salts and like you eat some steak or prime even if it is leftovers..lol thanks clancey
Caw
Minister of Fire
I cant speak for Colorado but here in Eastern MA I use between 3-4 cords a year of mostly maple/oak to heat my 1700 sq ft fairly well insulated two story cape. I have 10-12 cords on hand typically so I'm between 2-3 years ahead at all times. I'd have more but I'm limited by space and what the wife will tolerate in the yard. I think at a minimum I'd want to have 5 cords ready in case of an extra cold winter.
For reference I'm burning in an Osburn 1600 insert in an exterior chimney that had a 24' run. Stairs to upstairs are in the stove room so one fan to help get air to the kitchen gets me good flow. House stays between 68-73 or so depending how warm we want it.
Sounds just very nice and air flow seems efficient as well--good for you--good job...To me 5 cords sounds like a whole lot but you got humidity in Michigan and that might make a difference as well as burning for heat and in my case I just want it set up property so I have it just in a emergency if I should need the heat...I have not had quality time to have my first wood stove burning but eventually I will and take some pictures and see how it turns out...but right now "no way" so I am thinking about wood sheds and wood ordering...I will tell you one thing that kiln wood sells for a hefty price. City people like me do not do that type of work and in my case could not if I wanted to also there is the bug issue in the wood and that's why kiln wood is so high priced in the city and they get the prices too,,For me I hope it is a one time buy and just be able to store it nicely and use it occasionally as needed,, I might try some of those other types of logs too that burn real easy --forget the name--"paper logs" and easy "starter bricks"--these might be good for me to start with--lol lol--just baby steps but eventually I will have a good wood fire with my stove dealer beside me...and I will take a picture..Hug your family,,clancey
SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
If heating from your porch stove maybe 5 cords at the most, I probably wouldn't estimate over three if you are supplementing the heat with your normal heating system. Oak is nice, but being one of the most dense woods available means it also takes quite a long time to dry.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Forgot to mention the wood in my post but as SpaceBus said, Oak is very nice but takes a long time to dry. Around here 2-3 seasons minimum if it's green. I personally like to use a wood cocktail depending on the weather/time of day and often combine maple, cherry, ash, and Oak. Maple is my primary fuel source since it's so abundant then the colder it gets or for overnight fires the more oak/ash I add as it burns longer.
Cherry, Maple, and Ash are often ready in a single season here so they are nice to have on hand. We don't really burn softwood up here but that would work too as a quick drying option. I'm not sure what is available to you out in CO but just try to plan accordingly based on dry times and BTUs. I'd try to have some faster drying stuff and some longer term good dense wood for the future.
Cherry, Maple, and Ash are often ready in a single season here so they are nice to have on hand. We don't really burn softwood up here but that would work too as a quick drying option. I'm not sure what is available to you out in CO but just try to plan accordingly based on dry times and BTUs. I'd try to have some faster drying stuff and some longer term good dense wood for the future.
SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
Hard maple, AKA sugar maple is close in density to oak and can take more than a year to season properly. Most conifers can season in one summer if you don't get a ton of rain, but they are lower density and burn faster. All wood, assuming it contains 20% water, has approximately 7,000 BTU/lb. The difference being a pound of pine takes up more space than a pound of oak.
Caw
Minister of Fire
A few posts ago I said I was all done with wood for the season. Whelp...
Never say never. Neighbor up the street has a dozen trees taken down and me being me I walked up and spoke to the tree guys. Gave the log truck driver $20 and he dropped the 5 hardwood trunks in my driveway...all beautiful and straight! 3 x soft maple and 2 x red oak all 16-22". Amazing what you can get by just asking and offering a couple bucks for their trouble.
Managed to get it all bucked, stacked, and cleaned up in a few hours. Now it's time for Ibuprofen, beer, and hockey...let's go Bs!
Never say never. Neighbor up the street has a dozen trees taken down and me being me I walked up and spoke to the tree guys. Gave the log truck driver $20 and he dropped the 5 hardwood trunks in my driveway...all beautiful and straight! 3 x soft maple and 2 x red oak all 16-22". Amazing what you can get by just asking and offering a couple bucks for their trouble.
Managed to get it all bucked, stacked, and cleaned up in a few hours. Now it's time for Ibuprofen, beer, and hockey...let's go Bs!
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
Wow. Those are some nice straight trunks!! Good score. Doesn't matter that your stacks were full already. A few cinder blocks and 2x4s and it'll all fit. You can tell your wife that I said so
Caw
Minister of Fire
Yeah they were exceptionally straight. I counted only 3 knotty rounds in the lot! I'll make sure to tell the wife my internet wood buddies said it was OK...that will definitely work
. She was just shaking her head smiling at me when they were unloading them. She knows I'm an addict but she's also addicted to the warmth!
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
I moved some shoulder season wood (white pine) from the area we burned out of this year to the area we'll burn from this year. I'll finish the stack tomorrow with some pine that has been split and covered for a year.
I'll also clean up the area ( pic 1907 ) and get another six face cord in there which will put us two years ahead for our shoulder season wood.
We have 51 face cord of hardwood stacked with hopefully another 3 that needs splitting and stacking. We should have room for another 12 face cord of hardwood. Once I'm done with the shoulder season wood, we'll have 12 face up.
I'll also clean up the area ( pic 1907 ) and get another six face cord in there which will put us two years ahead for our shoulder season wood.
We have 51 face cord of hardwood stacked with hopefully another 3 that needs splitting and stacking. We should have room for another 12 face cord of hardwood. Once I'm done with the shoulder season wood, we'll have 12 face up.
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MissMac
Minister of Fire
good on you for giving it a go, but sorry to see your bar in such rough shape. were they heavy leaners or were you just trying it for fun on balanced trees?
MissMac
Minister of Fire
ah - might not have been the ideal situation for a bore cut if you were trying to fell against the natural lean on smaller diameter wood. but good on ya for trying it out!
MissMac
Minister of Fire
that's the pits! the front row on one stall in the woodshed has been settling and was really starting to lean out towards the sun. thankfully my neighbour came over with his little tractor and nudged the stack back into the shed before i found myself in similar water.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
MissMac
Minister of Fire
Caw
Minister of Fire
those are some expensive weights you've got holding those tarps down! at the current rate, those posts could be your nest egg retirement fund! nice looking wood stack though
Haha I know right? Just extra PT 4x4 pieces I had laying around they are prly worth decent $!
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Friend of mine had some storm damage tree's, cut them up and dumped a mason dumps worth in my front yard, unfortunately for me, the logs are to long for my stove, so I talked to my 88 yr old neighbor, told him I will split it this afternoon and dump the splits by his log pile for the fireplace, 3 people are happy, my buddy cleaned up his yard, I get to split and my neighbor gets free wood.
Caw you can ship those 4x4"s here and I will "take care of them" so right--expensive...Why not use those 16 dollar concrete blocks on side of the pile on the ground to hold the tarp down--or ship those here too. Ha..Your wood piles all look wonderful and I"m like your 'wife' loving the heat...I think that you men just do cold weather better than us wonderful beings..lol Enjoy you day and get that heavy equipment operator to help you out today so she can get used to the weather...lol I bet she is inside right now helping her mom cook up something good...clancey
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