# Got Ripped Off By a Firewood Dealer - Any tips for Drying wood quickly?



## Parkview154 (Nov 15, 2012)

Hi All,

I know it's a bad idea to burn wet wood in an insert, but I got burned by a local firewood dealer and now I'm not sure what to do.  The outside of the wood reads 16-19% on the moisture meter, but the inside is 30-35%.  I tried burning it, and it puts the fire right out.  The outside will char, but  mostly it will just smoke and smolder even with the damper fully open. 

I guess it's bound to happen every now and then.  The guy was very reasonable at first and offered to come pick up the wood and refund my money and I offered to load it for him.  After I hadn't heard from him in over a week, I contacted him and he no longer wants to accept the wood back. 

I can argue with him all I want, but I doubt it will get me anywhere.   Now I've got 2 cords of chunk wood in my front yard killing my grass that I don't know what to do with.  Is there any way to dry it out quickly so it can be used this year?   

Thanks!


----------



## Swedishchef (Nov 15, 2012)

Put it inside. Use fans and a dehuidifier continuously. Split the bigger splits into smaller ones.

It's sad but it certainly happens more often than not.

Andrew


----------



## bag of hammers (Nov 15, 2012)

If you don't have a dry place to store it for now, at least get it split and up off the ground asap (use some old pallets, or something) preferably where wind and sun can get on it all day.  Small splits. 

Don't mean to offend your sensibilities, but after some really sad stories here recently about woodstove mishaps, the temptation to be piling any of it on / near the stove comes to mind.  Please don't ever go there.


----------



## Swedishchef (Nov 15, 2012)

+1 to Hammers contents: no piling near or on the wood stove!

Where are you living hammers?

Andrew


----------



## mfglickman (Nov 15, 2012)

Last year I mixed with bio bricks to help compensate for wet wood.


----------



## Pallet Pete (Nov 15, 2012)

If it is that dry already you can find the driest pieces to get started then keep a basket near the stove so that it dries by the time you reload.  Do not keep them close enough to catch on fire but close enough to dry. I have had to do that in the past and it works decent. 

Pete


----------



## egclassic (Nov 15, 2012)

I would recommend to always check the wood BEFORE you accept it with your MM. If the seller takes offense, tell him he can take his wood elsewhere!
All summer, I drive past a guy's house who sells firewood, on my way to the boat ramp, and noticed he had alot of big logs ready to split. So last weekend I drove past and saw him just now beginning to split it. I feel sorry for those who buy this wood in hopes to burn it this year. If I buy wood, I always take my MM and Fiskars with me.


----------



## Pallet Pete (Nov 15, 2012)

egclassic said:


> I would recommend to always check the wood BEFORE you accept it with your MM. If the seller takes offense, tell him he can take his wood elsewhere!
> All summer, I drive past a guy's house who sells firewood, on my way to the boat ramp, and noticed he had alot of big logs ready to split. So last weekend I drove past and saw him just now beginning to split it. I feel sorry for those who buy this wood in hopes to burn it this year. If I buy wood, I always take my MM and Fiskars with me.


 
In our experience when you buy they will say the wood is 1 to 2 years dry. If you ask was it split for two years they will either look at you like your an idiot and explain that is was down two years so its dry split or not or lie to you. We have only found one truly honest firewood dealer. 

Pete


----------



## etiger2007 (Nov 15, 2012)

Sorry to hear that ,  not sure of your yard situation but thhat is why most on here get three years ahead so if this does happens it not too big of a deal.


----------



## BrowningBAR (Nov 15, 2012)

It's a pain, and you will use more, but you can burn wet wood. You will need smaller splits as others have mentioned and you will need to leave the stove door cracked open longer, but it is possible.

It just sucks to do. Good luck!


----------



## bag of hammers (Nov 15, 2012)

Pallet Pete said:


> If it is that dry already you can find the driest pieces to get started then keep a basket near the stove so that it dries by the time you reload. Do not keep them close enough to catch on fire but close enough to dry. I have had to do that in the past and it works decent.
> 
> Pete


 
Yeah i do same. My apologies if I offended anyone and didn't mean to sound condescending to anyone, especially the OP. I guess "near" is pretty vague in my previous comment, and common sense applies, but it's just that those stories / tragedies scare the crap out of me.



Swedishchef said:


> Where are you living hammers?
> 
> Andrew


 
I'm on the Ontario / Michigan border, at the top end of the I-75 SS Marie. Actually my place is about 40 miles north, on the shoreline of Lake Superior. We have quite a few neighbors from Michigan, Louisiana, Florida, etc. that know and love the area.


----------



## mcollect (Nov 15, 2012)

My first year the same thing happened to me. I just split it into smaller splits and stored it in the basement with a dehumidifier on in a small room. I stacked as to get the most air circulation going. In two weeks it was fit to burn, not great but well enough. I also brought all my woodshop scraps in to help the fire along. Old pallets also work to help the fire keep going. But please check chimney for Creosote often!!


----------



## BrianK (Nov 15, 2012)

Pallet Pete said:


> Do not keep them close enough to catch on fire but close enough to dry. I have had to do that in the past and it works decent.
> 
> Pete



I had lunch with a friend today and I was telling him how wood heating is considered "green" because its carbon neutral and a renewable resource. He was dubious so I was doing a quick Internet search to send him a link. The photo below was in one of the first articles I found. That wood seems to be stacked awful close to that stove:


----------



## Pallet Pete (Nov 15, 2012)

BrianK said:


> I had lunch with a friend today and I was telling him how wood heating is considered "green" because its carbon neutral and a renewable resource. He was dubious so I was doing a quick Internet search to send him a link. The photo below was in one of the first articles I found. That wood seems to be stacked awful close to that stove:


 
Yup I would never put it that close it is just asking for a house fire !

Pete


----------



## Sprinter (Nov 15, 2012)

BrianK said:


> I had lunch with a friend today and I was telling him how wood heating is considered "green" because its carbon neutral and a renewable resource. He was dubious so I was doing a quick Internet search to send him a link. The photo below was in one of the first articles I found. That wood seems to be stacked awful close to that stove:


 I don't know what kind of stove that is, but it doesn't even look side-shielded.  Stove looks pretty hot, too.


----------



## weatherguy (Nov 15, 2012)

I see ads from dealers saying they're selling seasoned wood in log form  I dont think they're being dishonest I think a lot of people, dealers included dont know what seasoned wood means, since there really is no definition it means somnething different to everyone.
Id split smaller, stack near the stove and mix in either pallet wood or bio bricks, it'll get you through the year until next year when you can season your own wood.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Nov 15, 2012)

Pallets got me through my first winter.  They can be had for free and their thin wood dries fast so don't load the stove without some of the cordwood.  Downside is you'll be picking out nails from the ashes.  

Matt


----------



## David Tackett (Nov 15, 2012)

This is a guy's ad near me.  I like it.

http://lexington.craigslist.org/grd/3369587956.html


----------



## Sprinter (Nov 15, 2012)

Parkview154 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I know it's a bad idea to burn wet wood in an insert, but I got burned by a local firewood dealer and now I'm not sure what to do. The outside of the wood reads 16-19% on the moisture meter, but the inside is 30-35%. I tried burning it, and it puts the fire right out. The outside will char, but mostly it will just smoke and smolder even with the damper fully open.
> 
> ...


 
Some have had some success with mixing wood like that with ultra-dry wood like pallets, or with commercial fire logs, or even pellets (spelled with an e), with some kind of device. Even expensive commercial products may still be cheaper than whatever you heat with now. It may even be possible to still find some good wood.

Personally, I don't think I'd try to burn much of it unless mixed with something, and use it next year. If you do, split it really small and it will dry in the fire quicker.

I don't know how long it would take for your wood to appreciably dry indoors near (outside of the clearance requirements) the stove. Maybe you could try it using a moisture meter and let us know!


----------



## Sprinter (Nov 15, 2012)

David Tackett said:


> This is a guy's ad near me. I like it.
> 
> http://lexington.craigslist.org/grd/3369587956.html


Must be a member here


----------



## wkpoor (Nov 15, 2012)

I don't think you got ripped off at all. It is the buyers responsibilty to season the firewood. If he sold you good quality hardwood sized to your liking, then IMO opinion that is all the obligation he has. Since properly seasoned wood should be 2-3yrs old you can't possibly expect the seller to hold onto it that long. If someone does I hope they are charging accordingly.


----------



## Sprinter (Nov 15, 2012)

wkpoor said:


> I don't think you got ripped off at all. It is the buyers responsibilty to season the firewood. If he sold you good quality hardwood sized to your liking, then IMO opinion that is all the obligation he has. Since properly seasoned wood should be 2-3yrs old you can't possibly expect the seller to hold onto it that long. If someone does I hope they are charging accordingly.


That depends on how he represented it. Unfortunately, the term "seasoned" is so vague and without real meaning that it is kind of a buyer beware situation unless you specify a moisture content. I don't think it's at all out of line to ask about that and insist on a minimum number. They can always say no. Cord size is easier to determine and is the other way to be disappointed or even ripped off.


----------



## Gasifier (Nov 15, 2012)

Parkview154. Try looking around for some dry stuff. Pallets are usually dry. You can get them for free at many places.(Home Depot, Lowes, UPS stores, and many other businesses that take a lot of "stuff" in. Another good source is building supply places, other than the big box places like H.D. and Lowes. The smaller places usually have scrap around that they are going to end up throwing away and it cost them money to do so. Go to these places and ask around. Talk to people and you will find some dry wood. Remember if you are burning this type of wood, kiln dried, you do not want to overheat your stove. This can happen easily. Too much kiln dried wood and too much air and you can have a problem. Maybe you can find someone who sells firewood that actually has some dry stuff for this year as well. See if you can find someone that is selling Ash that has been c/s for three plus months. Ash dries quick, especially the white Ash. Then mix in some pallet wood or lumber scraps while you burn it.  In the meantime get that stuff stacked outside somewhere so you can use it next year. Depending on type of wood, if it gets good airflow you can use next season. Keep looking around and chalk this up to an experience.


----------



## wkpoor (Nov 15, 2012)

Sprinter said:


> That depends on how he represented it. Unfortunately, the term "seasoned" is so vague and without real meaning that it is kind of a buyer beware situation unless you specify a moisture content. I don't think it's at all out of line to ask about that and insist on a minimum number. They can always say no. Cord size is easier to determine and is the other way to be disappointed or even ripped off.


 
 I used to sell FW on the side. Me nor anyone I know plans on there being wood held back for next yr to sell as seasoned. Maybe other parts of the country have such suppliers. Even though grey wood should be considered a good thing most people like to see bright new freshly split wood.


----------



## corey21 (Nov 15, 2012)

I have been down the wet wood road before not to fun.



BrianK said:


> I had lunch with a friend today and I was telling him how wood heating is considered "green" because its carbon neutral and a renewable resource. He was dubious so I was doing a quick Internet search to send him a link. The photo below was in one of the first articles I found. That wood seems to be stacked awful close to that stove:


 
That looks like a fire waiting to happen this is how bad things start.


----------



## bluedogz (Nov 15, 2012)

wkpoor said:


> I used to sell FW on the side. Me nor anyone I know plans on there being wood held back for next yr to sell as seasoned. Maybe other parts of the country have such suppliers. Even though grey wood should be considered a good thing most people like to see bright new freshly split wood.


 
Have you ever tried to explain to a buyer what the gray wood means?


----------



## DanCorcoran (Nov 15, 2012)

Parkview154 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I know it's a bad idea to burn wet wood in an insert, but I got burned by a local firewood dealer and now I'm not sure what to do. The outside of the wood reads 16-19% on the moisture meter, but the inside is 30-35%. I tried burning it, and it puts the fire right out. The outside will char, but mostly it will just smoke and smolder even with the damper fully open.
> 
> ...


 

If you dry it inside, a dehumidifier will remove the moisture from the air and send it down the drain.  If you just use a fan, expect the inside room to have much higher humidity.  That moisture needs to go somewhere...


----------



## maverick06 (Nov 15, 2012)

well, for starters you can stack it for next year and buy new stuff for this year.

I know its too late now, but this is why i buy my wood in the spring, sometimes for the upcoming year, sometimes for the next.

I have bought and gotten hosed like you did, not much to do. Life is hard, and you bit it. Post the guy's info here so we dont make the same mistake. Then move on, you wont get satisfaction from him.


----------



## wkpoor (Nov 15, 2012)

bluedogz said:


> Have you ever tried to explain to a buyer what the gray wood means?


 Been a long time since I sold fw. What I do remember is price point and volume was what it was all about. Most suppliers weren't delivering honest cords so that became the biggest hurdle. How to charge fairly for an honest cord in a market plagued with cheaters.


----------



## Dix (Nov 15, 2012)

Sorry to hear things didn't work out for you, Parkview, with one of my wood guys. It is a little late in the season to be ordering firewood for this year, regardless of location.

Did you get those Envi bricks yet??? Local suppliers will be running out of them, soon, as well.

There is http://www.lifirewood.com/kiln-dried-firewood.php . Give them a call. Some of that will supplement that less than favorable wood, which will season quicker if split.

I'll be doing a LOT of splitting this weekend, Thanksgiving, and the following weekend, of cherry, pine, & locust, which will season fast. I'll see what I can do with swapping you out some, so you can get by this year..... get on those Envi bricks, though. You can atleast mix it up.

Any one else on Long Island that can swap out some firewood???


----------



## bag of hammers (Nov 15, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> Parkview154. Try looking around for some dry stuff. Pallets are usually dry. You can get them for free at many places.(Home Depot, Lowes, UPS stores, and many other businesses that take a lot of "stuff" in. Another good source is building supply places, other than the big box places like H.D. and Lowes. The smaller places usually have scrap around that they are going to end up throwing away and it cost them money to do so.



+1  I drive by a couple of building supply stores almost daily on my way from work  I get all my stacking pallets (no woodshed here) from 1 place in particular that sometimes has 50 or more out in a pile.  I put what I can in the back of the truck a couple times a year.  I have lots of dry pine, cedar for kindling so I mostly use them to stack wood, but they would burn hot and they're free and there's lots if you keep your eyes open.  Also doesn't hurt to go ask the guy at the service / contractor's desk. Did this once and the guy sent me to the back of the yard where they had a bunch they were ready to toss out in the pile -grabbed some good ones.


----------



## pen (Nov 15, 2012)

If I were you, I'd find a source for some bio bricks, envi blocks, eco bricks, etc as Dix mentioned and use them or try mixing them with the driest pieces of that wood split down a bit smaller.

Also, get it split and stacked so it's dry for next year. Sounds like it's time to start planning on doing the seasoning yourself. Sadly, seasoned firewood that is purchased is rarely seasoned 

pen


----------



## iceman (Nov 15, 2012)

if you can store inside with fan and dehumidifier
if not loosely stack and put a fan on it when u can. crazy as it seems i would stack 2 rows apart the width of a box fan put a piece of plywood on top and after a while you could hear the cracks in the wood opening. then i would always put the next load into the room after every reload so it would get 10 hrs or so to dry out . that should work as your wood isnt that far off. 
and resplit any large pieces


----------



## Rich L (Nov 17, 2012)

corey21 said:


> I have been down the wet wood road before not to fun.
> 
> 
> 
> That looks like a fire waiting to happen this is how bad things start.


Mix it with bio or envi 8 bricks.They burn very hot and will ignite  the splits.


----------



## Parkview154 (Dec 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the great advice!  Sorry if I seem like I fell off the planet there for a little while.  Too much going on with the holidays and work and stuff.  We picked up a half ton of Envi-blocks the other day and still have to pick up the other half, but haven't found the time to do so.  

My husband Tony and I split most of the wood into little pieces and stacked it on racks.  Hey - at least I'll have plenty for next year right?  I'm going to try the "drying wood by the fire method", but there is no way I'm going to stack it as close to the stove as that guy did.  I'll let you guys know how it works out!  

I'm going to keep my eyes open for pallets.  We have electric heat in our house and I try to use it too much.  When I do turn it on my meter spins so fast it looks like it's going to fly right off the house.  But we're burning through the Envi-blocks a lot quicker than we were expecting.

Well, tis the trial and error of a newbie wood burner.  Thanks again everyone


----------



## Ashful (Dec 3, 2012)

maverick06 said:


> I have bought and gotten hosed like you did, not much to do. Life is hard, and you bit it. Post the guy's info here so we dont make the same mistake. Then move on, you wont get satisfaction from him.



Absurd.  This is a case of simple inexperience and ignorance, not of one getting ripped off.  "Seasoned" means entirely different things to different folks, and to most firewood suppliers means, "felled last year, split this year."  Unless a specific MC% was discussed and promised, don't go trashing the suppliers name.


----------



## BrowningBAR (Dec 3, 2012)

If you mentioned to the average wood burner in the PA area that wood needs to be split and stacked for two to three years before burning they will look at you like you have a third eye... and maybe a unicorn horn coming out of your forehead.

I've had multiple people tell me my wood will "rot long before I ever get to burn it." I've been told I am "wasting your time and money stacking all that wood."

So, seasoned differs greatly in the minds of many. Expecting a wood seller to have dry wood is a mistake on your part. Especially when it is delivered in November.


----------



## Billybonfire (Dec 3, 2012)

Sprinter said:


> I don't know what kind of stove that is, but it doesn't even look side-shielded. Stove looks pretty hot, too.


 
It's a Tiger stove, made in China, very cheap, quite common in the UK.


----------



## mellow (Dec 3, 2012)

This is exactly why I got into selling firewood to try and help, only to find people do not want to pay the extra $$$ for true seasoned wood in this area.

Another thing I have found,  the educated burners that understand the value of seasoned wood cut/split their own.

Just means more wood for me.


----------



## Bluerubi (Dec 3, 2012)

BrianK said:


> I had lunch with a friend today and I was telling him how wood heating is considered "green" because its carbon neutral and a renewable resource. He was dubious so I was doing a quick Internet search to send him a link. The photo below was in one of the first articles I found. That wood seems to be stacked awful close to that stove:


 

The autoignition temp of dry pine is 800F, so it's unlikely that the proximity of stacking wood close to a woodstove is going to be the cause of a fire.  Still not smart due to embers, or a log rolling against the stove, but if space is at a premium, and your desperate its a way to dry the wood fast.  If you want to be conservative you can lean a piece of shiny sheet metal against the piles to reflect back most of the IR given off the stove.  This would keep the piles clost to room temp, but you could benefit from low humidity.

I really don't like the idea of keeping wood that close, but I know I've done it in the past when staying at a powerless cabin with no heat and only wet wood to work with.


----------



## jharkin (Dec 3, 2012)

DanCorcoran said:


> If you dry it inside, a dehumidifier will remove the moisture from the air and send it down the drain. If you just use a fan, expect the inside room to have much higher humidity. That moisture needs to go somewhere...


 

+ The amount you are going to pay for electricity to dry a full cord with a dehumidifier will probably be much more than you are saving by burning the wood.  Using whatever alternative source of heat... even if its oil... will probably cost less.


----------



## Bluerubi (Dec 3, 2012)

jharkin said:


> + The amount you are going to pay for electricity to dry a full cord with a dehumidifier will probably be much more than you are saving by burning the wood. Using whatever alternative source of heat... even if its oil... will probably cost less.


 
If you really want to go nuts you could put your wood into a vacuum chamber and boil all the moisture out at room temperature.  No risk of fire, and with only a $100,000 investment in equipment, and copious amounts of electricity, you can stake claim to the lowest moisture content on the site!


----------



## Ashful (Dec 3, 2012)

Bluerubi said:


> The autoignition temp of dry pine is 800F, so it's unlikely that the proximity of stacking wood close to a woodstove is going to be the cause of a fire.


 
Careful, there. Quoted autoignition temperatures are vary widely (I've seen estimates as low as 525F), largely because the age and condition of the wood can make a difference of several hundred degrees in the autoignition temperature. For example, exposure to elevated temperatures changes the characteristics of the wood, drastically lowering its ingition temperature with time. Rot, age, moisture content all add into the equation.

More importantly, we've seen many (one already this heating season) cases of hearth.com forum members having wood start to smoke or catch fire when stacked too close to the stove. These are first-hand accounts, which may or may not agree with your quoted number.


----------



## Sprinter (Dec 3, 2012)

Joful said:


> Careful, there. Quoted autoignition temperatures are vary widely (I've seen estimates as low as 525F), largely because the age and condition of the wood can make a difference of several hundred degrees in the autoignition temperature. For example, exposure to elevated temperatures changes the characteristics of the wood, drastically lowering its ingition temperature with time. Rot, age, moisture content all add into the equation.
> 
> *More importantly, we've seen many (one already this heating season) cases of hearth.com forum members having wood start to smoke or catch fire when stacked too close to the stove.* These are first-hand accounts, which may or may not agree with your quoted number.


 
And member firefighterjake recently shared a particularly tragic fire apparently caused by combustibles too close to a stove (as I recall).


----------



## Bluerubi (Dec 3, 2012)

Joful said:


> Careful, there. Quoted autoignition temperatures are vary widely (I've seen estimates as low as 525F), largely because the age and condition of the wood can make a difference of several hundred degrees in the autoignition temperature. For example, exposure to elevated temperatures changes the characteristics of the wood, drastically lowering its ingition temperature with time. Rot, age, moisture content all add into the equation.
> 
> More importantly, we've seen many (one already this heating season) cases of hearth.com forum members having wood start to smoke or catch fire when stacked too close to the stove. These are first-hand accounts, which may or may not agree with your quoted number.


 
In the 500 range is the temperature where off gassing occurs that has combustible vapors, so I'm with you there.  Get the concentration right, and put a spark in the vicinity, and it's certainly a problem.  I was assuming that there was enough airflow so that the vapors never got to the level where they could be a problem, so I tossed out 800F for dry pine as the temperature where no spark is needed to get it to catch fire.  Your number is more conservative, and paper is 451F for autoignition, so with something as dangerous as a house fire its probably better to bank on the lowest number possible.


----------



## Sprinter (Dec 3, 2012)

jharkin said:


> + The amount you are going to pay for electricity to dry a full cord with a dehumidifier will probably be much more than you are saving by burning the wood. Using whatever alternative source of heat... even if its oil... will probably cost less.


Depending on the particular circumstances, I don't think I'd be too concerned about excess humidity in the house from air drying wood.  Putting aside all the other problems associated with drying a cord of wood in the house (like possible spousal objections!),  if you are trying to remove 10% of moisture from 2000# of wood, and if it takes 30 days to do it, that's only 6 or 7 pounds of water per day into the house.


----------



## Sprinter (Dec 3, 2012)

Joful said:


> Absurd. This is a case of simple inexperience and ignorance, not of one getting ripped off. "Seasoned" means entirely different things to different folks, and to most firewood suppliers means, "felled last year, split this year." Unless a specific MC% was discussed and promised, don't go trashing the suppliers name.


I agree that in the case of cordwood purchases, the buyer has to be responsible for what he/she gets, just like most any other purchase.  If quantity is important, then specify, before purchase, 128 cf stacked.  If moisture content is important, then specify a reasonable range or average.  A meter costs $20 and is cheap assurance.  The term "seasoned" means about as much as "great condition" means for a used car.

It's certainly possible to get well dried wood, but expect to pay a premium because it is going to cost a lot for a supplier to store it under cover and test for moisture, especially for a slow-drying hardwood.

Having said that, I know it still stings when you don't get what you expected, but when that happens to me, I just chalk it up to experience unless there has been a material misrepresentation.


----------



## Bluerubi (Dec 3, 2012)

Sprinter said:


> Depending on the particular circumstances, I don't think I'd be too concerned about excess humidity in the house from air drying wood. Putting aside all the other problems associated with drying a cord of wood in the house (like possible spousal objections!), if you are trying to remove 10% of moisture from 2000# of wood, and if it takes 30 days to do it, that's only 6 or 7 pounds of water per day into the house.


 
During the winter months I think I'd appreciate a little extra humidity around.  Perhaps I can convince my wife to let next seasons wood sit in the living room for natural climate control.  She always comments on it being too dry in the house, so everyone wins!


----------



## Sprinter (Dec 3, 2012)

Bluerubi said:


> During the winter months I think I'd appreciate a little extra humidity around. *Perhaps I can convince my wife to let next seasons wood sit in the living room for natural climate control.* She always comments on it being too dry in the house, so everyone wins!


Let us know how that works out for ya!


----------



## mellow (Dec 3, 2012)

Bluerubi said:


> Perhaps I can convince my wife to let next seasons wood sit in the living room for natural climate control.


 
You might want to kiln dry it to remove the bugs before you bring it into the house


----------



## Bluerubi (Dec 3, 2012)

mellow said:


> You might want to kiln dry it to remove the bugs before you bring it into the house


 
Kiln drying would defeat the benefit of humidity being added to the house.  What I really need is a few chickens running around to eat the bugs that come off the drying wood.  This plan is really coming together!


----------



## scooby074 (Dec 3, 2012)

No such thing as seasoned wood locally in the sense that people on Hearth use the term. At best, you'll get logs cut last year, split this summer.

It is, what it is. Nobody will pay a premium for 2 yr + aged wood with a 15-20% MC. They havent the first clue what that even means. The general public doesnt look at firewood the same way as the "aficionados" here on Hearth do, they just dont care.


----------



## DianeB (Dec 3, 2012)

Some one around my region got some press about building a solar dryer out of old windows - stored perhaps 1/2 cord in this home made solar structure...apparently it greatly sped up the process. Went looking for the aricle and could not find it.


----------



## nate379 (Dec 3, 2012)

Had one customer this summer complain that the seasoned wood I brought was "ugly" because it was grey and weathered. 



wkpoor said:


> Even though grey wood should be considered a good thing most people like to see bright new freshly split wood.


----------



## Sprinter (Dec 3, 2012)

nate379 said:


> Had one customer this summer complain that the seasoned wood I brought was "ugly" because it was grey and weathered.


Maybe you should be advertising your wood as being "Brand New!"  "Fresh from the Forest!"  "With that 'New Wood' Fragrance"


----------



## Ashful (Dec 3, 2012)

DianeB said:


> Some one around my region got some press about building a solar dryer out of old windows - stored perhaps 1/2 cord in this home made solar structure...apparently it greatly sped up the process. Went looking for the aricle and could not find it.


 
Popular Woodworking did a similar article, for the purpose of drying lumber, not firewood.  The guy got it to work, but I recall he had to fiddle with adjusting air flow a lot over the first couple of years, until he found just the right amount of airflow to provide the best drying in each season.  Too much air flow and the greenhouse stays too cool; too little it gets too humid.


----------



## DanCorcoran (Dec 6, 2012)

Sprinter said:


> Depending on the particular circumstances, I don't think I'd be too concerned about excess humidity in the house from air drying wood. Putting aside all the other problems associated with drying a cord of wood in the house (like possible spousal objections!), if you are trying to remove 10% of moisture from 2000# of wood, and if it takes 30 days to do it, that's only 6 or 7 pounds of water per day into the house.


 
I recall someone on this forum posting that their basement started to get moldy after they stored a lot of freshly split wood down there.


----------



## Rich L (Dec 7, 2012)

Parkview154 said:


> Thanks everyone for the great advice! Sorry if I seem like I fell off the planet there for a little while. Too much going on with the holidays and work and stuff. We picked up a half ton of Envi-blocks the other day and still have to pick up the other half, but haven't found the time to do so.
> 
> My husband Tony and I split most of the wood into little pieces and stacked it on racks. Hey - at least I'll have plenty for next year right? I'm going to try the "drying wood by the fire method", but there is no way I'm going to stack it as close to the stove as that guy did. I'll let you guys know how it works out!
> 
> ...


Are you mixing the Envi blocks with the splits? If not mix them.Try five splits to two or three envi blocks and let us know how that works for you.You'll use less envi blocks that way and you could have a good burn going on.


----------



## mywaynow (Dec 7, 2012)

I think the answer is clear.  Stack the stuff on pallets that is too wet and find a supplier with dry wood.  Pay more and get what you want/need now.  Next year you can burn the stuff you just got delivered.  If you can't find dry wood, reach out to this forum for someone willing to sell really good wood.  If I were near you, I would offer to sell some wood to help you out.  Most of the serious burners here have stockpiled wood that is truly seasoned.  My stuff is 19% and burns awesome.  Stacked over 2 years to get there.  Where are you located?


----------

