# Pacific NW seasoning?



## Entburner (Nov 28, 2010)

Complete noob here. Our new 1400 sq ft. house has oil heat so we got an enviro Venice 1200 insert. We were having fires every night anyway so we thought we might put that heat to good use. 

How do you season wood here?  I've been reading the forums and I've heard you need a year.
1.  Should I stack the split wood outside even though it's permarain from Oct-May? Won't it just get soaked? Or is May-Sept good enough to season it?
2.  Where should I get the wood? Lots of people on Craigslist selling seasoned wood. Is it really seasoned?  (I live in a city on about 1/3 acre). Should I plan on seasoning it myself? (I don't have a chainsaw or a big enough truck to haul a log)
3. Will a tarp suffice?  Woodshed goes up in the spring or early summer. 
4. Is there any way to tell how much wood you might use before you actually burn it a while? I'm guessing not. 

Thanks.


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## hilly (Nov 28, 2010)

Lots of good questions.
1. Should I stack the split wood outside even though it’s permarain from Oct-May? Won’t it just get soaked? Or is May-Sept good enough to season it? 

I put my wood (almost exclusively softwood) in the sun and wind in the spring in single rows and I put it into the woodshed near labour day. It is definitely seasoned by then (I think this is something our friends to the East are unable to do with their hardwoods). If you intend to burn it, do not leave it uncovered outside for the winter.

2. Where should I get the wood? 

Most of the wood that vendors say is seasoned isn't. I would buy green wood anytime now and dry it myself for use next season.

3. Will a tarp suffice? 

If you intend on burning the wood this year, then get a tarp but if it's for next year I wouldn't bother. Also, the wood won't dry in a woodshed as well as it will outside in the sun and wind.

4. Is there any way to tell how much wood you might use before you actually burn it a while? 

If it's your primary heat source you will likely use between three and five cords. 

Welcome to the addiction.


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## madrone (Nov 28, 2010)

Entburner said:
			
		

> 1.  Should I stack the split wood outside even though it's permarain from Oct-May? Won't it just get soaked? Or is May-Sept good enough to season it?
> 2.  Where should I get the wood? Lots of people on Craigslist selling seasoned wood. Is it really seasoned?  (I live in a city on about 1/3 acre). Should I plan on seasoning it myself? (I don't have a chainsaw or a big enough truck to haul a log)
> 3. Will a tarp suffice?  Woodshed goes up in the spring or early summer.
> 4. Is there any way to tell how much wood you might use before you actually burn it a while? I'm guessing not.



1. Yes, but. Needs to be covered somehow. I have built a small shed for this year's wood that holds about 1.5 cords. Previous to that, I used tarps. Keep the rain off the top and you'll be fine. Plan on 9 months at a minimum.
2. If you buy from CL, assume it's not seasoned and make sure it's a full 4x4x8 cord. Try to buy in the Spring and season yourself. My yard is small as well, so I usually only have about 3 cords on hand, maybe 2 of that ready to go.
3. Tarps are fine, as long as you only cover the top. If you cover all the way to the ground, it will rot. Don't worry if the bottom of the stack gets wet.
4. Depends on how much of your heating will be from the insert.  It will vary from year to year, and depending on the species of wood. If you're burning a lot, I'd shoot for 3-4 cords.


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 28, 2010)

One more very important part. Stack outside where wind will hit it but......get it up off the ground! You can do this in several ways. Landscape timbers, railroad ties, simple poles you can cut in the woods, pallets, etc. The main point is to get the wood up off the wet ground and let some air in there. 

Rather than tarps I like to use something more solid. We have some old galvanized roofing that we use and it works very well. Rubber roofing will work well too and some like it. I had some under rubber roofing and it was okay but I still prefer the galvanized or steel.


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## RNLA (Nov 28, 2010)

Seasoning wood in the Pacific North West is a difficult thing because of the rain. This is specific to the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, Western Wa. area. Contrary to popular beliefs it does rain 9 months out of the year. We do stay wet longer than a lot of other places. Make sure that any fire wood you get stays covered on top by old plywood or metal roof scraps, something that has no holes. Make sure you have at least 4-6 inches of space under the wood... Then wait as long as you can, 8 months is my rule of thumb, longer is better!


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## Entburner (Nov 28, 2010)

So it sounds lime I ought to get next year's wood now, stack it, cover it, and leave it till fall. If I happen to get lucky and find some truly seasoned wood, cover it up good. Once the shed is up should the wood go in, and just season there? I would prefer not to have to move it 3 times(truck to shed, shed to lawn, lawn to shed) but that may be the trick. While we get lots of rain from Oct - June, usually July- sept are dry and sunny. By dry I mean not a drop of rain. Could that make up for it?


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## Elderthewelder (Nov 29, 2010)

yes, you need to get it as soon as you can. But this is the expensive time of the year to buy wood form dealers, maybe cheaper in the off season Stack it on pallets along a fence line or something till you get your shed built. If you can, build your shed in such a place that it receives the most sun of the day (usually southern facing)


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 29, 2010)

Entburner said:
			
		

> Complete noob here. Our new 1400 sq ft. house has oil heat so we got an enviro Venice 1200 insert. We were having fires every night anyway so we thought we might put that heat to good use.
> 
> How do you season wood here?  I've been reading the forums and I've heard you need a year.
> 1.  Should I stack the split wood outside even though it's permarain from Oct-May? Won't it just get soaked? Or is May-Sept good enough to season it?  *Build a woodshed*.
> ...


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 29, 2010)

RNLA said:
			
		

> *Seasoning wood in the Pacific North West is a difficult thing because of the rain*. This is specific to the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, Western Wa. area. Contrary to popular beliefs it does rain 9 months out of the year. We do stay wet longer than a lot of other places. Make sure that any fire wood you get stays covered on top by old plywood or metal roof scraps, something that has no holes. Make sure you have at least 4-6 inches of space under the wood... Then wait as long as you can, 8 months is my rule of thumb, longer is better!



Not really.  There is no wood that grows here that won't be ready to burn in 6 months if kept dry and off the ground.


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 29, 2010)

Entburner said:
			
		

> So it sounds lime I ought to get next year's wood now, stack it, cover it, and leave it till fall. If I happen to get lucky and find some truly seasoned wood, cover it up good. Once the shed is up should the wood go in, and just season there?* I would prefer not to have to move it 3 times(truck to shed, shed to lawn, lawn to shed)* but that may be the trick. While we get lots of rain from Oct - June, usually July- sept are dry and sunny. By dry I mean not a drop of rain. Could that make up for it?



You won't have to.  That's an east coast disease.  Split it and put it in your woodshed.  The. End.


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## billb3 (Nov 29, 2010)

Entburner said:
			
		

> So it sounds lime I ought to get next year's wood now, stack it, cover it, and leave it till fall. If I happen to get lucky and find some truly seasoned wood, cover it up good. Once the shed is up should the wood go in, and just season there? *I would prefer not to have to move it 3 times(truck to shed, shed to lawn, lawn to shed) *but that may be the trick. While we get lots of rain from Oct - June, usually July- sept are dry and sunny. By dry I mean not a drop of rain. Could that make up for it?



_ who the  heck does that * anywhere* _ ?


stack it, put a roof over it of some sort to keep the drizzle off and if you want to remove the top like a convertible in your two weeks of Summer  go for it, but don't move any wood.

you don't _ need _ a shed. They are nice to have.


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## Bigg_Redd (Nov 29, 2010)

billb3 said:
			
		

> Entburner said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




In western WA he most certainly does.  We have two seasons 1) From July-Sept = Summer   2) The rest of the year = Rain


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## billb3 (Nov 29, 2010)

I'm a tiny bit familiar with the weather at Lake Sammamish .


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## RNLA (Nov 29, 2010)

You say that seasoning for a year is not required? This must be because you never have burned 1-2 year old wood! Not that it can not burn after 6-8 months, rather it only gets better after you dry it longer.  The longer you can wait the better....


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## PNWBurner (Nov 29, 2010)

Doug Fir will burn pretty good after 6-9 months but much better the next year, it's probably your best bet if you're looking to buy now.  Alder and Maple are a little marginal until they've been through two summers.  Not that you can't burn them but they will burn much better after more time.  I agree that you should get your wood in now for next year and maybe you'll get lucky and some will be ok for this year.  Try a couple different guys from Craigslist and get a cord from each so you get some variety but don't expect any of it to be dry at this point no matter what they say.

I just stack 'em in the backyard and through a tarp over just the top from late Oct. to May or so.  Make sure you don't cover the whole stack or you'll get nasty stuff growing on it...  A definetely keep it off the ground or it will basically turn back into dirt...


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## trailmaker (Nov 30, 2010)

Climate and wood species dictate the best methods but one thing that is Universal is that it must be kept off the ground.  I like to keep my wood out from under trees whenever possible so debris doesn't pile up in the stack.


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## iron (Feb 12, 2016)

i'm dredging up an old thread. i'm curious on people's thoughts on the best readily available wood to burn in the pacific northwest (seattle area). i've come across these two links:
https://nationalfirewoodassociation.org/2012/11/12/best-firewood-in-the-pacific-northwest/
https://chimneysweeponline.com/hosoftwood.htm

so, assuming softwoods only, what are your top 5 woods in order of preference?

it seems as though i'm able to scrounge endless cedar, but doug fir and big leaf maple seem harder to come by. the one pine load i got (very first load when i just got into this whole wood-burning thing) was a serious PITA to split.


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## iron (Feb 12, 2016)

nevermind, i see this thread:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pacific-northwest-wood-burners.111428/


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## heavy hammer (Feb 12, 2016)

The longer you can let wood season the better.  Many people here say you can burn six to eight months, but the longer you let it season the better.  Two to three years will help.  Experiment with the different types of wood you have, the main thing try to get it off the ground and in the wind.


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## Oldman47 (Feb 12, 2016)

From what I have read, tamarack is your prime wood out west.
I have ash, walnut and oak so I don't bother with that stuff.


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## blacktail (Feb 12, 2016)

You won't find tamarack or much pine on this side of the mountains. What you will find a lot of is Doug Fir, western hemlock, bigleaf maple, and red alder. Lots of cedar and cottonwood around too, but neither is considered a good primary fuel.


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## iron (Feb 12, 2016)

well, i guess all that free cedar i got will burn faster than i want. i understand (based on other PNW threads) that cottonwood isn't _that_ bad in modern stoves. not great, but not horrid like the days of old


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## sepulvd (Feb 12, 2016)

Yep all i get is alder and fir


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## sepulvd (Feb 12, 2016)

Cottonwood up here is not that bad it doesnt really run super hot but it doeant stink like most people say it does


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## heavy hammer (Feb 13, 2016)

If it burns faster than you like that just means you need more.  I burn cedar in the shoulder season and on the warmer days, not a bad wood doesn't last like the hard woods but still not bad heat.


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## planner steve (Feb 13, 2016)

Entburner said:


> Complete noob here. Our new 1400 sq ft. house has oil heat so we got an enviro Venice 1200 insert. We were having fires every night anyway so we thought we might put that heat to good use.
> 
> How do you season wood here?  I've been reading the forums and I've heard you need a year.
> 1.  Should I stack the split wood outside even though it's permarain from Oct-May? Won't it just get soaked? Or is May-Sept good enough to season it?
> ...


Plenty of good info on storage already.  Your yard sounds big enough that you could let some wood season for two years.
For obtaining wood, watch Craigslist frequently.  In the Portland, OR area, free wood is often available, already cut to length.  I took a quick look at Tacoma Craigslist and all there was today was some cottonwood.  But it was cut to length and free.  I noticed there is seasoned cedar for $250/cord.  Unless you have real inefficient oil heat, you'd spend less heating with oil than paying that much for cedar.


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## begreen (Feb 13, 2016)

iron said:


> i'm dredging up an old thread. i'm curious on people's thoughts on the best readily available wood to burn in the pacific northwest (seattle area). i've come across these two links:
> https://nationalfirewoodassociation.org/2012/11/12/best-firewood-in-the-pacific-northwest/
> https://chimneysweeponline.com/hosoftwood.htm
> 
> ...


I like doug fir for our primary wood. It makes for a good hot burn without excess coaling and produces very low ash. Alder and b.l. maple would be next, but I prefer doug fir. I also have a stash of hardwoods that I scrounge tucked in the second bay of the shed. They consist of madrona, wild cherry, locust and some holly.

Doug fir takes a year to season well, in part because we split it into fairly large 6-8" splits. Madrona and locust need a couple years.


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## iron (Feb 13, 2016)

would you say that cedar (red and yellow) split in fall 2015 would be ready for winter 2016/17? south facing stacks. stays very dry all things considered. not a lot of wind though. i'll keep my eyes open for some DF. a friend of mine will be hooking me up with some alder this weekend!

see attached for current stacking.


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## blacktail (Feb 13, 2016)

Yes, it'll be ready. I would be careful burning loads of cedar. It takes off really fast.


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## begreen (Feb 13, 2016)

That looks like a shaded and sheltered location. Hopefully our dry summer will accelerate drying but I would remove the top cover as soon as the rains stop and check it in July to be sure it is getting dry. I had some big leaf maple that never dried even after a couple years due to the stacking method and location. Watch for water puddling on the tarps and seeping into the piles at low spots. That's what did my maple in. With the tarp on top those areas never dried out.


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