# How many cords of firewood needed?



## boomfire (Jun 9, 2022)

First time using firewood to heat the home.  Location, typical north east PA

I am getting Regency Ci2700 Wood Fireplace installed.

Home 2400 sq ft.  [basement, living room and upstairs]
installation will be in the living room.
excluding basement, about 1600 sq ft.

If i use the fireplace full time throughout the winter, how many cords of wood would i need to get through the winter SPECIFICALLY for the above fireplace, which seems to be a decent one?
[roughly 5-6 months]


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## bholler (Jun 9, 2022)

boomfire said:


> First time using firewood to heat the home.  Location, typical north east PA
> 
> I am getting Regency Ci2700 Wood Fireplace installed.
> 
> ...


Anywhere from 2 to 8 it depends upon species moisture content size of splits air setting strength of draft etc etc.


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## begreen (Jun 9, 2022)

Wood heat consumption will largely depend on the heat loss of the house.  An old stone house is going to use a lot more fuel to heat than a modern, well-insulated one. What is the current heating fuel and how much is consumed annually?

The wood must be dry to the core. If the wood is not fully seasoned, the heat output will be notably less. Most firewood that is sold is not fully seasoned. Hardwoods take at least 1-2 yrs to season after they are split and stacked. 

Is this an exterior wall or interior fireplace? Is there a block-off plate sealing the damper area? This too will affect heat output and therefore wood consumption. So will the desired ambient temperature. It takes a lot more fuel to heat a place to 78º than to 70º when it is 10º outside.


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## marty319 (Jun 9, 2022)

Where I am it gets extremely cold and winter is long.last winter was brutal and I burned 5 cords heating a small but drafty cottage.i burn pine 95% pine as that's all that's readily available.in a not so brutal winter I burn 4 .only heating 900 sq ft.


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## boomfire (Jun 9, 2022)

begreen said:


> Wood heat consumption will largely depend on the heat loss of the house.  An old stone house is going to use a lot more fuel to heat than a modern, well-insulated one. What is the current heating fuel and how much is consumed annually?
> 
> The wood must be dry to the core. If the wood is not fully seasoned, the heat output will be notably less. Most firewood that is sold is not fully seasoned. Hardwoods take at least 1-2 yrs to season after they are split and stacked.
> 
> Is this an exterior wall or interior fireplace? Is there a block-off plate sealing the damper area? This too will affect heat output and therefore wood consumption. So will the desired ambient temperature. It takes a lot more fuel to heat a place to 78º than to 70º when it is 10º outside.



Interior. this is where woodstove is getting installed. I will post the 'after' pic later.
Block off plate yes.

Current fuel - Propane.
We ran between 800-900 gallons this past winter.
We run temperatures between 72-75 during day and 62-65 in the night.


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## bigealta (Jun 9, 2022)

I'll take a guess 3-4 cords. And i'll up that guess to 90% sure it will be in that range + or - 1/2 cord either way. Assuming you burn 20% or less moisture content with hardwood.


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## begreen (Jun 9, 2022)

That sounds right. I come up with about 2.5 cords of wood for 800 gallons of propane before efficiency losses are factored in. During very cold weather you will likely be supplementing the wood heat with propane. That's ok, and it's insurance against pipes freezing in the basement.


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## boomfire (Jun 9, 2022)

begreen said:


> That sounds right. I come up with about 2.5 cords of wood for 800 gallons of propane before efficiency losses are factored in. During very cold weather you will likely be supplementing the wood heat with propane. That's ok, and it's insurance against pipes freezing in the basement.



thanks. 

I have chopped up a  1 1/3 cord of wood so far. All of the wood was sourced from fallen trees on my property. Haven't cut down any trees yet.  i have about 9 acres. but trees in 6-7 acres.  There are always postings on FB about free local wood, i would probably go get them before felling any trees.


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## begreen (Jun 9, 2022)

At this point standing dead is your best bet if harvesting for the coming winter.


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## EbS-P (Jun 10, 2022)

Don’t write off pine.  If dried under cover with good air flow it can season in a summer.  But you must keep all water off of it.


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## TradEddie (Jun 10, 2022)

4 cords easy, real cords, not face cords or truck bed cords. Don't be afraid to let the propane take the strain occasionally.
What species of wood? 
Spend $25 on a moisture meter, take readings from fresh splits of each species and let us know what you have.
If you have 20% or lower now, great! If you have Pine, Ash or Poplar at 20-25% you have some hope this year, get it into the sun and wind and under cover immediately. If you have Oak or Hickory above 25%, set it aside to enjoy in future Winters, but not in 2022-2023.
Take all the easily accessible free local wood you can, get yourself two years ahead and you'll be loving it a a couple of Winters, but most of those FB posts are from folks who expect you to fell the trees for them.

TE


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## velvetfoot (Jun 10, 2022)

4


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## Dix (Jun 10, 2022)

Welcome to the forums!! 

I'd bite the bullet, and buy some semi seasoned cords (full cords), get it top covered, and let it finish seasoning. AND keep doing what you are doing. Get a head, it's the only way. 

Here, on Long Island, I use 2-4 cords, depends on the winter, I figure for 4, and am always 2 years ahead, at least. 

I second the pine, it's saved my butt more than once. It just needs to be seasoned.


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## Rickb (Jun 10, 2022)

You can also look for sliver/red maple along with the ash.  All 3 can season to usable in 1 summer if you get it split and stacked now.  Tho 2 summers is still better.


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## Woodsplitter67 (Jun 12, 2022)

boomfire said:


> First time using firewood to heat the home.  Location, typical north east PA
> 
> I am getting Regency Ci2700 Wood Fireplace installed.
> 
> ...



You can figure this out yourself and get it pretty close. Only YOU know how your going to burn. Youe should know what the burn time of the stove is. A cord is 128cuft, and lets say your stove is 2.5 cuft stove, so now its math.. this is an example of how to. The month of Dcember 
Overnight burns
2.5cuft x 31 nights =  77.5 cuft or .60 cords 
December day
lets say the stove gets filled 1.5 times a day
1.5 x 2.5cuft  x 31days=116cuft ÷126 or .90 cords + .60 for night burns give you a total of 1.5 cords total for the month of December. Again this is not for your stove, just how to figure it out. You know what the weather's  like where you live so this should be easy. I start burning with day fires starting mid October, November morning fire and a fire at night, December overnight burn every night and  day fire. January/February 24/7 burning March same as December.. April same as October..  For me on a warmer winter I use 3 cords.. colder winter almost 4 cords. You need to get you wood now.. Stack it and try to kiln dry as much as you can. Its  rare to come across actual seasoned firewood. they will.say its dry.. but not really.. If your looking to heat with wood your going to be disappointed if the woods wet as stove performance will be subpar. You have time to get your wood together,but the window of opportunity is closing. If you do not know how to make a kiln, look in my signature, there are a couple how to threads..


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## Ashful (Jun 12, 2022)

Don't discount the value of covering a pile or three in clear plastic, a poor-man's solar kiln, for getting your first year's supply dry in one summer.  @Poindexter and @Woodsplitter67 both have excellent threads on the subject, with @Woodsplitter67 's likely being the easier to throw together real quick, for most folks.

I'd also aim close to 4 cords for next year.  While begreen's math is right on BTU-for-BTU conversion, you can't turn down the woodstove everytime you leave the house, or for overnight (lest it be cold in the morning), so most will consume more BTU's on wood than thru any central heating system with an automatic thermostat.  Also, most of us find we tend to keep indoor temperatures higher on wood, than we ever did with central heating.

Make plans and space to keep 10 - 12 cords on-site, and get to work in filling that out, over the next year or two.  That will ensure you always have a nice supply of 2 - 3 years-dried wood.  If you find you're using less, it's always easy to scale back, or enjoy having a longer supply.


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## Poindexter (Jun 13, 2022)

I looked up your insert.  On paper it looks like a pretty good insert, but still an insert.  Pennsylvania  has a real Winter with a capital W, no quarrel there.

My counsel is to be absolutely certain, at knifepoint if necessary, that your installer puts in a block off plate.  That is the one common factor I see in threads here regarding satisfied/ dissatisfied with insert performance.  I am not actually advocating violence, but trying to make the point that you really really really want a blockoff plate to find out what your insert can actually do for you.  Without a black off plate a fair chunk of your BTUs are wasted up the chimney, outside your shiny new chimney liner.  As begreen already said in an early response, system efficiency is an important factor.

As far as now many cords, all of them.  Summer solstice is less than two weeks away.  However much spruce-pine-fir you can get split, stacked off the ground and top covered before July 4 (about three weeks from now) is how much dry  SPF you will have to chip away at your propane bill this coming winter.  If you can get six cords up in the next three weeks, do it.  And keep stacking.  Just squirrel away all the wood you can this summer, even after July 5th.  Getting 2-3 years ahead is a Herculean effort, but once you have done it all you have to so is keep up.  If someone gives you free oak tomorrow, take it, but don't bother splitting it until mid July becuase you aren't going to have it ready for this winter, that will be fuel to maybe burn next winter.

Or you can look at kilns.  I defer to @Woodsplitter67 for advice much more local to you than I am.  Up here, I am on a small lot and simply don't have room on my lot for 2 years of cordwood, never mind 3.  Years when firewood is 'cheap' I simply don't have room to bring in two year's worth knowing the price will go back up soon.  I can get SPF and local birches from standing healthy green trees to dry cordwood in my kilns in 12-16 weeks of summer time sunshine, but realistically whatever SPF you have split stacked and top covered now will be dry this fall with no kiln required.

Good luck and best wishes.  The first two years are always the hardest.  By Sep 2024 you should be sitting pretty.


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## boomfire (Jun 13, 2022)

thanks all. lot of info here. bit of a learning curve. some i may not have time to do this year, but next year i definitely will have to strongly look into your advise. [kiln etc]. I have a little over 1 cord now, planning on stacking 3 or 4 cords this month. Mostly oak, ash and some pine. i have long way to go.


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## qwee (Jun 13, 2022)

If you can, don't mix the oak, ash, and some pine. You have a dense (oak), medium dense (ash) and soft (pine) wood. Three (oak), two (ash) and one (pine) year drying times. If separated you can get to the drier wood first.


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## boomfire (Jun 13, 2022)

qwee said:


> If you can, don't mix the oak, ash, and some pine. You have a dense (oak), medium dense (ash) and soft (pine) wood. Three (oak), two (ash) and one (pine) year drying times. If separated you can get to the drier wood first.



Thanks. I have separated pine, but not oak and ash, as i couldn't tell the difference and wasn't paying attention, as they were dead trees for a few years i think


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## Ashful (Jun 14, 2022)

You've got a real nice start there.  Again, check out @Woodsplitter67 's kilns, basically plastic sheeting tarped over your racks with some air space will get the job done.

Ash can dry in 1 summer.  Oak will take at LEAST 2 summers, preferably 3.  You'll get to know which is which pretty quickly, if you're handling this stuff on a regular basis.

There's a lot to absorb in the first year, but don't let it discourage you.  Just by the simple act of coming here, you're miles ahead of most.


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## boomfire (Jun 15, 2022)

Felling trees, moving (atv), cutting, splitting stacking, all by myself. I dont think i have ever worked this hard (physically) in my entire life.
I am a firewood n00b and software engineer by profession and not used to this kind of physical work 
but it is satisfying.

I have covered the firewood in two different styles. i am planning on covering up with tarp later.
Backside firewood is covered 2/3 and front side is just the top.

which one is the right way? or do i need to cover them fully to protect from rain?


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## Ashful (Jun 15, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Felling trees, moving (atv), cutting, splitting stacking, all by myself. I dont think i have ever worked this hard (physically) in my entire life.
> I am a firewood n00b and software engineer by profession and not used to this kind of physical work
> but it is satisfying.
> 
> ...


I also work at a computer for a living.  Felling, bucking, splitting, stacking... it satisfies a certain caveman urge, that my job cannot.  It's also cheaper than a gym membership.

Both of your methods are good.  The top only method will likely perform better in the hot/dry summer, but the stacks in the back with sides covered will stay dryer in winter.  I'd roll the sides up on them for summer, but that's based only on gut feeling, I have no data to support it.

Generally, water hitting the ends of the splits from snow and rain aren't a huge penalty.  Keeping the tops covered is the main issue.


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## Geoff C (Jun 15, 2022)

If I were you I would get 3-5 cords delivered and stack them.  Then I would get 2 pallets of bio bricks delivered.

The 3-5 will be for next year and the bricks you can mix in with your current wood to extend it.


One of my mistakes was being cheap early on scrounging wood always running out mid winter.  I wish I had just got a bunch delivered so I could be ahead of the game for the following winter.


Facebook has some good firewood guys.  Just need to test a few to find a good one.


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## EbS-P (Jun 15, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Felling trees, moving (atv), cutting, splitting stacking, all by myself. I dont think i have ever worked this hard (physically) in my entire life.
> I am a firewood n00b and software engineer by profession and not used to this kind of physical work
> but it is satisfying.
> 
> ...


We both need a woodshed. Good work.  I’m going to second the pallet of bio bricks consider it part of the install cost.  Nothing is worse than staring at a smoldering wood in the stove not putting off heat.


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## begreen (Jun 15, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Felling trees, moving (atv), cutting, splitting stacking, all by myself. I dont think i have ever worked this hard (physically) in my entire life.
> I am a firewood n00b and software engineer by profession and not used to this kind of physical work
> but it is satisfying.
> 
> ...


The left side, with the shorter covers, stands a better chance for quicker summer drying. Wind blowing through the stacks is quite effective at accelerating drying. It helps to orient the stacks so that the prevailing winds can blow thru them.


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## boomfire (Jun 15, 2022)

begreen said:


> The left side, with the shorter covers, stands a better chance for quicker summer drying. Wind blowing through the stacks is quite effective at accelerating drying. It helps to orient the stacks so that the prevailing winds can blow thru them.



i should mention that, the rear side ones [ with longer cover ], i usually leave them uncovered if it is not raining. Cover has easy access zippers. [posted in previous pictures]


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## spudman99 (Jun 17, 2022)

Im a little late to this thread, summer means less time on Hearth.com.  I live in SE PA, couple hours away.  I have 3 years under my belt with my insert.  I have burned 2.5 cords each of the last 3 years with very little supplement from my heat pump, and none from the 2nd stage propane back up.   I currently have 9 cords stacked and split so I try to stay 3 years ahead.

My guess is 3 cords is a good estimate, I start burning middle of Nov and finish in mid Apr.  Absolutely get a moisture meter with your mixed stacks.  If you can get 5 or 6 cords set up this year you can slow down in my opinion.  Then next year add another 5 or 6 cords and you would be 3 years ahead.


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## boomfire (Jun 17, 2022)

spudman99 said:


> Im a little late to this thread, summer means less time on Hearth.com.  I live in SE PA, couple hours away.  I have 3 years under my belt with my insert.  I have burned 2.5 cords each of the last 3 years with very little supplement from my heat pump, and none from the 2nd stage propane back up.   I currently have 9 cords stacked and split so I try to stay 3 years ahead.
> 
> My guess is 3 cords is a good estimate, I start burning middle of Nov and finish in mid Apr.  Absolutely get a moisture meter with your mixed stacks.  If you can get 5 or 6 cords set up this year you can slow down in my opinion.  Then next year add another 5 or 6 cords and you would be 3 years ahead.



Thanks, that confirms what others mentioned about 3-4 cords being sufficient.

I am shooting for 3 to 4 cords this year. 5 might be tough.
I scored 1 cord of cut/split and seasoned firewood today for free. Someone bought a home near by as a summer vacation home and didn't need the firewood that came with the house, they wanted it off their property.  That will reduce my work a little bit.


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## Poindexter (Jun 21, 2022)

boomfire said:


> I am shooting for 3 to 4 cords this year. 5 might be tough.


Average users here in the lower 48 come in at roughly 4 cords per year.  With oil and propane prices being what they are, more is better.  Free is AWESOME.    The first two years are the hardest.  You are in the small group at the head of the class who are going to great going into September 2024.  Cancel your gym membership, via con Dios.


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## boomfire (Jun 22, 2022)

Poindexter said:


> Average users here in the lower 48 come in at roughly 4 cords per year.  With oil and propane prices being what they are, more is better.  Free is AWESOME.    The first two years are the hardest.  You are in the small group at the head of the class who are going to great going into September 2024.  Cancel your gym membership, via con Dios.



No kidding about propane. I paid close to 500 per month this last Feb/March for propane. Who knows what the price will be this coming winter.


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## Ashful (Jun 22, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Who knows what the price will be this coming winter.


Fuel costs will come down.  Perhaps not in time for the beginning of our next heating system, but more than likely before it's over.

There is only so long Russia's own oligarchs will allow the present situation to continue, before Putin has a bad trip and fall.  World markets will take some time to re-normalize, and present embargoes will take some political pressure to cancel, but it will happen.  Profit always beats principles and loyalty, in geopolitical matters.


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## boomfire (Jun 22, 2022)

Ashful said:


> Fuel costs will come down.  Perhaps not in time for the beginning of our next heating system, but more than likely before it's over.
> 
> There is only so long Russia's own oligarchs will allow the present situation to continue, before Putin has a bad trip and fall.  World markets will take some time to re-normalize, and present embargoes will take some political pressure to cancel, but it will happen.  Profit always beats principles and loyalty, in geopolitical matters.



I hope the costs come down, but something feels different this time.  I finally took leap of faith and bought an EV [Ioniq 5 AWD] and also have another gas vehicle as a backup.  Either way, personally its a win win for me, from vehicles and woodinsert perspective. By my calculations the woodinsert will pay for itself in under 2.5 years for me.


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## begreen (Jun 22, 2022)

boomfire said:


> I hope the costs come down, but something feels different this time.  I finally took leap of faith and bought an EV [Ioniq 5 AWD] and also have another gas vehicle as a backup.  Either way, personally its a win win for me, from vehicles and woodinsert perspective. By my calculations the woodinsert will pay for itself in under 2.5 years for me.


Yes, in the right circumstance wood heat can save a lot, especially if the wood is free. 
Way to go on the Ioniq5. They are hard to find and dealers want a 20% premium above list price locally.


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## boomfire (Jul 9, 2022)

3 cords of firewood finally ready.
2 cords i have cut and split, 1 ready to be split, and 1 was free.
All the firewood came from dead standing or fallen trees.
Took me little over 2 months overall, to install a new fireplace, cut and split firewood. [n00b to self sufficient]
I can finally take a quick break and enjoy the summer.

Looking around the forum gave me a ton of ideas for next year collection which i might be starting during winter [lot easier to work than this scorching 80 degree heat].

I bought quiet a bit of equipment, they are expensive, but will last a long time. Best thing i bought was a timberjack tool. I was destroying or dulling the chainsaw chains (accidentally) quiet a bit before that. Since i bought the tool, it has been smooth sailing. Live and learn i guess.


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## Ashful (Jul 9, 2022)

boomfire said:


> 3 cords of firewood finally ready.
> 2 cords i have cut and split, 1 ready to be split, and 1 was free.
> All the firewood came from dead standing or fallen trees.
> Took me little over 2 months overall, to install a new fireplace, cut and split firewood. [n00b to self sufficient]
> ...


Not sure where you are in PA, but here in the 'burbs north of Philly, I've continuously had as much or more than I can process.  Word got out at work, and among my neighbors, that I'm a firewood whore.  Now, everytime someone has blow-down or a dead tree, they offer it to me.  Some even deliver, although I prefer to go fetch my own, to keep it in log form for easier handling.


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## coaly (Jul 9, 2022)

NEPA here. I never get years ahead on wood, so the wood I’m burning the same year is cross stacked on pallets. By making square stacks with lots of air space between all logs, much more air moves through. I have enough land to cut only standing dead and storm damage, plus neighbors give me plenty. Live trees are treated differently, and not burned for 2 to 3 years depending on species.

You will be able to tell the different woods with practice. Oak is darker inside, much heavier since it holds much more moisture. Dead ash from the Ash Borer turns bark white on the outside, and under bark is what looks like worm marks. The wood itself is very white. Ash has the least amount of moisture alive or dead. They are almost ready when cut fresh. This year I am experimenting with very few top covers. I have a shelter that holds 1 1/2 cords under roof. If I ever clean out a carport with unused stuff under it, I’m planning on using that for my wood shelter and park the splitter under it instead of tarps.



	

		
			
		

		
	
 Rounds on ground to be split are next winter. No other heat source here. Wood or coal only. Last year we ran a coal stove to catch up on wood. This year will be wood only. We fire the stove when the back bedroom hits 64f. It is a cookstove as well, so firing it to cook morning, noon and night is usually enough. Colder nights we load to burn all night. Have to be careful to not overheat 2000 sf with a stove capable of heating up to 3000. Summer clothes are not put away for the winter here.


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## mambwe (Jul 13, 2022)

Dix said:


> Welcome to the forums!!
> 
> I'd bite the bullet, and buy some semi seasoned cords (full cords), get it top covered, and let it finish seasoning. AND keep doing what you are doing. Get a head, it's the only way.
> 
> ...


I'm on LI, too. You burn 2-4 full cords or face cords per winter? If full cords then I am in trouble. I have a home construction project that keeps getting delayed. Part of that project is having a lopi evergreen installed. I've never had a stove or fireplace, so I have no idea how much wood I will burn each winter. I'd like to burn 24/7 during winter once I get the hang of it. 

I have 2.5 - 3 cords of wood stacked/drying and I thought I was in pretty good shape. I thought this would definitely last more than 1 winter. I have my wood stacked in a single row along my fence with enough room for another cord. I don't think I have enough room to stack 8 cords. That's a lot of wood!!


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## stoveliker (Jul 13, 2022)

I burn about 2.5-3 cords per winter. And that is not burning when it's above 40 F for 24 hrs or more (then I use my mini split).

Get at least 6 cords stacked, so it can season for at least two years. I have three years stacked (and covered!) In my shed.


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## Ashful (Jul 13, 2022)

mambwe said:


> If full cords then I am in trouble... That's a lot of wood!!


Welcome aboard!  I'm south of you and putting 7 full cords thru one stove, with another 3 through another.  Most here seem to run 3 - 4 cords per year, keeping a stove going November thru March.  These are full cords, "face cords" are for part-timers who buy their wood in bundles at the grocery store.

The good news is that, what seems daunting now, will become "no big deal" soon enough.  You'll develop a system and pattern that works for you, we've all done it.

If it helps, consider buying a few cords already split, to get started.  It's not the cheapest way to get the job done, but it can get you off to a good start, if you're presently under the gun.  Just don't expect it to be dry for this winter, unless you get set up real quick with a redneck solar kiln (i.e. clear plastic sheeting in the sun).


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## Poindexter (Jul 14, 2022)

Ashful said:


> quick with a redneck solar kiln (i.e. clear plastic sheeting in the sun).


I resemble that remark.  Internet searching on the term "passive solar firewood kiln" will bring the searcher to this website.  While aesthetics are debatable, on the one hand form follows function and on the other they look a lot better than an old rusty car up on blocks.


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## boomfire (Jul 14, 2022)

This is a 10x4 setup. Took me about 8 hours total from felling the dead trees, cut them, transport, Pile all the logs. Once i think i have enough. I move to splitting. I split a few and start stacking, rinse and repeat until i fill the 10x4.

I am not sure how to make it quicker.
I have an electric log splitter,  that is not fast enough, but overall works great.

Ideally it would be great if I can cut, split and stack a cord in 2 days (16 hours).
Trying to figure out how to do this better.


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## bigealta (Jul 14, 2022)

boomfire said:


> This is a 10x4 setup. Took me about 8 hours total from felling the dead trees, cut them, transport, Pile all the logs. Once i think i have enough. I move to splitting. I split a few and start stacking, rinse and repeat until i fill the 10x4.
> 
> I am not sure how to make it quicker.
> I have an electric log splitter,  that is not fast enough, but overall works great.
> ...


i cut some then split it right there. Then cut some more and split again right there, Then hopefully my vehicle is right there to load in the split pieces. Do that till vehicle is full. Then drive right to stack and stack pieces either directly onto stack, or into wheelbarrow then roll that right next to stack and stack up directly. I'm trying to reduce picking up off the ground, and also load stack from off the ground (wheelbarrow or vehicle).


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## boomfire (Jul 14, 2022)

bigealta said:


> i cut some then split it right there. Then cut some more and split again right there, Then hopefully my vehicle is right there to load in the split pieces. Do that till vehicle is full. Then drive right to stack and stack pieces either directly onto stack, or into wheelbarrow then roll that right next to stack and stack up directly. I'm trying to reduce picking up off the ground, and also load stack from off the ground (wheelbarrow or vehicle).



In hindsight, may be i should have bought a gas splitter instead of electric.
I can haul it with ATV into woods since i made a decent trail around the property. May be next year.


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## EbS-P (Jul 14, 2022)

boomfire said:


> In hindsight, may be i should have bought a gas splitter instead of electric.
> I can haul it with ATV into woods since i made a decent trail around the property. May be next year.


Get a fiskars maul if you are able to lift an  8 pound head.   It 1/4s big rounds fast. No need to haul a big splitter.  I use it 50-70% of the time.


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## DonTee (Jul 14, 2022)

+1 to the Fiskars. I use mine for everything I can split by hand. The rest gets run through the hyd splitter. 
I split around 75% of my wood by hand. It helps having a bunch of straight trees cut from the woods though. If you were splitting yard trees it might be tougher.


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## bigealta (Jul 14, 2022)

bigealta said:


> i cut some then split it right there. Then cut some more and split again right there, Then hopefully my vehicle is right there to load in the split pieces. Do that till vehicle is full. Then drive right to stack and stack pieces either directly onto stack, or into wheelbarrow then roll that right next to stack and stack up directly. I'm trying to reduce picking up off the ground, and also load stack from off the ground (wheelbarrow or vehicle).


I'm splitting everything by hand, so no hauling a splitter.


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## boomfire (Jul 14, 2022)

EbS-P said:


> Get a fiskars maul if you are able to lift an  8 pound head.   It 1/4s big rounds fast. No need to haul a big splitter.  I use it 50-70% of the time.



Sorry, really bad right shoulder. can't do


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## stoveliker (Jul 14, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Sorry, really bad right shoulder. can't do


If you have a portable generator with enough power, you could use that with the electric splitter? Rather than buy another splitter. The generator is useful elsewhere too...


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## bigealta (Jul 14, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Sorry, really bad right shoulder. can't do


If your shoulder gets better at some point, get a light maul. That's all i use, and it's a big difference on your shoulder. 8 lbs is way to heavy (even without an injury) in my opinion for what i split. Mostly oak, locust, cherry, maple, pine. Some people  do prefer the heavy mauls but if the lighter one works for a person then that's the one to go with.


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## ClintonH (Jul 15, 2022)

boomfire said:


> This is a 10x4 setup. Took me about 8 hours total from felling the dead trees, cut them, transport, Pile all the logs. Once i think i have enough. I move to splitting. I split a few and start stacking, rinse and repeat until i fill the 10x4.
> 
> I am not sure how to make it quicker.
> I have an electric log splitter,  that is not fast enough, but overall works great.
> ...


Any more I operate in 1-tank episodes:  fill saw, run 1 tank through it cutting, then split/load or split/stack whatever is done.  Takes a manageable amount of time while providing a nice variety of activity.  If I'm still feeling good and have time, refill the saw and repeat.  My objective is always move lost of small weight, so I'm splitting on-site once bucking is complete.  I'm pretty fit and 33, but I understand the limits of sustainable and repeated work--hence the saw/split/lift strategy.  Since I have a splitter, I build up a splitter pile if the Fiskars isn't moving through quickly or easily enough.  I used to wail on a round 5-10 times before moving on.  Now it's 3-5, then move to the next and save it for the splitter.


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## Piney (Jul 15, 2022)

Once the fire burns continuously for at least half a year it seems like no one can burn less than 3-4 cords except for the rocket mass heater people. And maybe the soapstone folk. There must be a ‘minimum’ that goes in to the mix just because the fire is lit.  This past year we burned 24/7 for 8 months.  We spent considerable time below -35 and hovered at -50 for a while.  The house is well insulated but with a lot of older double glazed, big, windows and is about 1800 sq ft - almost all on one floor.  We burned 9 cord of properly seasoned pine.  Often we burn 7 1/2 to 8.   This winter was a nasty one.
A neighbour burned 6 cord (pine) this year to heat his 500 sq ft less well insulated cabin.
I once burned only  3 1/2 cord (pine) in the same situation in a 300 sq ft cabin here when I lived at the other end of the property and I slept in the loft. There was ice on the downstairs walls each morning through the winter.
Ymmv
PS. I don’t mind doing up that much firewood.  I have help.


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## mambwe (Jul 15, 2022)

stoveliker said:


> I burn about 2.5-3 cords per winter. And that is not burning when it's above 40 F for 24 hrs or more (then I use my mini split).
> 
> Get at least 6 cords stacked, so it can season for at least two years. I have three years stacked (and covered!) In my shed.


Do you mind if I ask how big your house is? Once our work is done, my house will be around 1,500 square feet. It's a ranch, so I'm not heating a 2nd floor. I don't have a ton of property, so to double the amount of wood I have will take some creativity.


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## UpStateNY (Jul 15, 2022)

3 cords of Apple Wood for 1200 sq ft single floor 3 bedroom ranch.   Many apple orchards around me.  They would bulldoze old trees and replant new ones.  When I see a farm of Apple trees knocked down on their side,  I would stop and ask the farmer if I could cut up and take most of the tree leaving only branches behind.  The farmers were glad to get rid of most of the apple tree because it was less material they had to bury.   Most people hate doing this work because apple trees meant lots of poison ivy to deal with.  Also apple wood splitting requires a log splitter.  Love the smell of apple wood and it coaled up nice and often had a green gas flame.  

I also like using free oak  pallets for kindling wood to start the fire.  I burned then with the nails in.


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## Piney (Jul 15, 2022)

Clinton H  Quote: “Any more I operate in 1-tank episodes:  fill saw, run 1 tank through it cutting, then split/load or split/stack whatever is done.  Takes a manageable amount of time while providing a nice variety of activity.  If I'm still feeling good and have time, refill the saw and repeat.  My objective is always move lost of small weight, so I'm splitting on-site once bucking is complete.  I'm pretty fit and 33, but I understand the limits of sustainable and repeated work--hence the saw/split/lift strategy.  Since I have a splitter, I build up a splitter pile if the Fiskars isn't moving through quickly or easily enough.  I used to wail on a round 5-10 times before moving on.  Now it's 3-5, then move to the next and save it for the splitter.”
- -
 Good system.  I did that for 50 years.  Now I use the splitter for everything. I still have the mauls (and we welded on extra weight just so we only had to strike once) but I don’t use them.  
Once I tried processing 10 cord into sticks all at once.  Bad idea.  Your cut, process, split, stack and repeat works better.


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## stoveliker (Jul 15, 2022)

mambwe said:


> Do you mind if I ask how big your house is? Once our work is done, my house will be around 1,500 square feet. It's a ranch, so I'm not heating a 2nd floor. I don't have a ton of property, so to double the amount of wood I have will take some creativity.


I burn from the 825-ish sqft  basement. The first floor is 1200-ish sqft, and the second floor is 500 sqft. It's a ranch with half a story on top. The basement is a bit smaller because of the garage taking up the rest of the space of that floor.

So, not counting the basement it's 1700 sqft.

That top 500 sqft is only sleeping area (of the kids) and is a bit cooler at 64 F or so. The main floor is 68-70 F (as we like it). The basement is hotter, but that depends on how cold it is outside: the colder the weather the hotter the basement (to keep the main floor near 70 F).


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## Ashful (Jul 16, 2022)

mambwe said:


> Do you mind if I ask how big your house is? Once our work is done, my house will be around 1,500 square feet. It's a ranch, so I'm not heating a 2nd floor. I don't have a ton of property, so to double the amount of wood I have will take some creativity.


Hi mambwe, one of the additions on my house is almost exactly 1500 sq ft, as 1100 on first floor + 400 on 2’d floor.  Even one load per day in my Ashford 30 tends to be a bit of overkill, making it too warm most sunny days.   I’ll often just run short loads by filling only half the firebox in the evening, to burn overnight, and intentionally let it go out for the next day.  If it’s going to be cold or cloudy the next day, then I can run full loads, dialed in for 24 hours per load, and avoid having to relight the next evening.  This addition has a lot of glass, the solar gain is ulhuge in winter, so my heating needs vary more with sun than outside temperature alone.  YMMV


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## boomfire (Jul 16, 2022)

Scored some free firewood today [4 year old], made 2 trips with my 5x8 trailer. 

I am realizing, There are so many people near me that cut down trees and want them off their property. I don't even have to cut trees on my own property.


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

Quick update:

Time flies, i can't believe it's been only little over 4 months ago when I started at zero, no fireplace or firewood.

We have gotten few cold days (29 last night).

I have been burning some wood on and off. Based on what I burned so far, my firewood burn ratio is about Half a Face Cord for 8 or 9 days. I would need approximately 2 face cords per month, hope this is all i need even during colder days.

I have little over 4 cords worth of firewood and i suspect some of the firewood i picked up from neighbors has moisture content over 25%. i thought it was seasoned for 2 years, guess not, as they may be sitting on the ground, unsplit. They need more time.

At best what I have should get me till march / april (may be). I need to plan better for next year and start cutting more firewood.

At worst i have 500 gallon propane as a backup.

An obligatory picture


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## Ashful (Oct 19, 2022)

Glad it's working out!  What's your "face cord" to cord conversion?


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 19, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Quick update:
> 
> Time flies, i can't believe it's been only little over 4 months ago when I started at zero, no fireplace or firewood.
> 
> ...



its bes to state in cords what you have burned .. really there is no such thing as a face cord standard.. glad you picked up wood.. before any purchase.. measure the wood to see if the proper MC has been obtained.. if not.. you may be able to negotiate a price change.. if you have just enough to get you by for this season dont stop splitting or purchasing.. stack the wood up now and over the winter.. youll be able to kiln dry it the coming summer and have wood sub 15%MC for next year.. set yourself up for success..


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## stoveliker (Oct 19, 2022)

Or for next year, get some easier drying woods. Cherry, ash, pine. And get wood for the years after that, maple and oak should be put up before next April or so to dry enough for the 24-25 season. (Oak may still be iffy then.)

Bottomline, separate faster drying woods out from slower ones, so you can dry the faster ones for the next season.


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

Ashful said:


> Glad it's working out!  What's your "face cord" to cord conversion?



I have stacked all my firewood in Face Cords [3 Face cords = 1 Cord]

My Face cord is = *4Ft H X 8 Ft L X 16-20 inch firewood* [my fireplace capacity is 21 inch firewood]

My burn ratio for 1 Cord is Month and Half [give or take]


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## ericm979 (Oct 19, 2022)

Your wood consumption will probably be greater in the coldest months of winter vs now.


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## qwee (Oct 19, 2022)

Probably best to look at your first year wood burning  as a learning year. Learn about your stove, and how to get, store and dry wood. And all of the tools one employs to do these things.   Just set yourself up for year two.


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 19, 2022)

boomfire said:


> I have stacked all my firewood in Face Cords [3 Face cords = 1 Cord]
> 
> My Face cord is = *4Ft H X 8 Ft L X 16-20 inch firewood* [my fireplace capacity is 21 inch firewood]
> 
> My burn ratio for 1 Cord is Month and Half [give or take]



if you do the math.. you face cord is roughly 1/3rd of a cord or
4x4x1.5= 48cuft of wood

the 1.5 ft being the average of 16 to 20 inches is roughly 18 inches

48 ÷128=.375  cords to be more  Precise
if your burning that every 8 days thats
48÷8= 6cuft per day
6cuft x 30 days is 1.4 cords per month and your not even using as much now as you would in the dead of winter I i think your underestimating the usage some.. 

in the dead of winter a solid estimation of usage would be take your firebox size and multiply by 3.5.. that should get you to a 24 hour burn unless your stoves small and your constantly loading..


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## Ashful (Oct 19, 2022)

Depending on how tight or loose I stack, I can make eight cords stack as ten... or vice versa.  Just aim to have "about" three years worth stacked, and don't sweat the details too much, it all comes out in the wash.

I used to try to track every little bit, but splitting and stacking to 6 foot height, and then noticing the stacks were 6-12 inches shorter by the time I used them, frustrated that effort.  The height reduction was clearly the result of settling as much as shrinkage, they go hand in hand.


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 19, 2022)

Ashful said:


> Depending on how tight or loose I stack, I can make eight cords stack as ten... or vice versa.  Just aim to have "about" three years worth stacked, and don't sweat the details too much, it all comes out in the wash.
> 
> I used to try to track every little bit, but splitting and stacking to 6 foot height, and then noticing the stacks were 6-12 inches shorter by the time I used them, frustrated that effort.  The height reduction was clearly the result of settling as much as shrinkage, they go hand in hand.



 I know what your saying with the wood calculations.. On of my sheds holds 2.5 cords when its  Initially loaded up..  after 3 years its not the same.. its smaller.. but to keep things easy.. its always called 2.5 cords.. its just easier.. and at 1 time.. its was exactly.. 2.5 cord..


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## Wood1Dennis (Oct 19, 2022)

Interesting thread. Boomfire, your experience sounds a lot where I was when I started heating with wood. The first year (2016-2017) I managed to get about 4-5 cord stacked by spring of 2016. It was a lot of ash, elm, cherry, other quick drying stuff. I have a nice windy open location for my piles. I did OK that winter, it was dry enough. Now each year I put up a bit more than I need. I have leveled off to burning about 4 cords per year on average. I make about 5 cords a year so that year over year I have built up my stash to about 11 cord. I am pretty close to my goal of 3 years worth split and stacked. When you can get to that point it is pretty sweet. Just bring in the stuff that has been seasoning the longest each fall and it will all be dry. Eventually I hope to get far enough ahead so that I can sell a couple of cords a year, but for now I'm in a good place with my own stock of firewood. 
I'm heating a 1700 square foot well insulated home in Wisconsin.


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

Woodsplitter67 said:


> if you do the math.. you face cord is roughly 1/3rd of a cord or
> 4x4x1.5= 48cuft of wood
> 
> the 1.5 ft being the average of 16 to 20 inches is roughly 18 inches
> ...



good math, I suspected i might need more in dead of winter. good math.



Woodsplitter67 said:


> in the dead of winter a solid estimation of usage would be take your firebox size and multiply by 3.5.. that should get you to a 24 hour burn unless your stoves small and your constantly loading..



My stove is definitely not small and those 8-9 days i mentioned above, is basically me burning 24 hours non stop [actually tested]. I load my stove every 5-6 hours, except during night (10PM -6AM) i load it with the thickest logs, which gets me through the night.

that said, during peak winter, do you still think my current 5-6 hour window would be reduced to 3-4 hours (as an example) and i will be burning at a more faster ratio?


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## stoveliker (Oct 19, 2022)

If your home loses more heat because it's colder outside, then the stove has to provide more heat to keep the same inside temps. That means, if efficiency doesn't change, you will be using more fuel. So yes, in winter you'll be using more, or sit in a colder home.

5-6 hr reloads is a bit short in this weather, imo.
What is the size of your firebox?

How tall is your chimney? (Too much draft would suck up heat into the chimney).

Do you have a block off plate?

Is the fireplace on an outside wall? If so, is it insulated around the insert?


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 19, 2022)

boomfire said:


> good math, I suspected i might need more in dead of winter. good math.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



.The honest answer is .. I don't know.. I dont know your house, and heat requirements..  I can say this for sure.. I go through the most wood come January,  you may be loading everything 4/5 vs 5/6 hours. How windy will it be, how fast will you louse heat.. You really cant split enough wood at this point, you cant be sitting on enough. Youll learn over time what your average is and then make plans from there.. I burn anywhere from 3 to 4 cords per year.. im sitting on 14 cords CSS and about 4/5 cords in log length ready to be processed..  This process of being ahead is not an overnight journey.. keep plugging away and you'll get there.. ask questions and take the advice.. some people here really have alot of knowledge to share and pass on..

 Your in PA harwoods are your friend like oak, hickory ,beach this stuff packs alot of BTUs.. the denser woods are higher BTUs per cord.. oak like 25 million, beach like 27 million BTUs per cord.. vs cherry at 20 million and popular at 14 million.. the better the wood the less reloading.. the better the wood the less processing.. I burn probably 80% oak.. the rest cherry.. less processing ...  If you look at the above you would need almost 2 cords of poplar to equal 1 cord of oak..Youll have to load popular twice as often to get the same amount of heat.. so lear your woods.. that's a big start.. purchase log lenth and process your wood so you know what you have and you also know its seasoned properly..


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## Dix (Oct 19, 2022)

boomfire said:


> good math, I suspected i might need more in dead of winter. good math.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What stove do you have? Firebox size?


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

Dix said:


> What stove do you have? Firebox size?











						Ci2700 Contemporary Wood Burning Insert by Regency
					

The Regency Pro-Series CI2700 is a large contemporary catalytic wood insert enabling up to an astonishing 14 hours of burn time and 86% efficiency.




					www.regency-fire.com


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

stoveliker said:


> If your home loses more heat because it's colder outside, then the stove has to provide more heat to keep the same inside temps. That means, if efficiency doesn't change, you will be using more fuel. So yes, in winter you'll be using more, or sit in a colder home.
> 
> 5-6 hr reloads is a bit short in this weather, imo.
> What is the size of your firebox?
> ...











						Ci2700 Contemporary Wood Burning Insert by Regency
					

The Regency Pro-Series CI2700 is a large contemporary catalytic wood insert enabling up to an astonishing 14 hours of burn time and 86% efficiency.




					www.regency-fire.com
				



Chimney - 20 feet (approx)
Block off Plate - Yes
Outside Wall - Yes
Insulation around Insert - Yes

I am going to chalk this up as a learning year. There are few things i'd like few changes to my house as well. 
Insulate better, i have way too many windows and a door that allows air, i can feel faint cold air coming through sometimes.


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## stoveliker (Oct 19, 2022)

Every 5-6 hrs in this weather is short for a 2.6 cu ft firebox. 20 ft is a bit tall, but not crazily so.

Maybe you need a lot of heat because of a leaky home indeed. I'd spend time.and a little bit of dollars to air seal, and possibly insulate the attic.


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## TradEddie (Oct 19, 2022)

If your wood isn't well seasoned, you'll  go through it faster.  Well seasoned wood is inherently more efficient, but the  ease with which the heat output of seasoned wood can be controlled also contributes to using less. 

There's almost no chance unsplit logs sitting on the ground are seasoned. I've just cleared  some hickory that was on the ground for two years, it was all over 35%. Limbs from the same storm that were snagged above ground were 23%, and even those I won't use for at least another year. If you have wood at 25%, it's not seasoned enough, something magical happens about 22%,  the difference between wood at 25% and wood at 20% is astounding.

TE


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## stoveliker (Oct 19, 2022)

That^^. I read back. started 4 months ago... Wood that is too wet.


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## boomfire (Oct 19, 2022)

TradEddie said:


> If your wood isn't well seasoned, you'll  go through it faster.  Well seasoned wood is inherently more efficient, but the  ease with which the heat output of seasoned wood can be controlled also contributes to using less.
> 
> There's almost no chance unsplit logs sitting on the ground are seasoned. I've just cleared  some hickory that was on the ground for two years, it was all over 35%. Limbs from the same storm that were snagged above ground were 23%, and even those I won't use for at least another year. If you have wood at 25%, it's not seasoned enough, something magical happens about 22%,  the difference between wood at 25% and wood at 20% is astounding.
> 
> TE



agreed. i use my moisture meter to check and currently burning wood that are only under 19%. Not touching the wood whose MC is higher.


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

TradEddie said:


> I've just cleared  some hickory that was on the ground for two years, it was all over 35%.


I have three stacks of 15' logs right now, from 2019/20, 2021, and 2022, which I've been itching to split, but waiting for some shed space to open up.  Now that we're into the burn season, it won't be long until said space is available.

I'll dig out my moisture meter, and assuming the battery hasn't melted and destroyed the thing from sitting unused several years, I'll try to get some moisture readings when I split the 2019/20 pile.  I never bothered with this before, as what I'm splitting now won't be burned until 2025/26.  But given the way so many firewood sellers apply the "seasoned" word to wood that's been sitting in log form, it'd be interesting to see what numbers we get.


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## stoveliker (Oct 20, 2022)

boomfire said:


> agreed. i use my moisture meter to check and currently burning wood that are only under 19%. Not touching the wood whose MC is higher.


I am puzzled. You had stated that 4 months ago you did not have wood. 

How did you get to 19 pct already now?


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## boomfire (Oct 20, 2022)

stoveliker said:


> I am puzzled. You had stated that 4 months ago you did not have wood.
> 
> How did you get to 19 pct already now?



Some local gave away free seasoned wood, some city folks bought a house in the neighborhood and didnt want all that firewood on the property which previous owner split and stacked for 2 seasons. i was able to pick up a cord there (others picked up the rest before i could get to it). Another cord I picked up from another neighbor, half of it is already seasoned, but other half has high moisture content.  the logs were on the ground for 3-4 years (IIRC), most of it is seasoned but some of it is not. i cut split and stacked them nicely. That makes 2 cords.

There were quiet a few dead trees on my property (mostly ash, some pine and few oak), very dry, i tested them religiously.  I also stacked these based on what i can burn now (low MC) vs what i know that I cant burn. I exclusively stacked pine separately.

I can post pictures if you like.


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## stoveliker (Oct 20, 2022)

No need for pics. You're lucky. Get going on wood for next season and the one after that.


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## boomfire (Oct 20, 2022)

stoveliker said:


> No need for pics. You're lucky. Get going on wood for next season and the one after that.



Planning to restart my firewood collection activities in a week or so once the muzzleloader season (Hunting) is done. i didnt want to fire up chainsaw and start kicking up the deer when my neighbors are hunting.


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## stoveliker (Oct 20, 2022)

Lol, that's smart thinking


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## TradEddie (Oct 20, 2022)

Lucky indeed to be able to get seasoned wood so easily. Glad to hear that you've got a meter and are using it too, there's no way that weight or sound or smell or taste can tell the difference between 23% and 20%, and that's where it matters. I'm a couple of years ahead, so I don't necessarily need to measure, but sometimes I want to see how different storage locations compare, or take some lesser species from a newer pile during shoulder season, or to sort new scrounges.

So that's the seasoned  wood issue resolved, soon you'll be on to the "how do I move heat?" stage of wood burning.

TE


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## GrumpyDad (Oct 20, 2022)

stoveliker said:


> Every 5-6 hrs in this weather is short for a 2.6 cu ft firebox. 20 ft is a bit tall, but not crazily so.
> 
> Maybe you need a lot of heat because of a leaky home indeed. I'd spend time.and a little bit of dollars to air seal, and possibly insulate the attic.


you just reminded me to order crawlspace vent covers.


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

boomfire said:


> Planning to restart my firewood collection activities in a week or so once the muzzleloader season (Hunting) is done. i didnt want to fire up chainsaw and start kicking up the deer when my neighbors are hunting.


I guess I haven't taken specific notice of chainsaws, but in general, our deer seem to pay no mind to engine noises.  My zero turn is loud as hell, and I still have to yell at the stupid beasts to get them to move out of my way while mowing.  I've almost been hit a few times over the years, when I'm mowing where they want to be eating.

It's funny that as soon as I'm on foot, those not as familiar with me will run off, if I get within 50 yards of them.  But on a mower or tractor, they seem oblivious to the fact that there's a potential hunter aboard.


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## GrumpyDad (Oct 20, 2022)

TradEddie said:


> Lucky indeed to be able to get seasoned wood so easily. Glad to hear that you've got a meter and are using it too, there's no way that weight or sound or smell or taste can tell the difference between 23% and 20%, and that's where it matters. I'm a couple of years ahead, so I don't necessarily need to measure, but sometimes I want to see how different storage locations compare, or take some lesser species from a newer pile during shoulder season, or to sort new scrounges.
> 
> So that's the seasoned  wood issue resolved, soon you'll be on to the "how do I move heat?" stage of wood burning.
> 
> TE


I definitely knew that the wood that I had delivered recently was MUCH better seasoned that all the years prior.  The clunk, the weight of certain wood types that I know about what they should weigh when seasoned.  I was SHOCKED when I split a piece and it came up at 19%.  I said, no way...  So I grabbed about 10 pieces of different wood and it was ALL under 20%, except the mighty oak of course which turned up around 22-23%. 
I did not have the knowledge that I had to have wood sitting for seasons prior, so going into this heating season I'm just starting off with 1 cord and am already a face cord through.   I was dumb and started to use my well seasoned wood in both my stove and fireplace.  My fireplace will take anything, but obviously throws the best heat and burns better with well seasoned wood.  I should have been using the wood I just had delivered for the fireplace and only using the well seasoned stuff for the stove. 
This is at a weekend camp that we have been working on for quite awhile.  So I dont use the wood all year, and many weekends throughout winter we have to skip going there because kids bring home colds, or we have family events etc.

Back in the day before I knew anything, I would throw wood that I had just delivered into the fireplace and would complain that it POPPED out on us too much into the ember screen, or it would just sit there sizzling until I would burn smaller pieces.  I would also wonder why wood would be so heavy sometimes and so light other times.  You learn alot being on these forums.   It's AMAZING how well my fireplace will heat our living room with good wood.  It's a hog though, and will gobble wood if you let it.  SO I usually just burn 3-4 pieces at a time and until it gets to almost all broken up chunks/coals, then add 3-4 more.  But like I said, it will burn super wet wood and still put out some heat and provide the ambiance that everyone loves. My dog really dislikes wet wood because of the sudden POP.  She's a big dog but will jump up like a startled cat when that happens.


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

GrumpyDad said:


> It's AMAZING how well my fireplace will heat our living room with good wood.


Fireplaces can be very good heaters, I actually heated my parents relatively large house with a fleet of them one winter in my late teens.  They're great for heating the room they're in, to the point where I can understand why the many one- or two-room cabins of our forefathers were kept perfectly comfortable with a fireplace.  Unfortunately, in a larger house, they draw massive amounts of cold make-up air thru every crevice around every window and door.  This makes it difficult to heat the rooms not actually containing fireplaces, as all air flow is coming from them, with little warm air making it back that way.


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## GrumpyDad (Oct 20, 2022)

Ashful said:


> Fireplaces can be very good heaters, I actually heated my parents relatively large house with a fleet of them one winter in my late teens.  They're great for heating the room they're in, to the point where I can understand why the many one- or two-room cabins of our forefathers were kept perfectly comfortable with a fireplace.  Unfortunately, in a larger house, they draw massive amounts of cold make-up air thru every crevice around every window and door.  This makes it difficult to heat the rooms not actually containing fireplaces, as all air flow is coming from them, with little warm air making it back that way.


Yup.  It usually only mostly radiant heat right?  Mine is lined in some sort of metal that does seem to reflect heat back.  I also have two cold air ducts inside the stone to the sides of the fireplace and then at the middle of the fireplace there are two vents that exit warm air.  So that helps a lot.  This cabin is very leaky.  I have crawlspace vents that are stuck open so I'm covering those.  It's also very poorly insulated.  Where we have a wood stove it's very well insulated however I have about 15 , 6' windows. While they are effecient windows they still let cold air in


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

GrumpyDad said:


> Yup.  It usually only mostly radiant heat right?  Mine is lined in some sort of metal that does seem to reflect heat back.  I also have two cold air ducts inside the stone to the sides of the fireplace and then at the middle of the fireplace there are two vents that exit warm air.  So that helps a lot.  This cabin is very leaky.  I have crawlspace vents that are stuck open so I'm covering those.  It's also very poorly insulated.  Where we have a wood stove it's very well insulated however I have about 15 , 6' windows. While they are effecient windows they still let cold air in


Yeah, I guess it would have to be radiant, you're certainly not getting much convection out of a passive fireplace, or conduction into a wood structure around it.

But your fireplace sounds very similar to one my father built in an addition to our house in the 1980's, which added some forced convection.  Metal firebox with brick floor, in a stone chase.  He had some sort of blower setup, which would draw cool air into the sides of the stone chase, and blow it out thru other vents.  I'm not sure if this is some custom thing he thought up on his own, or spec'd in by the makers of the metal firebox, I was just a kid helping dad lay up stone and do some of the surrounding carpentry.

He also put a fresh air intake into the floor of that fireplace, which dramatically improved the scenario I described in post #90 above.


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## GrumpyDad (Oct 20, 2022)

Ashful said:


> Yeah, I guess it would have to be radiant, you're certainly not getting much convection out of a passive fireplace, or conduction into a wood structure around it.
> 
> But your fireplace sounds very similar to one my father built in an addition to our house in the 1980's, which added some forced convection.  Metal firebox with brick floor, in a stone chase.  He had some sort of blower setup, which would draw cool air into the sides of the stone chase, and blow it out thru other vents.  I'm not sure if this is some custom thing he thought up on his own, or spec'd in by the makers of the metal firebox, I was just a kid helping dad lay up stone and do some of the surrounding carpentry.
> 
> He also put a fresh air intake into the floor of that fireplace, which dramatically improved the scenario I described in post #90 above.


The first fireplace I ever owned, I had a 20' chimney and it drafted horribly unless I cracked a window. I never understood that concept.  I loved that fireplace though but we didnt really use it for heat. It was more 'to have a fire'. Wife would say "make a fire" and I would complain because the wood was downstairs, outside.  But once it was on I loved it.  I only used about a face cord per year, and I would pay $90 for fully seasoned from a local landscape supply place.  It was a townhouse, and hauling the wood to the back was fun.  I would put the wood in a garbage can with wheels, wheel it through the entrance to the back patio door then stack it on the cement patio floor.  

When I came into these forums and saw people burning 3, 4, 8 cords of wood per season, I couldnt believe it.  But I can see how if they use it as a primary source of heat for a larger home and multiple wood burning appliances AND have access to cheap wood.  But all of that work, geesh.


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## stoveliker (Oct 20, 2022)

3+ish cords here per year. Slightly less. But I enjoy it. In fact (your screen name), I thought it would get me away from dad duties every now and then.

That worked, for half a year. Now my kids want to help split wood... But I enjoy that too. Teaching my son how to. Seeing his strength and aim improve. My daughter too, though she's less taken by it.


My son asks me when (fiiiiinally) the next load arrives.... We had a large break as I got ahead with my (near) 9 cord shed early COVID, with one season of wood left in tarped racks. So last winter I didn't burn anything from my shed, and I had nothing to refill. Looking forward to this spring 😊


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

GrumpyDad said:


> When I came into these forums and saw people burning 3, 4, 8 cords of wood per season, I couldnt believe it.  But I can see how if they use it as a primary source of heat for a larger home and multiple wood burning appliances AND have access to cheap wood.  But all of that work, geesh.


I'm trying to get down to 8 cords per season!  Managed to stay under 8 for the first time last year, all prior years were closer to 10.


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## GrumpyDad (Oct 20, 2022)

Ashful said:


> I'm trying to get down to 8 cords per season!  Managed to stay under 8 for the first time last year, all prior years were closer to 10.


I envision you live in a 150 year old mansion then.  You really need to consider hiring staff


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## EbS-P (Oct 20, 2022)

Woodsplitter67 said:


> .The honest answer is .. I don't know.. I dont know your house, and heat requirements..  I can say this for sure.. I go through the most wood come January,  you may be loading everything 4/5 vs 5/6 hours. How windy will it be, how fast will you louse heat.. You really cant split enough wood at this point, you cant be sitting on enough. Youll learn over time what your average is and then make plans from there.. I burn anywhere from 3 to 4 cords per year.. im sitting on 14 cords CSS and about 4/5 cords in log length ready to be processed..  This process of being ahead is not an overnight journey.. keep plugging away and you'll get there.. ask questions and take the advice.. some people here really have alot of knowledge to share and pass on..
> 
> Your in PA harwoods are your friend like oak, hickory ,beach this stuff packs alot of BTUs.. the denser woods are higher BTUs per cord.. oak like 25 million, beach like 27 million BTUs per cord.. vs cherry at 20 million and popular at 14 million.. the better the wood the less reloading.. the better the wood the less processing.. I burn probably 80% oak.. the rest cherry.. less processing ...  If you look at the above you would need almost 2 cords of poplar to equal 1 cord of oak..Youll have to load popular twice as often to get the same amount of heat.. so lear your woods.. that's a big start.. purchase log lenth and process your wood so you know what you have and you also know its seasoned properly..


But the poplar dries 2-3times faster than oak.  It has its place and if in position to choose wet oak or dry poplar I’ll pick the poplar every time.


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 20, 2022)

EbS-P said:


> But the poplar dries 2-3times faster than oak.  It has its place and if in position to choose wet oak or dry poplar I’ll pick the poplar every time.



 ok.. never said anything bad about that species.. and nobody was given the choice between the 2 woods.. wet or dry


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

GrumpyDad said:


> I envision you live in a 150 year old mansion then.  You really need to consider hiring staff


I have staff, but they don’t split wood.


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## Woodsplitter67 (Oct 20, 2022)

Ashful said:


> I have staff, but they don’t split wood.



I see your trying to get your wood consumption to 8 cords.. how are u going to make that achievable.. are u supplementing with something else..


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## EbS-P (Oct 20, 2022)

Woodsplitter67 said:


> ok.. never said anything bad about that species.. and nobody was given the choice between the 2 woods.. wet or dry


 No you didn’t and think your date on btus of species is really helpful to understand. 

 I was just pointing if I was trying to get 3 years ahead poplar isn’t a terrible choice for next year if it presents itself.  I wouldn’t ever choose poplar if given a choice but ive burnt plenty of it because it’s what fell close by or was set out on the curb.


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## Ashful (Oct 20, 2022)

Woodsplitter67 said:


> I see your trying to get your wood consumption to 8 cords.. how are u going to make that achievable.. are u supplementing with something else..


Nope.  Just using the second stove less!    

In reality, I was burning that second stove more than needed because:

1.  There was a time it was my only stove, so I was just in the habit of using it as much as possible.
2.  I used to regularly overheat that side of the house mid-day, just to have it warm in the mornings

Last year, I changed my habit to only load it on weekend evenings.  This year, I'm home much more than last year, but I'm experimenting with just partial loads, as I really don't need that part of the house heated all afternoon.  I can load with just 5 splits at 10-11pm, burn it low and slow thru the night, and have that side of the house still at 72F when we eat breakfast 6-7am.  The stove goes out by noon the next day, but between solar gain and a little heat absorbed and radiated back from the stone fireplace, temperature over there actually holds reasonably enough until the next evening.  I might burn a little more oil in the evenings, before I get around to a reload, but right now that's keeping me from having to build another wood shed.


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## TradEddie (Oct 22, 2022)

EbS-P said:


> No you didn’t and think your date on btus of species is really helpful to understand.
> 
> I was just pointing if I was trying to get 3 years ahead poplar isn’t a terrible choice for next year if it presents itself.  I wouldn’t ever choose poplar if given a choice but ive burnt plenty of it because it’s what fell close by or was set out on the curb.


I don't get the hate on poplar either. It dries fast, lights easily, burns prettily, doesn't make splinters and doesn't leave piles of coals, the only down side is that it does all that for only half as long. Added bonus is that you can impress your neighbors by slinging 24" rounds like frisbees.  I just wish I could figure out why some poplar trees are almost impossible to split when green and others are a breeze. 

TE


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## EbS-P (Oct 23, 2022)

TradEddie said:


> I don't get the hate on poplar either. It dries fast, lights easily, burns prettily, doesn't make splinters and doesn't leave piles of coals, the only down side is that it does all that for only half as long. Added bonus is that you can impress your neighbors by slinging 24" rounds like frisbees.  I just wish I could figure out why some poplar trees are almost impossible to split when green and others are a breeze.
> 
> TE


I got a couple rounds that were lowest 6’.  Nearly impossible to split green.  Having milled nearly 40’ from the first big crotch down the flare I can say the wood grain changes near the bottom.  I would not say  that the grain is not straight at the bottom but it sure is tougher wood.  Almost has a resinous quality.  I’ve seen it in crotches too.  I had this much left to go mill or cut for fire wood and I left it.  150’ from my wood stacks. Wife said I’m turning the house into a fire hazard bringing in something like 16. 24”+ slabs in.


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## TradEddie (Oct 25, 2022)

EbS-P said:


> I got a couple rounds that were lowest 6’.  Nearly impossible to split green.  Having milled nearly 40’ from the first big crotch down the flare I can say the wood grain changes near the bottom.  I would not say  that the grain is not straight at the bottom but it sure is tougher wood.  Almost has a resinous quality.  I’ve seen it in crotches too.  I had this much left to go mill or cut for fire wood and I left it.  150’ from my wood stacks. Wife said I’m turning the house into a fire hazard bringing in something like 16. 24”+ slabs in.
> 
> View attachment 301210


That may be it! The first time I had poplar, a friend milled the lower trunk (see my avatar pic, I had lots to give away), so I only had the higher up leftovers which could almost be split by waving an axe nearby! This most recent tree, some rounds were, as you say, almost rubbery, the axe, maul, wedge and even Fiskars could bounce off leaving barely a mark, not enough to seat a wedge next swing. I left those in the sun for six months and they became manageable, now three years later it's a perfect shoulder season wood.

Back to OP question, I'm normally only a weekend burner, but working from home much more due to Covid, I burned two cords last season and that was nowhere near full time, I'd easily need 3 cords if I was burning 24/7.

TE


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## Piney (Nov 9, 2022)

It’s fun reading the story of when someone starts burning.  It’s always very interesting and we are grateful when people share their stories.  It makes us all richer. 
At any rate, where we are it’s cold 7 months of the year and on average we burn about 8 1/2 cord of pine.  It’s currently -30C and we have only 8 cord sitting in the main shed (prob enough) but 2 cord are still in seasoned logs sitting under a foot of powder snow. We got behind on prep this year when the young and short wife decided, at the end of August, to let her brother and his youngest kid move in permanently. I had to take the truck half way across the country to fetch them - and then  plenty of time was lost rebuilding part of the old house to accommodate them for their first year. We just moved them out of a (literal) shack back in our woods and in to the main house on Sunday. (They can build their own place next year as by then they will have some idea of what is needed and how to handle the tools).  At least now, with the renos done, it will be easy enough to finish up the decked firewood logs but I sure don’t like leaving things this late.  In this case I guess it’s okay because we always keep a couple of cord in a secondary shed ‘just in case’ (a thing we do because because once it gets really cold after Christmas that is no good time to discover we have sleep walked in to a firewood shortage). Although I completely despise having to use the snow-machine to slide back loads of standing dead from down the frozen river in the dead of winter,  we always have that option as well. So we’re good.   
At any rate, we are isolated, off grid and wood is heat, hot water and cooking from September through March - though we also keep  a few 100 lb bottles of propane on hand, have a back up gas stove, plumbed in gas lights and a wall fireplace thing.  Of course the  gas wouldn’t last long though if we really needed it for continuous heat but it’s nice to have the fp on pilot if we are away the day as it will kick on and keep things from freezing if we are late getting back.  
Fwiw: After a couple learning years on wood we notice that most newcomers have gained a pretty good idea of their wood consumption and we recommend to them that a 50% buffer of  ‘more wood’ on top of that is enough for safety and comfort.   
And that’s what I wanted to say here.  50% more than needed is a good safe policy.  Time tested and keeps  families alive and comfortable without the need for heroics at -50.


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## Crummy (Nov 9, 2022)

qwee said:


> Probably best to look at your first year wood burning  as a learning year. Learn about your stove, and how to get, store and dry wood. And all of the tools one employs to do these things.   Just set yourself up for year two.


Mistakes are definitely made. Been almost 30 years since I heated with wood so this is basically my first year. I made some serious mistakes in setting myself up for the winter. For example I filled the wood shed with six cords of wood but as I've been taking it out only about 75% of it is ready to burn. I put stuff in that had been down for a long time and fresh trees, when it's buried a couple of rows back it does not season like the stuff on the outside. I now have five cord on pallet bunks with the top covered for 2023-2024 and only seasoned wood in the shed for this winter. Also have 12 cord of 1-2 year old logs decked up for 2024-2027. It's all a learning process but when you end up having to dig a cord out of the shed and restack it outside for further drying it makes the education stick in your head a little better.


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