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.
How many cords of firewood needed?
- Thread starter boomfire
- Start date
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Piney
Burning Hunk
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.
![[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/500424b5-4dcb-44ef-bc7a-c2ef812a0efa-webp.297039/ "[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?")
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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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.
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.
I also like using free oak pallets for kindling wood to start the fire. I burned then with the nails in.
Piney
Burning Hunk
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.”
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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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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.
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).
Ashful
Minister of Fire
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
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.
![[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/mowood-webp.297081/ "[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?")
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.
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
![[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/300/300869-e2c53a01a93bde6e9bf2f5d0dbc0a2f4.jpg?hash=Y7Sx9MBfDQ "[Hearth.com] How many cords of firewood needed?")
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
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
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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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.
Bottomline, separate faster drying woods out from slower ones, so you can dry the faster ones for the next season.
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]
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.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
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..
Ashful
Minister of Fire
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 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.
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
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..
Wood1Dennis
Burning Hunk
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.
I'm heating a 1700 square foot well insulated home in Wisconsin.
good math, I suspected i might need more in dead of winter. good math.
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?
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?
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?
Woodsplitter67
Minister of Fire
.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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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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