I bought a house recently that sits on a 9 acre wooded lot. There's a bit of everything in here typical of the region (oak, pine, maple,...). Today I had the idea that it might be nice to get a wood insert for the fireplace and cut my own wood. The problem is....I don't really know what I should cut and when. My parents burned wood and that's pretty much the only exposure I've had to wood burning. Could I burn both soft and hard woods? I recall something about cutting wood in the Fall when all the leaves have fallen and letting it sit until the following Fall. Sound about right? Any other good tips or suggestions?
Looking for advice about cutting my own wood
- Thread starter lsirois
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Get the insert. Cut a few trees & season the wood for next year.
You probably have some dead/dry stuff on the land to cut up & use now or buy a small load of some seasoned.
Even some small diameter dry stuff will get you started.
See how you like it.
I'm told "cut the wood NOW!", It starts seasoning as soon as it's split & stacked.
No real ideal time. NOW is best.
If you get into it, then you'll learn like the rest of us, by doing & asking specific ?s.
Beware: It can Fun work & become addictive.
Nothing like a few cords of split, stacked, seasoned & seasoning firewood to stand back, drink a beer & admire.
You probably have some dead/dry stuff on the land to cut up & use now or buy a small load of some seasoned.
Even some small diameter dry stuff will get you started.
See how you like it.
I'm told "cut the wood NOW!", It starts seasoning as soon as it's split & stacked.
No real ideal time. NOW is best.
If you get into it, then you'll learn like the rest of us, by doing & asking specific ?s.
Beware: It can Fun work & become addictive.
Nothing like a few cords of split, stacked, seasoned & seasoning firewood to stand back, drink a beer & admire.
lsirois said:
Yes, it is a very good idea!
I would talk to your county extension service or state forester. They may come out and show what you should cut to improve the health of your woods. You can burn both soft and hard. Soft seasons quicker (about 6 months+) but burns quicker. Hard woods take from 1-3 years to fully season (oak takes the longest). Fully seasoned wood will burn much better, you will get much more heat from the wood you burn and your chimney will stay cleaner.
At first you will want to cut up the dead fall just to get used to your saw. Before you fell any trees, get some training (I love the Game of Logging training) as there are many things that can go wrong and you may pay a very big price.
But, before you start a saw, make sure you have the proper protective gear; chaps, boots, helmet system.
There is nothing more rewarding than heating your home from the efforts of your own work.
Find a buddy to show you the ropes on cutting some of the down and dead stuff, get it stacked and drying, get an insert, and start enjoying!
As long as there is not so much snow to hinder your movement in the woods,now would be as good of time as any, in fact the area of woods I'm in now is rather wet most of the year except now when the ground is frozen.
I have 10 acres with about half of it being woods,between dead Ash and down fall it will be years before I will actually need to cut any live tree's.As I am cleaning up a section of woods I stack all usable wood on pallets and everything else in brush piles for wildlife use.With proper management I believe this little 5 acre section of woods can satisfy my wood fuel needs for as long as needed and leave a healthier woods than when I started.
I have 10 acres with about half of it being woods,between dead Ash and down fall it will be years before I will actually need to cut any live tree's.As I am cleaning up a section of woods I stack all usable wood on pallets and everything else in brush piles for wildlife use.With proper management I believe this little 5 acre section of woods can satisfy my wood fuel needs for as long as needed and leave a healthier woods than when I started.
With nine acres and part time or casual burning in the wood stove, you should have an endless supply of wood. The time to cut wood is whenever you are ready. There may be some advantages to cutting when the sap is down in the roots, i don't know for sure, but it is always better to get the wood cut, split, and stacked sooner than later. Start cutting wood before you put in the insert - seasoned firewood takes longer to get than a fireplace insert. Winter is a good time to start, as long as snow isn't too deep.
The basic equipment you'll need is a chainsaw and a maul (plus protective gear - goggles, ear protection, gloves, etc.). I'd start with a down tree, and practice cutting it to the right length. you'll get your saw stuck a few times, but that it the only way to learn. As you cut any log, think about which way the log will go when your cut starts to weaken it too much, and you'll be on your way to avoiding having the saw pinched.
Some guys cut up all the dead wood they find, but I like to leave some dead wood. Dead standing trees are great for wildlife, so I leave some of those, and downed wood is also important, plus it is often rotten. I'd cut some of the fresher standing dead wood, especially oaks hich seem so solid that they aren't the best for wildlife (fewer holes than softer trees). Eventually you'll want to cut live trees. I select the trees to cut based on what I want to leave alive. I choose the nicest trees that will grow into fine specimens and decide what should be removed to give them room. Among the trees I want to remove, i select those that look easy to fell and take them first. Look for a smaller tree that leans slightly toward a clear spot for your first one. Read up on how to fell, and be very careful while doing it. A live instructor is great, so maybe you know someone with some experience. Practice on trees that look too small to kill you until you are very confident.
I wouldn't worry too much about the type of wood, except to understand how long it takes to season. Any wood you have will burn greta as long as it is seasoned. Softwood and softer hardwoods will be ready to burn next winter if you cut, split, and stack them this winter. Oak, hickory, sugar maple will need an additional year. Most people burn about three cords per year if they are semi-serious about keeping a fire lit.
The basic equipment you'll need is a chainsaw and a maul (plus protective gear - goggles, ear protection, gloves, etc.). I'd start with a down tree, and practice cutting it to the right length. you'll get your saw stuck a few times, but that it the only way to learn. As you cut any log, think about which way the log will go when your cut starts to weaken it too much, and you'll be on your way to avoiding having the saw pinched.
Some guys cut up all the dead wood they find, but I like to leave some dead wood. Dead standing trees are great for wildlife, so I leave some of those, and downed wood is also important, plus it is often rotten. I'd cut some of the fresher standing dead wood, especially oaks hich seem so solid that they aren't the best for wildlife (fewer holes than softer trees). Eventually you'll want to cut live trees. I select the trees to cut based on what I want to leave alive. I choose the nicest trees that will grow into fine specimens and decide what should be removed to give them room. Among the trees I want to remove, i select those that look easy to fell and take them first. Look for a smaller tree that leans slightly toward a clear spot for your first one. Read up on how to fell, and be very careful while doing it. A live instructor is great, so maybe you know someone with some experience. Practice on trees that look too small to kill you until you are very confident.
I wouldn't worry too much about the type of wood, except to understand how long it takes to season. Any wood you have will burn greta as long as it is seasoned. Softwood and softer hardwoods will be ready to burn next winter if you cut, split, and stack them this winter. Oak, hickory, sugar maple will need an additional year. Most people burn about three cords per year if they are semi-serious about keeping a fire lit.
One thing I would do is figure out exactly what questions you have and search this site for the answers. Your gonna have to figure out what equipment you need (saw, maul, atv or tractor) and what can you afford. I wish I had a 9 acre wood lot. For years I thought oil was the way to go, my brother talked me into burning wood (oil was over $3.50/gal), and it was one of the best things I ever did. I am very happy burning wood.(my family loves it also)
Good Luck!!
Good Luck!!
I don't know squat about stoves and/or inserts, but I would recommend hanging out in the Hearth Room.
But on the wood . . . Just my thoughts . . . buy wood this year. No point in trampin around in the snow, trying to fell trees that may be dead on top, having one snap off and hit you in the head, all for what? to save $200. Burn nice clean dry stuff this year, then in the spring have someone come over and help you. Someone that knows how to duck
BTW, Welcome Aboard!!
But on the wood . . . Just my thoughts . . . buy wood this year. No point in trampin around in the snow, trying to fell trees that may be dead on top, having one snap off and hit you in the head, all for what? to save $200. Burn nice clean dry stuff this year, then in the spring have someone come over and help you. Someone that knows how to duck
BTW, Welcome Aboard!!
Heating your own home with wood is a lifestyle decision. Its a lot of work, that you may not be up for. Start small. Buy items that have a dual function. Lawn tractor, chainsaw, maul, & garden cart. Cut and split at least 2 cords of wood this spring and summer at least a couple of inches off the ground in a open sunny area if possible.
I would and do stay away from oak (it takes 2 years to season), look for ash, locust, maples, hickory.
In the meantime do research on a stove/ insert. That's probably going to cost 3-4k if done right. Your payback will be some where between 3+5 yrs. You will learn that there is no such thing as free wood!
Post some pictures of trees on your property with surrounding ground leaves (if possible) on this forum. We can usually get pretty close on the identification.
I wouldn't expect to heat your house exclusively next year with wood. You can suppliment and continue to build up your wood stores.
You could also post a craigslist ad looking for someone to help cut firewood on your acreage. Work with them, and split the spoils somehow, maybe 70/30, or 60/40. Its all relative to the type of wood and how hard it is to get it.
I would and do stay away from oak (it takes 2 years to season), look for ash, locust, maples, hickory.
In the meantime do research on a stove/ insert. That's probably going to cost 3-4k if done right. Your payback will be some where between 3+5 yrs. You will learn that there is no such thing as free wood!
Post some pictures of trees on your property with surrounding ground leaves (if possible) on this forum. We can usually get pretty close on the identification.
I wouldn't expect to heat your house exclusively next year with wood. You can suppliment and continue to build up your wood stores.
You could also post a craigslist ad looking for someone to help cut firewood on your acreage. Work with them, and split the spoils somehow, maybe 70/30, or 60/40. Its all relative to the type of wood and how hard it is to get it.
- Jun 12, 2006
- 1,053
I agree with the above.
Start cutting now. Try to hook up with some one in your area and learn what it takes.
One who is realatively health can cut, move, split, & stack enough wood to heat the average home, but it does take some time and effort.
I feel freestanding stoves are nicer than inserts as they heat without fan noise. My Sister & Grandma swear by their inserts (but they are not hard of hearing so fan noise may not be an issue for them?).
Mounted a freestanding stove in front of the fireplace and extended the hearth 18" with marble tiles.
I use 3 or 4 cords of Ash, Oak, and Hickory (4'x 4'x 8') and keep our home pretty comfortable, cutting my heat bill 80-90%.
ATB,
Mike
Start cutting now. Try to hook up with some one in your area and learn what it takes.
One who is realatively health can cut, move, split, & stack enough wood to heat the average home, but it does take some time and effort.
I feel freestanding stoves are nicer than inserts as they heat without fan noise. My Sister & Grandma swear by their inserts (but they are not hard of hearing so fan noise may not be an issue for them?).
Mounted a freestanding stove in front of the fireplace and extended the hearth 18" with marble tiles.
I use 3 or 4 cords of Ash, Oak, and Hickory (4'x 4'x 8') and keep our home pretty comfortable, cutting my heat bill 80-90%.
ATB,
Mike
yeah, nothing new in this post, but here's my advice in abbreviated form
1. Hang around this forum (read past posts too)
2. Start cleaning the dead stuff up, disregard anything about soft/hard, cut it all.
3. get it split and stacked ASAP and you can probably start burning next season
4. the rest will occur naturally from being around here....
1. Hang around this forum (read past posts too)
2. Start cleaning the dead stuff up, disregard anything about soft/hard, cut it all.
3. get it split and stacked ASAP and you can probably start burning next season
4. the rest will occur naturally from being around here....
Random thoughts . . .
If you like saving money on heating and enjoy the look of a roaring fire, smell of fresh split wood and the sound of a crackling fire you may well love a woodstove or wood insert. If you do not like hard work (especially if you are cutting, splitting and stacking the wood yourself), mess (wood ash, dust and woodchips) or have the time (to process the wood and time to get the stove to temp) a woodstove or insert may not be for you. What I mean to say is that running a woodstove almost becomes a way of life . . . there is a real reward when you realize you're keeping warm in the winter because of your work . . . but it's definitely not as easy or as simple as turning up the thermostat or calling up your oil dealer for a delivery of heating oil. As mentioned, it's also a different kind of work for many of us -- it's "fun" work . . . in other words, definitely not on the same level as say cleaning your home's toilets, cleaning out the cat litter boxes or painting the living room.
Now running a woodstove can save you money . . . but it also involves spending money. There is the cost of the woodstove and chimney . . . not to mention the "toys" such as fireplace tools, gloves, etc. And processing wood means you will need a chainsaw and a maul at the very minimum . . . and if you get into this you may well find that eventually you will want a hydraulic wood splitter, ATV or tractor to haul out wood, a trailer, woodshed, etc. . . . and so the "free" wood can add up!
Stoves and inserts: Take your time. Do the research. Find out what you like, what will fit (in terms of insert size and heating requirements for your home) and ask questions . . . ask lots of questions before pulling the trigger and buying a stove based solely on the looks or because you really liked that nice salesman at Store ABC.
Wood: Softwood, hardwood . . . as long as it is seasoned it's good to use. In general, hardwood is preferred as you get more heat and the coals last longer. Oak, hickory, locust and sugar maple are some of the more desirable hardwoods. That said, while the majority of my wood is hardwood I also lay in some softwood as this wood is good for the shoulder seasons, good for restarting a fire and can be used to make kindling.
When should you start cutting: Cutting now is better than cutting later. Cutting in the Spring is better than cutting in the Summer. Cutting in the Fall with the hope of burning in the Winter . . . well that just won't cut it. You should ideally have wood cut, split and stacked 9-12 months out . . . otherwise you'll have unseasoned (green aka wet on the inside) wood which can be very frustrating for the new wood-burner as the wood is hard to catch on fire, doesn't produce as much heat and can produce a lot of creosote.
9 acres: Not bad . . . especially if you concentrate on harvesting dead wood (standing dead -- which can be dangerous -- and down and dead -- which is much better to practice on). You may also want to have someone come in and help you decide what to keep and cut to maximize the health of the trees on your land.
Saw: Sawing down wood and sawing up wood can be very dangerous. Take the time to learn how to use the equipment and buy the safety equipment.
Starting small: If you decide after weighing the pros and cons that you want to burn wood I might suggest you start off small . . . don't start off thinking you will heat 100% with wood, but rather work towards the goal of burning on weekends and perhaps evenings. As you get more used to the stove and start getting more wood built up you may opt to burn more often and may become a 24/7 burner.
If you like saving money on heating and enjoy the look of a roaring fire, smell of fresh split wood and the sound of a crackling fire you may well love a woodstove or wood insert. If you do not like hard work (especially if you are cutting, splitting and stacking the wood yourself), mess (wood ash, dust and woodchips) or have the time (to process the wood and time to get the stove to temp) a woodstove or insert may not be for you. What I mean to say is that running a woodstove almost becomes a way of life . . . there is a real reward when you realize you're keeping warm in the winter because of your work . . . but it's definitely not as easy or as simple as turning up the thermostat or calling up your oil dealer for a delivery of heating oil. As mentioned, it's also a different kind of work for many of us -- it's "fun" work . . . in other words, definitely not on the same level as say cleaning your home's toilets, cleaning out the cat litter boxes or painting the living room.
Now running a woodstove can save you money . . . but it also involves spending money. There is the cost of the woodstove and chimney . . . not to mention the "toys" such as fireplace tools, gloves, etc. And processing wood means you will need a chainsaw and a maul at the very minimum . . . and if you get into this you may well find that eventually you will want a hydraulic wood splitter, ATV or tractor to haul out wood, a trailer, woodshed, etc. . . . and so the "free" wood can add up!
Stoves and inserts: Take your time. Do the research. Find out what you like, what will fit (in terms of insert size and heating requirements for your home) and ask questions . . . ask lots of questions before pulling the trigger and buying a stove based solely on the looks or because you really liked that nice salesman at Store ABC.
Wood: Softwood, hardwood . . . as long as it is seasoned it's good to use. In general, hardwood is preferred as you get more heat and the coals last longer. Oak, hickory, locust and sugar maple are some of the more desirable hardwoods. That said, while the majority of my wood is hardwood I also lay in some softwood as this wood is good for the shoulder seasons, good for restarting a fire and can be used to make kindling.
When should you start cutting: Cutting now is better than cutting later. Cutting in the Spring is better than cutting in the Summer. Cutting in the Fall with the hope of burning in the Winter . . . well that just won't cut it. You should ideally have wood cut, split and stacked 9-12 months out . . . otherwise you'll have unseasoned (green aka wet on the inside) wood which can be very frustrating for the new wood-burner as the wood is hard to catch on fire, doesn't produce as much heat and can produce a lot of creosote.
9 acres: Not bad . . . especially if you concentrate on harvesting dead wood (standing dead -- which can be dangerous -- and down and dead -- which is much better to practice on). You may also want to have someone come in and help you decide what to keep and cut to maximize the health of the trees on your land.
Saw: Sawing down wood and sawing up wood can be very dangerous. Take the time to learn how to use the equipment and buy the safety equipment.
Starting small: If you decide after weighing the pros and cons that you want to burn wood I might suggest you start off small . . . don't start off thinking you will heat 100% with wood, but rather work towards the goal of burning on weekends and perhaps evenings. As you get more used to the stove and start getting more wood built up you may opt to burn more often and may become a 24/7 burner.
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