Managing the Stacks? Can It Get too Dry?

[KaptJaq]

From the VC Montpelier manual:

"You’ll enjoy the best results when burning wood that has been adequately air-dried. Avoid burning “green” wood that has not been properly seasoned or cordwood that is more than two years old.
The best hardwood fuels include oak, maple, beech, ash, and hickory that has been split, stacked, and air-dried outside under cover for at least one to two years."​

​

If I am reading this right, the first sentence says not to burn cordwood that is more than two years old, the second says to season it at least one to two years. I guess they are not even sure what to burn...


KaptJaq

 

[Mr A]

It is tough for us to say how much wood you will need for your area. It also depends upon how much area you are heating and at what temperature you want the house.

8 cord of wood on hand is great! Congratulations to you for that. As others have stated, we just don't worry about wood getting too dry. It just does not happen. btw, at present, we have enough wood cut, split and stacked outdoors to last at least until the spring of 2020. Will it be too dry? Fat chance for that to happen. We do top cover the wood after the first summer of drying.Here are some pictures.

First one was taken on Christmas Day 2008. That wood is all gone now.

View attachment 70011

This wood was cut during the winter of 2008-2009. Finished stacking in early April 2009. We still have enough of that wood for this coming winter and a bit more for the next one.
View attachment 70013


This is part of the same stack shown above to show how we top cover the wood.
View attachment 70012

Your stacks are looking real nice. What type of wood is that that splits so uniformly? My stacks end up with all different sizes and lengths, mostly because I scrounge and deal with different lengths of knotted rounds

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree, but some stove makers (VC I think is one) says in their burning instructions not to season longer than 18 months or it could be too dry and harm the stove. I never understood the reasoning......

Tony, you'll find many articles and some manuals printed with this junk. They read it somewhere and took it as Gospel.... After all, Poor Richard can't be wrong. Can he? Of course, this brings to mind my running disagreement with Woodstock, but I think perhaps we opened their minds a bit last fall.

 

[tomc585]

My plan since then has been to go into fall with just over two year's worth of wood stacked up. That way my firewood is under 3 years old and all is good.

Thats been my plan. I too have had wood seasoned a little long than I would prefer.