Seasoning advice

[dwaynecornhauler]

I recently had a Hearthstone Tribute installed in my living room and really enjoy it except for the smaller firebox.
I currently am burning mostly standing dead white elm. I have been in the woods cutting for this season and next. I have have a few questions for the forum:

1. I cut up a downed red oak, down 3 years, which is approximately 24" in diameter into 13" sections (smaller firebox). I currently have the rounds stacked. If I split them in the next few weeks should they be ready for next season, been down 3 years?

Well I guess it was just one question.

 

[gzecc]

I don't think so. If it wasn't split it probably won't be ready. Hopefully the next year.

 

[glenng]

The short 13 inch length will help it season faster. I think you will be ok. But the longer it dries the better. I really like firewood to be 3 or 4 years cured. It takes a lot to get that far ahead. But your on the right track.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Only time will tell but they very well could be ready depending on how you plan to season it. Stacked in the wind will hasten the drying. Good luck.

 

[gyrfalcon]

I recently had a Hearthstone Tribute installed in my living room and really enjoy it except for the smaller firebox.
I currently am burning mostly standing dead white elm. I have been in the woods cutting for this season and next. I have have a few questions for the forum:

1. I cut up a downed red oak, down 3 years, which is approximately 24" in diameter into 13" sections (smaller firebox). I currently have the rounds stacked. If I split them in the next few weeks should they be ready for next season, been down 3 years?

Well I guess it was just one question.

Another Tribute owner here. How fast wood seasons depends on where you stack it, how loosely you stack it, and maybe most importantly, how large the splits are. You'll get the most out of the tiny Tribute firebox with multiple small splits rather than a few bigger ones anyway, so I'd suggest splitting your wood down pretty good before stacking it.

I got some Red Oak late this summer that had been cut but not split about six months before, split it down myself into 3 and 4-inch splits and stacked it criss-cross in full sun and wind, and I was burning it by January with little problem (only on top of an already hot fire, but still). I've never had white oak, but I gather that does take a fairly long time to season.

The small firebox is a pain, but worse is the even smaller size of the darn door, which restricts even further what you can get into it. But it's a very handsome little devil, gives off that wonderful soft soapstone heat, and is doing a wonderful job for me given that it's really too small for my needs.

 

[Tony H]

Based on the oak I have used seems it would be burnable but maybe not ideal. It's amazing how much moisture the oaks retain even after they have been dead for years. If you cross stack in a sunny and windy location with smaller splits you will certainly speed the process along.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Based on the oak I have used seems it would be burnable but maybe not ideal. It's amazing how much moisture the oaks retain even after they have been dead for years. If you cross stack in a sunny and windy location with smaller splits you will certainly speed the process along.

OK. that makes sense. Sorta wish I hadn't used it all up so I could see if it changes at all between this year and next. This certainly wasn't ideal burning wood-- it did hiss a little bit, but it burned readily and well, not at all reluctantly, whereas the Rock Maple, which is prettyt fast to season completely, wasn't good at all-- was slower to catch, hissed more and brought the stove temperature down when I tried it.

It really is fascinating how different each of these woods is in the way it dries and behaves and how readily and how rapidly it gives up its BTUs. Wish I knew more about botany and physics to figure out what's going on. With a tiny stove like the Tribute, you really have to be acutely aware of how each piece of wood you put in there is going to behave.

 

[savageactor7]

Another Tribute owner here. How fast wood seasons depends on where you stack it, how loosely you stack it, and maybe most importantly, how large the splits are. You’ll get the most out of the tiny Tribute firebox with multiple small splits rather than a few bigger ones anyway, so I’d suggest splitting your wood down pretty good before stacking it.

There's your answer dwayne...nothing like the voice of experience.