SHRINKAGE

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kenny chaos

kenny chaos

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Apr 10, 2008
1,995
Rochester,ny
The discussion has been had again; Will the splits from a cord of rounds be more or less than a cord?
The more dynamic voices and tally of votes always indicates the answer is that a cord of rounds, when processed, will yield more than a cord of splits.
Hence the obvious need for educating.
It seems the all knowing Hearth.com could put an end to this discussion once and for all
and state the facts, not the opinions.
And, when discussing shrinkage, let's remember that the more we split, the more it dries
which results in further shrinkage.
Kenny Chaos has no clout, but someone who does should step up to this.
It appears that laws are based on this idea of shrinkage.
Here's just a couple sites dealing with it.

http://www.firewoodguy.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=3&threadid=22

http://www.umext.maine.edu/piscataquis/gardening/2005/vol3iss11/firewood.htm
 
That notion of shrinkage is the reduced BTU in a measured cord of split versus a measured cord of round, not the resultant size of a stack of a measured cord of round wood that is subsequently split. It is generally agreed upon that a cord of split wood occupies more space which implies the opposite of shrinkage (size of pile) so let's be clear what is meant by "shrinkage".

There is another form of shrinkage that happens as the wood dries. I stack my wood right tight to the rafters in my shed and see first hand how much shrinkage occurs over time. I figure in the order of 12% or more. Should I call my wood guy and complain that he shorted me a cord?

A cord is a cord, is a cord. It is measured at the time of the sale.
If you buy a cord of tree length you will likely have more air and less wood because of all the crooks in the tree.
If you buy a cord cut to cordwood length (8 feet) it generally packs in a bit tighter.
Buy a cord bucked to firewood length and it is tighter still.
Buy a cord cut and split well seasoned and you get a bit less.
Buy a cord cut and split green and you get a lot less.

The real concern about shrinkage is coming out of the pool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cUNNKzj_Nc
 
there is no way that a wood dealer is going to put an exact cord every time so,the way I AM doing it is after they stack it dont measure out call me its the best i can do! sold #2 cord this A.M. before work yea!I Am no scientist just trying to make an honest buck no beefs yet.
 
After burning wood almost forever I never noticed/knew/heard about shrinkage until I signed up here and read the Holtz Hizen stacking threads from last year.

...that is all!
 
I heard that if you split wood with a fiskars it dries faster and doubles the BTUs of any wood. Should I get one or not?
 
Who cares about shrinkage other than the "pool" one....the more it shrinks the better it burns!!
 
The only shrinkage I worry about is my woodpile, not because I have less but because they get precarious.
 
LLigetfa said:
The only shrinkage I worry about is my woodpile, not because I have less but because they get precarious.
Click to expand...

How long do you let it sit in the uber heap? Does it shrink significantly after it goes to the shed?
 
It sits out all Spring and Summer and I usually start to move it in the Fall. The wood I have in there left over from 2 years ago has shrunk down from 9-1/2 feet to about 8-1/2. I had to brace the face row as it was shrinking more on the exposed face, putting on quite a lean. Wet wood that I put in there a month ago has already shrunk about 3 inches. I redesigned my shed this Summer to hold the row ends so that they shouldn't become precarious.
 
I stack my rows of firewood 4-1/2 feet high. In about two years they shrink/settle to 4 feet. After that, they don't shrink any further.
 
I burn almost exclusively Black Ash which is a swamp wood and as a swamp wood, it has a higher MC than other Ash varieties so one can reasonably expect more shrinkage. It's hard to say how much it shrank while out on the heap.

One year I stacked 3 rows of fresh split Birch directly in my roundtop shelter right to the top which is about 10 feet. I had a foot of shrinkage there too and both of the outside rows put on a really bad lean because the exposed faces shrank faster than the middle.
 
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