TSC says 6 months on the stack is AOK

[devinsdad]

I was picking up lawnmower parts at Tractor Supply yesterday and happened by the rack of mauls when my eye caught a banner with DIY firewood instructions. LMAO
1. Cut wood to length
2. split wood in the spring for it to be ready for winter???????
3. stack wood in a single row in the sun and wind
4. Covering is optional - some think keeping rain off the wood will keep it dryer -?!?ROFLMAO no way ,if you keep rain off your wood it will be dry?
5. After 6 months your wood is ready for the stove??????

 

[gzecc]

Not surprising. Thats marketing! Makes everything seem easier to get you to buy. I was in sales for 20 yrs, and was always amazed at how much companies I worked for wanted to fudge the truth to sell, from month to month.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Hey, cutting in spring is 6 months ahead of many...

 

[LLigetfa]

That is standard operating procedure for lots of folks, even for many forum members. Of course, YMMV.

 

[PapaDave]

SOP around here (except me :cheese: ) seems to be, get your wood in Aug., or Sept., then start burning it as needed.
Done that,...... doesn't work well.
How many potential wood stove buyers would run for the hills if the ad said to dry your firewood for 2 years before buying or using the stove?

 

[iceman]

I was picking up lawnmower parts at Tractor Supply yesterday and happened by the rack of mauls when my eye caught a banner with DIY firewood instructions. LMAO
1. Cut wood to length
2. split wood in the spring for it to be ready for winter???????
3. stack wood in a single row in the sun and wind
4. Covering is optional - some think keeping rain off the wood will keep it dryer -?!?ROFLMAO no way ,if you keep rain off your wood it will be dry?
5. After 6 months your wood is ready for the stove??????

I know , I know, BUT ......... most people who do stack single row with sun and wind ... their wood is usually ready and better than alot of people who stack tight or dont have the sun and wind
what I dont see is split, that could be the killer !

 

[oldspark]

Yes it works for some but not if you do not stack in single rows, the blocks of wood you see on here do not dry the wood as quickly as the single rows, amazing how that one detail get lost on some people. They are not talking about getting the wood in Aug. either, they are saying 6 months which means a long summer of drying. This is how I have done it for 3 decades and it has worked well, I am 2 years ahead but will still stack in single rows for mold mildew and bugs, you just do not see any with single rows. Do the research your self and see what you come up with and remember they are telling you single rows in sunlight over a 6 month summer period. I have a moisture meter coming so I can give readings this fall, all the wood I have burnt in my Summit so far has burnt very well but will have more of a chance to try different options this fall. Oh yea no covering on the wood allows the moisture to be carried away quicker from rain and the wood, I never cover mine till late fall and no matter how wet the summer (1993 was very wet) I have no problems what so ever, I have never agreed with some of the posts on here about drying time for wood.

 

[willworkforwood]

+1
I installed a gassifier 2 years ago, and was only able to season 5-7 months the first year. I did just what Oldspark said, and it worked ok - not great but good enough. This past Winter, I better off, with 12-5 month seasoned wood. Most of it was at 20%, or just slightly over. The only thing I'll add to Oldspark's post is that split size is a big part of it - less seasoning calls for smaller splits. Now being a year ahead, I'll start experimenting with slightly bigger splits, but will probably keep on stacking open, in single rows. Here's a shot of one of the stacks from late last year. The props were done to get the stacks as high as possible - don't need to do that anymore. Processing wood this way is a lot more work, but if you're in a bind (and have the time), get moving now and you'll be ready for next Winter. After that, get a year ahead!

 

[Danno77]

bottom line is this: If you walk up to that poster and you have been seasoning your wood for 2 years in advance then you'll know the poster is BS. If you have been cutting and splitting as you burn it, you might say to yourself "hmmm, I guess I've been doing it wrong"

 

[oldspark]

bottom line is this: If you walk up to that poster and you have been seasoning your wood for 2 years in advance then you'll know the poster is BS. If you have been cutting and splitting as you burn it, you might say to yourself "hmmm, I guess I've been doing it wrong"

Not sure I follow you on that but the fact is a lot of people stack there wood wrong and then complain it takes 2 or 3 years to season it, that is just not true and once again there are many varibles but stacking wood rows close together starts you off on the wrong foot. If I walk up to that poster I am going to agree with it for most all applications and I have the expeirence to back it up.

 

[Danno77]

bottom line is this: If you walk up to that poster and you have been seasoning your wood for 2 years in advance then you'll know the poster is BS. If you have been cutting and splitting as you burn it, you might say to yourself "hmmm, I guess I've been doing it wrong"

Not sure I follow you on that but the fact is a lot of people stack there wood wrong and then complain it takes 2 or 3 years to season it, that is just not true and once again there are many varibles but stacking wood rows close together starts you off on the wrong foot. If I walk up to that poster I am going to agree with it for most all applications and I have the expeirence to back it up.

I guess what I meant was that you either know what you are doing enough that a poster isn't gonna sway you, or you don't know what you are doing, so the poster is gonna move you in the right direction.

(I guess there are always those people who are so hard headed that they won't change their methods no matter what data you have to convince them otherwise.)

 

[oldspark]

bottom line is this: If you walk up to that poster and you have been seasoning your wood for 2 years in advance then you'll know the poster is BS. If you have been cutting and splitting as you burn it, you might say to yourself "hmmm, I guess I've been doing it wrong"

Not sure I follow you on that but the fact is a lot of people stack there wood wrong and then complain it takes 2 or 3 years to season it, that is just not true and once again there are many varibles but stacking wood rows close together starts you off on the wrong foot. If I walk up to that poster I am going to agree with it for most all applications and I have the expeirence to back it up.

I guess what I meant was that you either know what you are doing enough that a poster isn't gonna sway you, or you don't know what you are doing, so the poster is gonna move you in the right direction.

(I guess there are always those people who are so hard headed that they won't change their methods no matter what data you have to convince them otherwise.)

Yea after I thought about it your post made sense to me (old and slow here), I know one thing all people who buy a new stove shoud get a face cord of good dry wood so they know how their wood burner is supposed to work.

 

[iceman]

I stack tight, and it takes 12-24 months..all day.. i used to leave a tarp on the top all the time, but now leave it off all the time and it makes a huge diff... really, I put tarp on in the winter as the floor its on is solid so big storms i go and knock the wood off as i dont want the weight of snow and wood to break the "wood platform"
i am 2 ye=rs out working on 3 so i have the time... if i did rows with space i might make it a 1.5 yrs out so its a chance i am afraid to take because if the wood didnt season..... I would be screwed

 

[04RevX]

I average 8-10 months of seasoning time and that has always worked for me. I cut/split/stack usually Feb-April to burn the following winter.

 

[basswidow]

I gather wood through out the year, but split and stack it in October - March 1st. I don't burn it until the following winter. Now this is a full 1 year of seasoning (split, stacked, uncovered, in full sun and wind, on pallets). My wood seasons just fine. I am blessed with plenty of sun and wind. I'd like to get 2-3 years ahead - and I am working on it .

Now the wood I get is downed dead wood and not green at all - so I feel this gives me alittle head start - though seasoning doesn't begin until it's split and stacked. I did get 2 cords of fresh cut maple in January that was immediately split and stacked - and I am hoping this can be burned this coming winter. It's the first green wood I've scrounged.

Seasoning everything for atleast 2 years must be a big atvantage - because you don't have to second guess or worry if the wood is gonna be ready or not. You know it's good to go. Wish I was in that boat.

Alot of my neighbors who burn - stack rounds and don't split until cold weather hits and then split and burn it. This can't be good seasoned wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

This wood was cut during the winter of 2008-2009. Split and stacked by early April of 2009. Covered around December 1, 2009. Most of it still sits there. The wood is happy and so am I. I did burn just a little bit of it this past winter but not much. It burned okay. It will burn much better next winter or the winter after that, or the winter after that, or even the winter after that.

Say what you want but this makes great firewood! Also we have an excellent stove. We burn half the amount of wood we used to and stay warmer. We also do not have to clean our chimney very often. Our present stove has run for 3 full winters and the chimney has been cleaned once. Even then, we really did not have to clean the chimney.

 

[oldspark]

I do not like for people to think the wood has to be seasoned for 2 to 3 years if there are other options, some people do not have the space to put all that wood or the time to process that far ahead, the wood does not have to be cured for that long to get the results you need but you have to follow set rules or you will run into problems. Once again there are way too many varibles to come up with cut and dried answeres but it the guide lines are followed you can have good dry wood in less time than claimed by some.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Split small, stack in a good space so that it gets air, and many species will burn fine in 6-8 months. Oak, apple, and some others will not. Red maple, pine, ash, and some others will be great- sorry to run over your dogma

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I do not like for people to think the wood has to be seasoned for 2 to 3 years if there are other options, some people do not have the space to put all that wood or the time to process that far ahead, the wood does not have to be cured for that long to get the results you need but you have to follow set rules or you will run into problems. Once again there are way too many varibles to come up with cut and dried answeres but it the guide lines are followed you can have good dry wood in less time than claimed by some.

I agree, but it does matter a lot on what kind of results you want. Some folks are satisfied with second best; some want just anything; others want the best results. It is just like in basketball, baseball, football, etc. To be good you must be prepared. The same goes for wood. If you want the best, it has to be prepared to give the best results.

Perhaps some get the idea that I think wood has to be seasoned for 5, 6 or 7 years. Nothing could be further from the truth! Now if you talk 2-3 years, I'll agree. The reason I am so far ahead is to be prepared for the worst. The worst is that an accident or health issue might keep me out of the woods for a few years. I prefer to cut my own wood so I am prepared in case something happens. I could certainly get plenty of folks to put up wood for me with no charge but that is not the ideal. So, I keep on cutting. I burn some, sell some and give some away....and that is well seasoned wood.

 

[oldspark]

I am talking about the best results possible, not any thing less, it does not take 2 to 3 years to cure wood down to the 20% or less level. It might stacking it the way you do but not in single rows in the sun and wind.

 

[rdust]

I do not like for people to think the wood has to be seasoned for 2 to 3 years if there are other options, some people do not have the space to put all that wood or the time to process that far ahead, the wood does not have to be cured for that long to get the results you need but you have to follow set rules or you will run into problems. Once again there are way too many varibles to come up with cut and dried answeres but it the guide lines are followed you can have good dry wood in less time than claimed by some.

You're right, way to many variables and wood types. I stack in single rows spaced about 3' a part in the open(picture attached). The stacks pictures were mostly oak cut March of 09, stacked by May of 09. I pulled a medium sized split(3x4 or so) off the stack one day last week for kicks and it was still reading 30% m/c in the middle of a fresh split. Climate/humidity will also play a big role in seasoning.

 

[smokinj]

I was picking up lawnmower parts at Tractor Supply yesterday and happened by the rack of mauls when my eye caught a banner with DIY firewood instructions. LMAO
1. Cut wood to length
2. split wood in the spring for it to be ready for winter???????
3. stack wood in a single row in the sun and wind
4. Covering is optional - some think keeping rain off the wood will keep it dryer -?!?ROFLMAO no way ,if you keep rain off your wood it will be dry?
5. After 6 months your wood is ready for the stove??????

I would say thats doing better than most do and has been the rule of tumb for many 100's of year but here on the fourm we like to get it perfect and thats what to stride for...

 

[devinsdad]

Either way I'm splitting my way through winter of '12-'13 or '13-'14. but I have the space and its cheaper to buy in large quantities of log length and it's also nice to be prepared (just in case).

 

[04RevX]

If I had the room I would absolutely be 2-3 years ahead but I only have enough room to be about 1 1/2 years ahead. Sometimes you just have to make do with what you got.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

I was picking up lawnmower parts at Tractor Supply yesterday and happened by the rack of mauls when my eye caught a banner with DIY firewood instructions. LMAO
1. Cut wood to length
2. split wood in the spring for it to be ready for winter???????
3. stack wood in a single row in the sun and wind
4. Covering is optional - some think keeping rain off the wood will keep it dryer -?!?ROFLMAO no way ,if you keep rain off your wood it will be dry?
5. After 6 months your wood is ready for the stove??????

Works for me.
But I'm cutting mainly (only) dead standing softwood that for the most part is already < 20% MC when I cut it, and for the little bit that is still in the 30% MC range as long as I split and stack it, it will only take another 3 months or so to dry out to < 20% MC.