Will it be ready? Wood Cut in May & split this past weekend.

[Wood Pirate]

Hi all
I cut about 5 to 7 cords of red oak, walnut, maple, birch and other mixed hardwood back in May of this year but did not have time to split it.

This past weekend I rented a splitter and split it all.
Do you think it will be seasoned enough to start burning in November / December of this year? I did not have any wood left over after last year.

I am planning on using some coal early in the season but need to burn the wood mentioned above this year.

Thanks

 

[stee6043]

So many threads on seasoning....so little time. ha. Your wood will be far from prime for burning this year. Especially that oak.

As many have stated before - unless you have a gasifier just about any wood will burn. It's how well it burns and how much you burn that is affected by the moisture in the wood....

 

[rdust]

I would say no on the red oak, everyone will tell you 2 years on the red oak. Is the maple soft or hard maple? At this point I'd say none of it will be ideal for this season. You can burn anything but I'd expect it to be far from perfect.....

 

[Duetech]

Unfortunately the oak, bl walnut and maple will all bold water for a long time so what you have will not be seasoned by winter. I have never had enough birch to see how it burns. However in a wood furnace I have burned wood that was less than optimal but it required more frequent chimney cleaning. To help yourself in this dilemma re-split some/most of the wood to a 3" maximum width ASAP. These smaller splits will not likely be optimal but will get there much quicker. Also if you have a basement where you can store wood during the winter try putting two full cords, or more based on you wood usage, of the 3" stock in the basement, at the end of summer, to use from Jan 2010 through the rest of the burning season. Airflow and the temps in the house and the traditionally drier air in the winter will speed the wood towards the best output you can get from your wood. If you can afford it I would seriously suggest you find a supplier who has wood for sale that has been split since last winter 2008, or spring 2009 at the latest, to supplement your supply. This wood I would recommend you split, before you buy, to check for moisture content. If it feels damp or you have a meter to test and moisture is high look for another source. As well you may want to get some more coal for a back up scenario. Long term forcasts are suggesting another colder winter with above average snow and especially on the eastern seaboard.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

I would say no on the red oak, everyone will tell you 2 years on the red oak. Is the maple soft or hard maple? At this point I'd say none of it will be ideal for this season. You can burn anything but I'd expect it to be far from perfect.....

Your wood will be far from prime for burning this year. Especially that oak.

It's how well it burns and how much you burn that is affected by the moisture in the wood....

I myself would be glad to burn coal than mess around with damp wood.


WoodButcher

 

[firefighterjake]

I would echo what everyone else has said . . .yes, the wood will burn . . . but it may be a lesson learned as most folks recommend a minimum of 6 months of the wood being cut, split and stacked . . . and most folks say 9-12 months is more or less the gold standard (with conventional wisdom being that oak needs two years to season properly) . . . chances are while the wood will burn it will not really be producing the high temps and squeezing out the max BTUs from the wood while at the same time producing more creosote. Definitely not the best wood to burn for this upcoming 2009-2010 burning season. If you really must burn the wood this year I would suggest small splits, stacking for max exposure to the sun and wind in loose stacks and (while I am not a cover-your-stacks sort of guy) I would advise covering the stacks when rain is in the forecast . . . also getting some pallets to help bring the load up to operating temps might help. Honestly, the better advice (if possible) is to keep this wood for next year and see if you can get some more seasoned wood . . . but this too can be a challenge.

 

[caber]

Split is small and stack it loose. When you are getting close to burning, check it all with a moisture meter and restack according to moisture. Go with the best seasoned stuff first to give the rest more time to dry. The oak will probably not be ready. I have had good luck with softer maple and walnut seasoning fast, but those trees have been dropped in mid-winter, not late spring.

Can you get ahold of some softer woods such as poplar, soft maples, etc. You could split those now and have them ready for December. That would give you more time for the hardwoods to season.

 

[rdust]

Can you get ahold of some softer woods such as poplar, soft maples, etc. You could split those now and have them ready for December. That would give you more time for the hardwoods to season.

x2, ash seasons fast and black locust is supposed to also...

 

[Wood Pirate]

Thanks for all of the responses.
I guess I will have to reasses my wood burning plan for this winter.
I could burn coal but everytime I do it seems to be a pain in the ass. I guess I need some coal burning practice.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Thanks for all of the responses.
I guess I will have to reasses my wood burning plan for this winter.
I could burn coal but everytime I do it seems to be a pain in the ass. I guess I need some coal burning practice.

Hey Wood Pirate,

I'm sure someone here can help you with your WC90. Give use some details on your setup including some pictures.
(Info on your chimney height/setup and location in the house is a plus)

WoodButcher

 

[iceman]

i know you dont wanna hear it again but ..... the wood wont be ready... resplit it all and try to debark some of it and you will have a chance .... debarked wood seasons the fastest as it allows for more evaporation.... good luck .... and get more wood now for nexr year if you have space....
ps we all at some point have been















w
here you are s... its no big deal

 

[Wood Duck]

The good news is that you have next year's firewood all cut and split already! The bad news is you have nothing for this winter. Maybe it is time to get creative - perhaps lumber mill scraps, already seasoned firewood for sale, a really large supply of pallets, or some other source of dry wood is available. Some people burn biobricks or similar manufactured firewood replacements, but I don't know much about those or the cost compared to coal.

 

[wendell]

Just a point of clarification, when you re-test your wood with a moisture meter, you must re-split the piece you are testing and measure from the newly exposed surface. Just testing the outer surface will not give you an an accurate reading.

 

[SolarAndWood]

How close is Lee with all of those thin small scraps?

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/39629/#426795

 

[maplewood]

Hey Pirate,
Been there, burned that.
Splits dry better than unsplit. And de-barked is even better.
If you could put it inside for the winter (I have an indoor woodroom for 8 cord) it will continue to dry after you put it in - a lot faster than it would continue to dry outside in the damper, cooler winter air.
Could you swap some wood with a friend who's ahead of this season?
Local mill ends from a saw mill are a great idea. Typically they are softwood and don't really need much seasoning - but stack them up anyway. Mix them with your wood. You can also scroung these from local construction sites - new apartment buildings, new homes, etc. Clear it with the site boss that you are willing to sweep up the floors each evening in trade for any wood he's willing to call "scrap" - typically 16" and under.
Anyone cutting their own lumber in your neck of the woods? They are often glad to give away the bark slabs that come off the outside of their logs - they'll dry quite quickly.
Happy burning!

 

[Wood Pirate]

Just spoke to a young guy in my area who says he has plenty of wood split. Some has been split 2 years and some 1 year.
Says he give a little more than a true 4x4x8 cord and will delivery as well as stack it for $150 / cord cash with a 3 cord min. $175 per cord if less.

If it truly is seasoned I may just order 3 cords to get me through the season (supplemented with my coal) and use all the wood I split this weekend for next year.

$450 for 3 cords is still less than using oil. Plus everyone else in the area seems to be more like $180 to $200 for unseasoned stuff.

What are your thoughts.

 

[LLigetfa]

Hey Pirate,
Been there, burned that.

Swore I'd never do it again. Some of the species mentioned need a good two years to season, some maybe even three.

Even Ash, which many here claim you can burn without any seasoning, I like to season for at least a year.

 

[LLigetfa]

Eh maplewood, do you have the manual for your avatar? I recognize the his and hers, his on top, hers on the bottom. I never could find a manual for the hers.

 

[LLigetfa]

Just spoke to a young guy in my area who says he has plenty of wood split. Some has been split 2 years and some 1 year.
Says he give a little more than a true 4x4x8 cord and will delivery as well as stack it for $150 / cord...

Sounds like a good deal. If I could buy seasoned wood cut, split, and STACKED, for that price, I'd jump on it. I pay $100 for green logs in the round and still have all that work and waiting for it to season.

 

[jj3500]

WoodPirate....Can you PM me that wood provider? I'm in your area.

Thanks

 

[Henz]

yeah i would have to give it the thumbs down, but hey, at least you have next years supply done!

 

[fossil]

Just spoke to a young guy in my area who says he has plenty of wood split. Some has been split 2 years and some 1 year.
Says he give a little more than a true 4x4x8 cord and will delivery as well as stack it for $150 / cord cash with a 3 cord min...

If what he says is all true, and it's decent wood, I'd be all over that like a fly on poop. Rick

 

[Stevebass4]

Sounds like a good deal. If I could buy seasoned wood cut, split, and STACKED, for that price, I'd jump on it. I pay $100 for green logs in the round and still have all that work and waiting for it to season.

you and me both - for $150.00 a cord stacked i'd sell my splitter and saws - well maybe not

 

[Stevebass4]

then again i knew when i was in upstate NY - a buddy and i used to go to the Rawlings Adirondack factory and they would sell kiln dried scraps for $20.00 a truck load - all sizes

 

[iceman]

Sounds like a good deal. If I could buy seasoned wood cut, split, and STACKED, for that price, I'd jump on it. I pay $100 for green logs in the round and still have all that work and waiting for it to season.

you and me both - for $150.00 a cord stacked i'd sell my splitter and saws - well maybe not

if i could get 150 stacked..............
wow that would save me... the money i am about to spend on a splitter.... years of copayments for back related injuries and mostly it would save me a hell of a lotta time!