Will this wood be ready for me this year?

[enchant]

Since I'm getting on in years, I no longer buck, split and rotate my firewood. I prefer to get it delivered and ready to burn. There's a place near me that sells kiln-dried firewood for $650 plus delivery. Seems like highway robbery, but I don't have many options. It's my experience that if I find someone selling "seasoned" firewood, their website says "Seasoned for over a year" (which still isn't enough), but when I call and ask, they say it's more like 9-10 months, and when I actually get it, it seems more like 9-10 weeks. So I've gone with the kiln-dried since it's dependable.

This year's load of kiln-dried isn't burning quite as readily as in the past. I split a few largish pieces and the moisture content is ~25, which seems a bit high to me for $650/cord. I have to suspect that they're leaving it in the kiln for less time to increase throughput.

There's a place nearby that always has a mountain of wood out in the parking lot, so I went and talked to them today. They say it's $425/cord. They say they have it delivered weekly from Maine (I'm south of Boston) where it's kiln-dried. I told them I'd like to steal a piece and check it out. I did, and the moisture content is 30.

So here's my question. If I got a cord of this delivered now and stacked it in my wood shed (little air flow), might it be be burnable by November? I don't really want anything over 22 or so.

 

[NickW]

Depends on the species and wood shed location... Ash, probably; oak, no.

 

[stoveliker]

Or ask for pine or fir. It'll dry in a year and most wood dealers can't sell it because no one wants it. (The old myth about creosote..)

So it might be cheaper.

 

[Dieselhead]

At those prices I’d buy oil or propane first. Wow.

That being said how big are the splits? That will have a large effect on drying time.

 

[enchant]

Or ask for pine or fir. It'll dry in a year and most wood dealers can't sell it because no one wants it. (The old myth about creosote..)

What?? Of course pine causes creosote! (No, I'm kidding.) I don't think I'd want pine simply because it'd be so much more work tending the fire. AND I'd think I'd need twice the space to store it since I'd be going through twice the wood.

 

[enchant]

That being said how big are the splits? That will have a large effect on drying time.

I didn't look closely at the pieces. I just grabbed one of the larger ones which was maybe 6". So I'd guess most were in the 4-5" range.

 

[Dieselhead]

I didn't look closely at the pieces. I just grabbed one of the larger ones which was maybe 6". So I'd guess most were in the 4-5" range.

I think it’s going to be close. It depends on our upcoming season humidity wise and how is the wind going to be. 30 to sub 22 is much more of a gamble than the KD you have now being prime for the 25-26 season.

 

[stoveliker]

The pine I have is 17 million BTU per cord. Red oak is 24.
That's a 1/3 difference indeed.
But,.if at a discount I'd go for it, if your firebox is 3 cu ft and not smaller.
The work would consist of stacking. The carrying is nice, however. My split tote can be a beast to haul if I fill it to the brim (which I do) if it's with oak. With pine it's - well, I presume 1/3 less. Easy peasy.

I was suggesting this because asking for ash, or soft maple etc that would likely be reasonable in a year depends on the seller knowing his wood...
Most of them do know to distinguish the group of pine, fir, spruce from the others.

Anyway your choice of course.

 

[Wildflush]

Or ask for pine or fir. It'll dry in a year and most wood dealers can't sell it because no one wants it. (The old myth about creosote..)

So it might be cheaper.

Pine is $225 a cord delivered near me.

 

[Wildflush]

Personally I would try to negotiate a better deal on 2 cords and try to have the 2nd cord season longer. I started 3 years ago and have 4 cords in a 3 year rotation. Hopefully adding a 5th cord this year. Sellers always say seasoned but I find it’s dumped in their piles and MC is 25-31.

 

[Murray01]

Would it be feasible to convert/modify your wood shed into a kiln?

 

[enchant]

have 4 cords in a 3 year rotation. Hopefully adding a 5th cord this year. Sellers always say seasoned but I find it’s dumped in their piles and MC is 25-31.

20 years ago, I had green split wood delivered cheap. I'd also rotate 3 years (I burn about 1/year). Without going into specifics, my mobility has diminished a LOT since then and this kind of firewood maintenance is not longer doable. So getting the one cord delivered is really my only realistic option.

 

[enchant]

Would it be feasible to convert/modify your wood shed into a kiln?

Probably not, and god knows that I don't have the skill set for that project!

 

[Murray01]

I’ve read lots on this forum re solar kilns. Looks to me, replace the roof with the same material only clear plastic, remove the very top triangle siding board and possibly the bottom board to allow airflow. I maybe out in left field but I’m confident that more knowledgeable members will chime in.

 

[gthomas785]

I’ve read lots on this forum re solar kilns. Looks to me, replace the roof with the same material only clear plastic, remove the very top triangle siding board and possibly the bottom board to allow airflow. I maybe out in left field but I’m confident that more knowledgeable members will chime in.

The key is full sun. Looks like OP's shed is in the woods.

 

[enchant]

The key is full sun. Looks like OP's shed is in the woods.

It absolutely is. The sun is on it for a few hours mid morning, but that's about it.

 

[Murray01]

Then maybe remove some boards to increase airflow?

 

[Wildflush]

20 years ago, I had green split wood delivered cheap. I'd also rotate 3 years (I burn about 1/year). Without going into specifics, my mobility has diminished a LOT since then and this kind of firewood maintenance is not longer doable. So getting the one cord delivered is really my only realistic option.

100% get it. There will could a day when it will be hard for me also. I find even after it’s delivered there’s work involved. Sometimes I resplit or cut longs down to size. Then the stacking and maintaining stacks.

 

[Wildflush]

Airflow is IMO the most important. You want the prevailing winds blowing through your shed or stacks.

 

[enchant]

Airflow is IMO the most important. You want the prevailing winds blowing through your shed or stacks.

I understand. A few years ago when I build this shed, I'd been getting this kiln dried stuff for a couple years and was very happy with it. I was also very turned off by other people who sold "seasoned firewood" that they'd always lie about just how seasoned it was. And once it's delivered, it's not like you can return it if you're unsatisfied. So I built the shed under the understanding that further seasoning wouldn't be necessary and didn't incorporate any ventilation.

The side and rear 1x12 planks were butted against each other and I'm guessing they wedged in nice and tight at this point. Otherwise, I'd consider installing hinges on them and swinging them up during the warmer half of the year.

 

[Fred B. NJ]

Since I'm getting on in years, I no longer buck, split and rotate my firewood. I prefer to get it delivered and ready to burn. There's a place near me that sells kiln-dried firewood for $650 plus delivery. Seems like highway robbery, but I don't have many options. It's my experience that if I find someone selling "seasoned" firewood, their website says "Seasoned for over a year" (which still isn't enough), but when I call and ask, they say it's more like 9-10 months, and when I actually get it, it seems more like 9-10 weeks. So I've gone with the kiln-dried since it's dependable.

This year's load of kiln-dried isn't burning quite as readily as in the past. I split a few largish pieces and the moisture content is ~25, which seems a bit high to me for $650/cord. I have to suspect that they're leaving it in the kiln for less time to increase throughput.

There's a place nearby that always has a mountain of wood out in the parking lot, so I went and talked to them today. They say it's $425/cord. They say they have it delivered weekly from Maine (I'm south of Boston) where it's kiln-dried. I told them I'd like to steal a piece and check it out. I did, and the moisture content is 30.

So here's my question. If I got a cord of this delivered now and stacked it in my wood shed (little air flow), might it be be burnable by November? I don't really want anything over 22 or so.

Wow, and I thought the $250 a cord they charge around here was high.

Try and get some Ash. I've always heard you can burn it the same day the tree is cut. With some kind of bug killing off all our Ash trees around here there is plenty of it.

My experience with buying wood is that many dealers have whole logs piled up. They call it seasoned and cut and split it after you order it. A cut log is not the same as being cut and split and stacked. A cut log will hold lots of moisture for years.

 

[stoveliker]

Try and get some Ash. I've always heard you can burn it the same day the tree is cut. With some kind of bug killing off all our Ash trees around here there is plenty of it.

Wet ash will burn, but it will still be too wet to keep your flue clean.
And you'd be using a significant part of the BTUs the wood has to boil of water - that's heat that's not coming into your home. (We all know that water takes a LOT of energy to get hot and boil.)

 

[Fred B. NJ]

Wet ash will burn, but it will still be too wet to keep your flue clean.
And you'd be using a significant part of the BTUs the wood has to boil of water - that's heat that's not coming into your home. (We all know that water takes a LOT of energy to get hot and boil.)

I've never heard any of that. And for the record I never cut an Ash tree and burned it the same day. I season all my wood. But if your only burning off water it shouldn't have any effect on the flue. It's not like creosote. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

[stoveliker]

Creosote forms by water (and other volatiles) condensing on the walls of the flue and capturing smoke particles, leading to the goey stuff (in worst case).
As in without the water it's hard (not impossible, see other volatiles) to form creosote.

I do note that water *always* is present as it's a byproduct of combustion of hydrogen-containing compounds (most organics).

 

[Wildflush]

Wow, and I thought the $250 a cord they charge around here was high.

Try and get some Ash. I've always heard you can burn it the same day the tree is cut. With some kind of bug killing off all our Ash trees around here there is plenty of it.

My experience with buying wood is that many dealers have whole logs piled up. They call it seasoned and cut and split it after you order it. A cut log is not the same as being cut and split and stacked. A cut log will hold lots of moisture for years.

This is what my buddy in Maine says about Ash. You can burn it the same day it is cut. He had a chimney fire.