Wood Furnace Question

[Btenkhoff]

Just as JR said above, average equilibrium most places is in the 12-15% range, so most stoves are made to burn wood in the 15-20% range (because many people try to burn wood that is not to perfect equilibrium, plus it varies by season, and by location too)
Whatever the moisture level is in the wood, it is directly deducted from the BTU's that otherwise would be available burning that wood (15% MC, 15% gets deducted from the BTUs available in a given pound of Oak (for example)
Water does not burn, water makes steam in the firebox, which quenches the fire, and water is a big part of making creosote too.
The whole "too dry" thing is largely propagated by the OWB guys that throw anything/everything in and it "burns" (sorta...smolders is more like it) because they are designed to "burn" wet wood, to satisfy the demands of a certain group of people that are too lazy to gather/split wood and let it dry (which would be much more clean burning, and efficient!) but its a false economy because OWB (just for example) that are made to burn dry wood, are MUCH more efficient...wood consumption often drops by 50% by switching over!

wow, thanks again. I am learning a lot. So appreciative.

 

[brenndatomu]

wow, thanks again. I am learning a lot. So appreciative.

All wood is basically 8500 BTU/LB. (it varies a bit by species, but not a lot...interestingly softwoods are often a bit higher)
To figure out how much you should be able to get out of a load you need the moisture content and stove efficiency (if known)
So a common equation would be 8500 x .80=6800 (if wood is 20% MC) and then take that 6800, times stove efficiency, so say a 75% stove
6800 x .75=5100...so 5100 BTU input into your house, per pound of wood loaded.

 

[Citationls]

Just curious, how do you all store your firewood as its seasoning. I typically have done mine off the ground on landscape timbers. mostly uncovered on the top. I see people put a "roof" on it and some dont. Curious your thoughts. I dont want to have wood rot.

I got tired of dealing with tarps and wet/rotten wood so I built these. Definitely overkill but wood stays perfectly dry and gets plenty of air flow. I have a wooded/shady lot in Connecticut though and our weather can be very humid/wet depending on the year. If your weather tends to be drier or you have wind/sun exposure you might not need a "roof". I don't like storing wood indoors but if you're ok with it you could store wood inside with a dehumidifier to dry it out quicker.

 

[brenndatomu]

Definitely overkill

Nah...perfect! 👍

 

[JRHAWK9]

I got tired of dealing with tarps and wet/rotten wood so I built these.

yep, I learned very early that those tarps made for covering wood stacks are only good for temporary protection. After a couple years I started noticing them deteriorating and letting water through. I then made the decision to find rubber roofing takeoffs and I replaced all the tarps with rubber roofing. One can get good tarps, but those are $$$ and they still won't hold up like rubber roofing does. I don't have any issues with wood going bad, even after sitting for 8+ years.

With the amount of wood I have, it would be unreasonable and cost prohibitive to build something that could house it all.

 

[Citationls]

With the amount of wood I have, it would be unreasonable and cost prohibitive to build something that could house it all.

I just watched the video you posted and you'd need a second house to store all the wood you have! I like the rubber roofing material idea. Do you put any of that material underneath the stacks or put the wood right on the pallets? Wondering how the wood hasn't rotted on the stacks where the pallets sank into the ground.

 

[all night moe]

With the amount of wood I have, it would be unreasonable and cost prohibitive to build something that could house it all.

Well, if you had a BIG barn.....LOL
Anyhows, I was thinking of you yesterday. I was outside for a spell walking around eyeing my next seasons supply, where I want to CSS and remembered your double base pallet comment. As I was looking at one of the future stacking areas, I took note of a small pile of tires. There's about 5 of these little piles and I'm considering putting those under some base piles.

If stability comes to be of concern, I'll just use them under pallets for a bin I'd like to make. Just a pile of splits for camp grade wood.

 

[all night moe]

I just watched the video you posted and you'd need a second house to store all the wood you have! I like the rubber roofing material idea. Do you put any of that material underneath the stacks or put the wood right on the pallets? Wondering how the wood hasn't rotted on the stacks where the pallets sank into the ground.

He double stacks the base pallets for good air flow. Rubber on the bottom would hinder air to the bottom of stack from underneath, leaving the bottom splits wet.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I just watched the video you posted and you'd need a second house to store all the wood you have! I like the rubber roofing material idea. Do you put any of that material underneath the stacks or put the wood right on the pallets? Wondering how the wood hasn't rotted on the stacks where the pallets sank into the ground.

I put the wood right on top of the pallets. The only wood I have right now that is not on double pallets is the stuff that is under that big grey tarp which have the stacks heavily leaning. I actually just started burning from that area this past weekend. The bottom splits are right near ground level but are still perfectly fine. I put the grey tarp on it many years ago after I saw how bad they were starting to lean. They all are also top covered with rubber roofing. I put the gray tarp over them to protect the bottom of the rows from getting wet and potentially rotting. If the stacks remain vertical and don't lean, the bottoms shouldn't get very wet at all, as the rubber roofing will keep the water off and keep it from penetrating into the stack. Any little water they do see at the bottom, will just be near the ends of the splits and will dry easily. The rest of it, starting in 2019, is all on double pallets. Some of the rows from 2019 may not look like it when viewing from the end, as I put a split in the space between the T post and the 2nd pallet, making it look like they all are on the ground when viewing from the end. It's only that one split that is near the ground.

This is the 2019 stuff from the side. You can see the first level of pallets pretty much sunk into the ground and the bottom of the second ones are near ground level because of it. You can also see that one split I put in that space.

 

[brenndatomu]

Well, if you had a BIG barn.....LOL

I talked to an old feller from southern Ohio a few months back, said he had either 70 or 90 (I dont recall which) CSS'd in the barn!
There is a guy over on FHC that has a huge old barn full too (Central OWB owner)

 

[JRHAWK9]

Well, if you had a BIG barn.....LOL
Anyhows, I was thinking of you yesterday. I was outside for a spell walking around eyeing my next seasons supply, where I want to CSS and remembered your double base pallet comment. As I was looking at one of the future stacking areas, I took note of a small pile of tires. There's about 5 of these little piles and I'm considering putting those under some base piles.

If stability comes to be of concern, I'll just use them under pallets for a bin I'd like to make. Just a pile of splits for camp grade wood.

yeah, that will work, but stability may be a concern, depending on how high you stack. I stack to a height of 5'2" on top of the pallets, so the wood comes to about my nose when looking at the wood standing on the ground next to it. I am 6'5" tall. I think if I tried that, I'd be re-stacking it in time. LOL

 

[all night moe]

I talked to an old feller from southern Ohio a few months back, said he had either 70 or 90 (I dont recall which) CSS'd in the barn!
There is a guy over on FHC that has a huge old barn full too (Central OWB owner)

I seen a couple pics on the net somewhere showing a couple barns used.

Seen a few more of corn cribs. They seem to be a bit more common for wood storage. Splits weren't stacked bot kinda tossed in tightly. Nice and airy for seasoning/storage.

 

[all night moe]

yeah, that will work, but stability may be a concern, depending on how high you stack. I stack to a height of 5'2" on top of the pallets, so the wood comes to about my nose when looking at the wood standing on the ground next to it. I am 6'5" tall. I think if I tried that, I'd be re-stacking it in time. LOL

Yuppers, my thought too. I'm going for 6' up. cord and a half for each 8' section and conserve ground space.
I'll leave the tires for the big firewood bin plans.

Total of 25-30 tires here on this ole farmstead. Either pay to dispose or put them to use.