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Air drying fire wood

Started by Green Valley Cat, February 01, 2006, 05:15:07 PM

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Green Valley Cat

Hello all.

I am not a professional but I would like to know how long it takes to air dry split logs that you will be using for fire wood.

We just moved out in the back woods on 5 acres with lots of trees and we don't have any experience with fireplaces and fire wood

We just cut down our first tree yesterday and we have it cut up in log sections most of them have been split.

I'm the air drying time varies from tree to tree but we don't know what type of tree we cut down.

beenthere

gvc
Welcome to the forum. :)
I plan on at least two full years of air drying time to get good burning. Any less drying time and I can tell that I'm using more wood and getting less heat. True, the wood will still burn, but the moisture has to be boiled off and converted to steam, thus using a lot of the BTU's in the wood to do that.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Ianab

I'd suggest 12 months is a minimum time for split wood. It also depends on how small it has been split up, smaller pieces will dry faster, large chunks and whole logs may take longer. Softwoods (pine, cypress, cedar) you may get away with drying for less time, but they aren't as good as hardwood for burning.
Anyway, wood cut now should be useable for next winter as it will dry well over summer.
Stack it to dry outside so plenty of breeze can flow thru the stack and speed up the drying.

Cheers

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Michigan Mike

Hi  welcome to the forum.  I have been heating with wood for more than twenty years. 12 months is a good rule of thumb for ready to burn firewood. If you are looking to heat with wood I would sugest you invest in a good wood stove. If you are heating with a fireplace a lot of the heat will just go up the chimney.  There are also fireplace inserts that will fit in the firebox of the fireplace and make it much more efficent. Enjoy yourself I dont think there is anything like the comfort of wood heat. I love it.

Max sawdust

Firewood drys about 1" per year, so the smaller you split it the faster it will dry.  Stack where the wind will get at it and it will be dry enough by next winter.
If you are going to burn wood for heat I strongly suggest investing in a good high efficency wood stove or insert.
Max
True Timbers
Cedar Products-Log & Timber Frame Building-Milling-Positive Impact Forestscaping-Cut to Order Lumber

WkndCutter

We were just discussing this yesterday.  I think the standard drying time for cut and split fire wood is 12 months.  If you have a woodshed or cover your piles just be sure to let your wood piles breath and don't cover the wood too tight.  My woodshed has open walls except for boards where the piles stack up at.  A wood fire is very nice and the new fireplaces are up to 75% efficient.  Good Luck.

Andy

UNCLEBUCK

 I am burning green basswood as its been mild but now I switched to ash that I just cut today . The ash that I cut today was from a tree that I just dropped as alot of the summer storms have left me with trees broke off about 2/3rds up . The fireplace is so hot from the ash I am sweating as I write this . The basswood has done the same . I just cut and dont split . Its 10 below zero out tonight . Wet oak I find will not burn unless it has dried like beenthere does it . I dont know anything about other types of wood
UNCLEBUCK    bridge burner/bridge mender

Max sawdust

Quote from: UNCLEBUCK on February 05, 2006, 03:14:01 AM
I am burning green basswood as its been mild but now I switched to ash that I just cut today . The ash that I cut today was from a tree that I just dropped as alot of the summer storms have left me with trees broke off about 2/3rds up . The fireplace is so hot from the ash I am sweating as I write this . The basswood has done the same . I just cut and dont split . Its 10 below zero out tonight . Wet oak I find will not burn unless it has dried like beenthere does it . I dont know anything about other types of wood

Unclebuck,
Funny how people have different experiences.  I grew up on "not dry"  basswood, seems to sizzle and steam then burn about as good as toilet paper.  I burn quite a bit of "not dry" oak and it burns OK, if   you build a base of good hot coals before you put the oak on.  I do argree if ya want to get the maximum BTU's out of oak beentheres got it right.

I suppose it is all about how much heat you expect to get and how determined you are to make a fire :D :D
Max
True Timbers
Cedar Products-Log & Timber Frame Building-Milling-Positive Impact Forestscaping-Cut to Order Lumber

DoubleD

Hello GVC. I prefer burn dry wood. The ash (F.excelsior) splitted need at least to year to dry, other species like alder (A.incana) or maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) need less time 4-6 months to dry if splitted. I stack the wood in a sunny position and covered with a metal roof son it cold take air. There is nothing better than hot fire in a cold winter night ;)
Wannabe a sawmiller

snowman

 Heres a mistake not to make. I had alot of doug fir beetle kill on my land and figured what the heck,, good firewood.I was wrong! Burn this junk in a brush pile, it wont split wont burn wont keep you warm,. I heat strictly with wood, it's been a looooong cold winter.

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