Running out of seasoned wood

[jthornton]

I got behind and I'm going to run out of seasoned wood before heating season is over. I don't burn much wood I just have a small cast iron stove in my well insulated shop.

Behind the stove is a small wood rack that I stack wood in and the wood gets very dry to the touch. I wonder if I took the seasoned wood out of the rack and put some that I split a couple of months ago in the rack would it dry out?

Thanks
JT

 

[Circle B MN]

I would expect it would not dry as fast as you would need it. My suggestion would be to purchase the seasoned wood you need for this year and think of the expense as "tuition". Best of luck.

 

[svk]

If its less dense wood it will dry considerably if its close to the heat source. Stack as much as you can back there and rotate it to get both ends a chance to dry. You may still have to buy some wood but it will save you some $

 

[jthornton]

The wood is from a dead red oak tree that got blown over last year and It's been in rounds for 4 months and split for 2 months.

JT

 

[svk]

That's going to be difficult unless the splits are small and stacked loose. But worth a try.

 

[Mad Professor]

Did you block up the rounds and let them sit or were they stacked and covered? I always stack the rounds high as possible then cover them on top with a used lumber cover with about 6" overhang on each side.

For more wood I'd look for some standing dead wood, ash if you can find it.

I have an inside rack that holds 1/3 cord, it dies considerably by the time it's 1/2 empty and the moisture is welcome in the house.

 

[c5rulz]

The smaller you split it and place it close (with safety in mind) to the stove will enhance the drying.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

it's just a basic stove so i'd think you can burn just about anything in that, your only real worry is creosote and that depends somewhat on your chimney set up. I have a stove like that in my cabin with a straight 15 ft chimney i can burn anything in and creosote doesnt build up. I'd "dry" what you can by the stove and add lumber scraps and such when starting a fire to get it hot and up to temps, then use the wetter wood once you have a nice bed of coals. It's not like you're trying to engage the cat on that stove or trying to heat your house or get overnight burns. Or you can buy some dry wood.

 

[fuzz1500]

I agree..at this point...go cut some dead-standing stuff . Like 4 to 6 inch stuff . Squeek through the winter....and be better prepared for the next burning season . We have all been there at some point . I always thought it was kinda fun scroungin around in the snow...finding some stuff that would burn pretty much right now . Plus..you get to use your chainsaw...which is always a plus !!

 

[jthornton]

Did you block up the rounds and let them sit or were they stacked and covered? I always stack the rounds high as possible then cover them on top with a used lumber cover with about 6" overhang on each side.

For more wood I'd look for some standing dead wood, ash if you can find it.

I have an inside rack that holds 1/3 cord, it dies considerably by the time it's 1/2 empty and the moisture is welcome in the house.

The rounds were stacked uncovered. I have a bunch that is fist size or smaller, I'll stack that next to the stove to speed up the drying process. I must admit that I burn green wood often at least I assume it is still green when it spits water out the end after you put it in the fire box.

Not sure if we have any ash around here, not heard anyone talk about it before... but after looking in my "Trees of Missouri" field guide I have seen ash leaves before.

JT

 

[jthornton]

it's just a basic stove so i'd think you can burn just about anything in that, your only real worry is creosote and that depends somewhat on your chimney set up. I have a stove like that in my cabin with a straight 15 ft chimney i can burn anything in and creosote doesnt build up. I'd "dry" what you can by the stove and add lumber scraps and such when starting a fire to get it hot and up to temps, then use the wetter wood once you have a nice bed of coals. It's not like you're trying to engage the cat on that stove or trying to heat your house or get overnight burns. Or you can buy some dry wood.

That is pretty much what I do, get a good bed of coals and if I need to I toss a less than dry stick or two on there. The chimney is straight up about 15' long or so. I have modified the damper so I can control the heat better, as stock it would burn much too hot. I do clean the stack in the spring and the creosote doesn't seem too bad, but I don't know what bad is...

I do plan on being better ahead next year and will squeak by this year, heck I was so far behind last year I bought a cord of "seasoned" wood that was pretty freshly cut after I got it home and started tossing it in the stove.

JT

 

[cheeves]

My main firewood is dead standing oak 5-12"! Been using it since the oil embargo of the 70's! Great firewood!!
You've got great advise here! Wish I had it over the years instead of learning everything pretty much the hard way!!

 

[Cheesecutter]

Since you don't need a large amount of wood you might be able to scrounge shipping pallets from local businesses to stretch your supply. I had a co-worker heat his house all winter using cut up pallets. He fished the nails out of the ashes with a magnet and scrapped them in the spring.

 

[zogger]

The wood is from a dead red oak tree that got blown over last year and It's been in rounds for 4 months and split for 2 months.

JT

You can do that but resplit it much smaller, stack it in there, get some heat to it, and rotate.

I stack 3-4 days worth behind my stove all the time, even sloppy wet rained on wood dries out OK doing this, within a day or two. But internal, inside s big split, is a different story. If it is still green, no way around it, split it much smaller and load the stove more often when you use it. And don't choke the stove down, run it wide open and adjust heat output by how much wood you stick in there.

You can go out and scrounge dead pine now, bark falling off dead, split is small to medium, same deal. Once that is dry stacked up inside, and gets burning well, it will get semi dry oak going.

And then get several years ahead with your normal wood.

 

[bert0168]

You have a shop so you must have some sort of cutting tool, correct?
You must have a wood hauler, right?

Burn pallets, like Cheese said.

 

[jthornton]

Yes, I have a CNC Machine shop and 3 car garage that I keep warm with that little stove. The garage is a bit cooler but comfortable to work in. I have a Kubota RTV500 or my Z71 to haul wood with.

The first stuff I split up from the red oak is smaller splits so I'll stack it next to the stove to dry more.

Yes, some very good advice on this forum.

Thanks
JT

 

[Pelorus]

Set up a small fan to blow warm air over that green wood and it will help it dry a lot quicker.
Won't amount to much in electrical cost either.

 

[jthornton]

Set up a small fan to blow warm air over that green wood and it will help it dry a lot quicker.
Won't amount to much in electrical cost either.

Thanks, that is a good idea. I have a box fan that I use to blow the heat, I can use that.

This is where I stack my wood, when full it will hold 2 seasons worth. The wood in the left side and one bin on the right with the broken snow shovel is the red oak. The slab wood is pretty dry.

 

[zogger]

Set up a small fan to blow warm air over that green wood and it will help it dry a lot quicker.
Won't amount to much in electrical cost either.

That's another good idea right there. Nice shop fan, blowing from the other side of the stove to the wood stacked up.

 

[ash man]

Not sure what kind of wood you have in missouri, but in Ohio there is no shortage of dead ash and you can burn it right away normally.