Beginner questions, and good way to dry wood in a city?

[skintigh]

We bought a very neglected Victorian outside of Boston that has no insulation, and my fiancee is from Texas. One of my first projects was installing a Clydesdale stove so she can happily keep the living room around 80+ degrees all winter while we work on the house. However virtually nobody will deliver wood to my city, or they only have kiln dried wood, and the one supplier we tried last winter gave us very wet "seasoned" wood that burned terribly and we had to dry it on the radiators or next to the fire for days. So this summer I bought a moisture tester and have been scavenging wood wherever I can, both dry and green.

1) In late August I scavenged over 1/2 cord of green wood, mostly maple and some oak, how can I best dry the wood so I can use it this winter? I split it small and spread it on the flat black roof of the garage but wasn't sure if I should have the dark bark or light wood side up facing the sun. But then I read that wind is even more important that sun, so I stacked it log-cabin/cross-hatch style facing the wind (and I live on a hill in the 21st windiest city in America), and I cover it when it rains. Am I doing that right and do you think it will dry by winter?

2) Is there any chance that the oak will dry by winter, or does it really take 1-2 years and thus I should just stack it inside the garage and concentrate on drying the maple?

3) Should I build a solar kiln or is that overkill? I have a bunch of old windows in the basement...

4) The Clydesdale manual says to never use kiln-dried wood, but doesn't say why. I have gathered this may be for EPA regulations and something about it not burning clean if the moisture content is too low, is that correct? And if so do I just make sure the MC is around 20% and I'm fine?

5) The manual also says to not burn green wood or non-seasoned wood but also doesn't say why. I have gathered the steam from the wood can prevent secondary combustion and cut the heat output in half, assuming you can even light it. Am I correct in that? It also seems like damp wood = dirty glass.

6) I've read to never burn pine and that burning pine is fine. Which is it? I lined the chimney with a stainless steel liner if that matters.

7) Is there some beginners guide I should read rather than bother you with all my questions?

Thank you!

 

[babybart]

Green wood causes creosote, pine is good, fast burning wood but has to be seasoned like any other species( that's all they have out west), I have only seasoned oak 8- 9 months before because I had no choice with no issues( burn stove hot for about 30 minutes everyday). That's all the answers I got, good luck.

 

[babybart]

On, this site is a good beginners guide .

 

[Dalmatian90]

#5: The wood will be difficult to ignite, burn at a slower rate (fewer BTUs per hour), lose about 15% of the BTUs to evaporating the moisture (the other "half" as much heat output is the decline in the rate of BTUs per hour)...and the steam will condense as it rises in the chimney, pulling out particles and hydrocarbon gases from the smoke and depositing them as creosote on the chimney.

#6: Pine is fine. Most of Canada would freeze without it When you live in the middle of a hardwood forest it's more labor efficient to burn good hardwoods.

I'm used to burning green wood (sometimes it was cut the morning burned)...this will be the first year I've had an entire season's supply already split before I begin burning though most will still not be properly seasoned. Next year I will finally have wood that's been seasoned over a year.

I split a fair amount very small -- what is called "cook wood" (traditionally used for fast, hot fires in cook stoves). A lot of it was red oak because it splits exceptionally easy. Say an 1" to 2" diameter, just a step up from kindling size.

I then stack it near the wood stove -- you'll need to use your own judgement on what is safe from a fire safety perspective -- to force it to dry faster. A month or so exposure to radiant heat from the wood stove dries it out quite a bit.

Paper, kindling (typically scraps from 2x4s and other building-type wood), cook wood, then an unseasoned log(s). The kindling can get the cookwood going, the cookwood provides the heat to drive the water out of the poorly seasoned logs faster than the logs just smoldering away themselves.

The economics of heating with wood in the city just isn't there -- out here in the literal sticks I can have a tri-axle truck load of seven cords of firewood quality logs culled when cutting timber-quality logs cut in my town or the next delivered for a good price, and they're usually the last load of the day the trucker will do when headed home for the night. Out here most sellers of cut firewood don't like to go more than 15, 20 minute drive from their woodlot to deliver wood. Time is money. Trucking in split firewood through the traffic and congestion of a city to drop off a cord or two just doesn't pay because it takes so long to make one delivery, well until you get up around $400/cord for Boston proper.

 

[olympyk_999]

The Clydesdale manual says to never use kiln-dried wood, but doesn't say why.

they mean KD lumber(2 x 4's) ...not firewood

to me that seems like a waste of time/money to install a stove in Boston just to only burn a 1/2 a cord...unless you plan on buying/scrounging more?

 

[Ironworker]

they mean KD lumber(2 x 4's) ...not firewood

to me that seems like a waste of time/money to install a stove in Boston just to only burn a 1/2 a cord...unless

This is why we can't have nice things, because of people like you, why don't you just go away.

 

[CoreyB]

A "solar kiln" is easy to build and can double as a green house and a passive solar heater as well if you take the for thought on your designs.

 

[MountainHigh]

If your wood was baking directly in the dry hot summer August heat, and it's showing signs of checking on the ends, you can usually burn it in the Fall just fine, but if it didn't get fast cooked by direct summer sun, then I would scrounge around for some dry wood palettes to cut up and use to mix with wet wood. Any place that gets deliveries will often stack them at the back of their business for giveaway around my area. Just get them home and cut them up with a skill saw (watch for nails)

In a pinch, I've dried 'some' wood by the stove, within a safe distance of course, but always keep the house air flow moving (crack some windows) in your home as dampness in the home from the drying wood on occasion can create problems for respiratory tracts and/or the building itself (air born fungus and mold).

Keep a very close eye on your chimney if you're burning wet wood - you will get double and triple the creosote buildup very quickly and more potential for chimney fires. If burning very wet wood - I would check my chimney every month or 2 if possible.

Once your wet wood catches, run your stove hot at least 2x/day, to clean out some of the chimney buildup. Do NOT dampen a stove down as much at night as you would running well seasoned dry wood or it will plug things up really fast.

I don't know why they say to not burn 'some' Kiln dried wood - I've used it to to mix with wetter wood in years past (I'm always 3 years ahead on wood storage now). On its own, kiln dried will burn very hot and keep the chimney quite clean. Just have to be somewhat careful about over-firing a stove (a glowing stovepipe is one indicator of over-firing if you have single wall pipe). Never burn treated wood for sure - toxic fumes.

 

[skintigh]

Dalmatian90: I think $400 for a cord would be a steal in Boston, I seem to recall seeing $285 for 1/2 cord delivered...

olympyk_999: it probably would be a huge waste of money if I had to pay for all the wood. I think we went through 1.25 cords or more last winter, I am assuming 1 cord is enough for this year since we have done a lot of weatherizing (which made a HUGE difference) and also got the first floor insulated. I bought a display model fireplace insert so I saved money on that, and I installed it myself with the help of a neighbor so that saved money.

I see it as both a necessity - keeping the future Mrs. happy - and a luxury because I just love fires. Also, when it dipped below 0 degrees a few times last year we slept in the living room in front of the fire versus trying to heat a large, drafty, uninsulated house. For reference: we closed on the house in January (after placing an offer the weekend it was listed) the gas bill for that month was $860. We have gotten than down to $250-300 so far with improvements, and I expect it to be even lower this year. I think the fireplace insert is saving us a ton of money by heating the room we use the most.

So yes I'm cheap and will be scavenging my wood supplies. It's amazing how much wood you can get scavenging. I got 1/4 cord from a single branch that blew down in my neighbor's yard, and people are happy for me to take it. We got about a cord form just clearing the random saplings in our tiny yard and pruning a black cherry. Recently we learned of a historical property that is removing a lot of trees so I go there every few weekends and fill up a pickup with logs, and I have a friend who loves to come over and chop wood. I just have to figure out how to dry and store all of it on a little corner lot in a city.

MountainHigh: The pallets are a great suggestion, I see some on craigslist just a few blocks from my house. And we try to follow the manual and do one hot burn a day to clean out creosote. I originally thought over-temp was the reason to not burn kiln dried wood, but it has adjustable vents to prevent that, then I read claims it had to do with efficiency and pollution.

 

[MountainHigh]

MountainHigh: The pallets are a great suggestion, I see some on craigslist just a few blocks from my house. And we try to follow the manual and do one hot burn a day to clean out creosote. I originally thought over-temp was the reason to not burn kiln dried wood, but it has adjustable vents to prevent that, then I read claims it had to do with efficiency and pollution.

That's good to hear! Grab all the palettes you can find before Fall rains soak on them.

I'd suggest burning the stove hot even more than once per day, if you're burning wet wood. You'll go through more wood, but the chimney will stay cleaner and less risk of chimney fire. Cleaning chimney once per year is minimum for non-wet wood burning. If your roof is not too steep, I bought brushes years ago and clean my own.

Start next spring early to gather your wood and split and stack it (covering just the top) so the wind and sun can reach it over the spring and summer, and you'll have a great start on next years burning.

Nothing like a warm wood fire when the weather turns miserable

 

[Marshy]

If you are going to sweep/brush your own chimney make sure you use the appropriate brush for it. I believe the stainless liner requires a specific brush. If you use the incorrect brush it will promote cresote accumulation.
As far as dryin your wood, I'd reend stacking it log cabin style to maximize air flow. Using your moisture meter make sure you check a fresh split surface.

 

[MuskokaSplitter]

i learned so much from this site as last year was my first year burning wood.
#6 pine was one of my favourite to use as it would catch a flame so easily, burn hot aswell.
Other than that soft maple kept us warm all winter.
If all you have is maple, hard or soft and oak for this year. id suggest splitting it small atleast half the usual size and it might be half decent this year for you.
I have a moisture meter aswell. and checking the end grain doesnt give accurate results. take a piece and as Marshy said split and check the center of the split.

 

[blades]

Another option to use with with less than Ideal wood are the compressed wood blocks such as Envi or Ecco blocks( jusy do not fill the stove/insert completely with these) - also note that as much as everyone loves to recommend pallets they are not always dry- some are heat treated which does help dry them out but it is to kill bugs not for drying purpose. All the pallet companies I have worked with,over the years, the raw material was pretty green when delivered and they do not spend any time or money drying it. I my area there is a pallet co. that sells cut offs by the dump truck load ( you supply truck) that stuff is green as it can be. Just a word to the wise.

 

[Marshy]

I agree, not all pallets are dry. You can get some wet ones that burn like snowballs.

 

[Blowncrewcab]

I built a wood kiln this spring (look up Va Tech wood Kiln) It has a heat chamber in the top that is lined with Black Shingles, Then fans pull the heat down thru the wood. It does work, I have seen temps in the top chamber of 165* + and temps in the Bottom where the wood is stored over 110*. It holds about 1 1/4 cords. I was short on seasoned wood and my new Cat stove required it, I had to do something There is wood I put in there 7 weeks ago that is already below 20%. If it can dry oak and other hard woods I'll build another. I haven't had any fresh oak to try in it yet.. It's gotta be better than just sun and air.... I think...Lol Here in east Tn it gets Hot,

 

[Fred Wright]

Suggestion: Get your home insulated ASAP. Poor or no insulation will have you burning through firewood as fast as you can acquire it. When we bought this house some outside walls and floors were not insulated. They are now; the cost savings have been significant.

Oak will burn after a year split but it won't burn very well. The 2-year guideline is to get as many BTUs from your fuel wood as you possibly can. Burning it too early is a waste. Soft maple will burn well after a year split.

 

[CentaurG2]

You should be able to find suppliers that are willing to deliver wood to B-town but you might not like the price. Log length firewood is scarce on the seacoast and prices for a dry cord of wood this year are running $375-$400 delivered. You can probably double that amount if you are living in the city.

You can burn just about any wood, green or dry, but the greener it is the less heat you get out of it and the more soot, smoke and creosote it will generate. It might also screw up the catalytic converter if the stove has one. Small splits, sunlight and wind are keys to drying wood fast. We stack bark side up and never cover wood.

Folks who buy kiln dried wood usually stack it in the house or basement. They seem more concerned with the removal of insects than the moisture content of the wood. I don’t know of anyone using a solar kiln on the seacoast. If you have the time and the space, go for it.

Beggars cant be choosers but locust and ash will burn well even when green. Maple dries very quickly. Oak usually needs a good long soak to burn well. Pine is fine if it is dry and you don’t mind filling the stove every ½ hour. Pine slabs are common fuel for sugar houses. Dry hardwood pallets burn well and are very useful to encourage green or semi-seasoned wood to burn but they are a pain to bust up and get really scarce during heating season.

While we all like to be self sufficient be mindful about how you go about it. Just about everything is illegal in mass and what is not illegal is covered by some sort of insurance code and/or regulation. Not everyone likes the smell of wood smoke and if your stove is producing excessive smoke because you are burning semi-seasoned wood, you could start running into problems. Maintaining good relations with your neighbors is key.

 

[skintigh]

I hadn't even thought about chimney cleaning, I should probably do that soon. How often should I do that? It's an SS liner down a brick and terracotta lined chimney on the side of the house, about 3.5 stories tall so no way am I climbing up there (if that't what is required.)

My goal is to only burned seasoned wood to avoid as many problems as possible. I got a permit and inspection of my insert and we are good friends with the neighbors as well.

Is there some right way to cut up a pallet or burning or just go nuts with a sawsall?

I have so many projects I'm working on at once, but the solar kiln idea is very tempting...

As for insulation, we are working on that. MassSave pays for 75%, up to $2000, once per years, so our plan is to have one floor insulated per calendar year (I'll be calling them Jan 2). Of course we have to have all the plumbing, electrical, plaster/drywall etc. done first, and the house is 70+ years behind in utilities. So far the first floor has 4" (or 6"?) of blown cellulose, and I am using 4" total of rigid board insulation on the one exposed basement wall. I'm also insulating all the steam pipes in the basement. I have put Harvey storm windows over all the windows which made a BIG different in not only drafts but also road/drunk-college-student noise, and it made the house look nicer without ruining the look of the old windows. The biggest difference was just simple stuff like caulk and door sweeps. Our front hall was so cold that one morning there was a small snow drift on the floor. Once the door sweep was on the hall felt at least 20 degrees warmer. The house is balloon framed so drafts pick up a lot of speed over 2-3 stories, I would feel for them with my hand then fill the gap with caulk, that made a big difference too. First I bought a few tubes, then a box of a dozen tubes, now I'm on the second box and that's not even counting the special ones for the storm windows. I bought an IR camera for my phone so fixing drafts should be easier now.

 

[sb47]

Never underestimate the sun.
Ever notice after a rain fall, even though the wind is blowing, the last places to dry are in the shade.

 

[blades]

With real wood being all that expensive in town you would be much further ahead to go with the compressed wood blocks - read the labels as the are some for plain old fireplaces that you do not want. Enviro and Ecco blocks are ok as they are plain wood compressed with no additives. Some of those fire logs have a wax binder -you do not want those. Should be about 1/2 the price of splits listed above.