Firewood question

[Caelma]

If wood is not catching well or hard to catch and is burning out easily
does this mean it's most likely not seasoned enough?
We just got some and it is not burning at all like the last batch
(same kind) and it is hard to catch and then goes out easily.
Still green?
How do you tell green wood from well seasoned wood before you
get it home?

[moopups]

Look for the weathered look, secondly take a hammer and strike the end grain, if its unseasoned there should be some kind of indication of moisture present.

[MELOC]

does it fizzle and steam like there is moisture present?

[SeptemberWolf]

Dry wood usually has cracks in it and is lighter in weight than damp; splits more easily.

[country jack]

If your wood is seasoned and this is still doing that . please make sure the chimney is cleaned out . if this is the problem it could cause a chimney fire or worse.
Country Friend Jack Bunyard

[Caelma]

Moopups, it isn't green looking nor does it have that
fresh cut wood smell.

MELCO, it doesn't steam or fizzle.

It is a little heavier than the dry wood we had before.
I don't think this is green green but it sure doesn't seem
to be well seasoned. It's from the same place and the same kind.
(fir) It's just not catching as well, is hard to start and goes out easy
if not tended a lot.

[MELOC]

i have some oak that is basically dry, but was cut when green and growing. it doesn't steam excessively, but i think it needs to season until next year. perhaps the sugars/sap in wood that is cut green make it difficult to burn inless it seasons a long time.

[doodlemom]

Seasoned wood exposed to too much water/ moisture can suck up that water and cause a problem too

[diane]

Sounds like it needs seasoning or has been seasoned and got wet......in either case you will get the same results. Starts hard, goes out easy and needs constant tending. Try stacking some right next to the woodstove for a couple of days. If it was seasoned and got wet, it should dry out........at least I have found that to be true. I have a huge pile of wood that was cut last fall. Trees were dead for quite awhile but still doesn't burn too well. Fortunately I had a pretty big supply of seasoned wood. Some of my seasoned wood sat out on the deck uncovered during a wet spell and I had to dry it next to the stove before it would burn well.

[hunter63]

What kind is it?
You can try splitting up smaller, did this with some box elder, which is crappy wood, anyway,might get it going enough to doy out the othr stuff if you do stake some next to the stove.
Checking the chimmney does sound like a good idea though.

[rileyjo]

unsplit wood dries much slower than split. You can speed up the unsplit wood you've got by splitting it and keeping it in a dry place. Don't get too much close to the stove.