firewood question...

[mamita]

how far ahead do you usually plan for on split/stacked firewood? we have more than enough split & stacked for next winter, for the house and garage. but..we have a tree that needs taken down. it's leaning, and is HUGE. while that means great firewood, is it better to just cut it up and leave it in sections right now? I guess I'm wondering that if we split it, it may rot faster than we'd use it. would that keep it longer? if it wasn't split yet?

as always...thanks!

[backwoods]

Originally Posted by mamita

how far ahead do you usually plan for on split/stacked firewood? we have more than enough split & stacked for next winter, for the house and garage. but..we have a tree that needs taken down. it's leaning, and is HUGE. while that means great firewood, is it better to just cut it up and leave it in sections right now? I guess I'm wondering that if we split it, it may rot faster than we'd use it. would that keep it longer? if it wasn't split yet?

as always...thanks!

Cut it and split it ASAP.The longer the better,a year is not to much.I just cut a white oak that was threatening our house.Leave it if you can with the leaves intact on the tree until they wilt a lot.It helps the drying process.Good luck.

[Old Vet]

If you cut it and leave it into sections and not split it will rot quicker than if it is split. I wouldn't worry about rot in split wood that ismainly in the dry for about 4 or 5 years. If you have it split and not in the dry it will last about 3 years before you need to use it.

[stranger]

ater 3 yrs, the wood starts going the other way.

[RichieC]

Better split and stacked than left in the round on the ground. If you can somehow cover the logs and raise them off the dirt, fine. Otherwise, I would get that wood worked up now.

[fishinsoap]

Stacked properly the split wood will not rot and you will get better burning the longer it sits in a split and well stacked formation.

[Cabin Fever]

I agree with the others. Split and stack and cover now...it will last a lot longer than leaving it in bolts or rounds.

[mamita]

thanks again! we do keep our split wood off the ground and it's covered. just didn't know if it was good to split up this tree just yet, but now we will.

one more question (sorry) newly split wood...is it better to stack and immediately cover it? we do because wet wood is a bugger, but I just wondered if it dryed better uncovered for awhile at first. we've always split our wood a year ahead, we just weren't sure how much ahead was a good idea. this tree is so big that we'll need to pay someone to take it down. I sure didn't want to do that and then waste anything!

I really appreciate your responses...thanks again.

[Cabin Fever]

We stack ours on old pallets and cover just the top with woodpile tarps (6'x24') from Northern Tool. This allows air to circulate thru the pile while keeping the snow and rain from infiltrating it.

We don't burn our oak until it has seasoned for a minimum of two years. We have no problem with firewood rotting and much of it is three to four years old.

[mamita]

Cabin Fever, that is quite an impressive woodpile! that's exactly what I needed to know. and...that is gorgeous scenery you have there. of course I can REALLY appreciate it now that it's June. lol we live in woods, I do love the beauty when the snow falls.

[edcopp]

Don't tell "Cabin Fever" that frozen wood will not rot. That wood looks like it is frozen plus.

[saramark]

I just inherited a pile of used metal roofing, about 10 18+' long sheets. I build a basic 2x4 frame with 2 rails on bottom to keep it off the ground, and leave one end of the roof 1' taller than the other. With an overhang on both sides, they are easy to stack, never get wet or snow on the wood, and are easy to move when empty. We have 1 1/2 year old oak that sat, never got to it, and we are bucking and splitting now for next years. Still, we use a wood shed(OSB sheathed junk house, really) and keep a years worth in there. The rest is cut, split, and loose stacked until we get to it. That stuff is left uncovered.

Mark
(wishing he could remember how to post a picture)

[saramark]

CF, how much wood do you burn a year? We only burn about 4 cord, and that pile looks loooooooong at your place.

Mark

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by saramark

CF, how much wood do you burn a year? We only burn about 4 cord, and that pile looks loooooooong at your place.

Mark

And there is a pile behind the one you see and another on the other side of the yard. I cut all down or dead standing oaks on our 40 acres (birch too). And yes, we have way more firewood than we can burn.

Since we both work most weekdays, there is no need to heat the house while we are gone. So, we burn from Friday morning to Monday morning. We use only two cords or so a year. We'll burn full-time once WIHH lets me retire.

[lwj2]

Originally Posted by mamita

how far ahead do you usually plan for on split/stacked firewood? we have more than enough split & stacked for next winter, for the house and garage. but..we have a tree that needs taken down. it's leaning, and is HUGE. while that means great firewood, is it better to just cut it up and leave it in sections right now? I guess I'm wondering that if we split it, it may rot faster than we'd use it. would that keep it longer? if it wasn't split yet?

as always...thanks!

If you let it dry, it will be more difficult to split, wet wood rives (splits) along the grain. When it's dry, it can change things around and cause the grain to interlock.

I'd cut it, stack it off the ground and if it's exposed, put a tarp over it after a month or so if you're worried about it. Hardwood air-dries to RMC at the rate of an inch per year per inch thickness, so you'll have some time before you have to worry about it being totally dry.

[haypoint]

Try to get two years supply, and keep it that way. One year so you'll be ready for the next heating season. Second year in case you have an accident or are ill. Just makes good homesteading sense to be prepared.