While a high-quality stove or fireplace is necessary for burning wood and getting a good fire going, they’re only as good as the fuel you intend to use. To get the most out of your log burner, you should have a good supply of dry, seasoned wood on hand.
You may learn more about the multiple advantages of burning seasoned wood below. While it is available through firewood suppliers, many individuals prefer to season their own firewood as a backup or primary supply. Keep reading and find out how to season green firewood and all the benefits it brings!
What Is Seasoned Firewood?
Wood that has been dried out to remove as much of its natural moisture content as possible is referred to as “seasoned firewood.”
It is strongly suggested that you only burn wood that has a maximum moisture content of 20%. However, freshly cut wood, often known as “green wood,” can contain up to fifty percent moisture; therefore, it is strongly recommended that you season firewood before you use it in your fireplace or fire pit.
Why Does Firewood Need to Be Seasoned?
There are many advantages to using seasoned firewood, including, but not limited to:
- Increased effectiveness.
- The reduction of smoke.
- Keeping your stove hygienic and clean.
By allowing your firewood to season, you give it time for the majority of the moisture to evaporate. As a result, it burns as effectively and cleanly as possible when you throw it on your fire. The environment and the air we breathe will be less dirty as a result.
The Dangers of Burning Green Firewood
Now, let’s think about the results of burning unseasoned wood. It is challenging to start a fire due to the high moisture content. If you do succeed in starting one, a lot of energy will be expended first to evaporate the water. Because of this, you might discover that your log burner continually goes out if you are using unseasoned wood.
Using unseasoned wood will also cause your fire to produce a lot of smoke as it burns off moisture. Your chimney will become dirty as a result of this smoke, frequently leading to a persistent and hazardous creosote buildup. Additionally, it will cause the glass on your stove to blacken considerably more quickly.
Burning unseasoned wood can produce dangerous air pollution, which can harm the environment and your health, as well as dirt in your chimney and stove.
10 Tips To Season Green Firewood
Thinking about burning green firewood? Check the following tips to perfectly season your firewood:
1. Season Your Firewood Ahead of Time
The optimum time of year to collect and prepare firewood so that it can be aged is during the summer months when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the temperature is highest.
In addition, make sure to calculate the appropriate amount of time for the seasoning process based on the type of wood you are using. For instance, if it takes your firewood six months to season and you want it ready by October, then you need to start making preparations at the beginning of spring.
2. Cut Your Firewood The Right Length
When you prepare your wood for seasoning by chopping it, you want to make sure that the resulting pieces are all roughly the same size. This enables you to stack your wood more efficiently at a later time.
It is recommended that you trim it to the regular face cord length, which is 16 inches in length. In this manner, it will be easier to stack on smaller log racks for firewood and will fit better in stoves that are smaller in size.
3. Split Your Green Firewood Properly
After you have cut it into logs, you will need to split it into manageable pieces of a size and shape of your choosing. Cutting wood into quarters is the most common and efficient way that humans split wood.
4. Stacking Firewood Hacks
Once your firewood has been chopped, split, and is ready for seasoning, it’s time to put it in your log store. There are several ways to stack wood. Choose one that makes the most of the area you have while allowing enough air to reach the logs.
The following advice will help you stack your firewood:
- Stack it with the bark facing up to protect it from rainfall.
- The direction of the log ends should be windward.
- Crisscrossing your wood pile may increase ventilation, but it will also take up more space.
- Set the stack close to a window or as close as you can.
5. You Can Season Your Firewood With an Oven
Is it possible to dry firewood in an oven? Temperatures ranging from 200 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit are necessary for the drying process of firewood in an oven.
6. Choose The Right Type of Wood
It’s important to use high-quality wood. Not all firewood is created equal, even if you can’t pick and choose which logs you season.
How long you need to season wood also depends on the species you’re using. In contrast to oak and other hardwoods, which take at least a year to fully season, pine and other softwoods may only need six months. Make sure to pick the right type of wood for your needs and ask all the questions necessary to get the perfect seasoned wood.
When purchasing firewood, on the other hand, you do not need to worry about checking for cracks or wraps because the wood will be used as fuel.
7. Keep Your Wood Stack Away From The Ground and Walls
Pick a spot on your property that gets plenty of breeze and is dry. In order to prevent pests from having a direct passage inside your house, keep the wood about 20 feet away from the door that is closest to your home. If you stack wood near a building, make sure to leave at least a few inches of space between the wood and the building. This will allow air to circulate behind the wood stack.
8. Protecting Your Wood From The Elements
Any rain that falls replaces the sap in your wood as the water evaporates, making your fuel burn more quickly and inefficiently.
To ensure that air can flow freely and moisture can escape, leave the ends of the stack exposed and protect it from the elements.
9. Covering Your Firewood Correctly
A cover should always be used to safeguard your firewood. Because of this, precipitation like rain or snow will run off of your stack without soaking the wood. The ideal place to dry off your firewood is in the open air, where there is plenty of sunlight. If you store your firewood indoors, it won’t dry out correctly, and there’s a constant chance that termites will find their way into your house.
If you reside in a location that has a lot of precipitation, another choice for storing your wood is an open-air structure such as a barn or shed; however, you must ensure that the wood has adequate ventilation.
10. Check Your Firewood’s Humidity
The use of moisture meters makes it simple to determine whether or not a piece of wood is sufficiently dry to be burned. These tools may be purchased for as little as twenty dollars, they are available in a variety of forms and dimensions, and the majority are relatively easy to operate. In order to obtain an accurate reading, you must first break the piece of wood into two pieces and then read the distance between the two halves.
How To Tell If My Firewood is Seasoned Correctly?
When determining whether or not your firewood is dry and ready to be burned, there are a number of distinct aspects to take into consideration.
The following are some characteristics of seasoned wood that is ready to be used as firewood:
How it Looks
Green wood is more vibrant and brilliant in appearance than wood that has been seasoned. The color of the firewood will gradually fade until it reaches a color that is more drab and gray as time passes and the wood dries out.
How Much it Weighs
Green wood, often known as firewood that has recently been cut, is significantly heavier than dry wood. But when green firewood is allowed to season, its moisture content decreases, resulting in a very noticeable weight difference, particularly in softwood.
How it Sounds
The formation of cracks in firewood is yet another reliable indication that the wood has been properly seasoned and is now suitable for usage.
However, you should be aware that not all seasoned firewood will crack; therefore, it is imperative that you assess the other features of dry wood that were discussed.
Is it your first time seasoning firewood? Do you want to improve in getting the perfect seasoned wood? We have a great expert team at Splitz Firewood & Mulch that can guide you on how to season green firewood, as well as provide you with all types of wood and mulch that you can use for specific situations. Reach out!
