Proper Use and Storage of Different Woods
From Plow & Hearth
Chopping and burning your own wood on the hearth is a great way to clean up the yard, save on the heating bill, get exercise, and bring warmth and tradition into the home. Here is some helpful information, from Plow and Hearth, as you begin to gather wood for the winter months.
The density of wood varies greatly across different species. For example, at a 15% moisture content White Oak is 47 lbs./cubic foot while Aspen wood is only 27 lbs./cubic foot. The denser the wood, the more effective it is as firewood, but handling, chopping, and splitting dense wood can become very difficult. Black Gum is extremely difficult to split. Hickory can also be challenging but Red Oak is fairly easy to split. Use lighter woods for kindling since they burn rapidly and reserve the denser woods for firewood.
As a rule, cured, dried wood burns best, therefore it is important to make sure your wood has as little moisture in it as possible before burning it. Green or wet wood can carry up to 50% of its weight in the form of water or sap. With all of this moisture, these woods cannot burn effectively until they have been properly dried out. There are several steps you can take in the wood storage process to achieve the desired level of dryness in your firewood.
To release moisture from the wood, store the wood under a cover for 6 to 12 months. Make sure that air can get through to the wood, but that the cover protects the wood from rain. A sunny, well-aired location works best. To speed up the process, split the wood, as it will allow for more air flow and sun exposure. Split wood dries faster than rounds. A good indication that the wood is becoming properly cured is checking and cracking on the ends of the wood, and loosening of the bark. These are also signs to keep in mind when purchasing wood that is advertised as dried or cured.
Following these simple guidelines will ensure that you always have a large selection of usable firewood nearby. This wood is sure to come in handy whether you are stuck in a power outage, or are just looking to have a nice family gathering around the hearth.
Find great wood storage solutions from Plow & Hearth.
