Anyone ever dry wood this way? Just wondering drying time involved. I know the normal MO would be to season for a year or two in the open then move to an enclosed space. Customer of mine wasnt happy (more so his wife who was concerned with it getting in the house) with the 14 month seasoned red maple (CSS August 2020) i delivered and stacked last week. Some loose bark, typical dust and crumbs but IMO quality wood. No punk or fungi growth. No creepy crawlies. He wanted it "fresh cut" clean. Now he has bought from me before and manages two stores i sell bundles to so i want to keep him happy. My suggestion to him was to take a deliver ASAP of very fresh cut & split green wood and stack in his garage and MAYBE for next Winter. Wish i had a score of decent SS wood as this might work. He is a casual burner.
It won't be ready next year unless he has a very drafty/warm garage...I'd give him some "fresh cut clean n green" to try...see how he likes that...
The bark falling off the maple is a pretty good sign/indicator of rather well-seasoned wood. But if she does 'all' the cleaning up in the house she's not gonna be happy. I burn quite a bit of red maple and it can be a bit messy. I do try to clean up the mess I make with it though, ASAP, as the 'mess' does aggravate others. Drying time in the garage will depend on the frequency of air exchanges. A couple open windows, frequent garage door opening, seasoning time might not be so bad. I've done it in an unfinished garage (converted barn) with lots of venting (read ; leaks). A nice tight finished garage might cause a mold problem.
Ive educated him on burning green vs. under 20% seasoned and explained to FHC standards. Ive been in is house (shoes off first by his request) and the place is immaculate. Ive suggested a tote going from shed (right outside the garage) to hearth or moving some to garage and getting a split or two as needed to no avail i guess. He sees the split quality in my bundles and asked why it cant be of that quality. I try to use the cleanest stuff in bundles. The garage is on the South side and gets sun all day.
To add to the above...it wouldn’t hurt to have some fans and heat on it either if it’s possible while enclosed. Will help, but still likely won’t dry out in a few months without good heat circulation in the building
This is the type of customer that ushered in the era of kiln dried firewood. “I want no bugs, no flaky bark, fast seasoning time, oh and it has to look good too, I’m sure I’m not asking a lot” No experience here drying wood indoors but as mentioned, it makes sense that airflow is paramount. I’m sure it works given enough time...
I need a guy like you near me. LOL! Guy near me was supposed to deliver me three cords of wood three years ago this month. He delivered it at dark. That should have been my first red flag. After stacking I had 2 cords. Live and learn. I knew better being an old school cutter and seller with my dad from the 70’s. We always stacked our delivered wood for the customer back then. It was not an additional charge like it is today. No guessing from the customer how much was delivered. Most around here don’t have wood resembling any type of uniform cut length. Most are tree trimmers selling wood, not tree cutters selling wood. Therefore the mix is exactly that...nothing consistent even if that’s what you wanted...like asking for a load of hard maple, or just oak, or just ash. Most deliver junk wood around here.
I’ve searched and searched the Internet and the newspaper and local cutters/sellers for a load of nothing but oak. Can’t find it. I’d be satisfied with hedge or locust or hard maple as well. Hickory...anything but soft maple and punky dead ash. I’m also wanting a specific cut length as well. I’ll buy in spring though, not now. I think I have a source for oak timber cut-offs from a milling operation, but it will require several hours drive. I’ll just take a bigger truck. LOL!
Thanks for the kind words! I get a lot of new customers that cant say enough about it being DRY! Guy last Winter bought a cord of barkless dead black locust from me and said it was the best wood he has even burned. Retired age gentleman with a lifetime of burning experience.
Ive thought of that. I have access to some partly barkless elm. I think if they see the larvae trails it will turn them off. Ive also thought of giving them green heartwood splits. I have some big red maple awaiting me at a couple scores. Smaller splits is another thought too.
It'll be your fault when the State of Connecticut burns down Dave. Don't give Brad any ideas, you know how he gets when he's on a mission.
Sorry to disappoint guys but no redneck kiln build going on here. Gonna talk to him and small split some red maple heartwood. Just have to see if he is on board with the plan and price.
I had a small pile I brought in and stacked next to the wood stove, after I installed the owb. Thinking I might need to burn in the stove on a cold night. It was green but I figured it would season by the time I needed it. I brought it in in 09. In 2017 I took that wood out side, it was still just as heavy as the day I brought it in. And had no checking on the end grains. I didn't check it with a MM but I'm pretty sure it didn't season after 8 years.
Fresh cut really gives off some moisture. I doubt they’d want that in their garage. I think he’d have to go ahead and plastic cover it with a fan at one end and a dehumidifier running at the other. Probably more than either of them want to deal with. I have a get rich idea. 2 or 3 splits wrapped in a burnable paper to contain the mess. Something strong enough to not tear out. Splits could be tied to keep them stable, then final user could just throw the pack into the stove, mess contained within. (I want a small % when it hits, lol)
