We all have a problem here....but

I like the way this is explained to me. Really I was being observant to how wood is sectioned off so that wood being split now is likely to be 2019-20 year depending on how well it seasons and what kind of wood it is. I do kind of have this set up but its not intentional. I did stack according to how long I had the wood and now Im thinking im gonna be hips high in pallets as those things make great wood stackers. Its all in the rotation. Thanks for this tidbit and any recommendations on wood moisture meters? Ive honestly never bought one but sounds like a good idea for this summer. Might start a new thread on that subject later.

 

Hell even the 20 year plan sounds good. But thats a crapton of firewood. Make sure you got space now. Or else she'll come out and wonder " honey did we lose land? I feel the neighbors closing in on us!"

 

It is to some extent, but Some have the philosophy that if your three years ahead, your always burning dry wood - which you might be. In other words, you have to wait three years to burn the wood you split today. I'm just saying its a very subjective way of looking at it. I say burn wood when it's ready. There's nothing magical about letting wood sit for "3 years" just as their nothing magical about letting meat sit in marinade "over night".

 

Keep in mind that once "the pack" gets ahold of this post and what I said, you will see some opposition. If waiting three years on all your wood is what you like to do, then that's great. I for one don't do that, but I also burn dry wood. Having a system when the oldest is burnt first is great. All I'm saying is that some wood will be ready sooner and some won't be. Monitor the wood and see what is and what isn't. I can't afford to just cover and forget it - I burn way too much wood and work 60 hour or more a week. For example, standing or fallen dead. Instead of just cutting, splitting and stacking and waiting "3 years", I test it. If it's about 20%, it's goes in the shed and is burnt the same year. I put wood in service sooner and moved it less times. I'd love to have 50 cord sitting around but it's not feasible for me.

I have a $300 meter and I have a $30 meter and one in between. They all read about the same and is good enough as far as firewood goes. Amazon has good deals on cheap meters. I've found the pin type works better for me for firewood.

 

I think you misinterpret why "the pack" promotes a three year plan. I would consider myself part of "the pack" and for me the three year plan is less about letting all my wood season for three years and more about having a rainy day fund. Some are comfortable living paycheck to paycheck and are confident that that next check will show up to pay the rent, heating bill and buy groceries. I prefer to have several months or even years of expenses covered in savings. The firewood equivalent would be someone who says, "I have plenty of dead standing ash around so I can cut and feed my stove with dry wood a month later." While that would keep the stove filled with dry wood, it doesn't account for injury or health issues. Some people on here have had health issues that prevented them from cutting for long periods. Others have had neighbors who they have helped significantly when the neighbor has run out of dry wood. Whether or not one chooses to help or seek help from a neighbor is up to them. If you can't get in the woods and are only a month ahead (or only a year ahead for some health issues) you could find yourself paying the oil or propane man very quickly. Personally, I have some red oak that has been seasoning for 3 years that I won't get to this year and some ash that I cut and put in the stove a few weeks later because it was dry already (tested with a moisture meter). So for me, the 3 year plan is more of a savings account/rainy day fun than it is a commitment to only burn wood that has been seasoned for 3 years. My 3 year plan provides me peace of mind and that's good enough for me.

 

Don't necessarily think I misinterpreted anything. You are correct, a yard full of stacks does provide security and is money in the bank. But, The bigger reason is that people want to burn dry wood and letting wood sit for 3 years does that for them. It's been beaten to death here in every post that I see the number 3 brought up in.

Good enough for you is great. Good enough for me is great. All I'm saying is that 3 isn't a magic number. People's bank accounts differ, access to wood differs, etc. seems like if your not part of the grand 3 year plan here, your not doing it right, which isnt the case.

OP - I apologize for taking your thread away from your original direction. Too much hyjackjng here anyway...don't mean to be a part of it.

 

Wood being stacked here in Washington and its seasoning depends on how well it was done in the first place. Same applies to the rest of the world but there seems to be a trade off as climate seems to work with the wood. Not trying to get super scientific here but depending on where you live, the warm season is shorted. Then theres the weather that may help the seasoning much more like windy dry areas. Then there's the wood. Wood growing in that particular climate is best suited so you're likely to burn the soft wood in a milder area than hard and versa vice. Milder areas have the pine which dries fast but our wet season comes just as fast. If I were to say how much the dry season stays, its 4 to 5 months as the wet season is the rest of that. Not strictly saying sun is the drying element but does help it along. Climate dependent and right location of wood has a better chance than being just stacked off rounds and left there. (If someone is really stacking rounds like that, they must either not care much for the wood or its a purposeful slower seasoning) Choice here is to nuture the investment plus the wood work being done shows you have tact. I dunno if I could split wood 8 hours a day as a job but having it in your back yard is a great way of appreciating that patience is its own reward.

 

OP - I apologize for taking your thread away from your original direction. Too much hyjackjng here anyway...don't mean to be a part of it.

No worries, Im new here so Im probably going to find that out one way or another. Besides Id rather build wooden bridges than burn them.
On another note, I wouldnt say anyone Intentionally saves wood for that reason for longer than 3, Ive heard of 180 cord of wood. Chit. I told him I have a hard time fathoming 3 but if you're a constant burner thats great. I know for a fact that wood does break down or becomes a pest target so with that in mind its taking the old stuff first. Sometimes thats not always feasible but depends on where its stored and what its used for. If I can save this threas in some way, Im not looking for crap wood to hoard but Im not one to turn down some quality looking wood that isnt your average rounds. Wood is wood as long as its safe to burn. Id be looking at people weirdly who want me to clean up their spot when its their fault but Im sure curious when they have an adequate space to burn some and its not done. Just burn that crap wood for warmth will ya?? Might take time but its warmth!!

 

I would agree with all of that. Except for your last statement. I would say that if you're not part of the "grand 3 year plan" it can be harder to do it right. Part of the underlying goals of this site is to promote responsible wood burning. Don't season your wood for 3 years? Please, for the rest of us, just make sure you burn dry wood. (As I mentioned I don't season all my wood 3 years). Wood burning has been under attack at differing levels across the country. Some places have outright bans on burning at certain times likely (my assumption) caused by some burners who didn't or don't burn cleanly. Other places have outright banned outdoor wood boilers due to unclean burning practices, complaints among neighbors and failure to find resolution. Wet wood directly from stump to stove with lots of creosote and wood smoke produced. We, on this site, helped out a member who was under attack by her attorney neighbor even though she burned dry wood. (I believe you were a member at the time). Her case, as a single mother, ended up in her getting rid of her stove and resorting to switching over to natural gas. Bottom line, the preaching from the 3 year plan pulpit can sound a bit onerous after a while, but it is with the best intentions and not meant to ostracize those who have their plan figured out and are burning responsibly.

 

We agree then. I do burn dry wood and have for many, many years but it's not all dried for 3 years and thats the point I was making. I just choose to check wood with a meter rather than leaving it cook when it was done years ago. My last statement was made because it can seem like there's only one way to do things around here and especially from a few narrow minded (good intentioned) folks. New members need to know there just not one way to do things. My method saves me time and effort.

We both burn wood. We both enjoy it. How we get there makes no difference.

 

Agree. And that's why it's good to have people like you on this site to provide a different perspective of how to use a different and very acceptable method to make things work. While many in this site C/S/S their own wood, some buy kiln dried wood, some don't have he storage capacity for more than a year at a time and others only burn as a secondary method of heating and do it infrequently. To restate your last paragraph, I'd modify it to say:

We both burn DRY wood. We both enjoy it. How we get there makes no difference.

Now let's start discussing bark up vs bark down or to top cover or not and if it's even a question.

 

Sawdog, you are right.. many varieties are dry in less than 2 years, please understand I am not trying to stir a pot, just put another perspective on things, most times I don't.... but i really like the way you and stuck discuss this topic.. very respectful of each other

a lot of things old sayings start in 1 area and migrate.. for example your corn should be knee high by fourth of July.. started in northeast.. if a Missouri farmer corn was that short he couldn't pay his bills..

I don't know your area.. but for me, it's 5 degrees and snowing as I type this, I have probably 30 common species in my stacks, it is not practical for me (even though I got 5 acre stacking area) to stack each species as I split it or when.. also not feasible to split again to check it's moisture before putting in stove.. many of species look similar but dry different.. red maple to sugar mapke is a good example

in the west they basically only have 4 types of wood.. so they know what they are burning.. so while you are doing it right.. and congrats for that,

I think the 3 year plan was developed a long time ago (before moisture meters) so that wherever you are or whatever your burning it will work and it's easily understandable.. but if your way works better for you then run with it!

 

Perhaps you missed my point completely or didn't read what I said in my replies (in the same thread) where it specially states that I agree with the savings account value of firewood?

Let's call a spade a spade here, Savage. I bucked the boys club here a little bit and your upset about it, because it's your baby. Never once did I claim to "know it all". My statement about a 3 year plan has absolutely zero to do with anything personal. It's an opinion that I'm free to express here. As evident in this thread, people found value in what I said. It may not be the viewpoint you like to hear, but it's mine and as stated above...it's good enough for me. I never stated, at any point, that I thought the 3 year plan methodology was bunk. I mearly stated it's subjective and gave an example to back up my opinion. If it took 5 years to dry firewood, would it still be a 3 year plan? Of course it wouldn't be. So, plan length is relative to dry time. Other benefits would still be present of course.

It's obvious, that The use of moisture meters is frowned upon by many here and that's a real shame. It's a tool, a valuable tool that can used to a hoarders benefit. It's true, they work, But brining it up in some threads is like calling Mother Theresa a...well, never mind, you get the point. It really shouldn't be like that.

I too have multiple years of firewood in my stacks. It's because it's not dry enough to burn. It's because I'd like to only CSS 1 year worth of wood at a time so I can rotate through dry wood. It's because if I kick the bucket tomorrow, the wife can heat the house for a couple years while she figures out what to do (sell all my cool stuff, meet a good looking guy half her age and spend all of the profits from my belongings on him). But make no mistake about it - my stacks, your stacks, and most people's stacks are there to dry. Regardless, you can feel however you want about why you hoard firewood. So can I.

Your fires heat your house the same as mine do. There isn't a person here that has all the answers or that can't benefit from others opinions, even when they differ from your own. That's what this forum is about...isn't it? I sure hope it is. Lots of good people here, I've learned a few things. I hope your fire is hot tonight.

 

She told me the back part of the yard is starting to look like a shanty town. Maybe I can store it under ground.

 

Sorry. I didnt know my "3 year plan" comment would start such a debate. I really dont want to beat a dead horse but.... I LIKE the 3 year plan. But I also try to use a little common sense with it. Yes, STUCKINTHEMUCK, its about getting ahead. It feels nice when you dont have to be in a scramble for the next year. Also when Im in a wood haul, I occasionally will be on a dead tree in the bunch. I sort this wood out for a shorter cure time and put it in a one year or a two year pile. I have a moisture meter and use it some but there is no need after a couple of years. My furnace will burn a wet carpet but I respect my neighbors so I try my best to burn dry wood. When I first got my furnace, some of my wood was only 3 months cured. It was a very smoky year. Now Im pass that and burning cleanly. Heres to the 3 year plan. Call me brain dead but Its working quite nicely for me.

 

I warned you!

 

10-4 boss. It's time I move on also. As your forum moves and grows just remember that no meaningful discussion happens, no real progress is made when everyone agrees.

You and the boys have a good one.