Stored firewood in garage 2 years....Still wet?

Awesome until you get the hang of things, then try on the floor of the fireplace, slower burn with more heat radiated into the house....

 

Try using a fan on the wood in the garage....run it on medium for a few hours a day for a couple days or a week.
I've done that, and had decent results.

 

When you're getting a fire started, it's actually the flames that help most. They warm up the heavier wood and get the air circulating (hot air from the flames goes up, cool air then gets sucked in. This effect is your "draft")

I do use paper or cardboard to get my fires started, but it can't have tape, lots of labels and decals, etc that will burn funny. Thicker paper twisted into rods work well and don't shed loads of glowing ashes.

I'm a cheater. I have a MAPP torch that I use to light my fires. Some twisted paper / rolled cardboard, with some kindling sticks on top, smaller logs on that, and big logs on top.

Another tip is if you have splits that are cracked/splintered, those will get started quicker. The thick logs with few splinters will burn slowest and best last thru the night.

 

Another tip is if you want kindling, broken down pallets work pretty well. Split the pieces into Finger-sized kindling, it will light up quickly and make a lot of flames that build a strong draft.

 

I am going to suggest you google a "top down fire". For preheating your flue gas stack/chimney it may be the best solution.

 

I linked it earlier...

 

Any place you can get a couple pallets, or scrap 2x4s? 2x4s are kiln dried and when cut down to pieces a couple inches long can really help get your fire rolling, we've always got a garbage can or even dumpster full of either in the shipping department at work.

Agreeing with a post I saw before, I completely dislike pallets for stacking wood on, I stepped on a nail this summer from a pallet and cost me a grand in insurance premiums, I'll stick to my shipping 2x3s, laid down on the ground, 2 lengthwise with the stack just to keep it off the ground. pallets are always breaking, leaving garbage everywhere, I always get a ton of leaves under them even though the closest tree is over 100'away. And to move them is a pain as well as storing them, but to each there own, it's all about whatever works best for you!

 

Ill jump on the pallet hate club. I use pressure treated landscape timbers....

 

Nicholas62388 your not too far away, invite me for dinner and get a free how to session. I may even bring you some super awesome super dry wood.

 

bobdog2o02 where r u located lol

 

Lancaster

 

Oh ok that's where we got our dog from
Lol and visit every so often bobdog2o02

 

I use timbers and pallets also, if you use hard wood pallets they last much longer and hold up well for the most part.

 

Pallets vs treated wood now?
Ah oh! Is this thread "Slipping Away" again?

 

Huh, we are talking about drying firewood right.
Its not a pallet vs treated wood, I was just saying the hard wood pallets hold up better then the soft wood pallets, nothing wrong with using treated timbers for keeping the wood off the ground.

 

Nicholas62388,

Like you, I currently have a fireplace, but I hope to replace it with something much better some day. In the mean time, I continue to scrounge up any firewood I can find. You've been given some good advice here.

To improve your wood situation you might want to build an outdoor storage rack like this... I topped it with some scrap roof tin I salvaged from our local recycling center (dump). They're small enough that I can move them around if I need too. Each one holds just about 1 face cord, 4'x8'x16", 2 rows 4'w x 4'h. I say "about" because the side boards are a little short on this one. I've built a few from free pallets, scrap 2x4s and salvaged tin.


Or a bigger one like this.... Depending on the pallet size, it's about 7'x4' and 4' to the bottom of the front of the roof....


I let my wood dry/season outside in the sun and wind, then bring a winters worth into the garage so I don't have to drag it through the deep snows.


I think it's also important to store the garage wood off the concrete floor... I've never noticed an insect problem. I think drying outside drives them out of the wood, and the cats deal with any 4 legged wood pile visitors.


I've noticed that my splits seem small compared some, but my main source of wood is dead, bark-less, darn near dry, wind fallen oak. Most of the logs are under 12" diameter, many 6" or so...


Some may poo-poo the idea, but a cheap moisture meter from Harbor Freight might come in handy to give you a better idea of what you're working with. After your wood is good and dry, you'll bang 2 splits together and it will sound like you're banging two baseball bats. A nice loud crack... not a dull, dead thump.

Good luck, and welcome!!

 

Thank ErikR for the detailed help and pics

 

What? ... you have a dog?....and no pics yet?!?
we are dog lovers here too...
gotta check out this thread
Giz/Emma and everyones pets on the board | Firewood Hoarders Club
there is only 171 pages to go through

 

Now that I've helped to derail your thread a little further. Welcome to the club Nicholas62388 .
Glad you found us, you have found the best people on the internet.
There are 10,000 years worth of wood burning experience here.
If you've got questions, the answers are here. A quick search will usually find what your looking for, and if you don't find it just ask. Everyone here is more than willing to help. And of coarse, pics make it better...