Here is my experience with firewood shelf life. Twenty-three years ago before my wife and I moved to our new house - I had bought 2 truckloads of firewood off a local guy that cut in his own woods and split everything by hand. It was a mix of oak, cherry, and maple. He needed the money and told me I could have as much as I could haul in each load for $35 per load. At the time - I had a D100 Dodge Powerwagon 4x4 standard cab with an 8' bed. That old Powerwagon rode like a bull calf, but could really haul a load. My wife and I had to load it and had to throw ropes over the bed to keep the wood from falling out on the back roads to our new property. We figured between the 2 heaped loads that we had close to, if not over a full cord of wood. We cut some black locust poles off our new woods, to keep the firewood off the ground and stacked the 2 loads in a fairly open southerly facing patch. We always kept folded tarps over the top of the stacks and replaced the tarps several times over the past 23 years. Just this past summer - we decided to clear out the sections where this wood was stacked and starting burning it up in our weekend family firepit burns. There was some fine sawdust where the ants and other little gnawing critters had worked on it over the years - but for the most part that firewood was as good as the day, we loaded it. We live in the north-central portion of PA. We are figuring now that the black locust and dead ash tree that we are cutting and splitting will last us another 20 years or so and that should about do it for us anyway. Just my 2 cents.
One of your sheds roof (5:16 into the video) is allowing water to keep the bottom couple rows wet....THAT wood is going to be rotten in a couple years. The rest of it ought to be fine. I store 16 cords split between four sheds that each hold 4 cords. We burn 4-5 cords/yr, so that gives me 3 years ahead in theory, but what happens is I move one shed's worth into the basement in the fall, and begin to fill that shed as time permits....it may be spring before I get it filled, so the way it works out is something less than 3 years overall. Worst problem I have with older wood is powder post beetles.....they love to drill out oak and hickory, leaving a lot of real fine dust on the wood.....making it messy to handle.
I agree, in a shed like that it should last a long time. That being said, in a shed like that I would assume it would dry slower than some of your other storage spots due to being tightly stacked/less air flow. If it's been in there four years it should be prime, hit it with that moisture meter. There is great piece of mind in being years ahead on wood. I have a retired neighbor who is easily 10 years ahead and still cutting all the time, but like your farm he has lots of buildings to keep it in. As a side note you're doing very well to keep new topics for your video's, keeps it interesting. Thanks
Good point on the drying slower inside the shed...that's true. Thanks for the comment about keeping things interesting. I truly enjoy this more than I thought I would...and the best part is getting a community together with people like you in it. Appreciate all the support, feedback, watching...very grateful. Thank you.
I think it also depends on the species of wood. I burn all hard wood that I cut myself. I always go way over what I need being that we are in New Hampshire we burn about 5-7 cord a year. this year I am burning wood that has been drying for 4 years. It is by far the best wood I have ever burned. Very little smoke, great burn time, and tons of heat. Really can’t ask for more than that. Forgot to mention that I have 30+ years experience with burning wood for heat and I am still learning new things.
So true...species plays a big part. Nice on the 30+ years burning wood...that's a lot of BTUs under the belt....lol Thanks for the feedback and for watching....glad you're here in the Back 40 with us.
I’ve got a neighbor that cuts as he needs it he told me he does it that way if he was to die some other guy won’t move in and burn his wood that he cut. You guy’s definitely got some wood there nice inventory
@@Back40Firewood i have used wood that had been set aside as lumber for boat biulding , which usually seasons for 6 to 10 years , it burned hot and long , some of the best I've used . It was a mix of oak birch ash and elm so in my humble opinion 4 years I no where near too long .
Hahahaha! Good for him. I remember after my divorce, I sat in my small 1 bedroom flat, sweating my arse off, thinking about some other prick sitting in my nice flash home under my brand new air cond. LOL.
Depends on the wood? Ash is fantastic, cut it in the winter and burn the next or the bugs will turn it into sawdust. Hedge/Osage will last forever and a little more, under roof or left outside! As far as people saying old dry wood burns up too fast, don't split it so small if you are storing up for several years and close your damper down! Don't give it so much air! All the ashes you scoop out from burning wood that is not that dry is wasted energy. As long as it is not a wood that is deteriorated by insects it will last forever in really dry conditions.
I totally argee with you as long as it stay dry. wood will last many many years in a building. I have burnt hardwood that was cut and split for elevn year and it was great
If you keep the rain/snow off of it and keep airflow going to prevent mold it will last as long as a beam in your barn (forever/no shelf life) however... that being said, wood will only season and dry to a certain point. Once the sap is cured out you can’t stop water moisture content. If you have wood that 1 year old and down to 18% moisture and wood that is 4 years old and down to 18% moisture they will burn about the same. The other aspect people don’t think about is that wood will absorb moisture from humidity in the air. So no matter how old your wood is if you have a damp humid summer the wood will only get but so dry. Nice set up I like the way you take the effort to do all the little things keep it up I sell about 100 full cord or 300 facecord as we call it per year up in Western New York
A lot people are so used to burning wet wood They think wood can get too dry. If you take dry wood and put it on a camp fire it will most certainly burn faster with unlimited air but the new stoves are so controllable dry wood is not really a problem.. they love dry wood. Having said that I think they are optimized for 15 to 20% moisture. If it burns too fast spray some water on it for a couple of days before you burn it.. lol Also wood has an EMC (equalibrium moisture content) which is about 15% for most climates, which is prefect for modern wood stoves.
Great feedback here Andy....thanks for that. This is the one thing that just amazes me with UA-cam and the ability to bring people together to share wisdom and knowledge...glad you are here and doing just that...thank you my friend!
I'm agree with you on the shelf life thing, i think as long as it is under cover and stays dry it should last for several years. Nice bunch of wood you have there.
That wood stock pile is beautiful! Just awesome! To be 2 yrs + ahead and have all nice oak ready to go, ah man that would be nice! As far as the wood shelf life, I'd rather have super dry, faster burning wood, than the alternative. My late father had 10 acres in Northern Michigan, in 2013 he took down a few red oaks, and split them all up that summer. In 2018 I brought home a full pickup full of that same wood. I used it for overnight wood primarily. It might burn a little faster, but its going to light up the second you lay it in the stove. I just burned up my last piece a week ago, so that wood was almost 7 years old since split.
I think people over think everything. I find the best wood is what I have. I set it out for the summer then bring it in under roof in a wood shed in the fall to stay dry. I only cut down dead trees on my land. As long as the wood stays dry, it should last along time. Nice stash of wood you have.
I have a mohoning outdoor furnace with a 4ft firebox and an opening that’s 24”x24”. It burns anything, dry or not and has about 20 gallons of ash per cord. It doesn’t matter if I cut fresh pine or a rotten log. I cut enough thru the year to be about half a winter ahead. I would like to get a year ahead just in case something happens. I never used to split anything, because if I could lift it to my waist, it went in. I got sick a year ago and my wife couldn’t lift the billets. So now I split half of it. I burn 5 -6 cord a year to heat my house and my domestic hot water (furnace holds 275 gallons of water and it’s baseboard hot water heat). And the bonus is that there’s no wood carried into the house, so no wood dirt or smoke inside. Age it, dry it, or season it.... but with the right wood burner, it doesn’t matter.
That's the one thing with splitting my dad always taught me...make the pieces so they can be handled by someone other than you in case you can't do it. Don't wanna split too small however. And getting a few years ahead requires enough space and area to do so...I'm always looking how to both improve and expand my wood yard....lol.
lol....good point Tim...who to believe....hahaha I think with this topic and this community giving feedback we can all agree there will be great advice and to each their own.
A lot of the wood that we use is from dead cedar trees from wind breaks and unless you like cleaning chimneys that has to sit a minimum of three years . Dad used to say cedar sap is so full of oil that you needed 2yrs. for the water and 1 yr. for the oil . The hard wood that we burn never has a chance to get older than two years once it's been cut and split
Interesting/cool saying about the cedar...never burned any so not sure how it burns. Thanks for the feedback and for watching....always great getting conversation going like this.
What a nice set-up your Dad has there. I wish I had purchased a property with outbuildings, I'm starting from scratch. As for today's topic, you 'Covered' it quite well! Rain, Snow, Insects and yes, even the Sun are all factors as to how long a given species can be stored. I'm thinking your Dad has it figured out after all these years! My dad has never stored firewood outside, but then again at 85 he's only been heating his home with firewood for 67 years or so... There must be something to it! Certainly drier wood will burn faster, but the net BTU will be higher. My 2 cents. Blessings All!
Hello Mr. Saw Surgeon...always a treat to see you in the comments with your words of wisdom! One thing I forgot to mention was the bugs....we've had wood almost get eaten away with some type of bug...turned the wood into a fine dust...lol Thanks again for watching!
Hardwood takes more than one year to season. Depending type, it can take over two years. Seasoned wood is what you really want to burn. Wetter the wood, or more moisture in wood, the increase chance to start forming creosote in chimneys, which will start house fires. People who are afraid of using super dry wood, don't know how to use the hot coals left behind to their advantage. Too often, they will add heaps more wood to the fire soon as the last stick turns to fire hot coals. Depending on the size of ones home, or heating area, usually hot coals can keep enough heat going for a couple more hours before needing to plunge more wood into the fire.
i got your size of your shed. you have 9 cords of wood in there. that is a good load of wood. all your wood on the farm was a lot of work to get . looks great
I shoot for 15 to 20 % moisture rate. I use an outside boiler, little ash and almost no creosote. One fill lasts 24 hours, easy peasy. Different species takes different times red oak 2 years, white oak and most maple 12 months, ash 6 months. I stack outside in totes or bags, cover with rain tarps pull them off when there is a dry stretch. I really like your sheds!
I grew up with wood heat, and still heat with wood exclusively. I do think that wood can be too dry, and it will burn very quickly. However, if you pay attention to wood that you have; it can be great heat for those times of the year where you are simply trying to take the chill out of the house/shop. I'm always one that uses the best wood in the colder part of the winter and everything else is used fall and spring. Now I also think that storing wood in the same types of storage is not always the same from state to state. Some areas are wet a good portion of the year, some are more humid etc.. So I think there is no general rule for all areas, just like there is no general rule for how long wood takes to dry. Thanks for your videos; I enjoy watching them!
Good feedback here....thanks! Yeah so many factors when it comes to drying out wood. And then yes, depending on what you want for a fire sometimes REALLY dry wood works best...then sometimes for an overnighter ya might want a big hunk that's not as dry. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
I have let wood seasoned for 4 to 6 years in a wood shed. You burn less wood ( more btu’s ) and less ashes. I do leave wood out in the weather to season also. I have found out the more you can let the wood seasoned the less work you have to do in the end. If you have the time and space.
That's true about the space and the time to let it season. 2 BIG factors in the firewood game. Thanks for the comment...really great having people like you in the community and contributing to the conversations...thanks again my friend.
Depends on the species and condition of the wood when processed (possibly also extended extreme climate conditions). Standing dead or trees already in various states of decay skew any kind of standardized testing of the seasoning process and is probably what is responsible for a wide range of "opinion" on shelf life for firewood. If only healthy cull trees are considered and tested then each species will attain it's seasoned attributes (assuming very similar size and storage conditions), but over different time frames, in which case, most softwoods and the less dense hardwoods may easily be perceived to have gone past their shelf life, but that is only because they are low density woods that are less suitable for firewood in the first place! If a wood shed is filled with oak and hickory and black locust and such, it might take a couple years to season but the shelf life would be decades in most climate conditions.
Grandfather typically had firewood laying around that was 8-10 years old. Always burnt well. So if one stored it well I would say 10 years under ideal circumstances.
Just got a new woodstove last winter and the manual states the wood should be dried between 6-14 month, longer than that and it burns too fast. Really depends on the wood type, how it's stacked and how it's being burned for how long it needs/should be seasoned for.
i agree with bait ammo, it depends on the wood. oak is very moist and needs 2 years to season, ash you can almost burn right away, rock maple last a long time, but if it is covered it will last forever
I doubt that it has much of a shelf life to be concerned about. On the flip side, each year's worth of stored wood is on hand in case of injury, illness, or other hard times.That fella that has 10 years of wood piled up can blow out a knee or rupture a disk and still have 10 years to figure out what to do. Forward thinking.
Yes, good point...the further ahead you can get the better in case there's a year you can't or don't make as much. Thanks for watching and the feedback. 👍
The driver the better, I want a quick fast fire. When I was a kid dad had some we had split and stacked 10 years. As long as its dry madrone and oak didn't rot.
I have season 1 that's probably 10 to 11 years old Burns just as good probably Burns a little bit quicker but what I usually do is spray them down with water to get a little moisture back into the wood and then let it dry back out again it's no big deal
Yea I agree with most of the comment the older it is the better it burns. As long as you keep it dry and air can move around it. This year I’m burning wood 3years old it’s best I’ve burned yet.
Yep, keeping it out of the rain/weather is key. I'm burning 4 year old stuff now and like you said, it's been the best burning wood I think I've had in a long while.
I like going 2 years , currently using 3 very dry burns great with great heat .not all my wood under storage until a month before burning. Any rotten pieces go to fire pit it's usually maple or cherry not oak
I live in Australia, wood is hard to come by, unless you buy it, and it is more expensive at the moment than gas or reverse cycle heating. It's illegal to cut down wood on your property, either dead trees or fallen trees. We have a brand new wood heater in the house and an old one in the workshop. But we use reverse cycle heating, and will do until the price of power passes the price of wood. (Long way to go). Nevertheless, I store what wood I can in anticipation of that day. And I store anything and everything I can get my hands on. I'm 62yrs old, and I've had a heart attack, but I cut and store everything, from rotted fence posts to sticks the diameter of your finger. If it burns, I'll stack it. I don't believe there is such a thing as bad wood. If it burns, it's good wood! If it burns fast, I'll throw more on. I don't understand people saying some wood doesn't burn hot enough, it's on fire for Pete's sake. Stick your finger in the flame and then tell me it's not hot!
I had firewood in a couple of old sheds for 10+ yrs and it was like paper, gave it to a friend for free and I don't think it burned very well at all. He has a cheapo woodstove in an uninsulated garage though.
If wet cordwood is stored in an enclosed shed will it rot the roof out? I went out and took pictures of a shed roof that was wet the roofing nails rusting. I think it's moisture from the wood.
Depends on your burn chamber in home wood stove the older the better..,3 4 year mark is excessive lol....1to 2 years I've found with hardwood after it's green split..is opimal but I have noticed that it tends to get kindling dry after 2yrs again in a wood stove isn't bad but it's going to burn like tender...which isn't opimal either...
I been burning wood for about 10 years in my shop. I store it outside, uncovered, 4 years is about the max I can get with oak. Have some black locust, almost 10 years old, sitting on the ground, I'm mixing some of it in this year, I hear it burns very very hot.
I've heard that as well about black locust. I've never had any to burn so not sure. 4 years sounds about right for oak if just stored outside....thanks for watching and the feedback.
I can tell you that here in Denmark I have to store Oak for two years before it´s ready for burning - and almost the same for Beech. Pine I have to store at least one year before it´s ready. It all goes for bucked and split firewood. So shelf live I would say, that if it is stores as you do, I would guess it could be three to four years after it´s ready for burning before it starts to loose some of it´s burning value. Just my opinion of course.
I think that your setup is very good and the wood lasts longer. My question is.. why not put in a door instead of the window so that you can access the 4 year wood easier? Obviously you would wand a door with a window for airflow as well, even if it is a small door.
Great point and observation Eric!! :-) We have actually thought about that once we get back to that end of the shed after this year and before we start filing it back up. Need access from the other end. Thanks for that feedback and for watching.
In my experience wood never really gets below 10% on moisture meter. As long as ants and bugs don't turn it to powder, or wood gets punky, I've had firewood that is 10 years old.
As to the question regarding shelf life of firewood, I think it depends upon how well the wood is stored. Moisture content of wood is not exclusively water. The other components are collectively called 'volatile esters'. This is the oils and alcohol, etc. in the wood. These other liquids have valuable fuel content. If the water content of the firewood drops low enough then these volatile esters will begin to evaporate next. So, there is a sweet spot to when is the best time to burn wood. However, the consequences of burning too soon and wasting energy boiling off moisture and creating creosote are far greater than the minimal loss of energy if the wood is burned after becoming too dry and losing volatile esters.
I believe that for wood is no shelf life. I still burn wood that I cut in 2008. The water moisture goes back to 5% and That's what it stays. It doesn't get dryer. I dry my wood in a greenhouse where I used to grow crop. In the summer the maximum temperature gets to 50 to 55 degrees Celsius. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit but it's a lot. Whatever the wood I stack in there it is dry in 3 months. Oak. Apple, Willow, Chesnutt, Cherry, and Alder wood. Most wood is soft wood. People turn their backs on soft wood but it is a good fire starter and gives a lot of heat in a short time. I have a kitchen wood stove that is connected to my central heating system. So when I burn wood I don't use natural gas.
Yes sir I've actually seen this elsewhere showed my neighbor built his as we call it a solar klin first week in May of last year in New Hampshire 11pm it was 140 degrees in there he has a 1 inch gap on either side of his pitches for the moisture to escape as it forms on the roof and has 2 12 inch fans on timers for circulation 16 ×8×8 you could watch the water pour out he dried 28 full cord give or take as of December at 7-10 moisture content we're building my this year while we install my new classic edge hdx 760 boiler he has a 560
I would think in general average wood burner will not have the luxury of storing 4 years of firewood based on 4 to 6 cords a year usage, I only store in 2 year rotation. Take care wood hound!
Interesting topic. I really don't think there is a "shelf life" on firewood stored outside in dry conditions like most of what you have here. It would be tough to get wood stored outside down below 15%ish percent moisture depending on climate. There is enough humidity in the air in most places to keep wood from ever reaching much lower. Now I do believe there is a shelf life on wood stored outside the other way. It can certainly get too wet if not covered properly. Ive had stacks that I let sit too long that were pretty much junk after 4-5 years BUT they were not stored properly.
True here you can see what moisture content of wood stored outside will equalize at in your area www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base_images/zp/equilibrium_moisture_content.pdf
Like people been saying..all depends on type of wood and how its stored. Shit with a coal bed u could burn the greenest of wood or wood so dry it's like paper mache. Your wood is perfectly seasoned when it has 13 to no higher at any point 20 % moisture content if you had 5 cord of oak all with 15% moisture youd have perfectly burning fire wood not burning to fast and hot or low and slow.
I dont think It could be too dry. I've heard people say that before, but never agreed with them. As long as it is outside it is going to have moisture in it. The only way to get it totally dry would be in a kiln.
I did your math for you... Based on 16 inch long pieces and the measurements you gave for the 70 foot long row 2 rows deep and 6 foot high.. calculating by inches... 840x72x32 divide by 1728 and then divide again by 128 cubic feet... It works out to 8.75 cord... The second stack at 12 rows deep, 6 feet high and 16 feet long works out to 9 cord. So it's almost the same amount of wood in each. So 18 cord more or less.
I would like your advice, or anyone else who would like to chime in. I just built a couple of woodsheds. Both holds roughly two years a piece. Do you think it would be a good idea to split & stack maybe a year before I store it in the shed to help with drying time? Or would four years in a wood shed be enough drying time for red & white oak? I have never stored wood in a shed. Im just thinking less air flow, sunlight etc.. Im just not sure.
Is the shed open on the ends or the sides? The main thing with storing wood inside especially if it's still fairly green is having air flow. If you have good ventilation then storing it in the shed right away and having it there for a couple years will be fine. My wood shed/storing area has 2 sides that are completely open, no wall at all. If your shed has full walls on all sides would it be possible to open a wall up? The shed in this video only had a small window at one end and the opposite side was completely open...we ended up making the window larger to allow more air in.
@@Back40Firewood Thanks for replying. My shed has three walls, the sides and back. But the walls are wood slats with three and a half inch gaps between them. The shed holds four rows of wood, and I try to keep a small gap between the rows. I have only been burning wood for four years now. Still learning. Still looking for that "perfect" system LOL. Appreciate your channel, content, comments. Seems like a good firewood community you have here.
Ahh cool...good to know, thanks! yeah I'm not good at figuring that stuff out...if I gotta count past 10 & can't take my shoes off I'm in trouble ;-) Ha....hahahah Thanks for the feedback and for watching.
@@Back40Firewood www.firewood-for-life.com/firewood-measurements.html is the web page I use. I'm using to figure out how much i can get in them ibc totes and other stuff as well. I like the videos keep them coming. Oh by the way I wish "the morgans" would give you credit on that 16 way wedge video that thing is a beast.
I am burning some wood this year that has been stored for about 8-10 years, off the ground, with a heavy tarp covering the top half, under the eave of the carport. It is dry as a chip at 5-7% water measured on two gauges. It burns very hot (that's a good thing) and faster than 1-2 year wood and I'm good with that. Why waste BTU's driving the moisture out of wood that is 15-20% moisture content. If your wood is very dry you can slow the burn rate down without producing a lot of harmful creosote. If you do that on wetter wood, you will need to clean the chimney much more often. To me, it's like money in the bank. I've never had trouble from insects on any of that long storage wood. I always try to have a good reserve of wood because I help families in need, especially in colder winters and YOU JUST NEVER CAN PREDICT WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN. In your case, You are heating with it and that's your only source. I'd have a BIG reserve!
No termites, but do have ants. Usually only run into the when processing the firewood. Once it's split they don't seem to bother it....only when it's still in tree form.
In the one shed we do have it up off the ground. Along the other shed the racks are off the ground and everything else is on concrete. We prolly should put pallets or something on the concrete however.
eagle 1 Don W , it is ture it will dry to be very dry an burn fast as far as a shelf life I would thing as long as termices are not around , BURN IT what the HELL .
I think your cord count is off, 4x6x5 is just under a cord. It looks like you have way more cords than you think.I cant afford 5 cords a year, so i spent money on the house insulation and windows, I found cold air leaks and made the house air tight. Then i found out the county has a weatherization program and a bunch of free stuff to insulate homes. Shelf life is before the wood turns punkey.
2 dry of wood you have to put green with it 2 green of wood you have to put dry wood with it.best to have wood about two thirds dry,it burns great with plenty of BTUs belive it or not.real drry wood you are like burning slabs. Burns up too fast
Keep it dry and it will outlast all of us. We have a 16” birch block that we keep next to our wood stove, it’s at least as old as me and I just turned 50
Cut firewood is no different than a 2x4 etc. Look how long the lumber has been in that old barn. It's just as strong as a new 2x4, keep it dry and out of the elements of mother nature.
Proper storage is the key. Off the ground and out of the rain. In a shed like you have on your farm, that wood will last for decades. It will naturally retain some moisture for many, many years. Too dry? No way Jose.
I've heard comments about storing wood for too long but it's from folk who buy in all their logs so can be fussy about what they get. Yes, drier wood burns more quickly so you get through it quicker but should that stop you using it? Some of us can't be that fussy.
I don't think the wood can be too dry. However the longer you keep it the more chance of it rotting, being contaminated or stolen Also is using a shed to store wood the best use of that shed? The undercover area shown at the end could be used to store all sorts of things out of the weather. Is it sensible to have ten years worth of wood under shelter and your car and farm equipment out in the weather?
Pretty sure from previous videos he stores almost everything outside of his truck and as in previous comments doesn't hurt to be prepared for unseen events ie health or economic issues
I season my wood in stalls in a barn. I try to keep 2 years ahead. But I have three stalls I use and I just fill them up. 8 feet high 16 feet long and 8 feet wide. Depending upon the weather here in California we burn 2-3 cords a year. AlwAys keep ahead. The drier it is the more heat your getting out of your wood. And less ash and creosote.
A 250-year-old Stradivarius violin will burn just as well as your 2-year dried oak logs. I promise. A viola or cello by the same maker will burn longer. It's just that the logs are cheaper.
Here is my experience with firewood shelf life. Twenty-three years ago before my wife and I moved to our new house - I had bought 2 truckloads of firewood off a local guy that cut in his own woods and split everything by hand. It was a mix of oak, cherry, and maple. He needed the money and told me I could have as much as I could haul in each load for $35 per load. At the time - I had a D100 Dodge Powerwagon 4x4 standard cab with an 8' bed. That old Powerwagon rode like a bull calf, but could really haul a load. My wife and I had to load it and had to throw ropes over the bed to keep the wood from falling out on the back roads to our new property. We figured between the 2 heaped loads that we had close to, if not over a full cord of wood. We cut some black locust poles off our new woods, to keep the firewood off the ground and stacked the 2 loads in a fairly open southerly facing patch. We always kept folded tarps over the top of the stacks and replaced the tarps several times over the past 23 years. Just this past summer - we decided to clear out the sections where this wood was stacked and starting burning it up in our weekend family firepit burns. There was some fine sawdust where the ants and other little gnawing critters had worked on it over the years - but for the most part that firewood was as good as the day, we loaded it. We live in the north-central portion of PA. We are figuring now that the black locust and dead ash tree that we are cutting and splitting will last us another 20 years or so and that should about do it for us anyway. Just my 2 cents.
One of your sheds roof (5:16 into the video) is allowing water to keep the bottom couple rows wet....THAT wood is going to be rotten in a couple years. The rest of it ought to be fine. I store 16 cords split between four sheds that each hold 4 cords. We burn 4-5 cords/yr, so that gives me 3 years ahead in theory, but what happens is I move one shed's worth into the basement in the fall, and begin to fill that shed as time permits....it may be spring before I get it filled, so the way it works out is something less than 3 years overall.
Worst problem I have with older wood is powder post beetles.....they love to drill out oak and hickory, leaving a lot of real fine dust on the wood.....making it messy to handle.
I agree, in a shed like that it should last a long time. That being said, in a shed like that I would assume it would dry slower than some of your other storage spots due to being tightly stacked/less air flow. If it's been in there four years it should be prime, hit it with that moisture meter. There is great piece of mind in being years ahead on wood. I have a retired neighbor who is easily 10 years ahead and still cutting all the time, but like your farm he has lots of buildings to keep it in. As a side note you're doing very well to keep new topics for your video's, keeps it interesting. Thanks
Good point on the drying slower inside the shed...that's true.
Thanks for the comment about keeping things interesting. I truly enjoy this more than I thought I would...and the best part is getting a community together with people like you in it.
Appreciate all the support, feedback, watching...very grateful. Thank you.
I never had wood season more than a year. So I have no idea. You are a bona fide wood hound that's for sure.
lol....thanks Tom....yeah have a few pieces gathered up down there.
I think it also depends on the species of wood. I burn all hard wood that I cut myself. I always go way over what I need being that we are in New Hampshire we burn about 5-7 cord a year. this year I am burning wood that has been drying for 4 years. It is by far the best wood I have ever burned. Very little smoke, great burn time, and tons of heat. Really can’t ask for more than that. Forgot to mention that I have 30+ years experience with burning wood for heat and I am still learning new things.
So true...species plays a big part. Nice on the 30+ years burning wood...that's a lot of BTUs under the belt....lol
Thanks for the feedback and for watching....glad you're here in the Back 40 with us.
I’ve got a neighbor that cuts as he needs it he told me he does it that way if he was to die some other guy won’t move in and burn his wood that he cut. You guy’s definitely got some wood there nice inventory
Hahahahaha.....that's a great reason...funny....don't wanna leave any wood for someone else to burn...lol
Thanks for sharing that.
@@Back40Firewood i have used wood that had been set aside as lumber for boat biulding , which usually seasons for 6 to 10 years , it burned hot and long , some of the best I've used . It was a mix of oak birch ash and elm so in my humble opinion 4 years I no where near too long .
Hahahaha! Good for him.
I remember after my divorce, I sat in my small 1 bedroom flat, sweating my arse off, thinking about some other prick sitting in my nice flash home under my brand new air cond. LOL.
Hi there from Yorkshire UK.. That's one hell of a stash.
Depends on the wood? Ash is fantastic, cut it in the winter and burn the next or the bugs will turn it into sawdust. Hedge/Osage will last forever and a little more, under roof or left outside! As far as people saying old dry wood burns up too fast, don't split it so small if you are storing up for several years and close your damper down! Don't give it so much air! All the ashes you scoop out from burning wood that is not that dry is wasted energy. As long as it is not a wood that is deteriorated by insects it will last forever in really dry conditions.
Great feedback right here...thanks for that...and for watching.
I totally argee with you as long as it stay dry. wood will last many many years in a building. I have burnt hardwood that was cut and split for elevn year and it was great
wow...that for sure was seasoned wood right there! Thanks for the feedback and for watching.
I've lurked long enough - I like your video content. I'm joining up. Thanks for the hard work.
Thanks Fritz....appreciate that...Welcome to the Back 40 my friend!! :-)
That's awesome you have all that storage space !
If you keep the rain/snow off of it and keep airflow going to prevent mold it will last as long as a beam in your barn (forever/no shelf life) however... that being said, wood will only season and dry to a certain point. Once the sap is cured out you can’t stop water moisture content. If you have wood that 1 year old and down to 18% moisture and wood that is 4 years old and down to 18% moisture they will burn about the same. The other aspect people don’t think about is that wood will absorb moisture from humidity in the air. So no matter how old your wood is if you have a damp humid summer the wood will only get but so dry. Nice set up I like the way you take the effort to do all the little things keep it up I sell about 100 full cord or 300 facecord as we call it per year up in Western New York
A lot people are so used to burning wet wood They think wood can get too dry. If you take dry wood and put it on a camp fire it will most certainly burn faster with unlimited air but the new stoves are so controllable dry wood is not really a problem.. they love dry wood. Having said that I think they are optimized for 15 to 20% moisture. If it burns too fast spray some water on it for a couple of days before you burn it.. lol Also wood has an EMC (equalibrium moisture content) which is about 15% for most climates, which is prefect for modern wood stoves.
Well said Andy
Great feedback here Andy....thanks for that. This is the one thing that just amazes me with UA-cam and the ability to bring people together to share wisdom and knowledge...glad you are here and doing just that...thank you my friend!
Im Burning three year old wood stored similarly to your set up and its been great, lasts a nice long time in my stove.
I'm agree with you on the shelf life thing, i think as long as it is under cover and stays dry it should last for several years. Nice bunch of wood you have there.
My computer has been in for repair for 5 days so I'm just catching up on your latest videos. Love them! 918 subs as I type this!
Thanks...glad you are enjoying the content and the channel...appreciate the comment!
Man that's some great inventory!
That wood stock pile is beautiful! Just awesome! To be 2 yrs + ahead and have all nice oak ready to go, ah man that would be nice! As far as the wood shelf life, I'd rather have super dry, faster burning wood, than the alternative. My late father had 10 acres in Northern Michigan, in 2013 he took down a few red oaks, and split them all up that summer. In 2018 I brought home a full pickup full of that same wood. I used it for overnight wood primarily. It might burn a little faster, but its going to light up the second you lay it in the stove. I just burned up my last piece a week ago, so that wood was almost 7 years old since split.
Remember when 1000 subs was a bug deal great work brother
I think people over think everything. I find the best wood is what I have. I set it out for the summer then bring it in under roof in a wood shed in the fall to stay dry. I only cut down dead trees on my land. As long as the wood stays dry, it should last along time. Nice stash of wood you have.
I have a mohoning outdoor furnace with a 4ft firebox and an opening that’s 24”x24”. It burns anything, dry or not and has about 20 gallons of ash per cord. It doesn’t matter if I cut fresh pine or a rotten log. I cut enough thru the year to be about half a winter ahead. I would like to get a year ahead just in case something happens. I never used to split anything, because if I could lift it to my waist, it went in. I got sick a year ago and my wife couldn’t lift the billets. So now I split half of it. I burn 5 -6 cord a year to heat my house and my domestic hot water (furnace holds 275 gallons of water and it’s baseboard hot water heat). And the bonus is that there’s no wood carried into the house, so no wood dirt or smoke inside. Age it, dry it, or season it.... but with the right wood burner, it doesn’t matter.
That's the one thing with splitting my dad always taught me...make the pieces so they can be handled by someone other than you in case you can't do it. Don't wanna split too small however. And getting a few years ahead requires enough space and area to do so...I'm always looking how to both improve and expand my wood yard....lol.
I think as long as the woods kept good and dry underneath of a building or something it last for long as you have it in there
Good question I always wondered that myself who’s answer are we going to believe
lol....good point Tim...who to believe....hahaha
I think with this topic and this community giving feedback we can all agree there will be great advice and to each their own.
A lot of the wood that we use is from dead cedar trees from wind breaks and unless you like cleaning chimneys that has to sit a minimum of three years . Dad used to say cedar sap is so full of oil that you needed 2yrs. for the water and 1 yr. for the oil . The hard wood that we burn never has a chance to get older than two years once it's been cut and split
Interesting/cool saying about the cedar...never burned any so not sure how it burns. Thanks for the feedback and for watching....always great getting conversation going like this.
What a nice set-up your Dad has there. I wish I had purchased a property with outbuildings, I'm starting from scratch.
As for today's topic, you 'Covered' it quite well! Rain, Snow, Insects and yes, even the Sun are all factors as to how long a given species can be stored.
I'm thinking your Dad has it figured out after all these years! My dad has never stored firewood outside, but then again at 85 he's only been heating his home with firewood for 67 years or so... There must be something to it!
Certainly drier wood will burn faster, but the net BTU will be higher. My 2 cents.
Blessings All!
Hello Mr. Saw Surgeon...always a treat to see you in the comments with your words of wisdom! One thing I forgot to mention was the bugs....we've had wood almost get eaten away with some type of bug...turned the wood into a fine dust...lol
Thanks again for watching!
When I was a kid we used wood that had been sitting around for years all the time. I just might get back to storing wood for the fireplace and smoker
Hardwood takes more than one year to season. Depending type, it can take over two years. Seasoned wood is what you really want to burn. Wetter the wood, or more moisture in wood, the increase chance to start forming creosote in chimneys, which will start house fires. People who are afraid of using super dry wood, don't know how to use the hot coals left behind to their advantage. Too often, they will add heaps more wood to the fire soon as the last stick turns to fire hot coals. Depending on the size of ones home, or heating area, usually hot coals can keep enough heat going for a couple more hours before needing to plunge more wood into the fire.
i got your size of your shed. you have 9 cords of wood in there. that is a good load of wood. all your wood on the farm was a lot of work to get . looks great
Thanks Joe...yeah it's a process getting all the firewood and one that gets repeated each year...lol
Interestingly enough, I just acquired a pile of dried firewood (in a corncrib for over 15 years) and it tested out at 14% as well. Red oak.
15 year old Oak?!?! Wow...yeah I think with humidity and just the type of climate we have getting under 15% is about the best you can ask for.
@@Back40Firewood
I think your theory of the firewood holding and releasing is quite valid.
getting close to that 1000 subs.Well done.
Thank you....it's crazy in a good, no GREAT way!! lol....been an awesome ride so far. Very grateful.
I shoot for 15 to 20 % moisture rate. I use an outside boiler, little ash and almost no creosote. One fill lasts 24 hours, easy peasy.
Different species takes different times red oak 2 years, white oak and most maple 12 months, ash 6 months.
I stack outside in totes or bags, cover with rain tarps pull them off when there is a dry stretch.
I really like your sheds!
I grew up with wood heat, and still heat with wood exclusively. I do think that wood can be too dry, and it will burn very quickly. However, if you pay attention to wood that you have; it can be great heat for those times of the year where you are simply trying to take the chill out of the house/shop. I'm always one that uses the best wood in the colder part of the winter and everything else is used fall and spring. Now I also think that storing wood in the same types of storage is not always the same from state to state. Some areas are wet a good portion of the year, some are more humid etc.. So I think there is no general rule for all areas, just like there is no general rule for how long wood takes to dry. Thanks for your videos; I enjoy watching them!
Good feedback here....thanks! Yeah so many factors when it comes to drying out wood. And then yes, depending on what you want for a fire sometimes REALLY dry wood works best...then sometimes for an overnighter ya might want a big hunk that's not as dry.
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
I have let wood seasoned for 4 to 6 years in a wood shed. You burn less wood ( more btu’s ) and less ashes. I do leave wood out in the weather to season also. I have found out the more you can let the wood seasoned the less work you have to do in the end. If you have the time and space.
That's true about the space and the time to let it season. 2 BIG factors in the firewood game. Thanks for the comment...really great having people like you in the community and contributing to the conversations...thanks again my friend.
Depends on the species and condition of the wood when processed (possibly also extended extreme climate conditions). Standing dead or trees already in various states of decay skew any kind of standardized testing of the seasoning process and is probably what is responsible for a wide range of "opinion" on shelf life for firewood. If only healthy cull trees are considered and tested then each species will attain it's seasoned attributes (assuming very similar size and storage conditions), but over different time frames, in which case, most softwoods and the less dense hardwoods may easily be perceived to have gone past their shelf life, but that is only because they are low density woods that are less suitable for firewood in the first place!
If a wood shed is filled with oak and hickory and black locust and such, it might take a couple years to season but the shelf life would be decades in most climate conditions.
Grandfather typically had firewood laying around that was 8-10 years old. Always burnt well. So if one stored it well I would say 10 years under ideal circumstances.
Just got a new woodstove last winter and the manual states the wood should be dried between 6-14 month, longer than that and it burns too fast. Really depends on the wood type, how it's stacked and how it's being burned for how long it needs/should be seasoned for.
i agree with bait ammo, it depends on the wood. oak is very moist and needs 2 years to season, ash you can almost burn right away, rock maple last a long time, but if it is covered it will last forever
I doubt that it has much of a shelf life to be concerned about. On the flip side, each year's worth of stored wood is on hand in case of injury, illness, or other hard times.That fella that has 10 years of wood piled up can blow out a knee or rupture a disk and still have 10 years to figure out what to do. Forward thinking.
Yes, good point...the further ahead you can get the better in case there's a year you can't or don't make as much. Thanks for watching and the feedback. 👍
Keeping the rain and snow off is a real advantage.
Peanut Butter and Jealous of your storage areas!
Very true...rain & snow over time really can turn wood bad. Thanks for the feedback and for watching...appreciate it!
The driver the better, I want a quick fast fire. When I was a kid dad had some we had split and stacked 10 years. As long as its dry madrone and oak didn't rot.
I have season 1 that's probably 10 to 11 years old Burns just as good probably Burns a little bit quicker but what I usually do is spray them down with water to get a little moisture back into the wood and then let it dry back out again it's no big deal
Yea I agree with most of the comment the older it is the better it burns. As long as you keep it dry and air can move around it. This year I’m burning wood 3years old it’s best I’ve burned yet.
Yep, keeping it out of the rain/weather is key. I'm burning 4 year old stuff now and like you said, it's been the best burning wood I think I've had in a long while.
I like going 2 years , currently using 3 very dry burns great with great heat .not all my wood under storage until a month before burning. Any rotten pieces go to fire pit it's usually maple or cherry not oak
Hey Jim....how ya been? I separate some of the 'bad' stuff out for the ole fire pit as well.
I live in Australia, wood is hard to come by, unless you buy it, and it is more expensive at the moment than gas or reverse cycle heating. It's illegal to cut down wood on your property, either dead trees or fallen trees. We have a brand new wood heater in the house and an old one in the workshop. But we use reverse cycle heating, and will do until the price of power passes the price of wood. (Long way to go). Nevertheless, I store what wood I can in anticipation of that day. And I store anything and everything I can get my hands on. I'm 62yrs old, and I've had a heart attack, but I cut and store everything, from rotted fence posts to sticks the diameter of your finger. If it burns, I'll stack it. I don't believe there is such a thing as bad wood. If it burns, it's good wood! If it burns fast, I'll throw more on. I don't understand people saying some wood doesn't burn hot enough, it's on fire for Pete's sake. Stick your finger in the flame and then tell me it's not hot!
I have a wood furnace I go through about 3-4 cords a yr. Plus I burn about half a tone of coal to cut back on firewood
Nice....I've never burned coal or have known anyone round here to do so.
You do realize the tree huggers made coal the devil during the last administration... makes me think I need to start burning coal.
I had firewood in a couple of old sheds for 10+ yrs and it was like paper, gave it to a friend for free and I don't think it burned very well at all.
He has a cheapo woodstove in an uninsulated garage though.
Wood is changing moisture content all the time it changes with the humidity of the air. Its considerd liveing
If wet cordwood is stored in an enclosed shed will it rot the roof out? I went out and took pictures of a shed roof that was wet the roofing nails rusting. I think it's moisture from the wood.
Depends on your burn chamber in home wood stove the older the better..,3 4 year mark is excessive lol....1to 2 years I've found with hardwood after it's green split..is opimal but I have noticed that it tends to get kindling dry after 2yrs again in a wood stove isn't bad but it's going to burn like tender...which isn't opimal either...
I been burning wood for about 10 years in my shop. I store it outside, uncovered, 4 years is about the max I can get with oak. Have some black locust, almost 10 years old, sitting on the ground, I'm mixing some of it in this year, I hear it burns very very hot.
I've heard that as well about black locust. I've never had any to burn so not sure. 4 years sounds about right for oak if just stored outside....thanks for watching and the feedback.
I can tell you that here in Denmark I have to store Oak for two years before it´s ready for burning - and almost the same for Beech. Pine I have to store at least one year before it´s ready. It all goes for bucked and split firewood. So shelf live I would say, that if it is stores as you do, I would guess it could be three to four years after it´s ready for burning before it starts to loose some of it´s burning value. Just my opinion of course.
👍🤠
As long as you keep it dry, your good. It only rots if it gets wet. The longer it dries the better !
What happens when your wood starts growing shrooms? Can you burn that? Can you still sell that?
I think that your setup is very good and the wood lasts longer. My question is.. why not put in a door instead of the window so that you can access the 4 year wood easier? Obviously you would wand a door with a window for airflow as well, even if it is a small door.
Great point and observation Eric!! :-) We have actually thought about that once we get back to that end of the shed after this year and before we start filing it back up. Need access from the other end.
Thanks for that feedback and for watching.
In my experience wood never really gets below 10% on moisture meter. As long as ants and bugs don't turn it to powder, or wood gets punky, I've had firewood that is 10 years old.
As to the question regarding shelf life of firewood, I think it depends upon how well the wood is stored.
Moisture content of wood is not exclusively water. The other components are collectively called 'volatile esters'. This is the oils and alcohol, etc. in the wood. These other liquids have valuable fuel content. If the water content of the firewood drops low enough then these volatile esters will begin to evaporate next. So, there is a sweet spot to when is the best time to burn wood. However, the consequences of burning too soon and wasting energy boiling off moisture and creating creosote are far greater than the minimal loss of energy if the wood is burned after becoming too dry and losing volatile esters.
Hello HardwayRanch...thanks for that feedback, interesting and great points you make. Thanks for watching and for that feedback, appreciate it.
We'll put..👍
I believe that for wood is no shelf life. I still burn wood that I cut in 2008. The water moisture goes back to 5% and That's what it stays. It doesn't get dryer. I dry my wood in a greenhouse where I used to grow crop. In the summer the maximum temperature gets to 50 to 55 degrees Celsius. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit but it's a lot. Whatever the wood I stack in there it is dry in 3 months. Oak. Apple, Willow, Chesnutt, Cherry, and Alder wood. Most wood is soft wood. People turn their backs on soft wood but it is a good fire starter and gives a lot of heat in a short time. I have a kitchen wood stove that is connected to my central heating system. So when I burn wood I don't use natural gas.
Yes sir I've actually seen this elsewhere showed my neighbor built his as we call it a solar klin first week in May of last year in New Hampshire 11pm it was 140 degrees in there he has a 1 inch gap on either side of his pitches for the moisture to escape as it forms on the roof and has 2 12 inch fans on timers for circulation 16 ×8×8 you could watch the water pour out he dried 28 full cord give or take as of December at 7-10 moisture content we're building my this year while we install my new classic edge hdx 760 boiler he has a 560
I would think in general average wood burner will not have the luxury of storing 4 years of firewood based on 4 to 6 cords a year usage, I only store in 2 year rotation. Take care wood hound!
That is true....the space to store a lot of wood comes plays a HUGE factor. 2 year rotation is great...nice work and thanks for the comment.
I told my wife i was going to move her car out of the garage so i could store the wood on her side.
I'm still on the couch.
Interesting topic. I really don't think there is a "shelf life" on firewood stored outside in dry conditions like most of what you have here. It would be tough to get wood stored outside down below 15%ish percent moisture depending on climate. There is enough humidity in the air in most places to keep wood from ever reaching much lower. Now I do believe there is a shelf life on wood stored outside the other way. It can certainly get too wet if not covered properly. Ive had stacks that I let sit too long that were pretty much junk after 4-5 years BUT they were not stored properly.
True here you can see what moisture content of wood stored outside will equalize at in your area www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base_images/zp/equilibrium_moisture_content.pdf
Yo Fern Hill Farm...thanks for watching! #1kByTurkeyDay just turned into #HolyCrapThisMightHappenREALSOON....lol
@@Back40Firewood Tomorrow my man!
I'm with you... My house is 50 years old... All the same wood, thats my stance on shelf life. As long as it doesnt rot,and the bugs stay out.
Right on....that's one thing I didn't mention was the bugs...they can really cause some damage.
Like people been saying..all depends on type of wood and how its stored. Shit with a coal bed u could burn the greenest of wood or wood so dry it's like paper mache. Your wood is perfectly seasoned when it has 13 to no higher at any point 20 % moisture content if you had 5 cord of oak all with 15% moisture youd have perfectly burning fire wood not burning to fast and hot or low and slow.
It depends on the type of wood you are storing i would think
Lots of wood there.
Yes there is, but with firewood....there's never 'enough'...lol
@@Back40Firewood
I know
not a problem if stored like you have it, will burn good and drier wood has less creasote
No shelf life but If you let it sit for like 6 years split it can get so dry that it burns fast like pine.
Storage is the key factor along with air dampening when burning!
Agree Captn! How'd the mill been working out for ya? Did ya get that big Oak up on it?
Big oak may have to wait until spring...I’ve been way to busy to do any of my own stuff
Nearly at the big 1000. 👍🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Gettin closer...
I dont think It could be too dry. I've heard people say that before, but never agreed with them. As long as it is outside it is going to have moisture in it. The only way to get it totally dry would be in a kiln.
Solar klin aka greenhouse 7 to 10% in 3 months 24 inch boiler wood
If the wood is packed in the dry it’ll last a lot of years take a look at your wooden furniture it don’t rot!
I did your math for you... Based on 16 inch long pieces and the measurements you gave for the 70 foot long row 2 rows deep and 6 foot high.. calculating by inches... 840x72x32 divide by 1728 and then divide again by 128 cubic feet... It works out to 8.75 cord... The second stack at 12 rows deep, 6 feet high and 16 feet long works out to 9 cord. So it's almost the same amount of wood in each. So 18 cord more or less.
Wood hound 😂👍👍
Did you see the Billy Rae video today? His ax looks like your new one
Yes, I actually did see that....and it's just like he said, one side a slight bit thinner. :-)
I would like your advice, or anyone else who would like to chime in. I just built a couple of woodsheds. Both holds roughly two years a piece. Do you think it would be a good idea to split & stack maybe a year before I store it in the shed to help with drying time? Or would four years in a wood shed be enough drying time for red & white oak? I have never stored wood in a shed. Im just thinking less air flow, sunlight etc.. Im just not sure.
Is the shed open on the ends or the sides? The main thing with storing wood inside especially if it's still fairly green is having air flow. If you have good ventilation then storing it in the shed right away and having it there for a couple years will be fine. My wood shed/storing area has 2 sides that are completely open, no wall at all. If your shed has full walls on all sides would it be possible to open a wall up? The shed in this video only had a small window at one end and the opposite side was completely open...we ended up making the window larger to allow more air in.
@@Back40Firewood Thanks for replying. My shed has three walls, the sides and back. But the walls are wood slats with three and a half inch gaps between them. The shed holds four rows of wood, and I try to keep a small gap between the rows. I have only been burning wood for four years now. Still learning. Still looking for that "perfect" system LOL. Appreciate your channel, content, comments. Seems like a good firewood community you have here.
974 as of 1045pm EST. You're gonna break 1000 by tomorrow morning for sure!
Hey I put your measure in and I got this? 70x6x32in is 8.75 cords
Ahh cool...good to know, thanks! yeah I'm not good at figuring that stuff out...if I gotta count past 10 & can't take my shoes off I'm in trouble ;-) Ha....hahahah
Thanks for the feedback and for watching.
@@Back40Firewood www.firewood-for-life.com/firewood-measurements.html is the web page I use. I'm using to figure out how much i can get in them ibc totes and other stuff as well. I like the videos keep them coming. Oh by the way I wish "the morgans" would give you credit on that 16 way wedge video that thing is a beast.
Im burning wood thats 5 years old and it burns just fine. And its very light to carry lol. It might burn a little quick but not alot
Yeah I don't think it matters too much as long as stored good. That older lighter stuff is nice to handle...lol
I am burning some wood this year that has been stored for about 8-10 years, off the ground, with a heavy tarp covering the top half, under the eave of the carport. It is dry as a chip at 5-7% water measured on two gauges. It burns very hot (that's a good thing) and faster than 1-2 year wood and I'm good with that. Why waste BTU's driving the moisture out of wood that is 15-20% moisture content. If your wood is very dry you can slow the burn rate down without producing a lot of harmful creosote. If you do that on wetter wood, you will need to clean the chimney much more often. To me, it's like money in the bank. I've never had trouble from insects on any of that long storage wood. I always try to have a good reserve of wood because I help families in need, especially in colder winters and YOU JUST NEVER CAN PREDICT WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN. In your case, You are heating with it and that's your only source. I'd have a BIG reserve!
What are you filming with ?
Currently iPhone 11.
You guys have been busy cutting and splitting wood
Yep...got a few hours into it...lol :-)
Just a couple
You run into termite or carpenter ant issues?
No termites, but do have ants. Usually only run into the when processing the firewood. Once it's split they don't seem to bother it....only when it's still in tree form.
Back40 why do you not have the wood off of the ground????
In the one shed we do have it up off the ground. Along the other shed the racks are off the ground and everything else is on concrete. We prolly should put pallets or something on the concrete however.
O ok just look like it was directly on the ground, ya pallets would be a good thing to put on the concrete or you could use 4x4s or something.
It’s great to let it get 4 years ! That’s a shite ton !
eagle 1 Don W , it is ture it will dry to be very dry an burn fast as far as a shelf life I would thing as long as termices are not around , BURN IT what the HELL .
70x6=420x2=840/128=6.56
Thanks...I knew someone could figure it out. :-)
Appreciate it and thanks for watching.
I think your cord count is off, 4x6x5 is just under a cord. It looks like you have way more cords than you think.I cant afford 5 cords a year, so i spent money on the house insulation and windows, I found cold air leaks and made the house air tight. Then i found out the county has a weatherization program and a bunch of free stuff to insulate homes. Shelf life is before the wood turns punkey.
2 dry of wood you have to put green with it 2 green of wood you have to put dry wood with it.best to have wood about two thirds dry,it burns great with plenty of BTUs belive it or not.real drry wood you are like burning slabs. Burns up too fast
That makes sense and is some great feedback and comment for the topic....thanks!
Keep it dry and it will outlast all of us. We have a 16” birch block that we keep next to our wood stove, it’s at least as old as me and I just turned 50
wow....now that's SEASONED and the wood is prolly dry too! HA....lol
Would look really nice with the fastest splitter from the Great Firewood shootout in Ohio! The Bruteforcemfg.com
Cut firewood is no different than a 2x4 etc. Look how long the lumber has been in that old barn. It's just as strong as a new 2x4, keep it dry and out of the elements of mother nature.
Proper storage is the key. Off the ground and out of the rain. In a shed like you have on your farm, that wood will last for decades. It will naturally retain some moisture for many, many years. Too dry? No way Jose.
Yeah I've heard you can only dry it down to a certain point but then if stored without exposure to elements, like ya said...many years.
I've heard comments about storing wood for too long but it's from folk who buy in all their logs so can be fussy about what they get. Yes, drier wood burns more quickly so you get through it quicker but should that stop you using it? Some of us can't be that fussy.
This is true...whatever works for you is the best plan...it does require space to store wood so like ya said, gotta make do with what ya got.
I don't think the wood can be too dry. However the longer you keep it the more chance of it rotting, being contaminated or stolen
Also is using a shed to store wood the best use of that shed? The undercover area shown at the end could be used to store all sorts of things out of the weather.
Is it sensible to have ten years worth of wood under shelter and your car and farm equipment out in the weather?
Pretty sure from previous videos he stores almost everything outside of his truck and as in previous comments doesn't hurt to be prepared for unseen events ie health or economic issues
Certain wood will get to dry. Oh it will burn.
I season my wood in stalls in a barn. I try to keep 2 years ahead. But I have three stalls I use and I just fill them up. 8 feet high 16 feet long and 8 feet wide. Depending upon the weather here in California we burn 2-3 cords a year. AlwAys keep ahead. The drier it is the more heat your getting out of your wood. And less ash and creosote.
I’ll sell 5 cords per week during my busy time.
You'd sell 5 cords day if you had a fleet of trucks and drivers! lol
I would think if there was a 2 year shelf life on wood we would be building new houses every 2 years
a firewood guy told me if your firewood drops below 12% then its past its prime
A 250-year-old Stradivarius violin will burn just as well as your 2-year dried oak logs. I promise.
A viola or cello by the same maker will burn longer.
It's just that the logs are cheaper.
Title to what is presented is freaking worthless
Epic fail
Answer the question
The point of the title is I'm asking YOU the viewer for your opinion and feedback on the topic.
That's 10.66 cords at 16 inches. Way off 5 cords