fresh slew firewoodis up to 50 or 60 percentage H2O . Most of that wet must be eliminated for the wood to burn properly and give off effective warmth ; the ideal moisture message is 20 to 25 percentage or less . How long it rent to get that wet step-down depends on the type of wood , where and how it is stored and the local climate . Even standing dead tree diagram do not lose moisture ; only cut and fragmented wood will dry efficaciously .

Cut Early, Burn Late

The erstwhile farm adage was " abridge in outflow , fire in wintertime . " That ’s pretty much true — it can take nine month to a class for some firewood to properly dry or " cure . " dry time vary with the cutting ; 2 - animal foot pieces ( a standard firewood length ) will dry in about six month , while 4 - footer may take a class . Split wood dry out quicker because it has more expanse exposed to the air than full logs with bark .

Split Quickly

hack firewood before trees start leafing out in spring . If a felled Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is already amply leafed , let it sit until the leafage turn crisp and juiceless ; they will expel much wet from the wood as they dry . Split Grant Wood as shortly as possible after it is cut . dark-green wood is easier to carve up than veteran wood , and the quicker more woodwind open is exposed , the better .

Stack Wood Loosely

sight firewood alfresco , slackly , so air travel can hang between the logs . There are two common stacking method acting — building a square column of logs on two end and placing horizontal log between them or piling access a promiscuous pyramid class starting with three logs in a Triangulum and tally to the muckle until it is as mellow and circular as you could palm . Either method will form , so long as air can spread . Put wood lot where they are exposed to strong air rate of flow . Make two small mass rather than one big one to ameliorate air exposure .

Protect Against Rain

continue wood with a tarpaulin to protect against rain or snow . Leave the tarp unaffixed enough that it does not interfere with melody circulation around and through the stack . bump off the tarp during period when rainwater is not probable ; expose the wood as much as possible to sunlight and hotness , to accelerate dry out .

Get Good Wood

take up with good wood . hardwood , such as oak , ash , most birches and pecan , burn hotter and will provide the most high temperature for the weight . deal , include true pine , white basswood , cedar and hemlock , burn rapidly but develop less heat for the weight . debar wood like elm , hickory and gum , which are almost inconceivable to split . wood with high pitch content , such as pine , cure more slow .

References

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