How do I dry wood for burning?

Anonymous

You won't. It will always be green wood.(aka wet) that takes over 6 months to dry out stored under a roof. You got a sht load. Go out and cut some deadfall that is not laying on the ground. That will be dry wood. Never cut down trees that have green leaves or needles. They burn but smoke more if they are needle trees. Pitch in them burn like tar. If you got broadleaf trees then you got to wait till next year as 1) it is lousy cold firewood 2)terrible to split 3)makes a lot of ashes. . Maybe check out house construction sites for their junk wood piles of short pieces and ASK if you can have the wood. It is pretty well dry. 60%..

Bubba Gubbins

There is no practical way except make sure the wood is split, has plenty of airflow, and is kept dry. 6 -12 months.

Tommymc

To season firewood, it needs plenty of airflow in a dry place with low humidity. You'd need a mighty large oven to fit enough wood, and each log would have to be in there for days. If you have a wood rack near the wood stove or fireplace, that won't hurt....but really will only dry out the surface. You aren't the first to find yourself in mid-winter and needing to use "green" wood. Green wood *will burn*, just not as well. The moisture *will* burn off in the fire, but until it does, the log burns cooler and that creates more creosote. This means you need to make more periodic checks of the stove pipe and flue. If it was me, I would stack the wood in the warmest, driest location I could find. Stack it loosely with lots of air space between the logs. When you burn it, try to maintain a hot fire, with lots of coals. Don't let it burn low, and only add one log at a time. If you have any dry wood left, mix a little in with the green wood. Check the flue and stove pipes once a week for creosote and clean if necessary. You'll be fine. .

Poppy

It takes a year or more for wood to season/dry. Do not dry in the oven or over the fireplace.

Nuff Sed

A fellow in a nearby town has a kiln for drying 4 cords at a time. It takes about 5 hours. If I run out of dry firewood, I could ask them to deliver some. It might look pretty silly, since I have about 18 cords of green logs piled next to the woodshed.

james

split it. About as round as my wrist. Lay on a black tarp beside the road. On sunny days.

I care

NEVER HAD THIS ONE...….WE ALWAYS HAD OUR CUT WOOD STACKED IN OUR GARAGE AND DIDN'T DEAL WITH THE WET ISSUE......MIGHT TRY THIS NEXT TIME...….GOOD LUCK.

Southpaw

If it is hardwood then you can quickly convert it to charcoal in a day or so if that is any use to you, otherwise it takes 18 months or so to properly dry, safe link; https://www.instructables.com/id/Making-your-own-charcoal-aka-lump-charcoal/ Regards, Bob UK.

Lyar

You can bake the wood at a low temperature in the oven. A better idea for larger quantities would be to stack the wood in a garage utilizing 2x4's to separate layers. Get yourself a salamander and leave it on a lower heat. Keep the doors closed and you should have yourself some decent wood in half a day.

Barry

Yes. You can use a bed of coal or smokeless fuel which will dry out your damp logs in the fire. Stack the damp wood around the fire with air spaces in between. No too close of course.

Sukrit

Oven will work. Just check it often.