[Greenbuilding] wood split or not, make a difference?

Sacie Lambertson sacie.lambertson at gmail.com
Tue Dec 28 14:06:23 CST 2010


Hmm, RT, a piece of split wood with three sides provides more surface that a
round piece?

>From what I'm reading in this on-going dialogue we all burn wood rather
differently.  I do think Rob is correct about the optimum time for splitting
in that it may be easier, but we more often don't get around to doing this
until sometimes long after we've felled the tree and cut it into burn-size
logs (but within a year or less).  We rarely burn old felled trees; just
don't have any that are handy.  Green wood splits easier, but our wood
splitter doesn't notice much difference regardless of the age.  Were I doing
it by axe and heft, I could only split green wood and still likely couldn't
get Hedge to open up.  The length of time it takes any wood to dry is
directly proportional to when it was felled and the air around it.  Does not
make sense that green split wood will dry more effectively than older also
split logs.

As for Reuben's comment about needing the bark off cherry, we don't burn
much cherry here in Kansas but when we do, it burns just fine regardless of
bark or no.  It is interesting though that according to Reuben's charts,
cherry doesn't burn as hot as does some other species.  Given the density of
the wood, I would have thought the opposite.

As for split versus rounds, sure split wood in a stack is probably prettier,
but for us here in Kansas it all dries nicely no matter what.  We have
average 35 inches of rain per year but it comes in large gulps and even in
humid NE Kansas the air is relatively dry.

We keep our stove going ALL the time in the winter.  Never let it go out.
And never damp it down.  Overnight four pieces fill the relatively small
burn box; in the morning there are always coals to start a new fire.  I only
clean out the ashes and clean the window.  Some years ago a lister suggested
lighting a fire from the top. Works perfectly when there are some coals at
the base.  I put the newspaper ball with which I've cleaned the window on
top of my new smaller sticks of wood, lite it and within less than a minute
the stack is burning brightly, theburning paper having drawn up fire from
the coals at the bottom.  I marvel almost every time I do this first thing
in the am ritual, always loving the procedure.

We also rarely have to clean our stove pipe which runs straight up inside
the house 16 feet to underside of the ceiling.

My 2 cents.   Sacie

I really like burning a short log that is 6-7 inches in diameter btw, one
with several small pieces.  These are long burning fires, specially if the
log is Hedge (Osage Orange).


*

*
*On Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 1:29 PM, RT <ArchiLogic at yahoo.ca> wrote:
*
>
> *
>
> Years ago a farmer who sold firewood in winter opined,* *
>
> * *  "You've got to get it (green logs) split right away or it'll never
> dry properly".
>
> And I tend to agree with him.* *
>
> For small sticks, say under five inches in diameter, leaving them round is
> okay but anything larger, I'd say that it should be split, as soon as it is
> cut, and stacked, protected from rain and snow wetting.* *
>
> To do otherwise, you're likely to end up with firewood that is at various
> stages of decay providing less than its optimal fuel value.* *
>
> As for heat output, the amount of combustion taking place is a direct
> function of exposed surface area. Split wood provides more surface area.
>  Also makes for a tidier stack inside the firebox making it easier to
> "build" a good fire.* *
>
>
> *
>
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