Wood seasoning question.

[WolfsHead]

Chopped down a rabbit hutch I got from freecycle in order to make a little wood store for myself. I drilled a load of holes on the door to allow to flow but my question is do you think that will be sufficient airflow for the wood to season. Also keeping the wood off the floor with a surplus roof tile I also got from freecycle to make an insect home for my daughter that I didnt need.

 

[Ark79]

Am no expert mate but I think more ventilation is needed

 

[Bam]

Am no expert mate but I think more ventilation is needed

As another non expert I'd agree. I've built a sort of lean to at the side of the house which is open at the front and slated with gaps at the sides against a fence and it seems to work. Its for playing really, I only need it for my man & fire nights generally so I can leave wood for a year or more to dry.

 

[Joecole]

Chopped down a rabbit hutch I got from freecycle in order to make a little wood store for myself. I drilled a load of holes on the door to allow to flow but my question is do you think that will be sufficient airflow for the wood to season. Also keeping the wood off the floor with a surplus roof tile I also got from freecycle to make an insect home for my daughter that I didnt need.

Drill some holes in the base Wolf and plenty of them and some holes 2/3 up the door and sides, I always find a draught from underneath gives better drying which is why my wood burner logs are stacked on pallets

 

[Ystranc]

I run most of my house on wood fired heating, because of that I need to dry a lot of wood. All my wood stacks are either completely open on two sides or they have off set boards that allow a lot of air flow while keeping the rain out.
I'll take some photos tomorrow to show you what I mean.
If you want your felled timber to season quickly the key is to get it felled, cut and split on the same day...getting it undercover immediately without it having been laying around on the ground. Felling hardwoods during the winter while the wood is low in moisture content (and free of nesting birds) can save a lot of time and effort.

 

[Joecole]

I run most of my house on wood fired heating, because of that I need to dry a lot of wood. All my wood stacks are either completely open on two sides or they have off set boards that allow a lot of air flow while keeping the rain out.
I'll take some photos tomorrow to show you what I mean.
If you want your felled timber to season quickly the key is to get it felled, cut and split on the same day...getting it undercover immediately without it having been laying around on the ground. Felling hardwoods during the winter while the wood is low in moisture content (and free of nesting birds) can save a lot of time and effort.

Very true, god I hate having to admit that your right

 

[Ark79]

Even when he’s wrong he’s right joe

 

[WolfsHead]

I run most of my house on wood fired heating, because of that I need to dry a lot of wood. All my wood stacks are either completely open on two sides or they have off set boards that allow a lot of air flow while keeping the rain out.
I'll take some photos tomorrow to show you what I mean.
If you want your felled timber to season quickly the key is to get it felled, cut and split on the same day...getting it undercover immediately without it having been laying around on the ground. Felling hardwoods during the winter while the wood is low in moisture content (and free of nesting birds) can save a lot of time and effort.

I'm a beggar who cant be a chooser on that one. I'm just scavenging wood where and when I can. But from what prople have said I may well whizz the door off of the front.

 

[Joecole]

Even when he’s wrong he’s right joe

Bloody smart arse

 

[Ystranc]

I'm also a strong advocate for taking a strip of bark off or splitting even the thinnest logs to allow moisture out. (Tree bark retains moisture, if you can take some off it speeds up drying rather than it drying just from the end grain.)
As for Joe and Mark, I'm going to ignore you both.

 

[Joecole]

I'm a beggar who cant be a chooser on that one. I'm just scavenging wood where and when I can. But from what prople have said I may well whizz the door off of the front.

That's one possibility but make sure you know where the prevailing weather comes from

I'm also a strong advocate for taking a strip of bark off or splitting even the thinnest logs to allow moisture out. (Tree bark retains moisture, if you can take some off it speeds up drying rather than it drying just from the end grain.)
As for Joe and Mark, I'm going to ignore you both.

I don't blame you mate, we are horrible people but of course Mark is a lot worse than me

 

[38thfoot]

I think I’m working on two year old wood and possibly some three year old wood.

Mines spends the first year or two outside on a south facing wall which is partially covered in the winter, then moves to my wood shed which is split down the middle to allow rotation for at least another year. I’m also not too proud to burn less fashionable woods, I’ve burnt loads of softwood off cuts from a loft conversion as well as chunks of pallets and chopped up floorboards.

I’ve seen lots of people say never burn softwood but It just needs seasoning properly and the chimney cleaned.

38

 

[Ark79]

I'm also a strong advocate for taking a strip of bark off or splitting even the thinnest logs to allow moisture out. (Tree bark retains moisture, if you can take some off it speeds up drying rather than it drying just from the end grain.)
As for Joe and Mark, I'm going to ignore you both.

Rightly so

 

[Joecole]

I think I’m working on two year old wood and possibly some three year old wood.

Mines spends the first year or two outside on a south facing wall which is partially covered in the winter, then moves to my wood shed which is split down the middle to allow rotation for at least another year. I’m also not too proud to burn less fashionable woods, I’ve burnt loads of softwood off cuts from a loft conversion as well as chunks of pallets and chopped up floorboards.

I’ve seen lots of people say never burn softwood but It just needs seasoning properly and the chimney cleaned.

38

Yep to get rid of the resin built up, the main course of chimney fires

 

[Bam]

I'm a beggar who cant be a chooser on that one. I'm just scavenging wood where and when I can. But from what prople have said I may well whizz the door off of the front.

I'll try and mind and get a couple of pictures of my set up for you. I'm away out tomorrow all day but about on thursday. Its nothing fancy and as I'm only playing at it as opposed to heating the house etc it doesn't matter if it didn't work (it does).

 

[WolfsHead]

I don't meed loads of wood as its only for my chiminea outside. Used fuel logs which stink and smoke a bit amd coffee logs which dont smell quite as bad but smoke a he'll of a lot. Not fussed about what I burn wood wise. Got a few coniferous trees that have been chopped down and their wood just dumped over the fences near me atm so I'm gonna go grab some and set it to seasoning.

 

[Ystranc]

Good on you WH! I really hate to see any kind of firewood going to waste,

 

[38thfoot]

“Experts” will tell you never burn softwood but ask yourselves if Scandinavians import hard wood to burn or simply use some of the bazillions of pine trees they have growing around them?

If it’s seasoned it will burn and if you’re happy burn it.

38

 

[Joecole]

“Experts” will tell you never burn softwood but ask yourselves if Scandinavians import hard wood to burn or simply use some of the bazillions of pine trees they have growing around them?

If it’s seasoned it will burn and if you’re happy burn it.

38

Couldn't agree more

 

[Ystranc]

For the most part they burn birch as well as pine, the main point to remember is that their timber is slow grown due to the climate so it is very dense. It makes a huge difference as it burns for much longer. If you're burning pine or birch from Britain you'll be feeding your fire every hour or so and going through a huge volume of wood.
I have a Scandinavian made Jotul stove with a 10" flu that never needs sweeping and a Rayburn with a 6" flu that needs sweeping once a month. The Scandinavian stoves are simply built to burn softwood.
I also have a couple of multi fuel stoves which will burn wood but go through it quite quickly until the ash can fills up a little.