T's Tips: Winter is Coming, Stay Warm with Wood
It’s that time. Yes, Cold weather is heading our way so let’s stock up on some firewood. What type of wood and how do we do that? Let’s get into it and make some decisions on all that.
First is what type of wood? The hard woods such as oak will not “Pop” like a softer wood like pine. The less pop the less likely of the fire spreading to unwanted locations like your rug! The moisture (And Sap) is what causes the wood to pop. Softer woods tend to retain the moisture while the harder wood will release it quicker. Thus, the reason of aging the wood. The longer it sits, the less likely it will be to have any popping as well. Be sure not to age for to long, it can become rotten and create a whole list of other issues.
Next is ease of splitting the wood. Many think that hard woods would be the most difficult, not true. The softer woods tend to absorb the blow, while hard woods give and split. My technique is to start my fire with softer woods like a pine and once nice and hot, add the hard wood. The pine will be gone quick and the hardwood like oak will stay most of the night providing warmth and a beautiful glow.
Enjoy the warmth and friends with a good fire. Just BE SAFE WITH IT!!!
Collecting and storing firewood is as old as the human race. Our ancestors used wood for everything from building shelter, making furniture, hunting prey or make a fire. Cutting down trees and making firewood is so primal and needed in this day and age. With rising energy costs, we have to substitute other forms of heat like natural gas and electric. Knowing what woods to cut, cure and store for your next indoor fire is important to know.
Types of Wood
Hardwood is a term for wood from deciduous trees. It is typically of a higher quality than softwood and has a greater variety of color and grain pattern. There are many types of hardwoods, and they are all unique in their own way. Some hardwoods can be more expensive than others due to the rarity or the type of tree that it comes from.
Some common hardwoods that people may be familiar with are oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, and maple. Softwood is a term for wood that grows on conifers. They tend to be less expensive than hardwoods. As they are from trees, softwood has a different grain pattern that can range from being wavy to being almost perfect straight lines. Some common softwoods are pine, aspen, spruce, and fir.
We recommend sticking with hard woods such as Maple, Oak or any fruit tree including Pecan. If you have to go cheaper and pick up softwood, we recommend Fir.
If you are looking at heat temps for wood, go over to The Spruce to find out more information.
Cutting the Wood
Once you found some good trees to chop down, we advise you to take some precautions before going to town with your chain saw.
• Wear safety gear such as a logger’s helmet, safety glasses, ear muffs, Kevlar chaps, safety vest and dust mask.
• Use a felling wedge
• Size up the tree and know which way the tree might fall
• Create escape zones by removing brush around the tree and nearby.
• Plan and cut your notch
• Make the felling cut and cut it down
• Remove all branches near the trunk
• Cut up into firewood
For a complete step by step guide head over to Family Handyman here
Season Your Wood
What does it mean to "season" your wood? Seasoning firewood is the process of letting it dry for an extended period of time. Seasoning your wood is important to ensure the wood burns at a consistent pace and provides a more enjoyable experience. The process of seasoning wood is important because it creates a more even, consistent burn. The wood usually has less than 20% moisture.
The logs that come from the local lumberyard will often be wet and need to be dried before they can be used for a fire. If you just cut down a fresh tree, it will take some time before it is ready to use. To season your wood properly there are several steps like splitting the logs into smaller pieces or stacking two logs on top of each other to create kindling. There are also many ways to season your log firewood, like leaving them outside for weeks or covering them in sawdust and dirt until they are ready.
For a full guide head over to Mother Earth News for this great article on seasoning Firewood here.
