Firewood Resources

BTU Values By Species

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Chain Saw Maintenance

How many times you have wondered, rather envied how your neighbor's chain saw could run so smoothly and create no problem for years whilst yours gave you problem every second week? It is all the in the chainsaw maintenance. Even the most expensive chainsaw if left without proper maintenance is only good for your junk yard. Let us have a look at the basics of chainsaw maintenance.

The first point to remember with regard to your chainsaw maintenance is that whether you use it or not, you must attend to it at least once in a month. Every time before using it check for the chain tension because through usage the chains stretch and sag. When the chain is loose the performance will be reduced and also it has the risk of slipping off while using it. When it slips off it can injure you seriously.

After every use make sure you clean the air filter. When the air filter is not cleaned regularly it will affect the efficiency of the equipment. Replace the air filter regularly; if you use it on daily basis then you must consider replacing it at least once in 15 days and the ideal condition would be to replace it every week. When you are checking your air filter it is good to check your fuel filter too. Clogged filters block the free flow of fuel.

When you need to apply heavy pressure before you can cut anything then learn that your chain saw has gone dull. Also when the chain is dull the cut wood will be in the form of sawdust where as chains in good condition will cut wood will be in the form of square chips. When your chain is dull do not continue to use it as this will work the motor heavily and lead to burning out of the coil. Sharpen your chain using file guides; you don't have to use the file guide if you are experienced in handling chain saws. Make sure you use the right file size for your chainsaw.

The roller tips have to be lubricated regularly to for easy operations. Check for any bends in the bar; bent bars will reduce your chainsaw's efficiency.

If you invest enough time in your chainsaw maintenance then the equipment will last for years and also the work you do using it will be easy and efficient.

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How to Use a Chainsaw Safely

Safety Equipment

Make sure that you are dressed for operating a chainsaw. You should always wear a good pair of gloves, a helmet, eye and hearing protection, steel toed boots, and chainsaw chaps or pants.

Know Your Saw

Read the owner's manual for your saw. It is very important to be familiar with all operating procedures, especially the safety features of your chain saw.

Import Chainsaw Features

• Chain Catcher
• Chain Brake
• Safety Throttle Switch
• On/Off Switch
• Spark Arrester

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Drying Firewood

Drying firewood properly is important. If the wood you use for your fire is 'green', that is, not dry enough, or seasoned; then your fire will be less efficient since the moisture will have to be burned out of the wood. This process also makes for a smoky fire, and may even release toxic gases and particulate matter.

You can easily avoid those problems by drying firewood thoroughly before using it. Drying firewood requires either an apparatus such as a kiln for quick drying, or just good old fashioned time, to let the wood dry naturally.

For drying firewood naturally, the first thing you must do is split the wood so one side is free from bark. This will allow the air to reach the wood and the moisture to evaporate. Next, select a place to stack your woodpile. Care must be taken to ensure the pile will receive plenty of sunshine and air circulation. It is best if you don't start the woodpile directly on the ground because the wood on the bottom will retain moisture and start to rot. Instead, lay down metal poles first if you have them or even wooden beams. Space them so air can circulate through them and then start stacking your firewood on top. Stack it loosely to allow air flow and if you are stacking against a house or shed, make sure the firewood isn't flush against the building. Maintaining plenty of cracks in your firewood pile is important for allowing air and light to circulate through. When drying firewood, you can place a tarp on top of your pile to keep the rain off if you want, just don't tuck in the sides or that might block air circulation. When stacking, be sure to keep the bark side down except for the top layer. You can place that on your pile with the bark on top to form a self made roof to help shield your firewood from the elements.

Drying firewood can take from 3-6 months or up to a year. The drier your wood is, the more efficiently it will burn.

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Felling a Tree for Firewood

Felling, or chopping down trees kills more people than any other logging activity. Therefore it is critical that safety precautions be taken.

1. Determine the Felling Direction
   Try to find a clear path for the tree to fall, making sure to take into consideration any lean in the tree. If you will be dragging the fallen tree away, fell the tree away from your removal point.
2. Create the Notch or Face Cut
   This is a 'V' shaped cut that extends no farther than 1/3 of the way into the tree. The top part of the 'V' should be close to level with the ground. The bottom cut should begin at a point that will meet at the end of the first and allow for a 50 - 70 degree opening.
3. Making a Back Cut
   This is the final cut and should be done at the same level as the first cut. Don't cut all of the way through the tree! Leave enough wood to act as a "hinge" that will direct the tree in the direction desired.
4. Felling Retreat
   As the tree starts to move, back away at a 45 degree angle. Never walk straight back and never turn your back on a falling tree.
5. Limbing and Bucking
   If there is a slope it is best to work uphill when cutting limbs from the trunk. Be mindful of limbs that might be keep the log from rolling.

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Fireplace Accessories - What Do You Need

Fireplaces are becoming extremely popular, not so much for heating the home, but for recreational purposes. This popularity is providing an explosion of fireplace accessories, equipment, and safety equipment. A visit to any home improvement store will reveal an almost mind blowing array of choices that are available for fireplaces today. So, how do you choose, how do you know what you need and what is essentially fluff?

There are some items that are a must to have if you are using a fireplace in any capacity. These fireplace accessories include; a wood cradle, heat resistant gloves, a fireplace screen and pokers to name a few. Great, now you know what you need, but what exactly are they for and how do you know which ones are the best picks for you?

A wood cradle is an important fireplace accessory if you are carrying your wood throughout your house before it reaches the fireplace. This nifty little device is available in a variety of styles, colors and materials. It does just as the name suggests, it is a place to store the wood until it is burned. Because it is a cradle shape, it keeps the annoying little pieces of bark that falls off of the wood from becoming embedded in the flooring that surrounds the fireplace.

The next set of essential fireplace accessories falls into the all important category of safety. When dealing with fire, safety should be the first concern. Using fireplace accessories such as gloves and pokers will help you to keep your hands, arms and fingers safe when working with the fire. While the fireplace screen keeps people, especially kids and pets a safe distance from the fire.

A good place to find a selection of fireplace accessories is at a home improvement store. They generally have a large enough assortment of supplies to give you a choice, but not so many as to confuse you. However, if you are looking for both selection and a knowledgeable staff, visit a fireplace specialty store. These stores are staffed with people who can answer any of you questions for which gloves protect the best to what kind of firewood burns hottest.

Another great way to decide which fireplace accessories interest you the most is to visit friends and family that have active fireplaces and see what they are using. Don't be afraid to ask if you can build a fire with their tools and equipment, get a feel of working with the accessories before you purchase your own.

While burning wood and building fires is fun, please don't neglect fireplace accessories that are used for safety reasons, these are what you will be happy you purchased when you really need them.

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Fireplaces

Heating with firewood in a fireplace.

Wood burning fireplaces have long been the fireplace of choice. The smell of burning wood and sounds of a good fire are inviting as well as romantic and relaxing. For some people, the act of building a fire is as therapeutic as the fire itself. This type of fireplace is excellent for lowering heating bills, and especially if a blower is installed, which helps push the heated air throughout the home.

Along with the benefits of a wood burning fireplace, there are other considerations. For safety reasons, the fireplace will need to be cleaned on a regular basis, which includes the chimney. Additionally, when burning real wood over gas logs, you will need to provide close monitoring, especially when it comes time to retire for the night.

The type of fireplace you choose depends on the intended use and personal preference. When you get ready to make your decision, think about overall cost, maintenance, appearance, and heat efficiency. If your wood burning fireplace has been built correctly, the heat generated will be a tremendous help with your heating needs. In fact, when using a good blower, you can often heat several rooms. Be sure to use the right wood since some types of wood burn hotter than other woods. Although some woods provide a wonderful smoky fragrance and generate more crackling sounds, if you are looking for heat, use the hardwoods such as fruitwood or oak.

Even though gas fireplaces outsold wood burning fireplaces in the past couple of years, no one will dispute that a wood burning fireplace offers a unique magic unlike any other type of fireplace.

The prefabricated wood burning fireplace has definitely increased in popularity. In addition, they provide an affordable option for heating your home. If you want to blend the prefabricated fireplace in better with the décor a specific room, you can use high-temperature paints to change the look. However, if you prefer the rich look of stone, brick, marble, or granite, stick with the traditional wood burning fireplace.

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Fire Starting

Fire starting looks easy when someone experienced does it, and when you think about it, it doesn't seem like it should be all that difficult. Well if you've never started a fire in a wood stove before, you are in for quite a surprise.

We all know fires need three things:

• Fuel
• Oxygen
• Heat

Getting them to combine and create a hearty fire though can be tricky.

The first thing you'll need to do is get your firestaters together. Traditionally, balled up newspaper has been used and works just fine. I find using strips of cardboard to be just as effective and maybe even more so because they seem to hold onto the fire longer than newspaper.

So gather up some newspaper, cardboard, and small twigs. You'll want to wad up the newspaper, make pieces out of the cardboard, and lay your twigs down crisscross, or even make a little teepee out of them. That's because one of the secrets to successful firestarting is arranging your kindling so plenty of air can mix with the fire to get the flames going.

The next secret to successful firestarting is to make sure your wood is dry. Whether you are getting wood from your woodpile or gathering fallen wood on the fly, the wood needs to be dried out to burn properly. So, no freshly cut or broken-off limbs should be used. Get a couple small pieces of cordwood and place them on your kindling and let them burn for a few minutes and get good and hot.

When your cordwood is ready, put on your firewood and stack them close enough so they transfer heat to each other, but far enough apart to let the air circulate through the fire.

Now you have the recipe for building a healthy fire. Combine that with dry wood and you have the foundation for successful firestarting.

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Firewood Bins

Traditionally firewood bins for the fireplace or the stove have been everything from a box kept next to the fireplace to an attached lean-to's or sheds then actually parts of the house. This 'room' if you will is where the firewood is brought and stored for immediate storage. It is often cold, dirty and sometimes even a hiding place for bugs and mice. Today's homeowner is looking for the firewood bin to be updated, brought into this century if you will.

The room sized bin:
Since this bin is often a neglected part of the house and very utilitarian, decoration of it is not needed, even today. However, insulation would greatly improve the comfort level of this room as well as the fuel consumption of the entire house. Insulation can be accomplished during the building process or after, which ever the situation requires.

Making sure that the structure is well built will help to keep the majority of the mice out, since they don't generally travel with the wood into the house. However, this does little to repel the bugs, who do hitchhike in on the split logs. For the insect population of the firewood bin, it is recommended that a bug repellent of some sort be used in that room. However, be sure to read the labels as some will make the wood unexpectedly more flammable. There are electronic units that use sonic waves to remove bugs from a location.

The box type firewood bin:
The type of bin that is kept near the fireplace itself serves a slightly different purpose for the homeowner than does the room sized bin. This type of bin generally houses smaller pieces of wood for keeping the fire stoked, rather than for starting it.

This box is supposed to match the home décor at least to some degree. It can be as simple as a black box with a simple latch to an ornate structure that has been painted to match the walls or even the furniture. These types of boxes are meant to be useable works of art, something that catches the eye and starts a conversation.

Thankfully, when using an inhome firewood bin, the issues of mice and bugs are generally not a concern. Therefore, concern for the material its made from can be better thought out. Most of these bins are made from various kinds of metal, from steel to tin to aluminum, they can be plain and simple to ornately carved or painted. Some bins are also made from wood, while others are made of plastic. However, obvious care should be taken with the latter to material choices.

The cost of an indoor fireplace bin can be anywhere from a couple of bucks to a couple of hundred, depending upon the size, workmanship and time of year that it is required. Most homeowners find that this is an investment that is well made, as it saves them from unsightly piles in the house or from running outside to fetch stoking wood.

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Firewood Burning

As firewood burns it goes through three distinct phases.

1. Water Boil Off
   As logs heat up, the water contained inside heats up as well. When it reaches the boiling point it will start to escape the log and emit a hissing and popping sound. It is important to season firewood to reduce the water content.
2. Smoking
   After the log surpases the boiling point it will start to smoke. This is the phase when "impurities" in the wood begin to burn off.
3. Charcoal
   After all the impurities are gone carbon is the only remaining substance. Charcoal is the cleanest and most efficient phase of firewood burning.

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Firewood Cord - Just What Is It?

There has been fire almost as long as there have been people, in fact, life is almost impossible without it. Fire supplies us with heat for cooking, heat for warmth and even light during the night. However, just as people have evolved and become more and more complicated, so too, has fire (or rather the keeping of it).

Most people enjoy having a fireplace in their home for occasional use, while some still use a stove fueled with fire as a sole heating source. While these two uses of fire are as different as night and day, they do require much the same knowledge to ensure that the firewood is burned safely. One of the things that is required no matter what your use, is good quality dry wood to burn.

The standard measure for firewood is known as a firewood cord. A cord is 4 foot high x 4 foot wide x 8 foot long and is a total of 128 cubic foot in volume. This unit of measure is important to the homeowner for several reasons. Storage and knowing how much wood to cut or purchase are two of the most important.

Storing firewood for future use is crucial to anyone who builds a fire, even if only on an occasional basis. Firewood bins and storage rooms are built for this reason. They are built to hold wood in multiples of firewood cords, generally a firewood room will hold one cord, however, for more frequent use, a room can be built to accommodate several cords of firewood.

Some people to store their firewood cord in a room that is attached directly to the house, while others prefer to build more of a shed that is detached but still close by. Either choice is fine as long as the wood is protected from the elements and is kept dry. Even wood that has been split and stacked into a cord can absorb moisture and must be re-dried before being burned.

The other reason to be familiar with the exact size of a firewood cord is to help with usage estimates. For the occasional fire builder, wood can be purchased as needed. Buying firewood this way is more expensive, but when fires are seldom built, it often doesn't make sense to cut, stack and store more wood than is needed.

However, if you happen to be one of the millions of people who use firewood as a major source of heat, then it would be reasonable for you to store at least on firewood cord per year. The exact amount of firewood that you will need will, of course, depend upon the climate where you live, the amount of space that you are heating, your storage capacity and how warm you prefer your house to be.

If you happen to be a novice at burning wood for fuel, it will be helpful to seek the advice of neighbors or your local agricultural extension office as to the number of firewood cords you will need.

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Firewood Kindling

When the winter strikes you start cleaning your fire box and start gathering firewood like a squirrel that gathers its food for the winter. You might have collected the best choice of wood that you can find and have enough in store for the entire winter, but if you do not have good firewood kindling you will be frustrated before you light up your first fire for the winter and sit back, relax and allow yourself to be mesmerized by the enchanting flames.

Starting a fire is an art in itself and all of us envy those who do it with ease. One of the important factors to start a stable fire is to have the right choice of firewood kindling. By using the dry firewood kindling you will give a good start to your fire. The kindling used must be completely dry or else you will end up with smoke using wet firewood kindling.

As an important part of getting easy fire you need to look for softer wood varieties such as spruce, pine, or cedar. It is difficult to light up fire with harder wood. Harder wood, though good for sustaining the fire for longer time it is no good for lighting up the fire. Dry soft wood kindling that are cut into small pieces of 6 to 7 inches are good fire builders.

Few basic points to be remembered with regard to firewood kindling include finding softwood, proper seasoning of the softwood, storing it in a dry place and splitting it into finer pieces that can catch fire faster.

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Firewood Measuring

A "cord" of firewood is equal to 128 square feet. A "rick" of firewood is equal to 64 square feet.

Firewood must be stacked in a rectangular pile with each side being as straight and even as possible. The straighter and more even the sides, the more accurate the measurement will be. When stacking, gaps should be kept as small as possible.

Once stacked measure the hieght, width and length with a tape measure. Take those three numbers and multiply them together. If the product of those measurements is equal to 128, then you have one cord of wood!

If your number is greater than 128, you'll need to reduce the size of the pile. Generally it is easiest to remove wood from the top of the pile (instead of the sides) to get down to 128.

The most common stack is 4 feet wide by 4 feet high by 8 feet long, but a cord can also be a single log high (say 6"), a single log wide (12") and 256 feet long.

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Firewood Racks Website

Forced Air Heating

There are different types of forced air heating systems - electric, fueled and heat pump systems. Air that is carried through ducts heat up the rooms in all these systems. Irrespective of the type of air heating system, the basic components of forced air heating system are ductwork, vents, air filter, heat exchange element, blower and control switches.

Fueled type of forced air heating system produces heat through combustion. Heated air will be circulated to the areas designed to receive heat through ducts. The entire system is automated through thermostat feedback loop. When the heat level falls down thermostat triggers ignition and heats up the air and circulates it through ducts. In fueled type forced air heating system we can use propane or natural gas or oil. The efficiency however is very low it ranges between 55% and 60%. Maintenance is difficult in case of fueled systems and constant attention is required to fuel the unit. Whereas the electric forced air heating systems are easy to maintain and does not require day to day attention however general periodic maintenance is a must. Electric system uses a regular heating filament to heat the air. Fueled systems are relatively cheaper to run. Thermostat is the control system here too. When the temperature level goes down the thermostat triggers the switch and the filament heats up the air that is circulated. When compared to fueled system electric system is expensive to run.

Forced air heating system though commonly used for its cost reasons has its own disadvantages. Maintenance is difficult and requires more attention when compared to hydronic systems. Part of the maintenance includes replacement of filters at regular intervals. Though centralized it has uneven heating effect resulting in hot and cold spots. No deodorization is possible and because of this the strong odors from the kitchen gets spread through out the entire house. Above all one of the major disadvantages is that when operational it is noisy.

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Heating With Wood

Heating with firewood is a smart choice for heating your home.

Renewable Resource
Wood energy comes from the sun, stored by trees as they grows. Burning wood releases this stored energy.

Independence
Take control of your energy needs by heating with wood. Let the high and fluctuaing costs of fossil fuels and other energy sources be the problems of others. Don't worry about an outside company providing your energy.

Reliable
Power outages won't prevent you from heating with wood like they will with forced air furnaces and electric heat.

Warms You Like No Other
The radiant heat from a fireplace is like the rays of the sun. It warms you through and through. It's one of life's small pleasures.

The Dancing Flame
The glow of a fire is comforting and captivating experience.

It's Cheaper
Wood is the usually the cheapest heating fuel you can use. This holds true even when you purchase firewood instead of gathering it yourself.

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What's New In Home Fireplaces?

For many people the first experience they ever had with a home fireplace was seeing one on a favorite television show. These shows tended to depict the fireplace as the center piece of the home, dinner was cooked here, heat was provided and the family would end their evening by sitting around the fire talking and bonding. This was a scene that was and still is craved by a great many people throughout the world.

With the advent of gas furnaces with electric power, the necessity of the home fireplace went the way of log cabins and the horse and buggy, used by some, but not by the majority of the population. However, while the electric/gas combination furnace offered us the convenience of heat on demand, it tended to leave holes in everyday family life that still need to be filled.

Enter the new generation of the home fireplace. These updated versions of the old classic offer the user the benefits of an old-fashioned fireplace without all of the work and mess that are often associated, if not often depicted, with the television equivalent. Some of these new fireplaces boast of gas heat and logs that never burn, while others use small wood pellets that burn more efficiently instead of big pieces of heavy, insect infested wood.

The gas home fireplace works in much the same way as a propane grill. There is a knob to manually turn the gas on and off and an ignition button to light the fire, some units require the gas to be lighted by a lighter. Other gas powered fireplaces have an automatic ignition that also lights the fire. When the fire has been started, the ceramic logs give the illusion of burning logs without the mess. The heat from this type of fireplace can be controlled with the turn of a knob, making it even more like a furnace.

Other homeowners tend to prefer a home fireplace that utilizes wood pellets as its heating source. These fireplaces have the same look and feel as the traditional fireplace, they even use wood, but this wood is compressed and dryer that split logs. Because of this heating source, it burns more efficiently leaving behind about 3% ash waste as opposed to 20% with plain tree wood. Some people also prefer this type of fireplace because it uses waste products that are renewable instead of fossil fuels.

These newer types of home fireplaces need much of the same maintenance as the old-fashioned ones, they need regular cleaning and routine inspections. If this maintenance is ignored for too long the fireplace and even your families health could suffer. Gaseous fumes from the fireplace could leak into the homes living space if the chimney or exhaust pipes are cracked or broken, it is important to have these checked on a yearly basis.

Gas and pellet fireplaces can be found at specialty stores as well as at home improvement stores all over the country. Their popularity is soaring as many families feel the need to regain some of that lost family connection time. Because of this, these types of fireplaces are available in a wide variety of styles, colors and price points. Choosing the right fireplace for your family and your home will be harder than actually using it.

You have a distinct advantage over the people in our favorite television shows, when you ask your children to start the fire, they may actually be happy to do it for you.

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Log Splitter

A log splitter is an indispensable tool if you have to prepare large quantities of firewood for drying. A short session splitting wood with an axe will convince you of that.

Log splitters come in two main types: your basic gas powered hydraulic machine, and the electrically powered variety. Generally, the electric powered log splitters are for lighter jobs. Now, that's not set in stone because there are some powerful higher end electric log splitters. However if you see a log splitter priced in the low hundreds then that should be a pretty good clue it's not going to handle the big jobs. Prices on the gas powered splitters are several hundred to a couple thousand dollars depending on the horsepower.

Before you purchase your log splitter, a little advice and product reviews are in order. Unless you know someone who has a log splitter and can recommend it highly to you, then a good place to start looking for information is on the internet. And the best place on the internet to get honest unbiased information and reviews is online forums and stores that let customers post reviews like on Amazon.com. Another good thing about forums is that you can ask questions about a specific model of splitter and maybe someone owns one and can give you an opinion.

After you have learned everything you ever wanted to know about log splitters, you can also use the internet to buy one. You may not want to have one shipped to you, although you can. But you can still use the search engines and ebay to look for a seller close enough to you for a pick up.

Once you have your new log splitter, you can split your firewood in a fraction of the time it used to take doing it by axe. Not only that, but your back will thank you.

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Potbelly Stove

A potbelly stove is aptly named, for its appearance resembles a rounded protruding belly. They were used extensively in the 1800's and into the 1900's for heating homes, trains, and public buildings. Potbelly stoves are still in use today of course, just not on the grand scale as in the previous century.

You can burn wood or coal in a potbelly stove. They have a large enough capacity for coal to burn up to 8 hours or so; you can remove the ashes at bedtime, top off the coal and be set for the night.

Homesteaders and cabin dwellers still prefer this time honored method of indoor heating. Others love potbelly stoves just because they are such an integral piece of Americana. In fact there is quite a market for vintage potbelly stoves, and some of them fetch a pretty good price.

Potbelly stoves also have a special appeal to those of us who remember seeing them in actual use. My great grandparents had one in the kitchen. That potbelly stove could keep the kitchen nice and toasty on even the coldest of winter mornings. And there was always a tin coffee pot sitting atop the stove staying warm.

A potbelly stove can still be purchased new at several online stores for a few hundred dollars. I have even seen potbelly stoves for sale on ebay. Of course, the shipping costs would most likely be pretty high, but you can search online for local sellers. You can search for local sellers even on ebay, so that might be the best choice if you are looking to buy a potbelly stove.

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Seasoned Firewood

Seasoning your firewood is important to reduce its water content. Firewood that is too wet will burn less efficiently or worse, won't burn at all.

Freshly cut firewood can contain up to 45% water. With proper seasoning this amount can be reduced to 20% or so. Different species season at different rates, and some parts of the country season firewood faster than others. You should season your firewood for at least 6 months before using it, though a full year is recommended.

You can speed up firewood seasoning by splitting it as soon as possible and by making your firewood in the shortest lengths possible. If you don't have a year or two to wait for natural seasoning, cut your logs no longer than 12" and split them so that no piece is larger than 4" in either hieght or width. Lay them out (bark side down) in the sun for as many days as possible but be sure to cover them when it rains. This can be labor intensive but you will be rewarded with a dryer log and better burning efficiency.

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Seasoning Firewood

To enjoy your winter fire you need seasoned firewood. If your firewood is not seasoned properly then it will take time to catch fire and let out a lot of smoke. When you use wet wood, you will see the water bubble out with oozing noise from the wood while burning. What does seasoning firewood mean? Seasoning firewood means reducing the water content of the freshly chopped wood. When you cut a tree it will be very heavy and 50% of it is water. By seasoning firewood we reduce this to about 15% or 20%.

Do not store your unseasoned firewood indoors. Make sure you store it outside where it will see lot of sun and air. While storing it outside you need to be careful that the firewood does not get wet by rains or the rain water seep into the wood. Do not lay it directly on the ground elevate the stacks by half a feet so that there can be free airflow underneath. Also remember not to stack it close to the wall touching the surfaces of the wall.

When the tree is alive, the moisture content of the tree is protected by the barks. The barks continue to perform the same function even after the tree is felled. To help the seasoning process the wood should be split. When you see drops of water at the cut edges then the wood is still damp and it needs time to dry out and be ready for burning. When it is fully dried you will see cracks on the ends of the wood. During winters you must make sure that you shift the firewood from outdoors to a shed that has good air circulation and dry.

Some trees take even up to 2 years to be seasoned. It is one of the reasons that seasoned wood is much more expensive than fresh wood.

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What You Should Know Before You Stack Firewood

With much of the country looking to return to traditional family values and therefore, spending more family time together, the fireplace has once again gained popularity. A fire offers a family the chance to interact with each other in the warm glow and heat that it provides without the intrusion of television or radio.

With the popularity of home fireplaces comes some re-learning that must be done. Because the fireplace was replaced with the furnace as the main source of home heat, many people do not know how to stack firewood. While this may sound like a simple task, there are some fundamental rules which should be followed in order to utilize both the space and firewood available.

Before you can correctly stack firewood, there are a few measurements that you must know. Firewood is measured by the 'cord', or the amount of firewood that will fit into a 8' x 4' x 4' space. While the actual volume of this is 128 cubic feet, because of the shapes and irregularities of the individual pieces of wood, the space will more likely fit about 80 cubic feet when you stack firewood. When firewood is carefully stacked, this same space can hold upwards of 100 cubic foot, compared to random stacking, which would yield closer to 60 cubic foot of firewood in the same space.

The best way to get the maximum of 100 cubic foot in to the cord space is to start with relatively uniform pieces of wood. While sorting the firewood prior to stacking may be time consuming, it will pay off in space that is saved. It is important to stack firewood as close together as possible to avoid large gaps, however, some gaps are necessary to allow the wood to continue its drying process.

The best place to stack firewood is inside of a wood room, shed or garage. This keeps the wood out of the elements and allows it to stay dry. However, if these spaces are not available, it is advisable to stack firewood on a platform that is at least 6 inches off of the ground and to cover the stack with a tarp.

When setting about to stack firewood, the main thing to remember is to keep it dry. Almost everyone who burns wood can tell stories of a smoke filled house because their firewood got wet, don't let one of those people be you.

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What is Tree BTU?

If you are interested or already are using firewood as a source of heat, either primary or secondary, you may also be interested in which species of wood you should be burning. While you may think that every type of wood burns the same, there are differences that are important to be aware of when selecting your firewood of choice, especially if it is your only source of heat.

Each species of tree has a specific BTU (British Thermal Unit) attached to it. This is the measurement that is used to determine which ones will burn hotter, most types of wood will have a range of 8,000 to 9,000 BTU per dry pound of wood. This is because of the chemical differences among species, which effect the rates at which they burn. Because of these variables, firewood is commonly sold by volume, the best way to measure heat is by tree BTU/cord. Dense woods such as hickory and oak weigh more and therefore have a higher tree BTU per cord then lighter weight woods such as poplar.

While all wood will burn, there are certain characteristics that make some wood species burn better, faster and generate a more viable coal bed. It is generally accepted that the denser woods burn better and at an elevated heat content, while also having the best burning quality. However, as with anything else in life, there are expectations to this rule. There are softwood species (Eastern White Pine and Virginia Pine) that burn at a higher tree BTU then the density would suggest. Therefore, they burn quickly and will often throw sparks.

One effective way to increase the tree BTU is through the splitting process. Splitting firewood has the effect of exposing more of woods inside surface area, which in turn helps to support the combustion process. While the increased burning process is a distinct advantage with dense woods, it can be just as much of a disadvantage when burning low density woods. This is because the increased rate of combustion requires almost an endless flow of new wood into the fire.

While tree BTU is important when deciding which type of wood to burn, it isn't as important as making sure that the wood is as dry as possible. Tree species selection and splitting techniques will help to increase the burning efficiency, but is only a starting point. If the wood is when the BTU's will be greatly decreased no matter its density.

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Wholesale Firewood: Where to Find it

Do you enjoy the glow and warmth of an occasional fire? Do you not particularly enjoy the work that is involved in traditional means of obtaining the wood? If this sounds like you, then you may be a candidate for purchasing wholesale firewood. Maybe you have even thought about getting your firewood this way but you weren't sure where to start your search.

Wholesale firewood is a great time saver for the homeowner who enjoys an occasional fire. The wood is delivered directly to your front door, is already split, dry and ready for the fireplace and perhaps best of all, it is neatly wrapped up containing the mess in the plastic for convenient disposal.

There are numerous businesses both on and offline that offer wholesale firewood for purchase to homeowners. These types of places specialize in providing a premium wood mix that features just the right array of woods for a long lasting fire. Generally these combinations are mostly oak or other dense wood (for longevity) with some pine or similar low density wood species (for a quick starting fire).

Wholesale firewood is available in bundles (just big enough for one fire) and in pallets, which normally hold 50 - one fire bundles. The price will differ depending upon many factors, including how much wood you purchase, the time of the year that the wood is purchased and how far you are from the harvesting site.

A great way to obtain large amounts of wholesale firewood is to combine your wood needs with those of friends and neighbors. The more people that are interested in purchasing wholesale firewood, the larger the order and generally that will lead to lower costs for everyone involved. This way will take more coordination and cooperation, but will benefit everyone who is buying because of the higher combined buying power.

If you happen to live in a small town and your individual needs are high enough, it may be worth a trip to your local elevator or co-op to see if they can use their buying power and pass the savings of their wholesale firewood on to you. Many times they will be willing to sell to you for a small percentage over their costs.

If these avenues don't work for you, you plan to have a lit fireplace often and you have the storage space, you can order a minimum order and store it yourself. The bundles will still come neatly wrapped, with a handle ready to be thrown into your fireplace.

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Wholesale Firewood Website