Final seasoning

[Paul in the woods]

Is there a sensible way to dry off seasoned firewood a bit more before burning it?

 

I've a open sided log store with an overhanging roof so the wood is around 20% MC but can this be reduced much more before burning? For example, I'm considering leaving a large area clear to stack logs for a week next to the kitchen wood stove but would that make much difference? Any other ideas?

[sandspider]

Yes, sticking it next to the stove should dry it out a bit more. It would also make the wood warmer before going into the stove, which helps it burn more efficiently too.

[Cheesy pete]

stack as much next to the fire as possible i currently have a rack that keeps 2-3 days worth when burning all day, the logs nearest the fire dry very well you can see this by all the extra cracking that happens on the faces of them but as to what % less water is in the log i don't know but i would be surprised if it got any more than 5 % before they where thrown in the fire

[logedd in]

great idea but never put wood to near to a hot log burner as it will catch fire

[sandspider]

I've stacked logs around (and resting against) my wood burner for years, and never had a problem.

 

Having said that, I don't leave it in overnight, and I probably wouldn't risk doing that with logs around the stove...

[william petts]

I accidentally left I log on top of a log burner against the chimney/ flue and it caught alight, I was in the room so didn't cause any problems.

But I leave logs near the fire and it works a treat, definitely works with putting warmer logs on a fire

[Paul in the woods]

I think it depends on where you place them on or near a stove, I often wonder about the stoves sold with integrated log stores etc.

 

I'm planning of using wood for most heating and cooking so I'm considering a fairly large area near the stove to finish off the wood. I hadn't thought about bringing the temp up but that's useful to know.

 

I'm curious to know how much the wood would dry off in just a week though, I wouldn't have thought that much to be honest. I suppose I'll have to experiment a little and take some readings.

[Cheesy pete]

British standard is combustible materials to be 4 inches away my rack is maybe 5 and dries them fine no need to place them on top or against the fire

[Big J]

If your logs are already 20%, I would consider it entirely unnecessary to go to any effort to reduce that further. A consistent 20% all you need.

[Paul in the woods]

Surely every little helps, so to speak? I'm also aware that it's been a fairly dry late summer / early autumn so far and if we get a month or two of very wet weather the MC will go up. I may be posting in Feb asking if I can get the MC down from 25+%!