Cedar wood

[David Cropper]

I have some cedar,  cut into 30cms thick rounds  directly after dropping the tree last August. I've split the rounds, stored some under cover but the main bulk is stacked outside. My question is,  is it correct that after 9 months I believe that you can burn as firewood?  The moisture meter is reading between 5% and 7%. This is from the outdoor pile. My colleague gave me the wood alongside a quantity of pine, which I have no intentions of using for at least three years. I've just thrown one piece onto a really hot fire of chestnut in my boiler, it seems to go ok. I'm running out of wood now, I've bough €2600 since January last year, hence the question of the cedar. Thanks chaps.

[Dan Maynard]

If it's dry it's dry, can be less than 9 months if it's hot and dry weather. Cedar is just fine from what I've burnt, quite light once it's dried out.

When you say seems to go ok, can you see it hissing as the logs start to burn?

[David Cropper]

Just now, Dan Maynard said:

If it's dry it's dry, can be less than 9 months if it's hot and dry weather. Cedar is just fine from what I've burnt, quite light once it's dried out.

When you say seems to go ok, can you see it hissing as the logs start to burn?

No hissing. When I split it within 2 days of cutting, it had the usual crap coming out, but now seems as dry as a bone. I'll obviously check the moisture content as I work through the pile. Thanks Dan, I assumed it was ok but it's a first for me with cedar.

[neiln]

That moisture meter reading seems too low to believe, although I see you're in France which is probably less humid then UK, but still....  You did test the inside of a split by freshly splitting, and a room temperature split yes?  If not, try again.  Tbh, if it feels light it's likely dry, if you whack 2 pieces together that are dry they will sound musical/hollow like a glockenspiel or bowling pins, if you get that try burning it, if it doesn't hiss ex excessively you're good.  Tbh, it's April, how much longer will you be burning?  If the smoke isn't a problem then you'll not cause major creosote issues in a few weeks, so don't fret.  just be sure to sweep the flue when you stop for the summer.

[David Cropper]

1 hour ago, neiln said:

That moisture meter reading seems too low to believe, although I see you're in France which is probably less humid then UK, but still....  You did test the inside of a split by freshly splitting, and a room temperature split yes?  If not, try again.  Tbh, if it feels light it's likely dry, if you whack 2 pieces together that are dry they will sound musical/hollow like a glockenspiel or bowling pins, if you get that try burning it, if it doesn't hiss ex excessively you're good.  Tbh, it's April, how much longer will you be burning?  If the smoke isn't a problem then you'll not cause major creosote issues in a few weeks, so don't fret.  just be sure to sweep the flue when you stop for the summer.

Thanks mate. I only light the boiler for hot water and one rad in the sitting room and one small one in the bathroom, the other eight are off. I find that one small fill is enough for the water and warm the house up.As to the humidity, we've had 3 months of non stop rain upto one month ago, but with the sun and wind on the pile it's dried out remarkably quickly. I don't usually stockpile outside as I have a wood shed, open at the front,  which will take around x20,  maybe more, metres cubed of logs. My colleagues dropped a pine for one of my neighbours and the cedar for another. He gave me the rounds, I ground out the stumps. I don't usually get free wood. My boiler flue, and my front room wood burner, are swept every July. I do check the boiler walls for unburnt tar, non at the moment.

[Jcarbor]

I have some cedar,  cut into 30cms thick rounds  directly after dropping the tree last August. I've split the rounds, stored some under cover but the main bulk is stacked outside. My question is,  is it correct that after 9 months I believe that you can burn as firewood?  The moisture meter is reading between 5% and 7%. This is from the outdoor pile. My colleague gave me the wood alongside a quantity of pine, which I have no intentions of using for at least three years. I've just thrown one piece onto a really hot fire of chestnut in my boiler, it seems to go ok. I'm running out of wood now, I've bough €2600 since January last year, hence the question of the cedar. Thanks chaps.

If it’s lower than 20% then it’s good to burn.

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Softwood cut and split like that can dry remarkably quickly.  I had a stack I split back end of last year, since then it has been cold and wet up to the point I tested it and readings were ~15%.  The stuff I dried over summer and put in the garage (but have almost run out of) ~12%, a couple of logs from each load split and measured in the middle.

[Stere]

Could  double check it with another different  moisture meter maybe?

Edited April 16, 2020 by Stere

[David Cropper]

6 hours ago, Stere said:

Could  double check it with another different  moisture meter maybe?

Can't get out of the house, mate, to borrow one. Burnt a couple of bits this morning, seems ok. I'm just supplementing the chestnut I have left. 

[Khriss]

Cedar quite oily wood,  so don't be suprised if it goes like a rocket n watch yr flue if its a bit tarred an claggy. K