How To Dry Firewood; Judging Firewood Moisture Content - Century FW3000 Installation And Operation Manual

Century FW3000 Installation and Operation Manual
Wood should be split to a range of sizes, from about 3" to 6" (75 mm to 150 mm) in cross
section. Having a range of sizes makes starting and rekindling fires much easier. Often,
the firewood purchased from commercial suppliers is not split finely enough for convenient
stoking. It is sometimes advisable to resplit the wood before stacking to dry.

3.2.5 How to Dry Firewood

Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is the cause of most complaints about wood
stoves. The complaints usually involve a lack of heat and dirty door glass.
Here are some things to consider in estimating drying time:
firewood takes a long time to dry
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firewood bought from a dealer is rarely dry enough to burn, so it is advisable to buy the
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wood in spring and dry it yourself
drying happens faster in dry weather than in damp, maritime climates
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drying happens faster in warm summer weather than in winter weather
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small pieces dry more quickly than large pieces
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split pieces dry more quickly than unsplit rounds
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softwoods take less time to dry than hardwoods
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softwoods like pine, spruce, and poplar/aspen can be dry enough to burn after being
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stacked in the open for only the summer months
hardwoods like oak, maple and ash can take one, or even two years to dry fully,
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especially if the pieces are big
firewood dries more quickly when stacked in the open where it is exposed to sun and
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wind; it takes much longer to dry when stacked in a wood shed
firewood that is ready to burn has a moisture content between15 and 20% by weight
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and will allow your stove to produce its highest possible efficiency

3.2.6 Judging Firewood Moisture Content

You can find out if some firewood is dry enough to burn by using these guidelines:
cracks form at the ends of logs as they dry
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as it dries in the sun, the wood turns from white or cream coloured to grey or yellow,
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