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What Is a, “CORD” of wood,
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If you are looking for Quality, Dry, wood,
and are in or near Carver County, Minnesota.
(Just 20 Miles West of Mpls Mn) Contact, 952-446-1471
Call now, taking orders for wood for Winter of 08-09
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A “CORD” of wood,
is 128 Cubic Feet of Piled Wood
A, ‘Stacked’, Pile, (Normaly, 4 feet x 4 feet by 8 feet)
Or 48 Inches X 48 Inches X 96 Inches = 221,184 Square Inches
Then, Divide 221,184 Square Inches, by 1728 to get back to Square feet.
So, if a wood seller says: “That pile of wood is $100.00” Then take out your tape measure, and measure it, in inches. Let’s say it is 16” wide, by, 6 feet long, (72 inches), by 4 feet high, (48 inches) That would be, 16” x 72” = 1152” x 48” = 55,296” divide 55,296 by 1728 = 32. 32 Square feet. Remember, a Cord is 128 Square feet, so take 32, divided by 128, you will come up with .25 (1/4 of a Cord) That Pile, which the seller is asking $100.00 for, is, $400.00 a Cord. So NOW, you can compare what this and that wood seller, are selling their wood for.
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What is a
“Fireplace”, “Stove”, or “Kitchen”,
CORD, of wood ?
In the ‘Old’, days, those names denoted the size of the wood pieces, which were in that “CORD” of wood, (128 CF). A Fireplace, ‘Cord’ was 128 CF of wood, which was about 20 +/- inches long, and 8-10 inches in dia. It was a ‘Cord’ of wood for the fireplace. A Stove Cord, was pieces of wood, which were 18” +/- long, and 6 +/- dia. for the stove. and a Kitchen Cord, was small pieces, for the kitchen cooking stove , about 12” +/- long and 2-4” dia. (And usally Basswood or Soft Maple, or Cottonwood, because it burnt hot and fast for a even cooking and baking) The Fireplace cord was the least expensise, and the kitchen cord the most expensive, because of the time it took to cut and split the wood. But notice, all those piles, were a “Cord” of wood, 128 CF, Just different sizes of wood in that pile of wood.
Today, you will hear, the words: A ‘Fireplace’, or ‘Stove’, or ‘Kitchen’, or ‘Front’, or ‘Face’, or ‘Run’, ‘cord’, bantied about. And None of them contain a “CORD” of wood. But many of the wood sellers today, realise, YOU, don’t have a clue, what a ‘Cord’ of wood is. Now you know. So when you compare what one wood seller says is a ‘stove’ cord, and the next one says he/she is selling a ‘stove’ cord. and you measure the piles. You will KNOW, what is what, and can compare the piles of wood, as to price.
Some wood sellers, Do say, 1/3 or 1/2 or 1/4, of a Cord. That, is correct!
But now, you Know the measurments, so you will Know, is it is truly a 1/3 of a ‘Cord”.
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“Wet” or “Dry” wood ?
You want to burn only, ‘Dry’ or ‘Seasoned’ wood.
The First Reason, is Safety! Dry wood burns clean, and hot, it will not leave a highly volatile and combustible, coating inside your chimney, which can lead to a chimney fire. (You will STILL, have to clean your chimneys, if burning Dry wood, but not nearly as often).
Dry wood is cheeper to burn, When you burn Wet wood, you have to get it hot, so it takes out the moisture in the wood, before it will burn. Therefore, burning ‘wet’ wood, wastes 20 to 25% +/- of the heat you would get, because it is used to burn of the moisture, out of the wet wood, befire it can burn..
Dry wood, ‘burns’. It lights and burns, It’s not your fireplace or stove that is usually at fault, because the wood is hard to light, and it smolders, and does not burn bright, and has a lot of smoke. it is Usually the Wood. Dry wood burns, wet wood does not.
Dry wood is more consistant in burning. You will get used to, when and how much, to ‘fire’ up, to get the heat you want from your wood. (This will depend on the type of wood also).
If you are used to burning, ‘almost’ or ‘close to’ “Dry” wood, you will not know the difference, until you burn, truly ‘Dry’ wood. Then, you will never go back to burning, ‘wet’ wood.
Ask, your wood seller if that is Dry or Seasoned wood.
Sometimes they will say: “Sure It’s Dry” Are they, ‘just blowing smoke’ or telling you the truth? Ask, when it was cut and split. If it is Less than a year, Cut AND Split, than it is NOT dry. (I don’t care what they say, they are just blowing smoke, and trying to sell you something. They do NOT care, how it burns). Wood can be cut down, and even laying off the ground, for several years, but is is not ‘dry’ until it is cut and split, then air dried for a year. (There are exceptions, but not many)
Wood, Can, be stacked outside, and exposed to the elements, and still be ‘dry’. If it has been cut & Split & Stacked for a year. Water, from rain, and snow, is Not the same as the ‘Sap’ in the wood. It is the wet sap in the wood that leave voluminous amounts of unsafe crud in your chimney. Yes, wood stacked outside, wet by rain, will need to dry before it will burn, but a month of just having it covered from the rain, or stacked in the shed will be enough.
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Dry or, ‘Seasoned’, Wood
Below, is is, ‘Dry’ wood. Notice the Check marks in the wood.
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Wet, or ‘new’ wood.
below is ‘wet’ wood. Notice no split or check marks in wood.
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Look closely at the photo, at the very top of this page, you will see that, ‘stack’ of wood.
Is it ‘dry’ or ‘wet’, wood? Answer further down this page.
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Now, in some cases, ‘dry’ wood, can have NO, check marks in the ends. Let’s say a piece of wood was cut and split, and it was 3 feet long, then properly dried. Then After it was dried, it was cut into 3, one foot pieces. The two end pieces, will have check or dry marks on just one of the ends, and the center piece will have no check marks. It is dry, but it was cut after it was dry.
This would be very unsual to see happen, from a person selling wood. But it can happen from a person that knows wood, and cuts, his/her own and burns it themselves.
How would you know? Just experience, knowing what kind of wood it is, feeling the weight of it, smelling it, cutting it, and looking at and smelling, the chips.
Another way, is taking two pieces of ‘Dry’ wood, and hitting them together, they should make a, ‘crack’ sound. Two pieces of wet wood, make a ‘thud’, sound
If you do, get a load of ‘wet’ wood, (and it may happen). Don’t struggle through trying to burn it, this year. Stack it, cover it, let it dry, and it will burn much better next year. Then go out and buy some, ‘dry’, wood, from a reputable wood seller
Storing your wood. Cover it, from rain and snow, But Keep the sides and or ends Open for air circulation. Wet good gives off a Lot of Moisture, and if covered tightly, it will just rot, rather than dry. Keep it off the ground, pile it on a bed of wood chips, or better yet, pallets, or old fence boards. Cover, Just the top, with a tarp.
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That photo, at the very top of this page, that, ‘stack’ of wood.
is a Stack of, Ash, which was just cut & split, 20 days before that photo was taken.
It is, ‘wet’ wood. It will be ready to burn, Next year!
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What, “Kind” of wood is it?
Two general types of wood, ‘Soft’ wood, and ‘Hard’ wood.
Softwoods, are Coniferous trees, (Evergreens, Pines, etc.) The kind that usally have ‘needles’ not leaves. And the needles stay on the tree all year long.
Hardwoods are Dissuades trees, (The kind that drop their leaves)
Of the ‘Hardwood types, there are ‘Soft & Hard’ ‘Hardwoods’.
In a ‘stove’ for ‘heat’, You want to burn, the ‘hard’ hardwoods; Oak, Hard Maple, (Sugar & Rock, not Soft Maple) Ash, Red Elm, .
You do Not want to burn, Soft Maple, Boxelder, Cottonwood, Willow, Birch. White Elm, in a air tight high quality stove. The old timers say: “Ya get more heat out of that wood by hauling out the ashes, than burning the wood”. OK to burn in a open Fireplace, for a cheery fire, Not to heat your house, it will be good enough to burn, for fun, “If Dry”!
You DO NOT want to Burn, Pines or Ceder. Using the ‘pines’, Coniferous trees, is asking for trouble. Because they, ‘when dry’, burn very fast and hot, to hot for most stoves, and leave a Lot of creosote in your stove pipe’s and flus.
You ‘could burn the ‘soft’ woods, the pines, in a open fireplace. keep in mind, they will burn fast, but in a open fireplace, (old style) there is a lot of room air also going up the flue.
(It is still better to burn, ‘hard woods’).
Also keep in mind, the Pines, will ‘spark’ more, so make SURE you have your screen in place. and make SURE, that Pine type wood, are DRY !!!
In very small amounts, cut and split to 1/2 or 1/4 a inch dia, and a couple of pieces, make a great starting wood. As well as the ‘soft’ hardwoods.
Best use for the Pine type woods, only in small pieces for just starter wood.
If you are burning wood in a outside, HASHA type unit. Anything goes. Put it all in, big small, no matter the kind. (But DRY is still the best)
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Making Wood
If you want to get into making your own wood, there are a lot of books out there. But unless you are burning wood, for your main heat, or depend on it for supplemental heat. AND, have a place to gather wood from. It can be expensive. Chain saws, Log splitter, and all the parts and pieces that are necessary to keep those items running, today could easily cost 3-5 thousand, (+ the truck if you don’t already have one). Now that amount amortized over several years, can really pay off. But, if you are burning wood, for effect, and use a cord or less a year. Much better to buy cut, split, wood for your needs.
Best time to make wood, is when it is cold, Frozen wood splits much easier, and it is a very enjoyable pastime. It is pleasant work, not grueling, you have instant satisfaction, seeing the wood pile grow, and it keeps you fit.
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How Much Wood?
How much wood do you need? I don’t know, but you do.
You know ‘that’ pile out side, or in your garage, which is from there to here, that is so high, will last you a winter.
Measure it ! Know how much that is! Then you know how much to buy.
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Books
Books on making wood:
Best Place is the Library. Cost to look at and read those books, is Free !
By looking at, and reading those books, you will know which ones you want.
Then, buy that book.
Many Good books on wood types, for burning, and tips on making wood, are out of print, as ‘making wood’ is fast becoming a lost art. Fathers do not teach their sons anymore, because their father never taught them.
The farther you get from a Metro area, the better your chance of collecting knowledge from local people. People who Use wood themselves, not people trying to sell you any crap wood they come acrost.
ASHES
Ashes: They can be HOT, for several days after a fire in a stove of fireplace. Put ashes, ONLY in a metal container, then set outside. That is OUTSIDE, not in the house, or basement, or garage. Outside! And Never, NEVER, put ashes in a combustible box.
Every year, many houses burn down, because they had a fire in the fireplace on Christmas eve, then Christmas morning, someone shoveled up the ashes into a cardboard box, and set the box in the garage to tossed into the trash later, before they went to Grams house for the day, than they came home to see their house had burnt down.
Never put the ashes into a trash bag, container, cart, dumpster, to be picked up by the trash hauler, until those ashes have sat outside, in a metal container, for a week. You may get away with cleaning out the stove or fireplace at 10:00AM then putting the ashes in the plastic trash cart, and the trash truck comes at Noon and pick’s up. And those ashes may be hot, and they may, or may not, start a fire in that trash truck as it drives down the road. Is that a chance you want to take?
Where to put wood ashes. In the guarden, (till them in in the spring), on your driveway, (where you don’t walk and track them into the house), Spread them out on your lawn. Put them in your compost barrel. Or, throw them into the trash, AFTER, they have sat outside for a week, in a metal container.
Burning wood, heats you two ways,
once when you make it,
once when you burn it.
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