We Do Not Sell Firewood
However, woodburners need to be educated when dealing with firewood, so we provide this information as a service to woodstove and fireplace owners.
Some types of firewood take up to a full year to dry to the point of gaining full heating effect and to reduce creosote in the chimney. Burning unseasoned firewood causes excessive smoke and resulting creosote, increasing your risk of a chimney fire.
Never burn treated or painted wood as doing so is dangerous. Treated wood contains arsenic, making the smoke poisonous. Also avoid burning pine and other softwoods as the dangerous amounts of resin they contain can lead to chimney fires.
Burning seasoned hardwood and keeping your chimney clean minimizes your risk and provides safe heat.
The Right Time to Season Firewood – After it is Cut to Length
Seasoning of wood can take 6 months to a year after it is cut, depending on its density and how it is stored. Windfall trees, until cut and split, can not season properly. Wood dries from the ends while still in log form. Therefore, if it is fallen, but not cut to firewood length, it is not drying. The wood shown above is drying properly!
Some Firewood Terms
Full Cord
A Full Cord of firewood measures 4′ high x 8′ long x 4′ deep and contains 128 cubic feet of wood.
Most Seasoned Hardwoods willaverage 2 tons for each full cord of wood. Be careful when ordering from a dealer by weight – you may be overpaying!. It is illegal to sell firewood in any other measure than a full cord or fraction of a cord (per the Ohio Department of Agriculture).
A standard 8 foot pickup truck bed can not hold a full cord of wood without side rails. Again, be sure you get what you pay for!
Face Cord
A Face Cord measures 4′ high x 8′ long x 1 row deep. The length of log splits may vary, but they are usually 16 inches.
Rick
A Rick is another term for a Face Cord, and measures 4′ high x 8′ long x 1 row deep. The length of log splits may vary, but they are usually 16 inches. A Half Rick may measure 4′ high x 4′ long x 1 row deep or 2′ high x 8′ long x 1 row deep.
The Heat Value of Wood
| Type of Wood | Pounds per Cord | Heat Value | Sparks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 4200+ | Excellent | Heavy |
| White Oak | 4200+ | Excellent | Few |
| Red Oak | 3600+ | Very Good | Few |
| Ash | 3400+ | Very Good | Few |
| Cherry | 3200+ | Very Good | Few |
| Sugar Maple | 3600+ | Very Good | Few |
| Beech | 3700+ | Very Good | Few |
| Walnut | N/A | Very Good | Few |
| Avoid these low heat value woods: Cottonwood, Poplar, Basswood, Willow | |||