Firewood shelf life. How long is too long?
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- Опубликовано: 2 июл 2024
- Does firewood go bad? Is there a shelf life? How long is too long to store it once it's seasoned? What about Oak? Cherry? Maple? Hickory? Soft woods vs hard woods? Exposed to weather? Stored inside? Stored in an IBC tote? Splitting wood with the Split-Fire 3465 while talking and showing examples of firewood stored for 2 years, 3 years, and longer - and the effects of storing firewood. Firewood shelf life - how long is too long? Best if used by date? #shelflife #firewood #rotten #purplecollarlife #outdoorgans @Bigtoolrack
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We live in Northwestern PA and have around 70 Acres of Land, in the middle of family homestead land from more than 4 generations back. We have one daughter, one rescued Great Dane, and one cat. We enjoy working on our property and making improvements. We enjoy tractors, chainsaws, splitting firewood, rural living, and all purple collar life projects. Our day jobs are primarily white collar job, but our rural life is full of blue collar and purple collar activity. #purplecollarlife
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Published February 27, 2024
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South Mississippi here. The drought experienced during the summer of 2023 put my seasoning process in the fast lane. This far we’ve burned two 12 ft racks of pecan and oak, all with moisture meter readings of sub 10%. The wood had been split and racked over a year ago. It’s always a tough decision for some reason to harvest more tree for the next year or so, or just ride it out with existing inventory. Awesome video. Lots of good information here.
Thank you for sharing your experience from south Mississippi! Moisture readings of less than 10% is great! I suppose that’s one good side to a drought. Maybe the only good side. :)
That log splitter is super awesome in my opinion. 💯🔥
Thanks! We love it.
Technically as long as it isn't so rotten that it crumbles up in your hand, it is still good to burn and has heat value.
That's true. Thanks!
There's a reason people used to have wood sheds
Very true! I think there's a future wood shed in my life. I just need to make it a priority.
This season we got 3-days of -37F in Montana.........and I finished my wood from 2004 finally..........it heated so well, it didn't even knew it was expired 😅 Oh well, now i will restock my wood reserves this summer.
Very nice!
From experience burning wood for many years. Locust is the best I have seen for shelf life. And it burns great too. That’s a fine splitter you have. Every one is gonna have a different opinion on everything. Love your videos. Take care. Eric.
Thanks, Eric. Yes - opinions vary. :) I need to look around for some Locust. I don't think any grows here on the property.
For fire wood stored properly wood the shelf life is virtually unlimited. Dry wood does nor rot.
Thanks!
I would say 3 to 4 years for a good burn, but no longer than 9. If it's approaching a decade since it's been cut, especially if it's more open to the outdoors, then it will likely be rotted. Especially if you have termites. Keeping them off the ground is essential if you have a termite problem. And high humidity can affect the logs too. Plus getting a lot of rain. We kept ours covered with a tarp usually. Thanks for sharing, Chad!
Thanks for the comment! Good point about the termites. We usually use old skids to keep the wood off the ground (unless we're putting it in an IBC tote with the built-in bottom). Termites are one of my biggest worries. I don't want to accidently drag them into our stick-built house. :)
I am fortunate enough to have an old barn that I used to keep my firewood out of the rain/snow. The added benefit of it’s got good airflow so things dry out really well and it’s right near our fire pit area so no “moving” wood to allow us to burn it. I could probably get 25 cords on the floor so I can stockpile if I wanted to. Another good analogy of the 3 bears!
Those old barns are so valuable - and the stories they probably could tell. Thanks for watching!
Like others have said, Locust is great for firewood and for fence posts, and I used two long locust logs as main supports for a foot bridge across the creek behind our house. I decked it with pressure treated lumber and it is still solid after 15 years.
That's awesome!
Good Evening Sir, the vital factor for shelf life is ( KEEP DRY ) and it will last for ever 👍👌😇 Nice Forest Clean Up Needed 😇👌👍🔥Cheers 🍻
Very true! Thanks for watching, Sir.
I'm burning 8 year old stuff now and will be soon burning 10+ year old stuff. I have 70+ full cords as I am WAY ahead. All my firewood is stacked on double pallets and top covered with rubber roofing take-offs. As long as you keep it dry, wood will last a LONG time. All of what I am burning is at EMC (equilibrium moisture content). Our houses are built out of wood and they don't collapse after 10 years..
Rock on! 70 cords! That’s amazing. Great work.
Interesting topic, Chad. I see so much “expired” wood in our forest.
Thanks, Ed. I usually leave that expired wood up for the eagles, hawks, owls, and critters to enjoy.
I’ve burned a few pieces of maple and cherry that were in a shed for 20 years! Wasn’t punky/rotten or “pithy” as you’re calling it, but was definitely past its “prime”. I do source wood from blow-downs, but mostly from live trees that I take down as part of my forest management. For me, red maple has the shortest storage life because that’s usually my blow-downs and they are often dying or already rotting inside when I cut them. Red oak lasts longest (and takes the longest to dry). In general, depending on species I burn it 1-3 years after its cut. As soon as the heating season ends, everything I’m burning in the upcoming season goes in sheds out of the weather. I’m currently cutting for the 2025-2026 heating season.
I often wonder if "pithy" is one of those western PA words that is regional just to this area. :)
Forest management is definitely important! Since we live in a pretty wet area (sort of in the middle of several hills) - Mother Nature usually uses the wind and the soft ground to help with that process.
*BOILER OWNER*When I make my boiler wood I cut and split it as big as I possibly can manage (80-100lb chunks). I seem to go through alot more wood if it's split small and bone dry. I don't stack anything as storage space isn't a problem. I do however keep it off the ground as you mentioned. I tarp it during the winter as it's not much fun to dig through the snow. I've got some of every species of tree iowa has to offer and it seems to me like the bigger the chunks the longer it lasts. If I need some smaller stuff it doesn't take much to go back through and resplit a pickup load. Like many here I probably monitor my wood supply more closely than my bank account, at the end of the day you have to do what works for you and look for new ideas.
I appreciate that you started out your comment with the Boiler Owner notice. You're 100% right that every one of us will have different preferences depending on how/where they're burning the wood, what type of wood, etc. Thanks for watching and leaving your comment!
I like to keep my different types of wood separated for drying. I have oak, black walnut, ash, cherry, and some pear. Proper drying/aging time is important, and keeping the firewood protected is a must. Have you considered building a nice size wood shed that allows you to keep your firewood close and provides nice protection? You have the equipment to build a nice shed to store a lot of wood.
Thanks, Dave. A nice wood shed is on my list for future summer projects. But to be honest, it's been on my list for 2 years now. :)
Im burning some old locust fence post I pulled out. Maybe 40 years old. Burns like coal.
That's amazing! I've never had locust firewood. I don't think it grows on our property.
Back in the old days , if the blacksmith shop ran out of coal they would use locust ad a substitute.
Firewood definitely has a shelf life. I have some hedge aka Osage Orange aka biudark that’s 15 yeast old and still solid. I have silver maple that’s 2 years old and must be burnt this year or thrown out. Oak has about 5 years locus is about 3 years hackberry is about 2 years. Cherry is about the same as hackberry. I burn my firewood without checking the moisture meter because it’s not necessary other than information. Firewood is about will it burn not having it almost rotten.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I have never seen hackberry - is it similar to Cherry in density?
@@PurpleCollarLife you’re correct in that about hackberry. It’s nice firewood and I’d rate it with wild cherry. The biggest issue with holding wood is keeping it off the ground I keep some inside ready to use but the bulk of my wood is stored in IBC totes without any covering. Rain and snow only help in getting it dried of sap. The water will dry faster than sap and once the cells of the wood are smaller when dried the water doesn’t really get into it
Cherry wood 🪵 beautiful wood for BBQ moose tenderloin in the 709 😊. Everything in LIFE got a time frame for sure . Nice to see old ford tractor 🚜 still running around the woodyard buddy . 😊 sorry got to go feed my moose with over size cabbage 🥬 and cattle 🐄 corn 🌽, see I got 2 bull , 5 cow and 2 last yr calves looking for there breakfast. Great little video take care keep your SAW in the WOOD 🪵 and RUBBER on the ROAD .😊
Thanks for watching! So cool to hear about your moose and cows! We really appreciate the comment.
I have a lot of Ash that was dropped last May, splitting and stacking now, but Ash is just about ready to burn soon after it’s cut.
Thanks! I didn't know that about Ash.
I have tons of ash that's been down for 5 years + . I would have expected the stuff off the ground would be OK and the stuff on the ground would be rotting/punky......The exact opposite has been the case. Stuff on the ground is wet but solid and dries solid. Stuff off the ground is rotting the first 3-4" in...center is still OK.
Thanks for sharing! I would have guessed just like you - that the stuff on the ground would be rotting.
I use an offset smoker and wondered if it makes a difference in the flavor of the smoke if I split the wood into smaller splits for my smoker just shortly before I use it to cook or if it can be split in smaller splits months in advance. Would love some informed thoughts.
Interesting question! I've never used a firewood smoker. I'll be watching for comments on this topic too.
Oh wow. It will change your whole profile of bbq. Nothing beats a deep smoke flavor. The best pellet grills, Kamados, etc. can’t compare.
Cherry heartwood takes a LONG time to decay, but the sapwood will go quick! Walnut and Butternut are the same way, (cut Butternut on my mill that was outside 7 years, heartwood shill solid) but maple and beech will rot quick if left too long
Very interesting. Thanks for watching!
High yeasterday was 93 and one hell of a range fire, 37 last night and 50 mph winds 😢😢😢
Wow! The weather is definitely in that "seasonal change" phase.
Hackberry goes pretty quick. Osage Orange can go forever. Get honey locust stacked off the ground and it will go for several years. Mulberry lasts a while as well.
So cool to read about these other wood species that I've never had experience with. Thanks for leaving the comment!
@@PurpleCollarLife and I like it that you have the same Buck stove that I have. You’re the only one on RUclips with one that I know of.
In my opinion, you should uncover your wood so it doesn't hold moisture in. Only cover ot the fall before you plan to use it. That's what works for me anyway.
Thanks, Chris. I do uncover some of the wood during the summer months. But once it’s dry, I usually keep it covered so that the rain doesn’t add surface moisture. Thanks for watching! Have a good remainder of the week.
Chad I guess I don’t keep firewood around long enough for it to start going bad. I have more problems with the logs going bad not the firewood.
Thanks, Ben! You do a good job keeping up with firewood inventory.
That oak will last for years and actually takes 2 years to dry most of the time. That dead cherry you were pounding on could absolutely be used for firewood still.
Thanks! Oak does take a long time to season properly. Do you really think there's still some firewood life in that old dead Cherry tree? Maybe I'll cut it down and take a look at what it looks like in the center. Sometimes I like to leave these old dead trees up for the Eagles, Hawks, Owls and critters to use.
@@PurpleCollarLife Yes I do. Unlike a lot of trees cherry and oak tend to rot from the outside first.
You actually need 2 splitters and you've only burnt 1 cord this yr? How does that make financial sense? Even if you burn triple that amount, you could do it all by hand, keep your muscles strong as your age.
This year is an anomaly. Normally we burn more wood. And though I enjoy splitting by hand, my work schedule just doesn’t permit the time to get everything done that I need to if I do my splitting by hand. I do split by hand when we go camping and I’m on vacation. But during the normal week - I have to make the best use of my time - and the hydraulic splitter is faster. Thanks for watching!
@@PurpleCollarLife Make the time for your health & longevity! Fck the schedule bro
Jealous much ? 😂
Looks like those IBC's don't do too good for protecting your firewood compared to a wood shed or wood bin. Too much rain leakage.
That is correct. There might be a better way to do the rain caps (perhaps the doghouse roof method), but the way I do them - the wood stacks all the way to the edge of the tote, and the rain cap does not completely cover that outside edge of the frame. A covered wood shed with an overhang would do better. Thanks for watching!
I think most people use them for ease of moving wood around rather than protection.
Cut down that dead cherry, I bet it would surprise you. It’s off the ground so I would bet a good amount that the heartwood would be great.
I’m going to check it out the next time I’m cutting. Thanks for watching!