Season Wood, Save Money, And Avoid A Midwinter Collape
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STEP 1 CHOOSE YOUR TREES Buy mixed hardwoods, like maple, birch, and oak. When hardwoods like these are seasoned properly, they yield more heat because the dry wood burns efficiently than damp wood.
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STEP 2 KEEP IT DRY Water is firewood's greatest enemy. Select a spot on stone or concrete so the wood won't draw moisture from the ground. Then, for maximum dryness, pick up some wooden pallets from a lumber dealer or hardware store to line the length of the pile and serve as a base. Don't have a sheltered spot for your pile? Protect the wood with a tarp, staked down a few feet from the woodpile to allow air to circulate.
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STEP 3 CREATE YOUR SUPPORTS Make end pillars by stacking layers of wood in alternating three-piece rows - like a Jenga tower - about 4 feet high. The wood within the tower will be able to breathe, preventing dry rot; and alternating the layers creates a strong support structure. For stable columns, make sure each piece is roughly the same height and shape. Leave a few inches of space between pieces.
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STEP 4 FILL THE GAP Pile your remaining firewood between the support pillars. Forget about making neat rows; Random stacking is more likely to fill in cracks and gaps, making for a more stable woodpile.
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A WORD TO THE WISE: Many people are talked into buying firewood from vendors driving around neighborhoods in pickup trucks. They confuse the homeowner by calling fireplace cords "full cords".
When they stack their wood, they often criss-cross the sticks throughout the whole pile. When that stacking method is used, the wood buyer is paying twice the amount because half the wood is air space. Also, in most cases, the wood turns out to be poor quality of fresh green cut (not dry) or diseased firewood. Many vendors sell diseased and tree-trimmed wood to people. You do not want to receive your neighbors diseased tree-trimmings. Be sure to know where the firewood you are going to burn came from to confirm you are receiving good quality firewood. Sales people ("door knockers") is NOT the way to purchase firewood. Don't be pressured into buying "on the spot".
