Firewood Drying / Seasoning

Firewood that is dry or seasoned has optimum heating performance if the moisture content is less than 20 percent. It burns cleaner with less creosote and less unburned char in the ashes. New finely tuned wood burning stoves are particularly problematic if they are fed wood that is not properly seasoned.

Firewood drying/seasoning is typically handled by air drying. Wood is either stacked in rows or loosely piled. Depending on weather and stacking methods the firewood is seasoned in 7 to 12 months (or longer). Due to seasonal demands for firewood, air drying for large producers can be problematic.

Some firewood producers use dry kilns to speed up the drying process. The high temperature is also necessary to kill some tree diseases and insect infestations in order to sell firewood outside of their region or country. Firewood is either stacked into racks or loosely piled into bins and put into kilns. These kilns subject the firewood to regulated  temperatures and humidity for a specific amount of time to reduce the moisture content and kill diseases/insects. Dry kilns are typically side loading with indirect heating from steam, thermal oil or hot water. Direct fired hot air heating with natural gas or propane burners are also options.

- Pickard Farm, All Around the House, Wellons Canada, Loyalsock Firewood, West End Firewood images.