At Mark’s Firewood we get asked almost every day if we have seasoned wood. It is a great question to ask when looking for good firewood supplier, but what does having seasoned wood really mean? There are a variety of definitions floating around out there some true and some not so true. So we decided to give our best explanation!
As we all know trees pull water from the ground through extensive root systems to stay alive, so when trees and cut down they still contain rather large amounts of water in both the base and the branches. Since freshly cut trees have such a high moisture content they are considered to be “green”. A freshly cut or “green” tree is almost impossible to burn. In order to get green wood ready to burn there are three things that need to be done:
- The tree needs to be split into firewood. As long as the tree and its branches are in log form they are able to keep a high enough moisture content to make them difficult to burn.
- The wood need to be stacked in rows not thrown into piles. This is very important and is one of the ways we at Mark’s Firewood ensure we have the best firewood in Charlotte. The location where the wood is stacked is also important; it should be in an area with good air circulation and plenty of sunlight. This allows the wood to dry our as quickly and evenly as possible.
- Be patient! The seasoning process takes time, with the climate we have here in Charlotte, NC we allow our wood to season for five or six months after being stacked. After that amount of time the woods moisture content will be almost identical to the surrounding air and will be easy to burn!
Following these three steps will create perfectly seasoned wood every time!
If you have any questions about seasoning wood or would like to order some of our all hardwood seasoned firewood email us at Mark@marksfirewood.com or call 980.579.8655.
