Firewood - Buying My First Cord (Spirit Lake: sales, Home Depot, live in)

[cliff949]

There sure is plenty of info on buying firewood out there. So much my head is spinning and I'm more confused than when I started (almost.)

We live in Spirit Lake and unless we get a better suggestion we'll probably just end up buyin some wood from a Craigslist Ad (don't know where else to look...) Of course we'll ask the seller if it is seasoned, when it was cut, etc etc. but being new buyers we can only hope to get a scrupulous seller.

If some of you would answer one or all of our questions we'd really appreciate the input. Specific questions we have are;

1. I've read that it is important to stack the wood off of the ground. How does that keep bugs and snakes out? Is it more common or less common for the experienced wood burner to keep their wood off the dirt?

2. How accurate are moisture meters and what readings are considered ok? Where can I get one? Home Depot and True Value didn't even know what they were...

3. Diseased Wood. I just cut down some dead trees from our property. They were covere in this nasty greenish-white moss(?) Is this wood diseased? Should we not burn it in our wood burning stove?

4. Bugs. There were a pretty good amount of carpenter ants and a half dozen miscellaneous species of bugs in the wood I cut. Not an overwhelming amount but those buggers were definetly there. Will the bugs eventually go away as the wood seasons? Should I not burn the wood?

5. We have individual electric room heaters (in the wall) The electrician said they pull a ton of electricity (he said 3,000 volts I think). We only heat the main sitting room, kitchen and master. Which would be cheaper buying wood or the electric?

Thanks!

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by cliff949

There sure is plenty of info on buying firewood out there. So much my head is spinning and I'm more confused than when I started (almost.)

We live in Spirit Lake and unless we get a better suggestion we'll probably just end up buyin some wood from a Craigslist Ad (don't know where else to look...) Of course we'll ask the seller if it is seasoned, when it was cut, etc etc. but being new buyers we can only hope to get a scrupulous seller.

If some of you would answer one or all of our questions we'd really appreciate the input. Specific questions we have are;

1. I've read that it is important to stack the wood off of the ground. How does that keep bugs and snakes out? Is it more common or less common for the experienced wood burner to keep their wood off the dirt?

2. How accurate are moisture meters and what readings are considered ok? Where can I get one? Home Depot and True Value didn't even know what they were...

3. Diseased Wood. I just cut down some dead trees from our property. They were covere in this nasty greenish-white moss(?) Is this wood diseased? Should we not burn it in our wood burning stove?

4. Bugs. There were a pretty good amount of carpenter ants and a half dozen miscellaneous species of bugs in the wood I cut. Not an overwhelming amount but those buggers were definetly there. Will the bugs eventually go away as the wood seasons? Should I not burn the wood?

5. We have individual electric room heaters (in the wall) The electrician said they pull a ton of electricity (he said 3,000 volts I think). We only heat the main sitting room, kitchen and master. Which would be cheaper buying wood or the electric?

Thanks!

..

1st of all: You want to buy a "FULL CORD" (4'x8'x4')....not a "Face Cord".

2nd: Larch would be your 1st Choice.........Lodge Pole would be 2nd.

3rd....Ask: when was it cut; what length; are the pieces split?

4th: Ask price per Full Cord and does it include delivery and stacking at your location.

5.... Get a couple of Wooden Pallets and have it stacked on them.

6....Full Cord(s) run from $125 to $175 here in the Bitterroot.

7....Be aware: Black Widows are known to inhabit "Stacked Wood Piles"

8....Cover it with a Tarp.

[elousv]

I have used the Nickel's Worth with success. I bought some nice Tamarack on there. I use some simpson ties and treated lumber to build a logholder http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/fliers/DIY-PROJECT08.pdf. You don't need to worry about the snakes around here. I burn any type of wood that burns and I never have had a meter. 3000 volts sounds funny, maybe 3000 watts? Anyway, it would be hard to match the BTUs of wood per $ with any other media. I think natural gas may come the closest. If you are harvesting from your own property then wood wins hands down. Another option is the energy logs. I heard that the manufacturer has sales up in Bonners and it would be worth it to get a couple pallets if you have a trailer.

[mistyriver]

Heads up for you: Larch and Tamarack are the same thing here.

[cliff949]

so it's watts not volts, ahah

[cliff949]

where is the best place to buy pallets?

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

In NID, Larch (aka Tamarak) would be the first choice. It puts out a lot of heat, limited ash and splits like a dream. Douglas Fir (red fir) is 2nd, but usually more readily available. Alot of the Doug Fir in my area is getting hard hit with root disease.

[mtngirlatheart]

We are also in Spirit Lake and will have wood ready to sell in about a month or so. Send me a DM if you are interested and would like more info on it!

[flyonpa]

Buy pallets.. never... look around for smaller companies that get stuff on pallets. they give them away (of the emp haven't take them all to burn 1st).

[Hawknest]

We generally cut our own from dead and downed timber in the National Forest. The permits were $5/cd. You cut in 4-ft lengths which are easily loaded into the truck bed. You can share a log splitter with a neighbor or just split them with a wedge and two mauls and plenty of strength. Or use a couple of teenagers.

Stacked? The last time we bought was in Montana and paid about $175 cord. They dump them on the ground and it's up to you to stack the pile.

We used 15 cords last winter.

We put a couple of long logs about four feet apart for a base and put the pallets on top - three or four inline. Stack the wood and cover with a tarp and pin the corners down with 12 inch steel nails from the hardware store, lumber yard or Home Depot.

This will keep the snow off and the air circulating to dry the wood, just in case they delivered it wet.