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[Maxine]

As our large resevoir of wood for our wood burning stove was used up last winter and never have ordered any before . . . . . .(We inherited a great pile when we purchased the house!) . . . . .it is now time to get a few more cords stockpiled. I heard that you should really buy and keep it for a year before attempting to burn it so as to allow it to dry out!  As this will not now be possible, can one purchase wood already for burning?

I have an address of a local supplier, but would like to be clear on this before I attempt to order. My French terminology does not quite cover this operation therefore I should like to know what to ask for when ordering.

[londoneye]

maxine

any local woodyard should sell seasoned wood which is ready for burning immediately, as long as you are clear that you are looking for 'bois de chauffage'.     have to be honest dont know the terminology but first time i bought i just checked if it was ready to use 'now'!     i am advised by my neighbour that it is three years which is optimum for drying period for cut wood (eg trees) although i know of people who advise two years.   i am fairly sure one year is likely to be insufficient for most kinds of wood.  

they also might sell it in 'stere' or 'brasse' rather than cords.  i think i brasse is 4 steres !

[Gardian]

Certainly, the older and dryer the wood is, the better (and hotter) it will burn.  Having said this, you'd be hard-pressed to get anything much older than timber cut (say) last Autumn - most places just don't keep that much stock.

I've just cut up some big branches that broke off a tree last January and I reckon that it's about the same 'age' as the dry stuff that I've just had delivered, but both lots have had the Summer to dry out and aren't at all sappy. They'll burn OK.

Terminology: quite simply sec or vert, or as our local supplier around here says in the case of the former, "Bieng sec!"

At the risk of stating the obvious, buy as much as you can store now and replenish annually, all with a view to building up a supply of 2yo+ material.

[londoneye]

we have absolutely loads of trees we have had (loosely speaking of course, because no-one put a gun to our heads!) to cut down.     i had figured out by next setember the first one would be 2.5 years old, and ready to use, but sorry to hi-jack - any idea whether/how we should be covering it in the interim - i mean there is a lot ! far too much to put under any available hard-standing cover we have currently.

[Gardian]

First reaction - if you've got some 18mth old stuff, then it's had two Summers to dry and perfectly usable now. But if you've bought some wood recently that's (allegedly) older, then mix the 2 up a bit and see how you get on.

As for storage, I'm fortunate. The previous owner built a covered store that will take 10 cu metres. Nice little project for you in the coming yrs! My problem is that the small estate in which I live is in an oak wood which needs pollarding: trouble is getting somebody to come and do it. Access / too big a job / wrong time of the year, etc, etc. So I end up buying the stuff which is on my doorstep.    

Re storage though, I wouldn't fret too much (though I suppose it depends how wet it gets where you are). Down here, few bother, i.e. they just leave it in a semi-organised pile for use as and when. I guess you'd try to bring a week's worth under cover somewhere to get the worst of the damp out of it.  Think about timber yards anywhere: a lot of the stuff is in the open year-round. It doesn't affect the essential dryness of the wood. (not a technical term, but you know what I mean).   

[londoneye]

thanks ian.   it gets pretty wet around here - i can vouch for this right now as i am sitting in very damp clothes after trying to seed some bare patches of ground.   still, saves me watering in the grass seed i suppose!

i will try to keep the older stuff dry next summer and then put under cover what i can manage, for next winter.  Nobody seems to cover their wood around here either, but i had always assumed they had a 'secret supply' of covered stuff lurking somewhere - perhaps not judging from the smoke which bellows out of their chimneys !

I fear the 'semi-organised' pile is quite a long way away but i can work on that next year also !  i think the covered store may have to wait until retirement!

[andyh4]

Bois de chauffage is just wood for burning and may or may not be seasoned.  If you need to use it straight away it is best to stipulate that you need it "pret à bruler" - ready to burn.  This will then be at least 2 and often 3 years old.

 

Storage options - best is a cover shed or outhouse.  Next stacked in neat piles with a roof - corrogated sheet weighted down to stop it blowing away.  Next tarpauline - best removed when the weather is good since condensation can be a problem.  Next set up in piles in the open with no protection - provided the ground is well drained this works surprising well with wood a couple of layers down being relatively dry.

 

[Maxine]

Thanks everyone for your helpful information. I am now approaching a couple of suppliers knowing what to ask for!