How to Check the Dryness of Firewood
If you're building a bonfire, camping in the woods or burning wood in a wood stove to heat your home, check the dryness of your firewood before using it. Firewood that is dry burns more effectively, results in less smoke and gives off more heat, according to Oregon State University. If you regularly use firewood, split your wood as soon as you cut it so that it will dry faster. Stack it off the ground to promote more air circulation, which also encourages faster drying.
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Instructions
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Select two pieces of kindling or other split firewood. Look at the ends of the pieces. Do you notice any cracking? If so, then the ends of your firewood are dry. However, there may still be moisture in the center of the firewood.
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Hit one piece of firewood with the other. Or you could rap sharply on the firewood using your knuckles.
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Listen to the sound the wood makes as you strike it. Do you hear a "thudding?" This means that it is not dry enough. Do you hear a sharper noise that sounds like cracking? This means that your firewood is dry enough to burn.
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Use a firewood moisture meter for an accurate reading of the percentage of moisture in your firewood. These meters are often available at hardware or garden stores. The exact directions for use will vary, depending on the model you select. In general, after turning the device on, either insert the prongs into the firewood or otherwise make contact, then read the percentage of moisture. According to Oregon State University, your firewood should have a moisture content of below 20 percent when it is ready to burn.
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Try the oven-dry method if you do not have a moisture meter. Cut a small piece of wood from the center of a piece of firewood (a sample should generally be less than the size of your hand and about one inch thick). Place the sample on a scale and record the weight. Allow the firewood to dry in an oven for 12 to 24 hours at 220 degrees, according to the University of Tennessee. Weigh the sample again, then subtract the second weight from the first weight. Divide this third number by the second weight, then multiply by 100. This is the percentage of moisture content of the firewood.
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References
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- Photo Credit firewood image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com
