After cutting green wood, allow it to sit outdoors for six to 12 months to allow it to properly "season," or dry. The aborigines used fire to maintain forests. California timber companies have experimented with eucalyptus plantations, but so far there hasn’t been much commercial interest in the wood in the USA, other than for firewood. For these reasons, eucalyptus outdoor furniture can go on for many, many years and prove cost-effective to its owners. We start our internal combustion heater with a handfull of pine needles, two handfulls of kindling and three pieces of gum( eucalypt) about 3inches square. Moisture Meter.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'woodsmanreport_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',133,'0','0'])); If you want some tips on seasoning your firewood, check out my guide on how I do it. Some of the smaller rounds the Monster maul worked. When the drying is done in a kiln, the product is known as kiln-dried timber or lumber, whereas air drying is the more traditional method.. Enjoy using our native tree, I sort of like the smell of a eucalyptus fire Also note, even though it might be completely seasoned, it will still have oil pockets in it, so like I said before it will pop and spark. Also, it leaves behind very little ash to contend with. It needs a good bed of coals to keep going, but once you have that, it will burn all nite. MB. Eucalyptus trees have a high oil and water content, so the wood must be split and given enough time to dry out before being burned. The Properties of Eucalyptus Wood. I’m using a pretty heavy maul splitting axe which makes light work of 90cm diam. After 18 months drying in arid San Diego, it still won’t light. Hi! First, the splitting. Yes, I split everything by hand! Eucalyptus burns well and heats the entire home, but it puts out a smell I don’t care for. The saw will throw sparks and the wood does snot split Easley even with a splitter. So as you can see, properly stacking firewood and allowing air drying must occur before it is burned in a wood stove. Again, thanks to all posters for your valuable information! eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'woodsmanreport_com-leader-1','ezslot_2',126,'0','0'])); Growing up on a farm in eastern PA, I’ve grown fond of wildlife and the woods and learning about the critters and firewood and everything else in-between. The really big rounds I borrowed a 30 ton splitter — anything smaller no go. Cheers! I have done so for over forty years now. Our contact information is on our site. I brought home some 2-3` rounds of tan oak and sugar gum eucalyptus. It can take about six months, but if you fancy piling your wood or you just have a lack of space, this is a relatively fast way to dry your wood. So, they need to be on the lookout for predators around the clock. I suspect most of the negatives here are due to lack of curing time. 1 measure (m2/cord etc) of eucalypt is equal to 2 of Douglas Fir…i know the BTU ratings don’t back that up, but i know how long it takes me get thru a cord of both and blue gum wins hands down. It made a thick, black smoke, almost made me think that they’d been soaked in petrol…. Suffice to say, I am currently in front of a modified beer keg with flue and dampers, and the majority of it is cherry red, and I have no hair left on my lower legs….. I am burning it this winter and it seems to be plenty dry. posted by rtha at 5:52 PM on November 6, 2011 . Mega hot, slow burning and amazing to cook on its coals. And if it’s seasoned, you can almost forget about splitting it by hand. The only other woods comparable are Madrone and Live Oak, both of which are in short supply. Most wood is seasoned within 6 – 9 months but there are so many variables that affect the time it takes to dry firewood. Manzanita (heats our home well) Helps to heat a two story, 1800sq ft home. Also an excellent timber, if well seasoned. We just bought a full face cord of firewood, all oak, pre-split, advertised as being dry & aged for 2 years. When kiln dried amazing furniture can be produced. However, one still needs to follow some eucalyptus furniture care like cleaning and some annual maintenance to ensure long-lasting furniture. I’ve had no problems getting the fire to start, nor has there been any heavy smoke. The amount of time it takes to season firewood is dependent on a number of factors, but a good rule of thumb is to plan for at least 6-8 months to season your firewood. Over the years we’ve purchased many kinds of wood for our wood stove, but we like just a few. California forgot about this aspect, and used eucalyptus … Besides, my Cats love the warmth of the wood stove and stay in their bed on the Hearth almost all day and nite. Love both and use lots of River Red Gums when camping in creeks and so on…Love the good ol aUSSIE hardwoods! http://www.flaminhot.com.au/wp-content/themes/Diana/docs/Firewood%20Properties.pdf. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Favorite Answer. These couple of days will usually see the rounds developing cracks. I just got a bunch free from someone who had several trees cut down. They both should be well aged and dry when used. Not uncommon to have coals 16 hours after the last time I put wood in the stove. As the title says, how long should cut and split firewood season for a home woodstove? Green wood is wood that is still alive and full of sap, which is mostly water. Winter fires in a slow combustion heater need to have a soot remover tossed into the firebox when you have the coals toward the end of the season. When it comes to seasoning firewood, things can get a bit tricky. Otherwise, yeah, oak can take a long time to season. If you use it all the time in a slow combustion stove then use the soot remover at least twice a year, your flue will send you a Christmas card. we burn eucalyptus every year …. She asked for a pair of huge logs that we kept in our front yard, for spiritual and certainly not artistic value; one on its side and the other vertical. I installed an EPA rated Lopi Revere insert with full stainless steel liner 4 years ago. I burn eucalyptus almost exclusively. That claim also triggers suspicion in my BS-ometer. All wood will season naturally (air dry), because the water eventually evaporates from the wood surface until it reaches equilibrium with the humidity of the surrounding air.