The best wood for a long-lasting fire
A toasty fire is great for cold winter nights spent with the family or a group of friends. For your next holiday get-together, make sure you have the right kind of wood to make sure your fire lasts as long as your last guest stays.
Dense, well-seasoned hardwoods (oak, hickory, birch) make for the hottest fires. You can either buy wood that has been pre-seasoned or season (or dry) the wood yourself. Unseasoned wood can contain up to 45 percent water, so stacking it where there is maximum air circulation is key.
HOW TO PREPARE THE WOOD
Begin by purchasing firewood from a reputable purveyor (try firewood.com). Unsplit wood is less expensive but requires chopping. Pre-split wood comes seasoned (dry and ready to use) or green, which requires seasoning, or drying, before use. Green wood dries fastest when it is "penned," or "chimneyed." If possible, choose a covered spot in your backyard with good air circulation, then stack unseasoned wood in alternating layers on logs fitted with supporting posts at either end. If logs are stacked in the open, secure a tarp over the top to protect wood from the rain.
Get more info about the best wood in your area at woodheat.org.
TIP: Well-seasoned wood will be riddled with cracks, which indicate dryness. You can also determine dryness by hitting two sticks together: A high-pitched ring means dry; a low-pitched thud suggests the wood is still green.
Adapted from Storey's Basic Country Skills (Storey; $25); storey.com.
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