It can be hard to get properly seasoned firewood if you delay purchasing some until winter is underway. This article discusses some of the signs of properly seasoned firewood that inexperienced people should look for as they are selecting firewood to buy.

Cracks and Loose Bark

Firewood loses most of its moisture content as it seasons. This massive loss of moisture often causes the bark on some pieces of the firewood to become loose. It is also common to see cracks on the ends of the firewood. These cracks form because wood loses moisture from its ends before moisture is lost in the middle sections. The difference in moisture content between the ends and middle sections causes the ends to crack. You should, therefore, refrain from buying a firewood pile if you can hardly see cracks or loose bark on several pieces.

The Weight

You can also identify well-seasoned firewood by its weight. The loss of moisture referred to earlier causes seasoned firewood to be lighter than green wood. It is therefore helpful for you to ask the supplier to let you lift a piece of green lumber so that you compare that weight with the weight of a similar species of seasoned firewood. Buy firewood that is light.

The Sound

The sound that is made when you knock two pieces of firewood together can also give you an idea of how seasoned the firewood is. Don't buy wood that emits a dull thud when you knock pieces together. Seasoned wood emits a popping sound. Select firewood after hearing that popping sound when you bump randomly selected pieces together.

The Appearance

Another clue of proper seasoning is the appearance of the firewood pieces. Wood tends to develop a grey colour at its ends during the process of seasoning. However, not every piece of firewood in a pile will have this appearance, since some pieces will be shielded from the full effect of the elements by the wood that is around them. You should, therefore, expect to see a few pieces having this weathered look in any given firewood pile that you examine.

Each of the signs above may not individually confirm to you that a given firewood pile is well seasoned. However, looking for a combination of these attributes can increase the odds of selecting the most seasoned pile when you visit a firewood supplier. Ask the supplier for additional suggestions while making your purchase so that you avoid the risks, such as excessive smoke, which come with burning green wood.