Osburn OB01520 - Manual (Page 13)

Soho Installation and Operation Manual
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3.2.3 LOG LENGTH
Logs should be cut about 1” (25 mm) shorter
than the firebox so they fit in easily. Pieces
that are even slightly too long make loading
the stove very difficult. The most common
standard length of firewood is 16” (400 mm).
The pieces should be a consistent length, with
a maximum of 1” (25 mm) variation from
piece to piece.
3.2.4 PIECE SIZE
Firewood dries more quickly when it is split.
Large unsplit rounds can take years to dry
enough to burn. Even when dried, unsplit logs
are difficult to ignite because they don’t have
the sharp edges where the flames first catch.
Logs as small as 3” (75 mm) should be split to
encourage drying.
Wood should be split to a range of sizes, from about 3” to 6” (75 mm to 150 mm) in cross section.
Having a range of sizes makes starting and rekindling fires much easier. Often, the firewood
purchased from commercial suppliers is not split finely enough for convenient stoking. It is
sometimes advisable to resplit the wood before stacking to dry.
3.2.5 HOW TO DRY FIREWOOD
Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is
the cause of most complaints about wood
stoves. The complaints usually involve a lack
of heat and dirty door glass.
Here are some things to consider in estimating drying time:
• firewood takes a long time to dry
• firewood bought from a dealer is rarely dry enough to burn, so it is advisable to buy the wood
in spring and dry it yourself
• drying happens faster in dry weather than in damp, maritime climates
• drying happens faster in warm summer weather than in winter weather
• small pieces dry more quickly than large pieces