Will my red oak be ready this winter?

With this crazy heat and drought it just may be, check it again at the end of Oct and you'll have your answer but its not out of the question for oak to season in one year under the right conditions.

fox9988 said:

It was c/s/s in Feb. MM yesterday was 25% on fresh split face. Stacked uncovered in single rows in a partly sunny, average wind area. Mentioned in an earlier thread, sorry for the repost
Thanks

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NO! Sure, you can burn it if you wish but you will not get great results from it. Wait one more year and you'll be a happy camper. If you lived in our area, I'd tell you to wait until 3 years from the time it is split and stacked.

In your case I would recommend buying some.....but buy it ASAP because it will not be ready to burn when your buy it. Stacking it out in the wind though might get your through, depending upon what kind of wood you buy. How about some cherry or maple or even better would be white ash.

If that's the best you got it will be ready. I see no reason why it won't hit the magical 20% mark before spring since it's already doing pretty well. Different climates result in different seasoning rates, it sounds like yours is pretty good since oak in this area wouldn't be close to that in 5/6 months unless it started out at 25%.

But rdust, he needs it this fall, not next spring.

It will be 20% by this fall I believe with out a problem, I have had no problems with 20% Oak but 15% is better.

A few years back I burned mixed hardwood that was 22 - 25% MC. Yes, it burned ok, but after reading all the posts here on getting ahead, I immediately bought more to get ahead. Last year the wood I burned was at 12 - 15% MC. There is quite a difference, less effort and easy starts from coals. The 10 % +/- was really noticeable. I will always make the effort to stay ahead.

I checked some c s s May 2010 13 months was 32% yes single rows but thats me in Va.

First year with this new stove I burned 6 month oak just about mid season clean your pipes, and if that stuff is at 25% in that short of time must be perfect drying conditions, we cain't get that dry in that short of time here in Va.

You will be fine. It will be below 20 by fall. It's only mid July.

As Bogy Dave says you burn what you have. If you can get some that is a bit better go for it and save that nice oak. But you have to do what it takes to heat your house and save a buck.

Just test it in Oct, its only July and your at 25%, unless we get a drastic weather pattern shift I see no reason why your oak wont be 20% by Nov-Dec.

You burn what you got.
But the BTUs you have there might be better used next season with much better results.

Also a potential moisture meter reading error.

I have very noticeable, better burning & heat results with 2 year (or more) seasoned birch.
1 year seasoned birch burns good but the really dry 2 year or more seasoned wood stuff is "fillet mignon" to the stove.

These guys are experienced with burning oak, I'g listen to their suggestions,
Dennis has a few years of burning oak under his belt too, I'd go with his suggestions if possible.
But again, You burn what you got.
Check/clean the chimney frequently

That is going to be some pretty soggy wood. Soft Maple (preferably dead standing) split small is about the only thing that would have enough time to get fairly dry now, but even that would be pushing it. But like Dave says, you burn what you got...

Depends on the size of your splits, big ones are gonna take awhile, resplitting to say 4" will likely give you a much better shot at proper moisture for the newer stoves for this fall. Your area conditions, type of wood,size of splits, type of stove all combine to make recommendations a shot in the dark (well dusk or dawn anyway)

fox9988, when we first moved here (Sept. '06), none of the wood the PO's left was dry. We also cut up some they had bucked.......not dry. In order to finish the winter, I had to order about 3 more cord........also not dry. What a pain in the azzz, but it did burn, sort of.
The stuff now in my shed was in log form for over a year before I got around to c/s/s it. That was around Aug. of '10. Full sun and wind for close to 2 years right now.
I can guarantee there will be some that will sizzle fo' shizzle.
I hope Arkansas has good drying conditions.......for your sake.

His sig says he has a smoke dragon. I thought those ran better than and EPA stove with wet wood. My prediction is that getting a fire started may not be fun and you will burn more wood with less heat than seasoned wood. I agree with BogeyDave. fire starters may help you a lot and splitting a bunch of it small now may help too.

If it was cut live, absolutely not.

Sounds like a plan. Red oak I cut in April 2010 was still hissing last winter when I tried a few splits. Lots of variables.

Archie said:

Sounds like a plan. Red oak I cut in April 2010 was still hissing last winter when I tried a few splits. Lots of variables.

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Key words here, try a few splits, it sizzles or it doesn't. If it does not good @ all, if it doesn't it'll make heat. If you can wait another year it'll run you right out of the house on the coldest days.

When I first took up wood heating years ago I did it Grand pa's way, cut in Sept.- Oct. & burn in November. Didn't freeze, or burn the place down, but didn't really enjoy wood heat that much either. Now I cut anytime I can, split & stack as time allows, & don't worry about it. 2-3 year seasoned anything will burn hot & long, & I don't worry about the chimney or being able to keep it warm enough in the coldest weather. The only drawback is I think I'm contributing to global warming by having a window or two open all winter. A C

I am far enough ahead that most of my wood is 3 years old but if I was short of wood moisture content is the factor to use for how ready the wood is not time, too many varibles to just go by the calender.

My wood guy brought me red oak in February that he said had been cut in April 2011, and assured me it was "dry". As I was stacking it, I split some of the bigger pieces and found plenty of wet.

If your already at 25 moisture chances are you should be close to 20 by fall. You may still have a few bigger splits that may sizzle but if you buy a Woodstock you can just burn in the bypass mode a little longer before engaging the cat. Burning in the bypass mode gives a straight shot up the flue which is prolly similar to your old smoke dragon. I think you will be fine.