This year's Wood at 38% yikes

38% is no-go for sure. What is it, Oak?

I'm going to get out and check some of mine this week. I have to be in better shape than last year.

BrotherBart said:

Methinks somebody didn't top cover their stack.

Click to expand...

I'm coming 'round on this myself. The advice I'd gotten here more times than I can count is to leave it without cover until August/Sept. of the year it will be burned. Having seen the amount of leaves and other moisture-holding crap that my stacks collect in a year or three, I'm beginning to think that was bad advice.

BrotherBart said:

Methinks somebody didn't top cover their stack.

Click to expand...

I think if you cut fresh Oak it might well still be at 38 after a year. I've got some that was cut about a year ago, uncovered but not split all the way down, just chunked to where I could load it. I'm about to find out how far it has to go.
I also have a stack going in a good wind spot, single row. I wanted to see how much difference good wind and a little sun would make since most of my other stacks are in the woods. I didn't cover that stack, though, and there's been a lot of rain this summer...might not tell me much.

ironspider said:

Looks like I'll be buying wood again.

Click to expand...

In most cases that doesn't solve the problem of having no dry wood either.

I thought the gospel of hearth.com preached that only sailors should cover their wood.

BCC_Burner said:

I thought the gospel of hearth.com preached that only sailors should cover their wood.

Click to expand...

You need to take all sayings here with a proverbial grain of salt, and sometimes you must follow your own path.
Another gospel saying here is "thee needeth to be 3 years ahead with thine wood supply", however I've never been there, and don't ever plan too. The reason being I have relied on divine intervention and have been blessed with a natural source of pre-season trees from whence to cut from.

Lumber-Jack said:

You need to take all sayings here with a proverbial grain of salt, and sometimes you must follow your own path.
Another gospel saying here is "thee needeth to be 3 years ahead with thine wood supply", however I've never been there, and don't ever plan too. The reason being I have relied on divine intervention and have been blessed with a natural source of pre-season trees from whence to cut from.

Click to expand...

I read it on the Internet so I know it is true.

Woody Stover said:

I think if you cut fresh Oak it might well still be at 38 after a year. I've got some that was cut about a year ago, uncovered but not split all the way down, just chunked to where I could load it. I'm about to find out how far it has to go.
I also have a stack going in a good wind spot, single row. I wanted to see how much difference good wind and a little sun would make since most of my other stacks are in the woods. I didn't cover that stack, though, and there's been a lot of rain this summer...might not tell me much.

Click to expand...

If you really want to know what is going on, put the moisture meter aside and get a scale. Weigh a few sample pieces under different conditions on a regular basis, covered, uncovered, sun, shade, sapwood and heartwood etc. track their weight loss. Make sure to do it before and after it rains, especially with some red oak sapwood. I promise you a big eye opener if you do that. Note what happens on a sunny day vs. a cloudy day. You will probably learn that much of the conventional wisdom isn't quite correct and you can fine tune your drying methods to what will work for you.

paul bunion said:

especially with some red oak sapwood. I promise you a big eye opener if you do that....You will probably learn that much of the conventional wisdom isn't quite correct and you can fine tune your drying methods to what will work for you.

Click to expand...

I remember someone did that recently, may have been you. I don't think three years applies for me, since I'm getting dead Oak that's usually below 30% to start, even pretty far down the trunk. I burned some two-year Red last year that was pretty good but wasn't split too big, was covered, and I had taken off a lot of punky sapwood. I don't imagine having that soggy sapwood on it helps the heart dry, but I haven't been trimming the sap lately....takes too long. If I do get three years ahead, I don't think it will matter about sapwood, big splits etc. Fresh live wood, I don't know, haven't had much so far.

Lumber-Jack said:

The reason being I have relied on divine intervention and have been blessed with a natural source of pre-season trees from whence to cut from.

Click to expand...

Now that's the old Carbon Liberator wit I remember...

8-12 weeks wrapped like this you will be under 20 percent.



I stay about half to a season ahead usually, After this past winter I had one face cord left. I currently have 4 Full Cord ready to go again that was CSS since April. Not all hardwood, but most is elm,Maple, ash,oak,and Black Locust. The BL went into the tarps 6 weeks ago and is now under 24 percent. Should be ready to go by late December

.