1 year oak

So my kids and i were re-filling the ricks in the sun room with some 2 seasoned oak. I seasoned it for 1 and the guy I bought it from claimed it was seasoned when he dropped it. I never take "seasoned" to mean much more than it was split about 3 months ago. But this stuff after splitting open is between 15 and 20 depending on the size of the split.

I have 5 cords of oak that was bucked and split in February. For fun I split open 6" piece and checked it with the moister meter. 19.8%. What... how...? I checked 3 more pieces about the same size and the all were in the high 19s. 20% or less is good from what I understand. These stacks were kept uncovered all summer, which was fairly dry and got sun from 9-5 every day. Each of these measured pieces came from near the top of the stack. I threw them in to start a new fire just now and there was some hissing for a couple minutes and that was it! I believe this stuff to be red oak. This isn't making sense based on all I've been told about oak!

Wasn't a lot perhaps some moisture on exterior. It has rained a lot this past weekend. I cracked another just now.

Ok so I just noticed that depending on how deep I got the pins in the reading got higher. I really pushed til I got the pins in up to where the taper stops. 21.1. Still not bad for 1 year, eh.

claydogg84 said:

That's really good. I still haven't bought a MM but attempted to burn 14 month seasoned oak and it was a no go. Couldn't even get the damn things to flame.

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This is what I'm saying. How is this stuff that low?! Must have had near perfect conditions. I will start checking moisture right after I split the rounds so I know where the stuff is starting from.

Applesister said:

I have a facecord of that very stuff sitting in my rec room doing its final seasoning from the heat of the stove. It is my overnight splits. Giving up the last bits of moisture to the dry stove air.
Like the warming oven on a wood cookstove...

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Good call. I should use it to slow my over night burns. I had only 1 or 2 overnights that have been 7 hours and 250 on stove top by morning.

Andy S. said:

With those readings I thought I'd see Phoenix, AZ rather than Stowe, MA for a home town. I have some two summer Oak and the bigger splits still read 24%. Happy heating!

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Yeah, I'm surprised. Good surprised. I would be bummed after two years mine was still mid 20s. At this rate next years is going to be awesome!

xman23 said:

I never had or used a MM. They are notoriously funky. But if it's hissing it's wet. I can tell my oak is good to go by its weight and hitting two splits. After 2 or 3 years of drying, it burns perfectly.

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Definitely can tell you the difference between my 2 year and 1 year oak without a meter! I think you're right about the funky numbers too. Maybe there's a bit of error going on here. There was some brief hissing. I'm only on year three. And I do still remember what my 1/2 seasoned hissing sounds like and this ain't it. All in all its for next year anyway so looks like it's well on its way to be great burning oak.

Ok update. I've brought in the rest of the pile. 1/3rd cord. This is the lower third of the stack. I grabbed this wood and loaded the stove up and it is not liking it. MM says 28%. Guess it makes sense the bottom of pile wouldn't be as dry. Looks like I better restack so I have 20% and 28% piles so I can mix. Bummer.... I new it seemed too good to be true!