Best way to treat fresh Oak

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Ski-Patroller

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Sep 23, 2013
73
Govenment Camp, OR
One of my neighbors cut down a large Oak in their front yard. After they got all the wood they wanted they offered me the balance, of which I took between a 1/4 and a 1/2 cord

What I got is short 10-14" long 3-8" diameter logs, of very fresh Oak, mostly branches. Not sure if it is red or white. My wood rick (with a roof) is full, so if I cover it, I have to use a blue tarp. Am I better off just letting it sit until Summer and then split it, or should I split it now, even though it will be outside in the elements. This is going in a conventional masonry fireplace, and I don't have to burn it next year, it can wait longer.

Is Oak (not sure if it is red or white) easier to split green or dried. Considering that it is sitting outside in Oregon's famous liquid sunshine, will it dry faster after splitting, or should I leave the rounds intact until Summer. If I put a tarp over the stack will it aid in drying, given that it will go all the way to the ground.
 
It will dry better split. It will not dry very well if you leave it on the ground in a pile though, covered or not. Grab yourself a pallet, split it up and stack it. Some people cover, some don't. I cover the top of my stacks.
 
My opinion is your best option is always to split right away with oak. I would split it and top cover it.
 
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I split all my wood as soon as I get a chance to do so, so I wouldn't wait if you can get it done.....
 
The sooner it's split the sooner it will be burnable.
 
I would split it now if possible. I have split oak freshly cut and oak that has sat in rounds for several months, splitting it fresh was easier. Seemed to get more stringy after sitting.
 
Given that you have rainforest conditions and you will be exposing the wood to alot of surface moisture, I still give another vote for splitting now and stack the splits and top cover with old tin roofing.
A couple of galvanized roofing sheets. Surface moisture isnt the same as internal moisture. And I know you guys have rain that blows sideways.
 
OK then. I'll see about dragging my H.F. 5Ton splitter back from Mt Hood, and split this stuff soon. I'll give it try with my maul this week, or bring my Fiskars Splitting ax down from the Mountain since it is a lot lighter than the H.F. 5 ton.
 
The Fiskars loves oak :)
 
Ski-Patroller said:
OK then. I'll see about dragging my H.F. 5Ton splitter back from Mt Hood, and split this stuff soon. I'll give it try with my maul this week, or bring my Fiskars Splitting ax down from the Mountain since it is a lot lighter than the H.F. 5 ton.
Click to expand...

1/2 cord of oak (especially red) is no more than a few hours of easy work to split by hand.
 
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Ski-Patroller said:
OK then. I'll see about dragging my H.F. 5Ton splitter back from Mt Hood, and split this stuff soon. I'll give it try with my maul this week, or bring my Fiskars Splitting ax down from the Mountain since it is a lot lighter than the H.F. 5 ton.
Click to expand...

Oak is easy to split.
 
Treat is very nice, read it stories, hug it, tell it is very pretty, split it stack it right away, I find green oak splits a little easier than dry oak, stack in windy / sunny area and it will be ready in 2 years
 
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3-8 inch diameter rounds don't need a hydraulic OR electric splitter. Easily done by hand. Get it split and stacked as soon as possible. If it was a live tree, even smaller diameter oak branches will need two to three years before it is burnable. It needs to be stacked to catch as much sun and, more importantly, wind as possible.
If you don't need it for two or three years I wouldn't cover it all. Just stack it off the ground (pallets are great) and forget about it. In the Autumn right before you burn it you can top cover it then. Corrugated roofing material is ideal, and cheap. Fully engulfing it with a tarp is a REALLY bad idea and a recipe for rotted wood.
 
I'd split it now (I'd do it by hand) and make a stack of it. If it is not convenient to cover it, no big deal.
 
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gzecc said:
Oak is easy to split.
Click to expand...
You must be talkin' about Eastern oak. California ("Live") oak is a b***h to split. It's only legal to take downed or deadfall, so it's almost all very dry. With some of the knarliest grain you could think of. Some friends of mine have a huge Calif. oak in their back yard, and a bunch of rounds from a branch that fell a few years back. I tried to split some of that last year. After about 4 or 5 hours I had about 2 wheelbarrows worth and it beat the crap out of me.

Now I buy oak from the firewood guys if I want oak.

Peace,
- Sequoia
 
TreePapa said:
You must be talkin' about Eastern oak. California ("Live") oak is a b***h to split. It's only legal to take downed or deadfall, so it's almost all very dry. With some of the knarliest grain you could think of. Some friends of mine have a huge Calif. oak in their back yard, and a bunch of rounds from a branch that fell a few years back. I tried to split some of that last year. After about 4 or 5 hours I had about 2 wheelbarrows worth and it beat the crap out of me.

Now I buy oak from the firewood guys if I want oak.

Peace,
- Sequoia
Click to expand...

California Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia is a very different tree from Texas Live Oak (quercus fusiformis). I've never heard of it being illegal to cut down a live Live Oak Tree in Texas but there are laws that protect trees of a certain size. I have a bunch of very large Live Oak Trees on our property but I would never consider cutting one down for firewood while it is still living. I don't cut down ANY living tree for firewood. And since they basically live FOREVER, I don't expect I'll ever be getting any Live Oak wood to burn. I have plenty of other oaks and some hickory in our woods, so I'm good.
 
3-8" rounds are pretty small stuff. try to bust it up by hand asap, if it's really a struggle then put they hydraulics to work. stack (don't pile!) your splits off the ground, on a pallet or whatever you have laying around. lots of air flow is key, so find a place on your property where the prevailing summer winds won't be blocked. i personally find that wood doesn't season much in the winter. cover if you have one.. if not, let it sit a year or so and then cover. give it another year under the cover and then move it to the back of your "yearly" supply that way you give it another few months before you get to it. you'll know if its not ready.
 
Best way to treat fresh Oak ... with reverence and respect ??
 
I'd only split the rounds 6 inches or larger, the rest I'd burn as is in 3 years or whenever it seasons in your climate.
 
Kenster said:
California Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia is a very different tree from Texas Live Oak (quercus fusiformis). I've never heard of it being illegal to cut down a live Live Oak Tree in Texas but there are laws that protect trees of a certain size. I have a bunch of very large Live Oak Trees on our property but I would never consider cutting one down for firewood while it is still living. I don't cut down ANY living tree for firewood. And since they basically live FOREVER, I don't expect I'll ever be getting any Live Oak wood to burn. I have plenty of other oaks and some hickory in our woods, so I'm good.
Click to expand...
I cut only dead oak on my property also; the oaks live forever , but overcrowding and disease have been thinning mine out.

I have cut a lot of clearing sites with live green bur and pin oak. Cuts and splits real nice and cleanI get as many as I can. I like the big pieces no one else seems to want since those trees usually get burned up in piles. IMG_2609.JPG
 
Green oak, I leave uncovered for two years. Try and stack in windy sunny area. The third year I cover the top and hopefully it will be ready to rock in three.
 
I'd stack it, and let it sit for 3 years. Then burn it. No need to split any of that.
 
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