Oak from Sandy

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Holzstapel

Holzstapel

Burning Hunk
Jun 7, 2013
171
New Jersey
I have a big stack of oak that fell during Sandy in 2012. It has been CSS since June 2013. This is the thread from when I split it and you can see the stack on the left side https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-current-piles.111159/. It has fallen over and been re-built since then, but its all the same wood. They sound like bowling pins when I bang them together, but what about the moisture levels?

I pulled out 3 splits from the pile.

s4YsxI4.jpg


Left split - middle of stack center of pile
Middle split - end of stack from 1 row down
Right split - middle of stack 1 row down, from under tarp

I split them all fresh and checked their moisture levels

Left split - 17% - Looked dry on the inside
Middle split - 26% - I could see the wetness of the grain in this split
Right split - 24% - This one was wet on the inside too

I checked some splits from the other piles I have, which have been CSS for the same amount of time. I have been burning this wood since the stove was installed a little over a month ago. These stacks are a mix of hardwoods and have been burning great. All of these splits checked out between 16-18%

I'm hoping the oak is ready to go for next season. I already have a line on some more which I hope to get CSS soon! I have to build a wood shed first to make room for new seasoning stacks.
 
This is about 1 year and 9 months after splitting and stacking, right? I think another summer will have that oak in good condition for next winter burning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Woody Stover
Unfortunately oak needs 3 summers split and stacked.
 
Oak will burn after a couple years stacked in ideal conditions, but three years is even better. The longer it sets to cure the hotter it will burn.
 
gzecc said:
Unfortunately oak needs 3 summers split and stacked.
Click to expand...

Summer 2015 will be the 3rd summer of it split and stacked. I'll check it again come October and see what the levels are then.
 
Holzstapel said:
Summer 2015 will be the 3rd summer of it split and stacked. I'll check it again come October and see what the levels are then.
Click to expand...

Should be ok by then. I'm also in NJ (North central). I don't take oak unless it gets dropped in my yard for free. I;ve had red oak that took more than 3 summers. Don't know if that wood would have ever dried!
 
All of my oak that was split and stacked in spring of 2013 is under 20% MC now by cutting it small stacking in the sun and wind in a single row with 2 hot summers worked out for me....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Holzstapel and Rebelduckman
Ram 1500 with an axe... said:
All of my oak that was split and stacked in spring of 2013 is under 20% MC now by cutting it small stacking in the sun and wind in a single row with 2 hot summers worked out for me....
Click to expand...

I'm counting on the same. Actually mine would burn now but after this summer it'll be great I believe
 
Mixed 1 year old oak with 1 year old ash in a 40% oak 60% ash ratio all winter: burned great, glass stayed clean, chimney's clear and the furnace isn't worn out. Every place has different conditions--if it burns well and clean, who cares how long it's sat?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Holzstapel and claydogg84
Back with a current moisture report on the red oak from hurricane Sandy.
Red Oak from Hurricane Sandy in 2015

Red Oak from Hurricane Sandy in 2015


This reading was taken only a few minutes ago on a freshly re-split piece from the stack. I'm loading this and all of the other seasoned wood into my shed this weekend and doing my best to keep this wood on one side and all of the other stuff (poplar, maple, birch) on the other. Now if it would only get cold so i can start burning some of it!
 
Pic not showing[emoji848]
 
I have about 1.5 cords of Red Oak from Sandy. I was able to get it all stacked in March or April of 13. 3 full summers of seasoning. My splits are averaging 17%. Some are less, some slightly higher. It's getting burned this winter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Holzstapel
Funny the pic won't load for me??
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

G
MC CONFUSION
Replies
9
Views
703
The Wood Shed
Garbanzo62
G
W
Been a while
Replies
8
Views
729
The Wood Shed
Caw
Caw
Dajolu
How to Keep Oak Rounds from rotting
Replies
19
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
Caw
Caw
M
Holz hausen - sort of
Replies
9
Views
756
The Wood Shed
mynx
M
P
Two Year Old Eastern Hophornbeam
Replies
4
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
snojetter
snojetter
Top Bottom
Back