Wood Moisture Question

Does not sound right. Split open a fresh round then test the center. Test a piece of molding in your house (top of a door). Should get <15%. Test your palm (don't go in too deep). Should get 32ish%. Test an oak split freshly opened, should get 35-40%. Maple should be around 30-35%.

Randy, Did you open a fresh round or split and test it or were you just checking the surface?

RandyG said:

I just checked a few splits that were already stacked, didn't split any round or fresh splits....surface only.

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That's the issue, you need to split a piece and test the center of the split.

exactly, you need to resplit in order to get a correct reading...

Thats the lowest MC Ive ever seen on oak or maple. Was this oak dead and barkless for many years?

Sounds like your barn is an excellent dry-kiln. Congratulations!

You might consider taking in batches from others in the area for drying. Contract processing.

RandyG said:

OK, I checked my hand and indeed it was about 31%, then went out and split one of my maple splits in half and got only about 12%, next and oak split and it was 13%. It has been pretty hot weather up until about 2 weeks ago, now just warm. Could it be seasoned this quick? I used a small load of maple the other night and it seemed to catch fairly quickly and burn fine. Any more input is welcome, thanks again....

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No input....just a question.... why in the world would you need a fire (or a stove, for that matter) in central Florida in October? Im not trying to be a $marta$$... just curious.

If I were you I'd get some larger pieces of maple and oak and resplit them to make sure the numbers are consistent. If the numbers are good with the big pieces I'd think your good to go.

wow. i just moved up a cord of oak splits for burning they are 34 months split and stacked and my readings came up between 18-24%. almost all were 20% or below, perfect so im not too worried about a few being 24%.

I checked the kitchen table today for reference and it was 12%. Ain't no way I have any firewood regardless of age in this humid Ohio climate that could be as low as what you have.

RandyG said:

The maple was cut down in feb, and most of the oak was cut this summer, I will try some larger splits, thanks....

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Yes, but again. Were they dead when you cut them or fresh green? And if they were dead, do you have any idea how long they had been dead?

I've got some post oak that was live when a storm knocked it down last November. I cut it up, split and stacked it in December. Well over a month ago it was reading about 17%. I attribute this partly to the fact that they were bucked up to about 10 inch lengths to be used as N/S layers in my stove. But mostly, the accelerated drying was due to over 100 days of temps in the 100 degrees, week upon week of hot, dry winds due to the permanent high pressure system, and severe drought here.

Some very wet Water oak from a standing dead tree I took down in February measured off the scale of my meter at the time. It now measures less than 20%. I gained a whole year on my stash thanks to the drought and prolonged, extreme heat. I just hope it gets cold enough to burn some of it this winter.

I lived in Orlando for 5 years it does get to be cold, nothing like a northern winter. If you have that wood in a covered, metal roof barn in Central Florida I bet its dry, the trees down there dont get really big, They get tall just not big around. I say burn a round of oak and if it hisses then its not dry enough, I dont have a moisture meter and dont ever plan on buying one.