I'm Learn'n Here...How Long to Season Wood in Colorado or a Dry Climate

[clearsky]

No, really, I am learning here. Thanks for all your great questions and answers. Now I have found one of my own to ask. I am new to the ways of wood, first season. Someone told my wife that wood seasons here in Colorado in about three months. Now in all there reading I've done I always see anywhere from 6 months to a year. That would mean that the Colorado dry climate would cut the drying time by half? They were talking about pine when this was said to my wife. So the question is, could this be true? Does other wood dry faster here too? Is there anyone here from Colorado that might confirm this for me.

Thanks everyone...

 

[ROBERT F]

Three months with small split sizes, will result in burnable wood. this is true. but seasoned, not fully. It still takes about 8 months for my pine to get to ideal status, and that is stacked in full daily sun and wind. you can get fresh cut beetle kill to burn, but it will leave heavy buildup in the flue, and if you cut the air way down it will make your house look like a choo-choo on a cold winter day!!(meaning it will smoke like a muther) Welcome to the forum by the way!!

 

[Lumber-Jack]

No heavy buildup in my flue, bout all I burn is beetle kill lodgepole pine. You sure you're not burning some green stuff there Pineburner?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

No, really, I am learning here. Thanks for all your great questions and answers. Now I have found one of my own to ask. I am new to the ways of wood, first season. Someone told my wife that wood seasons here in Colorado in about three months. Now in all there reading I've done I always see anywhere from 6 months to a year. That would mean that the Colorado dry climate would cut the drying time by half? They were talking about pine when this was said to my wife. So the question is, could this be true? Does other wood dry faster here too? Is there anyone here from Colorado that might confirm this for me.

Thanks everyone...

Welcome to the forum clearsky.

What you have been told about Colorado is also told in probably every State of the Union. However, that does not make it right. Old habits and tales tend to die very, very slow. In the "old days," it worked to a point but still was not the best way. I grew up where practically everyone in our area burned wood and most cut, split and burned starting in the fall. There also were several chimney fires and a few house fires.

Although parts of Colorado are indeed dry, not all areas are, so making a blanket statement about that state is meaningless. Better to go with the time tested rule of seasoning that wood for a year or more. You will get more heat from the wood, which means you will have to cut or buy less. You will have less creosote problems, which means you will have better peace of mind. You will be able to control your stove better and be able to start a fire much easier, which means less stress.

Your statement about dry climate cutting the drying time is a great example of how things can be taken out of context. A lower himidity will speed the drying some but certainly would not cut it in half.

Have I mentioned that you should burn good seasoned wood?

Good luck.

 

[billb3]

Must be the altitude.

 

[highmark800]

Yes ALL PARTS OF COLORADO ARE DRY, no rain forests here 10-15% humidity. Pine will dry and be seasoned in 4-6months. Beetle kill, the truely dead stuff is ready to burn right away and is no different than any other pine wood. Aspen will dry in about 4 months, all of this is split of course. Now the longer it "seasons" the better.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Hi Clearsky. Where are you located, and what type of stove are you using? The reason I ask is the amount of diversity we have in climate here. Front range gets good wind, western slope stays hot longer (at least the banana belt seems to). Central mountains seem to have a lower RH. For me, I split about 3 cord of green pine that I won't burn until spring at the earliest. I have 5 more from last year that are ready to go, and about 9 or so that I'll burn a sizeable portion of this winter. But that's all standing dead and downed Beetle kill. Pick up a MM from HF and then you'll know the condition of your wood. I don't know where mine is or I'd be able to tell you what 2 month splits are reading. I promise they're under 20% right now, but I've had really low RH and good wind/sun since then.

 

[pen]

If you let it go a year you will be guaranteed it's dry. It won't rot!

pen

 

[burleymike]

I grew up just above Denver and it is safe to say nearly the whole state is very dry. SE Idaho is very dry as well but the air is not quite as dry. Many days in the summer the humidity stays around 30% in Co 12% was common. I only bun beetle killed lodgepole and it burns great the day I get it home. Every year when we are cutting wood we pick out the trees that will be ready for the next year. Some are already dead and others are almost dead. Either way they are almost always seasoned a year later the big vertical crack many of them get gives it away.

I lived in the PNW for a couple years and was amazed at how long it even took some old pallets to dry out. I had to season wood for 2 years and it still did not seem to burn as well as the pine in Co, that 90-100% humidity just kept the wood moist.

 

[clearsky]

I am in the Boulder area of Colorado, if that makes any difference.

 

[Wood Duck]

The low humidity has got to make wood season faster, but three months? I suspect either you'd have to start with partially seasoned wood (e.g. standing dead pine), or burn wood that is less than fully seasoned to make a three-month seasoning time work for you. I bet wood is pretty darn dry in a year tho.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Clearsky, guess it depends on where you get your wood. Boulder and Estes get some wind, so your stacking location will come into play. Do you process your own wood, or buy it?

 

[ROBERT F]

No heavy buildup in my flue, bout all I burn is beetle kill lodgepole pine. You sure you're not burning some green stuff there Pineburner?

you can get fresh cut beetle kill to burn, but it will leave heavy buildup in the flue, and if you cut the air way down it will make your house look like a choo-choo on a cold winter day!!(meaning it will smoke like a muther) Welcome to the forum by the way!!
Key words there would be CAN,FRESH CUT, and BEETLE KILL!. The only green wood I burn is from the marker paint the contractor uses to show what trees to remove!

 

[clearsky]

This season I was thinking that I would buy a cord of seasoned wood. I have access to basically as much free wood as want and have bucked up and split about a cord and a half. This I have stacked in a double row with a good amount of space in between the rows in a spot that gets sun for the better part of the day and that is in the wind stream that often comes down off the foothills. The reason I was intrigued by the thought of three months of drying time was because if it where true I would only have to buy enough wood to last until I could start using my own and I really liked that thought. I like working for my own heat and not have to pay for it.

 

[ROBERT F]

Get a moisture meter, and check your stock as you go. only buy as much wood as you need. problem round here is people really do believe pine is ready in three months, so finding true dry wood for sale is very hard to do!

 

[Battenkiller]

I am in the Boulder area of Colorado, if that makes any difference.

Clearsky, it's entirely dependant upon the average yearly relative humidity in your area, aided by temperature, sunlight and wind locally (as in where you stack it). You may see real low RH numbers during the day in your area, but your wood is out there all night as well. It cools off a lot at night, both slowing the movement of water through the wood and dramatically raising the RH of the surrounding air.

In looking at information from the U.S. Forest Service, I see that wood reaches an average yearly equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of about 10% in the Denver area. From the chart below you can see that corresponds to an average RH of about 55%. In my area, wood reaches a yearly average EMC of about 13% MC, corresponding to an average yearly RH of 70%. Most species of hardwood in my area take 9-12 months to season (softwoods season much faster) I don't think a 15% difference in RH between the two areas with shorten that time to 3 months... but who knows? I'd cut and stack in the winter or spring and burn in the fall.

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

I thought about buying a moisture meter but decided to Keep It Simple Stupid. Based on my somewhat limited experience in finding firewood for a woodstove, but a lifetime's experience of building fires, you will know when wood is dry. The bark will be easy to peel off with your hands or to work a hatchet into. The ends will have splits and cracks crossways against the grain. The wood itself feels light and sounds hollow when you clunk them together, like bowling pins or 2x4s knocking together. If you split it again, and put it against your face, the wood doesn't feel wet or cool. It smells like wood when it burns, and doesn't make a lot of smoke and you don't see steam rising from the wood. It doesn't bubble or hiss. Being in a dry climate (I live in Utah so even drier than you!) ensures that a full year's of drying time means the wood is really good and dry, as opposed to say the Pacific Northwest where after a year the wood may be still just a bit damp but still burnable. Your wood might get to where it is at that "a little damp but burnable" three months sooner than someone in a very wet climate, but I'd still try and do what you can to get a year ahead. That way you KNOW it's okay.

~Rose

 

[clearsky]

Thanks everyone for you replies. I think I will stick to what I have been learning from you folks and let it sit until next winter. I'll buy a cord this year, still WAY cheaper than paying the utility company, who have been raising rates. You would think that the fact that Colorado has an absolutely huge natural gas reserve that the price would be cheaper. I guess they all want their money before it all runs out, but not from me!! Thanks again everyone.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

No heavy buildup in my flue, bout all I burn is beetle kill lodgepole pine. You sure you're not burning some green stuff there Pineburner?

you can get fresh cut beetle kill to burn, but it will leave heavy buildup in the flue, and if you cut the air way down it will make your house look like a choo-choo on a cold winter day!!(meaning it will smoke like a muther) Welcome to the forum by the way!!
Key words there would be CAN,FRESH CUT, and BEETLE KILL!. The only green wood I burn is from the marker paint the contractor uses to show what trees to remove!

It's the FRESH CUT part that is confusing. I don't know about there, but here FRESH CUT beetle kill pine can be quite green if it hasn't died that long ago, BUT it can also be very dry even though it is FRESH CUT. The picture below shows some FRESH CUT beetle kill pine with the moisture readings on a couple different areas near the base of the tree. The tops of the trees are even drier still. I can burn this (FRESH CUT) stuff the same day with over night burns and no "heavy buildup" in my flue or the glass.
I have, on occasion, cut similar beetle kill wood that was not properly dry and yes, with greener wood like that, you will get more smoke and heavy buildup in the flue, just like any other green (high moisture) wood. If you are getting heavy build up of creosote in your flue, then your wood likely contains a lot of moisture (green wood), nothing to do with pine, beetle kill wood, FRESH CUT, or green paint
Your advice for clearsky to get a moisture meter is good, probably the best way to tell where his wood is at.

 

[pen]

Your advice for clearsky to get a moisture meter is good, probably the best way to tell where his wood is at.

True! Or, for free, he could just get a year ahead on his wood and let it season for a year in the sun/wind and it'd be ready no matter what :coolsmile:

pen

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Your advice for clearsky to get a moisture meter is good, probably the best way to tell where his wood is at.

True! Or, for free, he could just get a year ahead on his wood and let it season for a year in the sun/wind and it'd be ready no matter what :coolsmile:

pen

Actually, according to Clearsky's last post, because of his uncertainty about his existing wood he says he'll just "buy a cord for this year, still way cheaper (not free) than paying the utility company".
Now that of course leaves him with the usual dilemma of figuring out if the cord of wood he just bought is seasoned (dry) or if it is actually wetter than the wood he has sitting cut and split for three months.
I think I remember reading somewhere in this forum somebody mentioned that they once bought firewood from a dealer and it turned out not to be seasoned properly,,, hmmm,,,, perhaps I'm mistaken,,, that never happens does it? ;-P

 

[clearsky]

So, how would I go about making sure that the wood I am going to buy is ready to go? Should I get a moisture meter and check the wood as it gets to the house. Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Battenkiller]

So, how would I go about making sure that the wood I am going to buy is ready to go? Should I get a moisture meter and check the wood as it gets to the house. Does anyone have any thoughts?

For wood you buy, you will need a meter. But for the wood you already own, there is another possibility.

If you already have a small kitchen scale you can get the most accurate moisture content determination of all my simply cutting thin cookies out of the middle of a few splits, weighing them on the scale, drying them overnight in your oven (set at 200º), and then reweighing them. The difference will be the water lost to get it to 0% MC (oven-dry), and from this information you can easily determine your MC. This is actually how scientists do it. Way more accurate than any meter, the results will be indisputable, and you will know by tomorrow. If you already have a kitchen scale. Even if you eventually get a meter, this method will let you see just how accurate the meter really is.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

So, how would I go about making sure that the wood I am going to buy is ready to go? Should I get a moisture meter and check the wood as it gets to the house. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Clearsky, despite my little rhetorical remarks in my last post, the common consensus is to assume that firewood bought from a dealer will NOT be seasoned. In fact, if I were a betting man, I would bet that your existing (free) wood will be drier than wood you buy from some random firewood dealer.
The acquiring of properly seasoned wood is not always an easy task and is one of the favorite subjects in this form. As has been suggested, the most sure way for the average person, who wants to heat their home with wood, to do this is to accumulate large quantities of the stuff and store it for a reasonable enough time so as to insure that it is properly seasoned. Questions about what kind of stuff you should accumulate, how much of the stuff you'll need, and how long and how to store the stuff, are what keeps this forum alive. Of course everyone has different needs and circumstances, so there is no "one size fits all" answer to these questions.
You need (or at least want) dry wood you can burn this winter. Being a new wood burner you are uncertain that the wood you have, or may be getting, is dry enough to burn. Generally wood that is under 20% moisture content is dry enough to burn, so all you have to do is test your wood to make sure it's under that mark, then you'll know for sure. You could try Professor Battenkiller's experiment and/or you could pick up a cheap moisture meter. Personally I find the moisture meter plenty accurate enough and much easier to use (especially out in the field), also I don't have a kitchen scale. If I did have a kitchen scale though, I probably would give the Professor's experiment a try, just for the heck of it.