Inventory moisture levels

[op_man1]

I tested my various stacks the other day for moisture content. This is what I came up with:

Split Spring 2009 (1 year seasoned)
Elm ~ 35%
Ash ~ 33%
Soft Maple ~ 25%

Split Fall 2009 (6 months seasoned)
Soft Maple ~ 34%
Sugar Maple ~ 25%
Pine ~ 35%
Old wooden dummy (don't ask): 19%

The more freshly split stuff is in a better location with good wind and sun and stacked to dry properly while the one year splits are not stacked very well (too many rows that are close together/tight - can't benefit from the wind as much). I also split the fresher stuff a lot smaller, especially the sugar maple. The pine is kind of a surprise, though (although maybe by mistake I tested a piece that I actually split this spring). I will retest mid-summer and use a larger sample group.

Lessons learned - for someone that has limited space and cannot keep 3 or more years of wood on hand: split small and don't build stacks that are too big (i.e. wide). I know you've heard it all before but this newbie has seen the difference.

I plan to build a wood shed and relocate the older stuff during the summer. It's funny that my sugar maple might be ready before my elm that was split a good 6 months earlier...

Cheers

 

[muncybob]

From what I have read, I'm suprised the ash is that wet after 1 year! I'm hoping my 1yr seasoned ash and cherry is drier than that...maybe I'll check this weekend.

 

[Skier76]

I'm surprised on that ash too. I have some that came from a standing dead back in Oct/Nov of 2009. I'll check the levels this weekend.

 

[NH_Wood]

From what I have read, I'm suprised the ash is that wet after 1 year! I'm hoping my 1yr seasoned ash and cherry is drier than that...maybe I'll check this weekend.

+1 - I thought fresh cut ash would give that kind of reading. I'm planning on burning almost 100% white ash next winter - it was dropped, bucked, split and stacking between January and end of February of this year. It's in full sun/wind - better be WAY under 33% by burn time! Cheers!

 

[smokinj]

If you trust the moister meter not judging it just saying. I really think ash would be much drier than that fresh cut.

 

[oldspark]

If you trust the moister meter not judging it just saying. I really think ash would be much drier than that fresh cut.

Ash should be about 35% fresh cut, it looks like he might not have the best drying conditions for some reason or another. I now see where he says the wood is not stacked very well and that makes a big difference in how it drys.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I tested my various stacks the other day for moisture content. This is what I came up with:

Split Spring 2009 (1 year seasoned)
Elm ~ 35%
Ash ~ 33%
Soft Maple ~ 25%

Split Fall 2009 (6 months seasoned)
Soft Maple ~ 34%
Sugar Maple ~ 25%
Pine ~ 35%
Old wooden dummy (don't ask): 19%

The more freshly split stuff is in a better location with good wind and sun and stacked to dry properly while the one year splits are not stacked very well (too many rows that are close together/tight - can't benefit from the wind as much). I also split the fresher stuff a lot smaller, especially the sugar maple. The pine is kind of a surprise, though (although maybe by mistake I tested a piece that I actually split this spring). I will retest mid-summer and use a larger sample group.

Lessons learned - for someone that has limited space and cannot keep 3 or more years of wood on hand: split small and don't build stacks that are too big (i.e. wide). I know you've heard it all before but this newbie has seen the difference.

I plan to build a wood shed and relocate the older stuff during the summer. It's funny that my sugar maple might be ready before my elm that was split a good 6 months earlier...

Cheers

Wow! As others have stated, that is very unusual for the ash to be that high in moisture, especially for how long it has been in the stack. I am also amazed at the soft maple as that dries really fast around here. Even the elm. That should dry over a summer. So I guess I'd for sure question where you have that stacked and certainly don't stack any more in that spot.

I ran out and checked the moisture in our wood. I have basically 3 piles. They are super dry, very dry and in the act of drying.

 

[oldspark]

Well at least it looks like the old wooden dummy is ready to burn.

 

[op_man1]

I will do a more extensive sampling of the ash this weekend to see if that piece was an outlier and will report the results. Hopefully it is!

What's also interesting is that the wooden dummy is super light and I would have thought that it would be much less than 19% moisture level. Maybe that's just the wood equilibrium moisture level in my area.

 

[Battenkiller]

My dummy tested right off the chart, but I already knew she was all wet. You shoulda heard her scream when I stuck her in the ass with those sharp probes. :roll:

Sounds like you need to empty the swimming pool before you season your wood in it. Ash and soft maple 1 year old should be at least in the low 20% I would think. It's tough when you don't have the room. I am surrounded by over 500 acres of fields, which makes for no neighbors and nice views, but all of it is either hayed or planted with corn so I'm SOL when it comes to large scale firewood storage. Thankfully, I live on the crest of a hill and it is always windy. My fall cut wood gets a pretty good jump before it heads in the "kiln" in November.

Hey, Dennis, I like your meter. Mine's digital, but your manual meter with it's descriptive scale is more easily understood. ;-)

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Have you had a lot of rain? Did you resplit before testing?

 

[op_man1]

Have you had a lot of rain? Did you resplit before testing?

There was rain a few days before I tested and yes, I did re-split. I'll try again this weekend with a larger sample group (three splits from each of the wood categories) to see if my earlier results aren't some sort of aberration. Maybe I'll empty the swimming pool as well!

I can also add crab-apple to the mix since I have a bit on hand now. A word of caution to those of you who are looking to crab-apple trees for firewood - there's lots of branches and not much wood. Not really worth the effort unless you are removing the tree for other reasons.

 

[burntime]

Wow, those numbers are really high! I have maple that I split last fall and its in the low 20's already! I have ash that was split the middle of winter and it is checking and splitting, not ready yet but will be in a month or two...

 

[burntime]

Is it in single file row with sun on it?

 

[oldspark]

Is it in single file row with sun on it?

I think it is in a root celler.

 

[op_man1]

Is it in single file row with sun on it?

I think it is in a root celler.

It's in a pool, didn't you see above?

Actually, the new stuff is pallet width. The older stuff.... isn't. I'll update on the weekend.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My dummy tested right off the chart, but I already knew she was all wet. You shoulda heard her scream when I stuck her in the ass with those sharp probes. :roll:

Sounds like you need to empty the swimming pool before you season your wood in it. Ash and soft maple 1 year old should be at least in the low 20% I would think. It's tough when you don't have the room. I am surrounded by over 500 acres of fields, which makes for no neighbors and nice views, but all of it is either hayed or planted with corn so I'm SOL when it comes to large scale firewood storage. Thankfully, I live on the crest of a hill and it is always windy. My fall cut wood gets a pretty good jump before it heads in the "kiln" in November.

Hey, Dennis, I like your meter. Mine's digital, but your manual meter with it's descriptive scale is more easily understood. ;-)

:lol: :lol:

 

[LLigetfa]

Ash should be about 35% fresh cut...

Depends on the species and where it grows. With Black Ash taken out of swamps, you need to wear goggles when splitting to keep from getting squirted in the eyes.

 

[Skier76]

I had an unsplit round of Ash from the standing dead that was taken down in October/November. I split it this weekend and had a reading of 34%. It was an unsplit round, about 8" in diameter.