Oak Kindling Still Wet After 15yrs

[wkpoor]

Not sure if this is the correct forum.
Back in the 90's most of my wood cutting centered around making lumber. I always had stacks of lumber drying down. About 5 yrs ago I decided my stickers that were about 15yrs old where taking up too much room and decided to cut them down to 12" in length and store in boxes for kindling. They are stored on shelves (top shelf to be exact) in the wood building. So the picture here is 15yr old stickers, 1/2"x1"x12" in boxes on top shelf. Slowly I've been bringing in some when I need them for fire starters. Yesterday I brought in a box and today I used a few to help get a fire going. Soon afterwards I heard a hissing noise. I looked to see what I expected would be a wet piece of firewood and to my surprise was a piece of Oak sticker oozing from the end. 15yr old small thin pieces of Oak stored in a dry building that easy gets over 100 in the summer and that damn stuff was still wet.

 

[KaptJaq]

This proves that if you stack your wood too tight it will not dry. Packed in a box with no airspace between them and no airflow over the ends...

KaptJaq

 

[weatherguy]

This proves that if you stack your wood too tight it will not dry. Packed in a box with no airspace between them and no airflow over the ends...

KaptJaq

Or oak takes 16-17 years to season

 

[Paulywalnut]

I know I've split some 5 year old rounds of red oak open
and they're still at 25%. Just kindling... wow!

 

[wkpoor]

They were not packed in a box until last few yrs. 1st 10yrs they were either loose or used to sticker wood. Thought I explained that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If someone has a MM and would like to do some checking, I have some 10 year old white oak we could split. I'm betting it is still quite high. But those stickers I would think should be really dry by now.

 

[Freakingstang]

alot of variables... did the box get wet? did the roof leak? if it was that wet in a confined space, you would have thought it might have rotted first. If it was that wet, how did you get it lit?

 

[wkpoor]

The moisture was in the middle. Outside was very dry and it lit off quickly and easily. Then a few mins later I heard the hissing and saw ooz coming out the end. Obviously being a small piece if wood it didn't last long.
No roof leak and no other pieces in the box have exhibited moisture.

 

[clemsonfor]

alot of variables... did the box get wet? did the roof leak? if it was that wet in a confined space, you would have thought it might have rotted first. If it was that wet, how did you get it lit?

I think he was restoaking a fire?

 

[oldspark]

If someone has a MM and would like to do some checking, I have some 10 year old white oak we could split. I'm betting it is still quite high. But those stickers I would think should be really dry by now.

How big are they, I burn 5 to 6 inch oak rounds all the time and they burn good and they are not 10 years old.

 

[chipsoflyin]

Shows you what a pain in the ass oak is. Our situation is not ideal, double stacked on pallets no cover,lots of wind and sun, rains sideways quite often as we are near the lake. 2 year oak growing mushrooms and that's on the exposed side. 2 year ash good to go.

 

[Boom Stick]

I have two pallets of red oak from Irene storm damage.......seasoned for 16 months c/s/s........been burning it and has been great. First year was uncovered on the edge of the yard. Stuff was wet as all get out when I put it up........I did c/s/s as soon as I got it so maybe that makes a difference......I wonder in something happens to the wood if it sits in rounds too long vs being c/s/s when freshly felled.......

 

[oldspark]

Been burning mostly Oak for over 30 years, it is not a pain in the ass.

 

[cptoneleg]

If I had one wood to burn it would be Oak, I mostly burn Oak, BL, White Ash, and Cherry

These are the Oak Haters that come out with these weird stories every yr.

 

[Realstone]

alot of variables... did the box get wet? did the roof leak? if it was that wet in a confined space, you would have thought it might have rotted first. If it was that wet, how did you get it lit?

AFAIK, there are two types of moisture that have to be overcome in order to have a dry piece of firewood. One is within the cells, which is why we season wood for a given period of time, and the other is just plain ambient moisture. That is why a completely waterlogged split (that would sink if thrown into the lake) can dry out in a few weeks and burn great, but a new oak split will take many years to dry if not given the right conditions.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

How big are they, I burn 5 to 6 inch oak rounds all the time and they burn good and they are not 10 years old.

Various sizes up to around 30". Some small ones maybe 10" but most are a pretty good size. Heavy buggers for sure.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If I had one wood to burn it would be Oak, I mostly burn Oak, BL, White Ash, and Cherry

These are the Oak Haters that come out with these weird stories every yr.

I hope you don't include me in there because I certainly am not an oak hate.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Its worth the wait. I love oak. The aroma the way it burns yeah! Locust too.

 

[cptoneleg]

I hope you don't include me in there because I certainly am not an oak hate.

No way, some folks just don' give Oak the time it needs, and complain about it.

 

[Thistle]

Easily 70% of what I cut & burn every year is Red/Black/White/Bur Oak.Granted virtually all of that is dead,even so once its split & stacked its good to go in 18 months tops,usually 6 to 12 is the norm.Close to 1/2 of everything 6" or less could be burned immediately,its that dry.Barring blizzards,thunderstorms/lightning,strong winds or 90+ temps I'm cutting year round - 2 to 4 days per month when I have the spare time.

 

[chipsoflyin]

Must be an Ohio thing

 

[wkpoor]

Oak is probably at the top of most peoples list of good burning wood to have. However Osage Orange, Ash and Locust season very quickly. OO is much more readily available in my area, has more btu's per lb and dries in a single season so it is the wood of choice for me.