seasoning dead oak

[willisl64]

I have 2 large red oak trees that have been down and dead for 4-5 years. It is now bucked/split/stacked - should this be ready to burn this winter? Also have some green red oak, and don't figure on burning it till 09-10, but was hoping this dead wood would season faster - the smaller rounds are checked, but the big rounds 24" and bigger, are what I'm wondering about.
Thanks in advance

 

[Carl]

I wouldn't think there would be any problem in using the already dead oak this fall. I just cut about 12 face cords of it and it is stacked in my woodshed for this coming winter.

The green stuff could use an extra year to season for the best burning. Red oak makes a lot of creosote if not dried properly and smoldered instead of burned hot.

 

[lobsta1]

A few years ago I got access to a huge red oak that had been down for a few years. There were so many limbs that the whole tree was at least 3' off the ground. Bucked it all up, plus all the trunk rounds I had to rip into quarters. There was just no way to pick them up otherwise. Stacked it all in my wood shed.(Open on three sides) This was in January. Sept. I split it all & restacked back in the shed. The only way I could really burn that wood all winter was to keep stacking it up next to the stove to dry out. The wood was still so wet, that in Feb. when I replit some of the bigger pieces, I found the insides were frozen.
Al

 

[Todd]

Maybe, maybe not. Oak can keep moisture for a long time. I've had oak sizzlers in the stove after 2 full years of drying. Also had good burning oak after 1 summers drying. Best to split it small and give it lots of sun and wind exposure.

 

[Carl]

A few years ago I got access to a huge red oak that had been down for a few years. There were so many limbs that the whole tree was at least 3' off the ground. Bucked it all up, plus all the trunk rounds I had to rip into quarters. There was just no way to pick them up otherwise. Stacked it all in my wood shed.(Open on three sides) This was in January. Sept. I split it all & restacked back in the shed. The only way I could really burn that wood all winter was to keep stacking it up next to the stove to dry out. The wood was still so wet, that in Feb. when I replit some of the bigger pieces, I found the insides were frozen.
Al

Had you split it in early spring so it could dry out in splits instead of rounds for the summer I think it would have burned ok. What you were probably drying by the stove is the accumulated water moisture in it. By waiting till Sept to split it would not be dry by winter.