To burn or not to burn....that is the question

[maflake]

I’m new to the wood burning arena and I have a question. A friend called me and said he had some wood that was cut and stacked two years ago. I picked up the wood which was between a foot and a half to two feet in diameter and stacked nicely. I brought it home and split it with the splitter but I was wondering if it would be good to burn this year or should I wait another. Does cut but not split, for two years, count as seasoned wood?

Thanks....

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Split some and start a fire. If it starts easy and burns well without smoke or blackening the glass- it's probably great. If still worried, you can measure the moisture content with a good scale and an oven.

I have seen wood like that pretty darned wet if not split. It's probably not ready, but testing will tell

 

[scottandlorig]

Split some and start a fire. If it starts easy and burns well without smoke or blackening the glass- it's probably great. If still worried, you can measure the moisture content with a good scale and an oven.

I have seen wood like that pretty darned wet if not split. It's probably not ready, but testing will tell

Agree

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Hit too pieces together and if it rings you'll be fine. I've had excellent luck with wood drying in the rounds. It all depends what type of wood it is though.

Matt

 

[Backwoods Savage]

What kind of wood is it? Part of your answer is dependent upon the answer to that question. As you well know, most wood will not dry until it has been split so use that as a good rule of thumb. But some wood will be okay; like soft maple. I could leave that over a summer unsplit, split it in the fall and it would burn just fine. If it is oak, split it and wait 2 more years.