Wood moisture content amongst species....high variation?

[Grannyknot]

Does moisture content on standing trees vary amongst species?
About 3 months ago, we cut 2 standing dead trees. One a cherry, the other was an oak.
The cherry was down to 20% in 2 months, but the Oak probably won't burn well until next winter.
Has anyone seen a chart that shows average moisture content by species?

I tried google and the forum search feature, but couldn't find much.

 

[Pat53]

Short answer is probably yes. Some species hold much less water than others. I believe ash is one species that is "relatively" dry. Oak is definitely wet.

 

[oldspark]

Comparing cherry to Oak is like comparing apples to hand gernades, cherry has less moisture and is less dense, oak has more moisture and much more dense, drying times will be worlds apart. Yes there is a char and have not found it yet, will post link when I find it.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think there probably is a big variation in the amount of moisture in live trees, but there is also a very large variation in how easily wood gives up moisture, and the difference in how wood gives up moisture is probably more important. It seems that people who measure moisture content of their firewood will find that starting at the same moisture content, cherry (for example) will drop moisture a lot faster than oak. everything drops moisture faster than oak. The differences probably have a lot to do with the details of the wood cell structure and aren't fully explained by the density of the wood. That is to say that oak and Black Locust are about the same density but I think oak seasons more slowly. Oak also starts out with higher moisture content.

 

[JustWood]

Alot also depends on climate , soil conditions , and where it's grown.

 

[lukem]

This list isn't comprehensive of all species, nor can I vouch for its accuracy, but paints a picture. Check out the last column.

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/123651.htm

 

[oldspark]

I have a chart (somewhere) that is waaaaaaaaaay different then that one, not sure I agree with the one posted.

 

[Grannyknot]

This list isn't comprehensive of all species, nor can I vouch for its accuracy, but paints a picture. Check out the last column.

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/123651.htm

wow...that shows Red Oak at 43% M.C. when green....I thought it was closer to 60.

 

[oldspark]

This list isn't comprehensive of all species, nor can I vouch for its accuracy, but paints a picture. Check out the last column.

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/123651.htm

wow...that shows Red Oak at 43% M.C. when green....I thought it was closer to 60.

Now you know why I think that chart is wacked, cant find that other chart yet.

 

[Dairyman]

This list isn't comprehensive of all species, nor can I vouch for its accuracy, but paints a picture. Check out the last column.

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/123651.htm

wow...that shows Red Oak at 43% M.C. when green....I thought it was closer to 60.

Now you know why I think that chart is wacked, cant find that other chart yet.

The green and 0% numbers seem right. They put red oak at 57.8% green, their "dry" is 41%. So if you want to do some math that chart can be useful.

Edit: Through their "dry" numbers out not sure how dry can be less than 0% moisture.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Cut, split, stack. Wait 2-3 years and worry not about moisture content in firewood.

 

[Thistle]

Cut, split, stack. Wait 2-3 years and worry not about moisture content in firewood.

+1 Precisely.Its not rocket science. Your eyes,nose,ears & sense of touch are a better moisture meter than you could buy.

 

[oldspark]

For all our friends who do not have the space time or what ever, MM has its place period, besides that it a fun toy. Dont understand the MM haters.

 

[cptoneleg]

It is a fun Toy, and I agree 3 years in a stack is probably the exact correct answer.


I take my Toy and check alot of standing dead, laying dead, leaning dead, I can't find the dead that is below 20%.

See these B/Locust look like telephone poles with roots, 37% only the 4" to 6" limbs were below 20%, I quess that after split and stacked the will dry faster????

Don"t know thats what the toy is about.

 

[oldspark]

A lot of misinformation on this site about drying wood (and some good) so I hope people can sort it out (as many already have).

 

[gzecc]

Here's a good one.
http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html

 

[Grannyknot]

Cut, split, stack. Wait 2-3 years and worry not about moisture content in firewood.

+1 Precisely.Its not rocket science. Your eyes,nose,ears & sense of touch are a better moisture meter than you could buy.

The reason I am asking about varying moisture content in wood is because I am going to be cutting in a mixed hardwood forest this weekend and if there is something like a standing dead ash that can burn relatively quickly, I'd rather fill up my tuck bed with that rather than oak thats going to need a couple of years.

A good friend lost his job Monday morning and since they will be struggling to make ends meet and have an eight month old baby, I donated my old wood stove and most of my seasoned firewood for them to burn through the winter......thus, I need to find something to heat my house with this winter.

 

[oldspark]

I guess it is not as far off as I thought, somewhere between 6 to 10% on a few that I checked, the ash at 45% is what caught my eye earlier, that is the chart I was looking for gzecc.