Oak - another newbie moisture question...

[Duramaximos]

Hi folks,

I've found a regular supply of dimensional oak that is 3"x4"x8' lengths. It's not a huge supply of wood, but about a half a truck load per month....still I'm happy with the find

Now, I've noticed that the oak is quite smelly. There is no natural growing oak in my area, but I assume the smell is simply the smell of wet (green) oak. There is no sign of any coating on the wood. FYI - the wood was used as racking to transport 2500# rolls of Polyproplene film.

Today I deiced to buy a MM and split some of the peices to take a reading. 2 of 3 peices measured 21% and one measured 22%. The fresh split faces appear dry and only very slightly damp. When I put my nose to the fresh split, I get more of that fresh wood smell...I think. When I knock the peices together they do make a bright clanking sound, not quite like a bowling alley, but far from a dead sounding thud.

2 questions:
Is the smell normal for under seasoned oak?
Is 22% oak burnable?

I live in a big city with very little access to wood and a small amount of storage space, so I'm very motivated to burn this wood if it's not too bad.
Considering moving the wood indoors for a week or two before burning...being that it doesn't have any bark, I assume it will be less problematic in the house...

Thanks!

 

[Thistle]

Sounds like dunnage used when hauling heavy machinery,various building material like rebar,structural steel,plywood & construction lumber etc.on flatbed trucks/semi trailers.

Havent done it lately but I used to bring home 3-4 truckloads worth every year from local job sites I worked at.Nice mix really,bit of everything all rough sawn & varying degrees of dryness - some bone dry some green as can be.Some locally sawed,others shipped in with the load.Red/White Oak,Cottonwood,Soft/Hard Maple,Hickory,White Ash,Doug Fir & a couple Pines including Southern Yellow.

Even the occasional stick of lower grade Black Cherry & Black Walnut.Back in summer 2007 one load contained about 50 lineal feet of super-dry Black Cherry.Few knots & defects,but still ended up with a bunch of blocks for the wood lathe,most of them I still have.

 

[bogydave]

22% is burnable
From the center of s fresh split?

Smells like wood, that's ok too.

 

[Duramaximos]

22% is burnable
From the center of s fresh split?

Smells like wood, that's ok too.

Correct. Reading from the center of a fresh split with the probes parallel to the grain.

I threw a couple pieces (3" x 4" x 20") onto the fire today. Seems OK. It was definitely slower starting than my 15% spruce and fir, but it stayed lit and didn't smolder. I couldn't see the ends clearly so not sure if any water was boiling off.

 

[oldspark]

22% in the middle should be OK.

 

[Wood Duck]

That sounds pretty good to me. Drier would be ideal, but that stuff should burn without any problems.

Oak can be pretty aromatic even when dry. I don't think smell is an indication it isn't burnable.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It would be ideal to wait another year as you would certainly notice a nice difference. However, if you need the wood, mix it with some of that spruce and you should be okay. That is a great find and if you can get more, get it!