So I finally invested into a moisture meter just for pure curiosity. The ol'Harman can get a little finicky with wood selection to get a good secondary combustion. So last winter beginning of February I posted my score of oak on the side of the road it was cut the same week bucked up split and stacked. I just tested a few pieces on top of the pile resplit them and tested the center and I got 19.5% on average. Did this break some sort of sessioning record? I've always been told two years for oak and hard maples. I can probably contribute the fast seasoning time to the super hot and dry summer and the winter harvest. Anyone like to chime in?
9 month red oak
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kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
Was the wood you tested setting in the sun? If so it may have been too warm and given you an artificially low reading.
I am surprised you can get oak that low, that soon.
I am surprised you can get oak that low, that soon.
The Stacks do get the sun for most of the day, when checked the pieces with the meter it was in the evening. What the rule of thumb this? The wood should be acclimated to the for a proper reading correct?
Simonkenton
Minister of Fire
hickoryhoarder
Minister of Fire
Longer for oak is of course normal. But each split or log releases water at the rate determined by conditions around it. And its size and exposure to air. Also depends if that limb was dying before the tree was cut. I have had a fair number of oak pieces ready to burn in 12 months, simply by leaning them against the south side of the house. They get much more air that way than in a stack.
In my stacks, red oak is usually ready in 18-30 months (sun and breeze most of the day), but some individual pieces show little fissuring and not enough weight loss to be ideal, so I just leave them in the stack a full 3 years.
In my stacks, red oak is usually ready in 18-30 months (sun and breeze most of the day), but some individual pieces show little fissuring and not enough weight loss to be ideal, so I just leave them in the stack a full 3 years.
Do the above, and you’ll know if it’s ready to burn.
At the same time you’re leaving wood inside to acclimate to indoor temps, and after taking a moisture reading on room acclimated wood, go ahead and take some readings on your stack wood as well so you know the difference. Then you will know what your minimum outdoor reading needs to be in order to bring wood in doors to be burned.
Thats great advice I will do that and I'll keep you posted. I don't know how great the moisture meter is but at least it will give me a base line. I have left over well seasoned wood from last year loaded in the basement and it read around 10%
twd000
Feeling the Heat
if Maine's summer was anything like New Hampshire's summer, it has been dry dry dry here. Less than half of the typical summer rainfall. Which means low ambient humidity - ideal for drying wood. Sometimes ya get lucky! Other times you get a wet late summer - in August/September 2018 it rained about 2 out of every 3 days - my uncovered stacks started rotting on the ends and growing mushrooms - no bueno.
NorthernFireplaceFool
Member
I cannot speak to the Oak as I know it takes a very long time, but I had other stuff(ash, maple, etc.) stuff cut and split last winter that is under 20% currently after this dry, dry summer here in Maine. Was verified on cool(65 degree) wood on a fresh split face. Granted it was only down 17-18% but still under 20%.
So I acclimated a piece of that oak for over 24 hours at about 68 degrees and it was approximately 10% higher at about 22 percent than when I tested it right from outside but I am still considering bringing it in to burn for this season if I burn it towards the end of the season it should be well below 20%
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MissMac
Minister of Fire
I Think maybe they just look long, I shoot for 17" or so but ill leave 18 to 19 if the log ends that way
weatherguy
Minister of Fire
It was so hot and dry this year I'm not surprised, it probably dried in log form somewhat lying on the side of the road too.
Yeah The trees where freshly cut but tress shed a lot of water for winter and with Southern Maine is in a extreme drought all spring and summer the combination of both worked in my favor! I'll test and post agin when I burn the first few pieces it will be about a year since cut and split.
I did consider that too, I got almost got half way down the pile for the last test piece.I would imagine that further you go the higher the reading will be ill see if I can wiggle one out at the buttom to try. Id like to keep it stacked for the last four weeks until I bring the wood in
cadyfatcat
Member
I can get red oak to be burnable, 17%-18% in a single year, but I have to buck it to 14'' and split it quite thin. Also try to get as much of the bark off as you can. Then of course has to be in a relatively dry, warm and wind prone microclimate. Treating it the same way as maple or cherry it will take multiple years, and if you have the bark on it, you need cover it
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