Ash seasoning?

[rdust]

I just finished cutting some standing dead white ash this weekend. I started splitting today and the upper parts are already in the low 20's so I know they'll burn fine. The lower parts are in the upper 20's/low 30's, will this be in the mid or low 20's by Jan. or Feb.?

I have a cord of ash that I cut/split in April that was in the mid-low 20's in about 3 months but the weather was different then it is now. Either way it's gonna get burned at some point this winter, I really just wanted to start a thread to hear all the different opinions.

 

[gzecc]

I think green, white ash needs minimally 4 months to burn well.

 

[burntime]

Everyone has done it. I can tell you that once you have good seasoned wood you will not burn anything else if given the chance...

 

[smokinj]

Everyone has done it. I can tell you that once you have good seasoned wood you will not burn anything else if given the chance...

+1 cutting in the fall for next year ,but ash is your best bet.

 

[ksting]

I always thought that ash could be burned a few weeks after it is split?

 

[colebrookman]

I always thought that ash could be burned a few weeks after it is split?

Yup, around here ash is your go to wood when you don't have time to season wood. Be safe.
Ed

 

[smokinj]

I always thought that ash could be burned a few weeks after it is split?

It is, but still burns much better seasoned

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm a big fan of white ash . . . seasons fast, burns decent, coals up well . . . but I still give it time to season since it burns better with time.

 

[rdust]

Everyone has done it. I can tell you that once you have good seasoned wood you will not burn anything else if given the chance...

I know the situation is far from perfect. This is my first year so I've been cutting and splitting all that I can. I cut/split a cord of poplar, a cord of ash, 4 cords or so of oak, hickory, walnut, beech this spring and 3 cords of silver maple in early July.(9 + cords total) The ash I cut in the spring is ready but don't want to waste the other good hardwoods that aren't seasoned properly. I've been cutting standing dead ash since it's supposed to season faster so I can hold onto the other hardwoods till next year once it's seasoned longer if possible.

So for this year I have almost a cord of red oak from 2 winters ago, a cord of ash from this spring and a cord or more of the standing dead ash I finished cutting last weekend. I also have a couple face cords of miscellaneous wood.

This first season may be a little tough but moving forward I *should* be fine.

 

[Slow1]

How is that poplar testing out for you now? I've heard it seasons pretty fast but my pile that I split up about 6 months ago is still testing low 30's (not a good summer I suppose). I'm not counting on it for this year, but was curious if it would be possible to be ready or not.

 

[smokinj]

How is that poplar testing out for you now? I've heard it seasons pretty fast but my pile that I split up about 6 months ago is still testing low 30's (not a good summer I suppose). I'm not counting on it for this year, but was curious if it would be possible to be ready or not.

If I think that I need more wood and its less than seasoned,just resplit a few cords thats about as good as you can do.

 

[rdust]

How is that poplar testing out for you now? I've heard it seasons pretty fast but my pile that I split up about 6 months ago is still testing low 30's (not a good summer I suppose). I'm not counting on it for this year, but was curious if it would be possible to be ready or not.

Higher then my oak from this year!(30's just like yours) They were standing dead and the bottom was full of water, some of the top is ok but I just stacked it all together since everyone always says how fast it seasons. I now think they're talking about tulip poplar and not aspen/poplar.

 

[Tony H]

Everyone has done it. I can tell you that once you have good seasoned wood you will not burn anything else if given the chance...

I know the situation is far from perfect. This is my first year so I've been cutting and splitting all that I can. I cut/split a cord of poplar, a cord of ash, 4 cords or so of oak, hickory, walnut, beech this spring and 3 cords of silver maple in early July.(9 + cords total) The ash I cut in the spring is ready but don't want to waste the other good hardwoods that aren't seasoned properly. I've been cutting standing dead ash since it's supposed to season faster so I can hold onto the other hardwoods till next year once it's seasoned longer if possible.

So for this year I have almost a cord of red oak from 2 winters ago, a cord of ash from this spring and a cord or more of the standing dead ash I finished cutting last weekend. I also have a couple face cords of miscellaneous wood.

This first season may be a little tough but moving forward I *should* be fine.

check the silver maple I burn alot of it and it seasons pretty fast , I would say the stuff from july will be ready soon just depends on size of splits and weather

 

[Backwoods Savage]

rdust, I apologize as I should have called you a couple weeks ago when I went to Imlay City. Then perhaps I could have stopped in to at least chat.

I doubt you will have a problem burning that in Jan-Feb but you may have to give it just a little extra air over what you'd give good dry wood. If it were me, I'd burn it and not worry except for checking the chimney a little more often. But then, all new wood burners should check their chimneys monthly the first couple of years.

Good luck.

btw, I cut 8 cords of ash last winter and I would not hesitate to burn it this winter if it were needed.

 

[rdust]

rdust, I apologize as I should have called you a couple weeks ago when I went to Imlay City. Then perhaps I could have stopped in to at least chat.

I doubt you will have a problem burning that in Jan-Feb but you may have to give it just a little extra air over what you'd give good dry wood. If it were me, I'd burn it and not worry except for checking the chimney a little more often. But then, all new wood burners should check their chimneys monthly the first couple of years.

Good luck.

btw, I cut 8 cords of ash last winter and I would not hesitate to burn it this winter if it were needed.

Not a problem BS, next time you're in town let me know and we can try to meet up.

I figure with this being my first season I'm going to have a learning curve. I'm not planning on 24/7 burning right off the bat but I will probably ease myself into it as I get then hang of it. One of the mixed cords I have is a bunch of smaller branch pieces that I cut in the spring I haven't looked at those much but I think a lot of those will also be good.

 

[ksting]

Everyone likes a good piece of ash! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

 

[LLigetfa]

Everyone likes a good piece of ash! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

I buy Ash whenever I can get it. That said, I had some beautiful straight grained stuff delivered to me one year. I saw a guy in my driveway one day stopped near my woodpile. As I walked up to the pickup, the guy said “I’m just admiring your Ash”, to which I said, “I sure hope for your sake you don’t have a speech impediment!”.