Confusing felling with "seasoning"

[PDXpyro]

I know that this subject has probably been discussed to death here, but it's really annoying how many wood sellers hereabouts trumpet that their supposedly-seasoned wood has been "down" for a year or two, or whatever. They often reveal in the very same ad that the wood was only recently bucked and split!

When did merely felling a tree become part of the seasoning process? You see that all the time in the CL ads around here: down, down, down at such-and such a time... is this rather deceptive practice common in other regions?

 

[PDXpyro]

Just looked at the local CL ads again, and I forgot to mention the common practice of many who say, "We can cut/split this seasoned wood to your specifications!"

Sigh.

 

[Standingdead]

Yup I agree. My mother in law used to advise me I was doing it all wrong "leaving your wood outside a couple years just rotting away". I tried to explain the concept of seasoning and it didn't take. See she and a lot of other folks were indoctrinated into the cult of cut in summer burn in winter. Whoever started that dang cult forgot to tell the hoards of followers which summer, as in, cut this summer burn in a few winters.

 

[Jon1270]

When I ordered my first load of "seasoned hardwoods" after installing my stove last year, I was shocked (shocked!) that what I got was both less than I paid for, and soaking wet. Having read so many similar stories since then, I now assume that sort of experience is the rule rather than the exception. Of course the ideas that pine is full of creosote and woodburning is inherently dirty are all wrapped up with it in a self-reinforcing package. If the wood is wet, then woodburning is dirty, and pine probably is more likely than other species to cause creosote problems. And of course wood sellers have economic incentives to pretend their merely felled trees are ready to burn. It rarely does any good to confront such misunderstandings head-on. I think it's usually more productive to chip away at the vulnerable edges of ignorance.

 

[JustWood]

I know that this subject has probably been discussed to death here, but it's really annoying how many wood sellers hereabouts trumpet that their supposedly-seasoned wood has been "down" for a year or two, or whatever. They often reveal in the very same ad that the wood was only recently bucked and split!

When did merely felling a tree become part of the seasoning process? You see that all the time in the CL ads around here: down, down, down at such-and such a time... is this rather deceptive practice common in other regions?

I woodn't say that's deceptive at all.
They gave you all the information needed to make a decision on buying or not.
If you ordered a load and they brought you fresh off the stump,, that wood be a deceptive ad.

 

[Beer Belly]

Yeah, I got a buddy who thinks I take things too far using a MM, and taking 3 years to season Oak.....his idea, it's been on the ground for a year....split and burn

 

[btuser]

Seasoning starts for me when the wood shows up at my house. Anything that happens beforehand is gravy. The two things I care about are wood species and that a cord is a cord is a cord.

You get what you pay for.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I know that this subject has probably been discussed to death here, but it's really annoying how many wood sellers hereabouts trumpet that their supposedly-seasoned wood has been "down" for a year or two, or whatever. They often reveal in the very same ad that the wood was only recently bucked and split!

When did merely felling a tree become part of the seasoning process? You see that all the time in the CL ads around here: down, down, down at such-and such a time... is this rather deceptive practice common in other regions?

Since forever, because of science.

 

[Applesister]

I love your Avatar pic PDX
I should know the original artist of that painting but I cannot remember. It always gave me the creeps. Like girls prep schools that have bars on the windows.
Dont feed the dead horses?
And dont beat them either.

 

[Applesister]

Seasoning starts for me when the wood shows up at my house. Anything that happens beforehand is gravy. The two things I care about are wood species and that a cord is a cord is a cord.

You get what you pay for.

AMEN

 

[MrWhoopee]

Dont feed the dead horses?
And dont beat them either.

No harm in beating a dead horse, they don't mind in the least.

 

[albert1029]

I moved to SW PA from Louisiana and I now know I never got seasoned firewood...common practice....by the way, your avatar is priceless.....

 

[Snotrocket]

Unless the person/dealer you're buying from has a kiln always assume it's green.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I know that this subject has probably been discussed to death here, but it's really annoying how many wood sellers hereabouts trumpet that their supposedly-seasoned wood has been "down" for a year or two, or whatever. They often reveal in the very same ad that the wood was only recently bucked and split!

When did merely felling a tree become part of the seasoning process? You see that all the time in the CL ads around here: down, down, down at such-and such a time... is this rather deceptive practice common in other regions?

Just looked at the local CL ads again, and I forgot to mention the common practice of many who say, "We can cut/split this seasoned wood to your specifications!"

Sigh.

That has been common practice since people started selling wood. One just has to accept it and deal with it.

One also has to understand why wood sellers do what they do. If they cut, split and stack it to let it dry first. Then they have to load it into their trucks off the stacks. That takes not only a lot of space but also adds a lot to the labor costs. So when anyone is buying wood, they have to know what they are getting; if not, it is their own fault and not the wood seller unless he does directly mislead and as JustWood stated, if he goes out and cuts it off the stump, splits it and then delivers it, then that would be misleading for certain.


Moral is; cut your own wood and you'll know what you have.

 

[n3pro]

Ditto to other have said but from my experience, the logic comes from the fact trees get moisture and nutrients from the roots in the ground. You have a tree not planted or watered in the ground it dies so the logic is if it is not rooted in the ground it isn't getting moisture and therefore dries out. Common situation happens here when people complain that their stove isn't working right and swear their wood is plenty dry but was just split a few weeks ago. Unless you have been taught how wood sheds it's moisture, that is the common thought as long as it's not rooted in the ground it dries out.

As far as sellers, at least all the ones I've dealt with, firewood is a side job or work to keep the employees employed and the company floating during the off season. It is not their main source of income or business so therefore not about to do more work or use more resources the necessary. The little amount of money that is made in most cases selling firewood it is not feasible to do it any other way and again not being a main profitable business not one that they are going to but much time in researching what seasoned is.

It is what it is. I assume I'm getting unseasoned wood thanks to my education here and the added benefit is buying off season is usually cheaper too.

 

[dmmoss51]

My best experience buying wood from craigslist got me some very dry oak for a steal! Of course this is not the norm.

Turns out a guy changed out his wood burning fireplace for a gas log to appease his wife. He wanted the face cord or so of leftover wood out of his backyard. Turns out it had been there, split and stacked, for about 4 years! He wanted $20 for it and the only caveat was that I had to take all of it!

Wish this happened every day!

 

[Paulywalnut]

The majority of people burning wood might think seasoned is letting it sit for a season. We all know from felling to cut split and stacked is 3 years.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The majority of people burning wood might think seasoned is letting it sit for a season. We all know from felling to cut split and stacked is 3 years.

Not all of us. Thank God.

 

[PDXpyro]

To clarify, I'm not complaining about this for my own sake -- I purchase the majority of our firewood, in cut, split and delivered form -- but buy most of it green in February and March. Some of the stuff that seasons relatively fast such as doug fir, and smaller splits of less-dense hardwoods, will then be burned in the fall and winter immediately following. The denser, bigger pieces have to wait through a second spring, summer and fall at least. I also do a LOT of re-splitting before stacking.

My only concern is for those who don't have the space, inclination, or perhaps knowledge to do as I do, and who buy wood that's merely been "down" for a year or whatever, and is sold as supposedly seasoned wood very shortly after it's finally bucked and split by the seller. That's the slightly deceptive part, as many, many folks simply accept that such wood is ready to go right off the bat, when it usually isn't.

Glad some of you liked the avatar -- we don't really have a barn (unfortunately) nor horses! The photo was used in our Christmas card for last year, taken a a couple of miles from home. I just thought it made for an amusing backdrop, loosely based on Grant Wood's painting -- Grant WOOD, heh -- titled "American Gothic."

 

[dmmoss51]

I think the other thing to consider is seasoned is subjective. Moisture content is objective. A long log sitting on the ground for a year may be "seasoned" but not low enough moisture content to burn. Also there are so many variables involved in drying wood. Variences in spieces, climates, stacking location, and split size all contribute to how fast it dries out. I don't think you can combat what someone calls seasoned that you don't think is dry enough yet. Rather, buyer beware... ask some questions about their drying techniques or better yet look at the wood before you buy it and take along a MM.

 

[oldspark]

The majority of people burning wood might think seasoned is letting it sit for a season. We all know from felling to cut split and stacked is 3 years.

So many varibles to the wood drying process there is no way you can put a specific time frame on it, many types of wood dont take 3 years to dry to under 20%.

 

[Brewmonster]

The term "seasoned" has been used to mean so many things over the years that it really isn't useful, except as a means of deception. Better to use terms like "20% moisture or less" or "split, stacked and top-covered for sixteen months" or "juicy as a ripe peach."

I understand that selling wood that's been split, stacked, and covered for a year or more isn't practical economically. I just wish more sellers would give a meaningful description of what they're selling.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Since I burn mostly beetle kill lodgepole pine trees that have been standing dead for many years, and are <20% MC trunk to tree top, I find it hard to totally agree with any hard and fast rules about how wood must been cut split and stacked for 2-3 years before it is fit to burn. It's good general advice, but obviously not always necessary. In fact, because many of the wood sellers around here also cut these same dry lodgepole pine trees, a lot of them unwittingly sell adequately "seasoned" wood that has just been cut, and possibly not even split. Of course just as many, or more, of them sell wood that is not very dry at all, so it's a crap shoot as to what you might end up with if you purchase firewood around here. Since most people buy wood to burn right away, they'd be well advised to ask a lot of questions before having the wood sellers bring the wood, and inform them that you have a moisture meter and now how to use it. The problem is that usually those people buying the wood don't own a moisture meter, and have little concept of what properly "seasoned" wood is.
Personally I think that if it was made a law that every wood burner (and seller) had to own a moisture meter and be trained in how to use it, it would revolutionize the wood burning industry and remove almost all the problems and "confusion" that surround wood burning.

 

[Craig S.]

Seasoning is all in the details when buying wood. Found this place online selling kiln dried firewood (http://www.lifirewood.com/guarantee.php) guaranteed to be less than 30% MC.

 

[maple1]

The majority of people burning wood might think seasoned is letting it sit for a season. We all know from felling to cut split and stacked is 3 years.

Think I'll have to disagree with you on that one.