Fastest Seasoned Oak Ever?

[yooper08]

I have some oak that seasoned within about 6 months or less. Truth. But perhaps misleading...seems to be how most claims are.

So, had a small oak tree (average 7" diameter) fall down two summers ago and just took care of in June. By fall, I mean it's like the roots rotted away from the ball and it just toppled over since it had very little support. Basically all of the bark was off and after splitting it, and really even while I was bucking it, could tell it was already pretty dry. Now that we're finally getting into single digits and below 0 this weekend, I've brought some of it in just to test how well it burns. Welp, burns pretty darn good. Kinda wish I had good batteries for my moisture meter.

The point, or the question I have is...how long does an oak tree have to be dead to already be dry like that? My guess is years, but I don't know as I don't typically cut my own wood (just don't have the acreage to do that). Or is it that I just lucked out on this particular tree?

I haven't really heard of people getting dead oak essentially ready to burn like that.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Standing dead without the bark for a couple years then cut and split then by drying split for the summer months; I'm not surprised it ready to burn. Once the "green" is out of it after it standing. I think a year css after standing dead a few years is usually sufficient even if some of the bark is still on it.

 

[Woody5506]

I got some red oak a month ago that was clearly dead. Semi punked on the outside where all the bark fell off. Split it and it was still super wet. Probably gonna let it sit for a couple years.

 

[yooper08]

I got some red oak a month ago that was clearly dead. Semi punked on the outside where all the bark fell off. Split it and it was still super wet. Probably gonna let it sit for a couple years.

That’s what I was expecting when I started working it.

 

[weatherguy]

A small one can dry out pretty quick, lucky you, burn it and enjoy the heat.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I think that the smaller diameter stuff will dry faster, with the bark off this will also speed things up.
I was cutting last weekend on some poplar and white oak. This stuff has beed down for a year
The poplar was cut to log lenth 6 to 7 foot and 36in diameter. When quarteringit up water was still running out of them.
The oak was a smaller diameter 20 inch and wasn't as wet but still in the mid 30 MC

 

[hickoryhoarder]

It's very reasonable to expect this wood would be ready.

 

[ColdNorCal]

Drying oak time depends on many things. One is location. In the Sacramento area, I fell live oaks in the fall. Leave them lie where they fall, cut and split in early spring, and burn in winter. I leave the splits lying in the open, full sun all day, April through beginning of November then stack. Very low humidity, loooong summer days, and high temps. Burns clean and gets hot quick with Century fw3000.

 

[coreboy83]

Wow, that's fast ! What did you season it with ? We prefer Lemon Pepper in MN

 

[ColdNorCal]

Fish sauce and chili peppers. My wife is Thai

 

[Rockey]

I dont wanna brag or nothing but I seen a few oak splits go from 50%+ to 0% in a matter of hours in my boiler

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I once got really lucky and scored some dead red oak that was 20% on fresh split face.

 

[yooper08]

I dont wanna brag or nothing but I seen a few oak splits go from 50%+ to 0% in a matter of hours in my boiler

Why am I not surprised.