Does it really take a year for firewood to dry or can it dry in warm weather in 3 months if it's stacked right
Firewood
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CageMaster
Feeling the Heat
minimum a year if its cut green and that is depending on what type....some hardwoods take much longer than soft woods
Yep, it's a process that takes time. How much time will vary, but a general rule of thumb is 1 year for most woods, 2 years for Oak.
You may be able to get away with less if cutting some premium dead standing lumber, but it still takes time.
The vast majority of splits will not be ready in 3 months, unless of course you have access to the Sahara desert.
If you are stuck, and need to burn wood that will not have enough time to season, the best you can do is to split them small, and stack them loose in single rows in the driest, windiest, location possible (top covered too). While you are doing that, get next years wood on hand so you'll never be forced to burn poorly seasoned fuel again. That first year where one gets 2 years + of wood on hand is a SOB. But, after that, you'll only ever be bringing in 1 year's worth at a time, and you'll be using good wood.
pen
You may be able to get away with less if cutting some premium dead standing lumber, but it still takes time.
The vast majority of splits will not be ready in 3 months, unless of course you have access to the Sahara desert.
If you are stuck, and need to burn wood that will not have enough time to season, the best you can do is to split them small, and stack them loose in single rows in the driest, windiest, location possible (top covered too). While you are doing that, get next years wood on hand so you'll never be forced to burn poorly seasoned fuel again. That first year where one gets 2 years + of wood on hand is a SOB. But, after that, you'll only ever be bringing in 1 year's worth at a time, and you'll be using good wood.
pen
General rule of thumb . . . yes . . . about a year . . . some folks get by with 8 months of seasoning time depending on various factors.
Really depends on the species though (white ash vs. oak are quite different in seasoning times), local climate and weather (heat, wind, humidity levels) and whether the tree is cut live, standing dead or dead on the ground.
As a guess . . . I would say 3 months will not result in primo firewood.
JP11
Minister of Fire
I think wood is an evolution. I started cutting and splitting about December of last year. The boiler was installed in May or so.
I look at some of the pallets of wood that I put up first and I see several things.
1. Dang, that was a dumb way to brace that pallet.
2. Jeez.. some of that stuff has a lot of punk, what was I thinking.
3. Man, I let a couple pieces of oak slip thru (my red and white oak is separated so I can dry a few years)
4. Aw.. that should have been split again, that 6x6 hemlock split will be wet in the middle.
5. Man, those uglies screw up the stack, they should be on top of the stack.
and on and on.
I look at my work now... and I've got credit card size spilts that are uniform length. It's got some ash and some maple. I separate the oak. If I happen across a dead standing that's close to 20% on the MM, I'll set it aside and spit real small to use it as a fire starter for my 25% stuff.
Next is to work on my woodlot itself. I have an uncle with a forestry degree. He buys veneer for a living. I'm gonna have him walk some of the lot and just flag what I should cut for health of the remaining land. I really look forward to spending a couple hours with him. I think I could learn a whole lot in ID alone.
Fun to learn new things. So glad I found this forum.
I look at some of the pallets of wood that I put up first and I see several things.
1. Dang, that was a dumb way to brace that pallet.
2. Jeez.. some of that stuff has a lot of punk, what was I thinking.
3. Man, I let a couple pieces of oak slip thru (my red and white oak is separated so I can dry a few years)
4. Aw.. that should have been split again, that 6x6 hemlock split will be wet in the middle.
5. Man, those uglies screw up the stack, they should be on top of the stack.
and on and on.
I look at my work now... and I've got credit card size spilts that are uniform length. It's got some ash and some maple. I separate the oak. If I happen across a dead standing that's close to 20% on the MM, I'll set it aside and spit real small to use it as a fire starter for my 25% stuff.
Next is to work on my woodlot itself. I have an uncle with a forestry degree. He buys veneer for a living. I'm gonna have him walk some of the lot and just flag what I should cut for health of the remaining land. I really look forward to spending a couple hours with him. I think I could learn a whole lot in ID alone.
Fun to learn new things. So glad I found this forum.
- Jun 12, 2006
- 1,053
Whre are you, what wood, split when, and which three months? ; )
The first year I cut all the standing dead Elm, Ash, and Silver Maple I could. I judge by the sound, the more like wood baseball bats the splits sound when clunked together the better.
Split finer and cut shorter (14") the faster they dried. Yes drying occurs enen in the Winter but it's slow. I set aside the upper limbs for use sooner as they were already pretty decent. It was a bit of a pain the first year but it got the job done.
Hang in there,
Mike
The first year I cut all the standing dead Elm, Ash, and Silver Maple I could. I judge by the sound, the more like wood baseball bats the splits sound when clunked together the better.
Split finer and cut shorter (14") the faster they dried. Yes drying occurs enen in the Winter but it's slow. I set aside the upper limbs for use sooner as they were already pretty decent. It was a bit of a pain the first year but it got the job done.
Hang in there,
Mike
etiger2007
Minister of Fire
Yes....and no.
You will quickly find there can be a tremendous difference in different types of wood. You no doubt know that oak is one of the very best for firewood. Some say you can burn it in 2 years, we say 3. Yet, there are some woods that you can cut in the spring and burn that next fall. (March-November = 8 months) However, you will also find these generally are not the best woods for heating the home. They usually work okay in the spring and fall but won't hold a fire as long so night burning presents a problem.
Two types of wood you can cut in the spring and burn the next fall are soft maple and popple. This also is providing that you split and stack the wood as soon as it is cut. Stack it in the windiest spot on your place. Stack it loosely because air circulation is what you want. Sunshine can help too but wind is the most important.
Sometimes you can find some dead wood to cut but most are amazed at how wet they still are even being dead. A case in point is on our place we cut a certain amount of dead elm most years. It is so dead that the bark has even fallen off before we cut the tree. While some of the very top of the tree can indeed be burned rather quickly, the bottom of the tree will still have lots and lots of moisture.
Please keep in mind that wood won't dry, except for on the ends, until the wood has been split. To dry it the fastest one would split it small, stack it loose and in the windy spot and hopefully some sun.
With all this in mind, it is time right now to be thinking about next year's wood. We always recommend people have a 3 years supply on hand at all times. With this you are assured of having dry wood to burn and of some disaster hits and you can not put up wood one year, you will still have wood to burn.
Good luck.
etiger2007
Minister of Fire
Savage, I have had a few good size ash fall in the woods dead with no bark left on it. Would this still be good wood to burn? I figured because the bark has fallen off it would probably be punky and not worh the effort.
You'll know the answer to that question once you take the saw to them. Just wear your helmet!
pen
Tiger, I'd be willing to bet that ash will be okay to burn this year. Most of the ash in our area has been dead a few years now. I've only had one fall so far and cut that up last winter. There was no doubt in my mind that I could have thrown any of that tree into the stove right away.
It indeed may have some punk to it but unless it is all punk, worry not. Burn it.
Some day I'm going to look you up when I get over that direction. Just don't go that way very much.
It indeed may have some punk to it but unless it is all punk, worry not. Burn it.
Some day I'm going to look you up when I get over that direction. Just don't go that way very much.
clemsonfor
Minister of Fire
etiger2007
Minister of Fire
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