Hickory drying time

[Roundgunner]

I'm getting the top of a Hickory tomorrow. Is it like Maple, 1-2 year drying time or more like Oak 3 years.

I'm hoping to get it right on a stack but I don't have a empty one right now. I have a half full Maple and a half full Oak. I have got 4 cord done since it cooled down enough to split and stack, a lot more than I have burned so far. I have about 2 cord of Maple on the ground to do yet and a bunch of White Oak tops and a Black Birch about 15 miles away. The tree guy is going to pay me $200 to take away about 40 foot of Oak trunk later in the week too. I like Oak tops better because sometimes I can't maneuver the big rounds cut to 24" by myself to get into the splitter. Most everything else I get by myself.

Wood is good.

 

[DBoon]

In an open, sunny meadow, single row stacked, covered, you could be ready in 1-1/2 years. But you will be a lot happier with 2 year dried hickory.

If your drying area is less open, sunny, windy, covered, etc., follow the 3 year rule.

Don't dry to dry it in a barn or garage...it will take too long.

 

[mwhitnee]

What DBoon said...

 

[FTG-05]

I have hickory that is approaching the 2 year mark, it's always been stacked in the middle of my pole barn. Since it's next up after I'm done with 3 year Black Walnut, I checked it for moisture a week o so ago. 17-18% on the half dozen splits I checked.

Should be GTG for this year.

You can see how it's been stored the last two years in the pic below. Upper left and the stack to the right is the Black Walnut Im using now. The stack that's under the carpet remnant/2x4 and cedar post is the +2 year hickory.

The stack to the right center is also hickory but only one year right now. The empty racks to the right are now all filled, also with hickory.

 

[Paulywalnut]

Try to keep it in a sunny location. It will mold up on you kept in shade. 3 year hickory is great.

 

[Roundgunner]

Picked it up today but didn't have time to get it cut and stacked. I will be stacking it with the Oak so it gets at least 3 years.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Roundgunner]

I got to take care of the Hickory today. Was pretty easy, out of the truck right next to the stacking rack, directly onto the bucking horse, cut, stack.

(broken image removed)
(broken image removed)

About half a cord in a bit over 2 hours.

 

[weatherguy]

Getting it split now will get you two full seasons, that's plenty of time. I can get oak seasoned in two years if I have it split by March to give it two full years.

 

[shoot-straight]

while i wont state is as fact - rounds with bark intact will dry slower than split wood of even size. consider splitting at least some of those. its remarkable how much moisture can be held in by bark. more bark, slower to dry. just my $0.02

i burn alot of rounds as well.

 

[DBoon]

Yeah, if you are going to stack and dry in rounds, you'll need to about double the drying time. And hickory has a tendency to rot if kept outside uncovered long enough to dry a round, so get it covered too. I would split anything over 4" or else you will wait a long time for it to dry.

 

[Roundgunner]

I will be able to wait for this stuff. This season I only have about 3/4 cord of 3 year old Oak. I will only be using it on COLD night that I don't have to be up early. Next year I will have about 4 cord of 3yo Oak