How long for felled wood to season

[jotul?]

I know I should get a moisture meter, but I haven't even bought my stove yet so I don't want to get ahead of myself. The place where I cut firewood is mixed hardwood that was logged 2 years ago. I've always run my outdoor boiler so I never bothered worrying about moisture. Just wondering if anyone knows how fast tree tops season when they've been felled but not cut and split.

 

[paul bunion]

It will be a mixed bag. I wouldn't expect too much. Exposed to the rain and snow it can be as wet as it was on the day it was cut. Some, if in contact with the ground will be worse and could even be punky. Parts that are suspended in the air and the sun might surprise you. The species will matter also.

Don't worry to much about not having a moisture meter. They can only read accurately up to about 40%.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I know I should get a moisture meter, but I haven't even bought my stove yet so I don't want to get ahead of myself. The place where I cut firewood is mixed hardwood that was logged 2 years ago. I've always run my outdoor boiler so I never bothered worrying about moisture. Just wondering if anyone knows how fast tree tops season when they've been felled but not cut and split.

1) You don't need a moisture meter and for the purpose of wood burning "seasoned" and "season" and all derivatives thereof have no meaning

2) Different species dry at different rates

3) The same species dry at different rates from year to year depending on local conditions

4) Some species carry more moisture when green and even given the same or similar rate of drying they will take longer to dry

5) There is no answer to your specific question - The main thing to do is get it split and off the ground.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I. I've always run my outdoor boiler so I never bothered worrying about moisture..

You may potentially be using 35%-50% more wood than you otherwise would with seasoned dry wood. Wet wood spends a lot of its energy boiling off water vapor.

 

[JP11]

You state you 'don't want to get ahead of yourself'

That's EXACTLY what you want to be doing. Get cutting, bucking and splitting. Get ahead!

Get a cheap harbor freight 20 dollar moisture meter. Don't try and 'count' any time before it's cut and split. Yeah, there may be some drying there.. but you need to get cracking to get drying.



JP

 

[Tommytman]

In my experience, felled wood will rot before it seasons. An exception is standing/barkless trees. But anything on the ground will undoubtedly be wet. As other guys are saying there is a great degree of fluctuation.

 

[Fred Wright]

Logs and rounds will dry somewhat and lose weight out on the prairie... but it won't fully cure until it's been split and stacked.

Depending on the species you could have 6 months to a couple years before it's good and cured. You have a head start on seasoning, at least.

 

[Woody Stover]

"seasoned" and "season" and all derivatives thereof have no meaning

Well, to sellers, "seasoned" means it was split, tossed in the truck, and dried on the way to your house. Hopefully, it wasn't raining. Or else they sprinkled some salt and pepper on the wood. To us, "seasoned" means the wood has been split and stacked long enough to be dry. That could take one, two or three "seasons."

The main thing to do is get it split and off the ground.

And let the "seasoning" begin!

 

[Andy S.]

That's EXACTLY what you want to be doing.

I wouldn't go so far as to say I regret my first year because I learned a lot and got some good heat out of burning the dry stuff I had from my fire pit stack and some of the brick fuel I trried, but had I known then what I know now I'd have been scrounging as much Maple and Pine as possible the spring prior. So, by all means... get ahead of yourself.

 

[blades]

Firewood retailers( 90%) = seasoning = 2 stoke exhaust and bar oil ( sorry no salt and pepper, besides salt is really hard on flues).
New stoves really work best with fuel of an internal moisture content of 18%-12% ( note- kiln dry dimension lumber is brought down to 6-8% but re-absorb's intercellularly to surrounding atmospheric conditions apx 12%) The higher the density of the wood the longer it takes to reach optimum burning potential btu wise, Under ideal condidtions outside it could be as little as 6 months for some types others could be 3 years. Birtch will turn punky( rotted) inside its bark if not split right away. Standing dead tops could be ready quick but the trunk will still be quite wet due to wicking action. In my local, cut green in the late spring, types like Oak, Hickory, Locust and such will be 3 years maybe more depending on size of splits, the weather patterns, and location of stacked splits. Debarking will shorten that time as well as top only covering with an air gap above the splits under the tarp. My experience, yours will most likely vary.

 

[tsquini]

Logs that are uncut or split will take about 10 -12 years to season. If you can buck and split them they will season in about 1.5 - 2 years.