How long to season green oak?

[EPS]

I picked up several logs of oak (pretty sure it is) a few Saturdays ago, but it was still alive when cut down and so the wood is far from being woodstove-ready.

How long should I season this after I cut and split it? One year? Two?

 

[TheAardvark]

2 years minimum.

 

[mountain man 2]

I would wait 3 years if it were me....

 

[Ashful]

Everyone will always tell you there’s a lot of variables, so my experience might be different than someone living in Arizona. But here in southeastern Pennsylvania, it takes 3 summers split and stacked in double rows on pallets. I tried burning some 2 summers’ oak last winter, and it would burn, but it did not take off nicely, was slower to reach active combustor temperature, and caused noticeably more creosote in the pipe during bypass mode.

By “noticeably more”, I actually had trouble moving my key damper, after a few days/weeks of burning that crap.

I season walnut or maple in 2 years or less, but oak is a tough one. I’ll never try burning it with less than 3 summers seasoning, again.

 

[Slocum]

Everyone will always tell you there’s a lot of variables, so my experience might be different than someone living in Arizona. But here in southeastern Pennsylvania, it takes 3 summers split and stacked in double rows on pallets. I tried burning some 2 summers’ oak last winter, and it would burn, but it did not take off nicely, was slower to reach active combustor temperature, and caused noticeably more creosote in the pipe during bypass mode.

By “noticeably more”, I actually had trouble moving my key damper, after a few days/weeks of burning that crap.

I season walnut or maple in 2 years or less, but oak is a tough one. I’ll never try burning it with less than 3 summers seasoning, again.

I agree, I’d give it 3 years. It will be worth it in the end.


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[Medic21]

I have a chit ton of oak. The best I have found is split and stacked outside in covered for two years then in the leantoo the spring before I burn it.

 

[thewoodlands]

I picked up several logs of oak (pretty sure it is) a few Saturdays ago, but it was still alive when cut down and so the wood is far from being woodstove-ready.

How long should I season this after I cut and split it? One year? Two?

In 2012 a lady needed some Oak rounds gone from her property that the tree crew left, it was split and stacked in the fall of 2012 and we just burned it last year......there still were a few splits that pissed some water out.

In the summer of 2013 we topped covered it until we burned it last year.

 

[weatherguy]

You're going to get a myriad of suggestions because a lot depends on where you live and where and how its stacked. Two full years and it's fine for me but 3 is better. I see some people around where I live stack their wood between two trees in a shady area. In that case they may need 4 years.

 

[SeanBB]

You ask: "How long should I season green oak?"

There is only one answer, until it is below 20% moisture content. I have had oak seasoning for 3 years and still not below 20%. I have also had oak that is ready to burn after 18 months. There are so many variables. Don't rely on it being ready to burn within 3 years but it may be.

 

[Ashful]

You ask: "How long should I season green oak?"

There is only one answer, until it is below 20% moisture content. I have had oak seasoning for 3 years and still not below 20%. I have also had oak that is ready to burn after 18 months. There are so many variables. Don't rely on it being ready to burn within 3 years but it may be.

Wow, Sean... you must have crazy varying weather, or stack your wood in very different locations, to have that sort of variability in dry time on a single species. I’d not have the patience to go around checking stacks with a moisture meter all the time, or keeping my stacks segregated by species.

I keep three rows of firewood, and just follow First in First Out (FIFO) practice, a continuously rolling inventory of 3+ years of mixed hardwoods. It’s very simple, once you figure out the longest it might take something to season at your wood lot, just stay that far ahead.

I broke this last year, jumping out of order from my 3 year row to a 2 year row, to get it out of the way for a proposed shed build. I thought’d be okay, and I got by, but it wasn’t good. Plus side, now this year I get to burn some 4 year wood, when I turn back to my regularly-scheduled stack!

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I agree with other replies. 2 years minimum, 3 can be better. I get mostly red oak. I often do start using smaller splits after 24 months, most of it after 30 months. I stack it in a sunny, breezy driveway, and split some of the splits again, and split some of the rounds.

If you're not getting breeze and sun from 3 sides, 30-36 months is advised.

 

[Tar12]

A solid 3 years in west central Indiana has proven to be best for me for oak.....most people dont want to hear this or believe it but its true.

 

[bholler]

I can get oak below 20% in a year. But 2 years is much better.

 

[kennyp2339]

I generally split pretty fat 18" long and between 4-6" thick, I can under the right conditions have the wood season for 2 years and be able to burn it, but my realistic time frame is 3 years, especially after this summer with all the rain and stout humid days, nothings really drying here in a hurry. I suppose if i make my splits a max of 4" i can possibly get it on a 2 year cycle, but i like using thicker splits and i also like it to have a moisture content below 18%.

 

[Ashful]

I would be willing to bet the MC% has gone up on most of my stacks, this summer. And I was looking forward to burning my first 4-year oak, this winter.

Our longest stint without rain this whole summer was one 3 day window back in June.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

I can get oak below 20% in a year. But 2 years is much better.

I agree. It can be done in one year. But the splits cannot be thick. Split into planks rather than pie shaped that are 1.5-2" thick and you can get it down to 20% in one season. Must be off the ground, in full sun where it gets plenty of wind.

 

[bholler]

I agree. It can be done in one year. But the splits cannot be thick. Split into planks rather than pie shaped that are 1.5-2" thick and you can get it down to 20% in one season. Must be off the ground, in full sun where it gets plenty of wind.

And top covered

 

[Tar12]

I would be willing to bet the MC% has gone up on most of my stacks, this summer. And I was looking forward to burning my first 4-year oak, this winter.

Our longest stint without rain this whole summer was one 3 day window back in June.

I have friends that live outside of Millersburg PA....they and the surrounding areas have had rains of almost biblical proportions this year....they have shared video of the results of the relentless rain...devastating to many..hope it dries up for you soon.

 

[mountain man 2]

I have friends that live outside of Millersburg PA....they and the surrounding areas have had rains of almost biblical proportions this year....they have shared video of the results of the relentless rain...devastating to many..hope it dries up for you soon.

That's about 30 miles north of me....what saved us is that we live in the mountain. Elevation helps make a big difference....we had 15 "s of rain in that one particular week....

 

[fireview2788]

I'm going to burn some white oak that was c/s/s within a month of coming down, three years ago. I checked it last year at the % was hovering right about 20% and that's split small to medium, stacked out in the full sun until noon then it's in the shade, plus it's out where I get the most air movement,.

fv

 

[Woodsplitter67]

You can season it in 2 to 3 months if you use a solar kiln. Or
2 to 3 years if you go non kiln.. if i needed the wood.. i would put it in a kiln next summer and it will be ready for next fall

I did some thick fresh cut Oak last year in a kiln and got it down to sub 10% in 3 months

 

[27yrsburingwood]

Maybe an old thread but here is my 2 cents. First of all what species of oak are we talking about. I am in Nh and we deal with white,red and black oak. For this discussion red and black oak are identical in that their properties are similar. I have no experience with the live oaks down south.
Red and black oak dry quicker but both are highly hydroscopic (readily absorb moisture) so your 2 yr seasoned wood will suck up moisture from the air very quickly when the air is humid and above freezing (happens anytime in the northeast all winter). I have re-split these "seasoned" oaks and I can see how wet it is. They need at least a week in a dry environment to be really efficient.
White oak on the other dries slower but is much more resistant to external humidity.
I had 4 cords of white oak and hickory cut down this year the first week of june. My stove is small so I split small (split small dry fast). Tried burning in my fire pit this week and burned fine outside. Another year would be better but I will be good for the year. I have another 4 cords
cut but unspoilt that will be great next year.
Bottom line is know your stove,know your wood,keep the temp in the burn zone. Every stove is different, it really is a science.