how's your seasoning going?

[Rob_Red]

We have had a seriously wet spring and summer so far. I haven't seen a rain free week yet and it seems like nothing (including my house) ever gets to fully dry off. I just checked some year and a half old red oak and its at 23-25% Moisture content.

With burning season around the corner I'm a little concerned. Maybe I need a 3 year rotation instead of a two year?

 

[stoveliker]

That is what I have set up indeed. Maple may be fine in 2 yrs in such weather. 2 yr oak is iffy in my view regardless of the weather.
Regardless of the *need*, you'll see a much better burning stove if you can knock off an additional 4-5%. More heat output, easier burning.

 

[Gearhead660]

I am just getting my 3 yr rotation set up. With mostly hardwood, feel better knowing it will be thoroughly "seasoned" when its needed.

 

[MissMac]

We have had a seriously wet spring and summer so far. I haven't seen a rain free week yet and it seems like nothing (including my house) ever gets to fully dry off. I just checked some year and a half old red oak and its at 23-25% Moisture content.

With burning season around the corner I'm a little concerned. Maybe I need a 3 year rotation instead of a two year?

if you have the space, i think 3 year is the way to go for sure.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

Very humid year. Our wood is stacked in the sunny driveway. Seems to be doing great.

 

[peakbagger]

It really depends on too many factors. Split size is critical, thin splits will dry quicker than quarters. Many folks keep big logs to run a longer fire, they will take a lot longer to dry compared to small thin splits but it requires tighter air control to burn smaller splits.

 

[EbS-P]

Maybe I need a 3 year rotation instead of a two year?

I am happy with a cord or two of fast drying poplar and long leaf pine. Fighting wet wood sucks. Dry low btu wood is better than marginal oak in my opinion.
Evan

 

[gzecc]

IMO red oak always needs 3 yrs unless split into 4 inch splits.

 

[Prof]

It has been wet in my area as well. A couple years ago we had a very wet year, which prompted me to build a wood shed that will hold about 5 cords. This summer hasn't been as wet as that one--at least I don't see mushrooms growing on the holz hausens yet like I did that year. I'm 3 yrs ahead, so I just stock the shed with the stuff that seems the driest in the early summer. I basically just have to keep it dry in the shed, not necessarily season it.

 

[Rob_Red]

I’m trying to get away from moving the wood a bunch, where it’s stacked is where I want it to stay until ready to burn. Looks like I need to expand to a 3 year rotation!

 

[moresnow]

I'm convinced that 3yr Oak is the answer for me. In my location. I actually don't really try to acquire Oak. To much of a hassle to season. My stove could care less. It actually will run long enough on softwood loads to keep us satisfied. Makes seasoning much simpler!
On the other hand we are in what I believe has been the driest stretch since '87 here. Crops are struggling. Yard is a happy shade of brown (mower is getting a break this year). My firewood is seasoning perfectly!

 

[Rob_Red]

red oak is the prevalent species in my area, I need to learn to live with it!

 

[Gearhead660]

I'm convinced that 3yr Oak is the answer for me. In my location. I actually don't really try to acquire Oak. To much of a hassle to season. My stove could care less. It actually will run long enough on softwood loads to keep us satisfied. Makes seasoning much simpler!
On the other hand we are in what I believe has been the driest stretch since '87 here. Crops are struggling. Yard is a happy shade of brown (mower is getting a break this year). My firewood is seasoning perfectly!

Dry summer here too. Bad for crops and yard but good for drying wood.

 

[MongoMongoson]

Dry summer here too. Bad for crops and yard but good for drying wood.

I'm in SE Wisconsin, so experiencing the same as you. My wife likes to stack holzhausens. They are new to me. I have always done traditional stacking... but I'll take it stacked any way I can get it stacked if someone else enjoys doing it. The best stack is the one I didn't make. Sort of like firewood in general; the best firewood is free wood.

I planned to cover all of the holzhausens earlier this summer, but with how bone dry it has been, it is just fine to leave them uncovered for a while. They will get covered before fall arrives, well before we see any snow.

 

[Riff]

Dry summer here as well. This years wood is ready to go and next years is getting a good start.

 

[gthomas785]

We have gotten 12" of rain since July 1st. Sure makes me glad I went and fixed a couple of iffy tarps before the rain started, but I'm sure the drying hasn't made much progress with all the humidity.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I used to worry about this or the real word may be concerned. I am 3 to.4 years ahead dependingon how much I burn. Im. sitting on 12ish cords split and stacked and sitting in 3 different sheds, I started putting wood in racks and its tarpped on the top but it will soon have a permanent roof Its going to be like 37ft long. Keeping the wood completely dry is the fastest way to season, the majorityof it is oak. the wood Ill be burning this year is from 2017 and is most likely 15 18%

 

[JimBear]

Well my seasoning is apparently going rather well based on other people’s assessments, they say I look just like I did in my high school graduation photo, from 30 years ago.

 

[stoveliker]

Well my seasoning is apparently going rather well based on other people’s assessments, they say I look just like I did in my high school graduation photo, from 30 years ago.

Pictures (both!) or it didn't happen ;-)

 

[EbS-P]

I’m trying to get away from moving the wood a bunch, where it’s stacked is where I want it to stay until ready to burn

I think a 3 bay shed is in my future. (Just add it to the end of my never ending list of projects….)

 

[gthomas785]

I think a 3 bay shed is in my future. (Just add it to the end of my never ending list of projects….)

Same, in fact I was all ready to build mine this year until I saw what was going on with the lumber prices and decided to put it off.

 

[Gearhead660]

Same, in fact I was all ready to build mine this year until I saw what was going on with the lumber prices and decided to put it off.

Build out of steel? I am sure those prices have gone up too. I built mine out of pallet racking I got for free. Had to buy the roofing though.

 

[Rob_Red]

I built my shed with green native sawmill wood, find a local sawmill I would bet their pricing isn’t out of control

 

[gthomas785]

Build out of steel? I am sure those prices have gone up too.

Ehh, I'm not in that much of a rush. Wood is what I know how to build with and I think I'll like the look of it better.

I built my shed with green native sawmill wood, find a local sawmill I would bet their pricing isn’t out of control

There's a sawmill about a mile away, I got the siding for my barn from them. They are good people, been in operation for over 100 years under the same family. I had kind of assumed they would be slammed due to the high demand lately but I will go down there maybe in a month or two and inquire about some 8x8 post timbers. I'd definitely prefer to buy from them over Home Depot.

 

[Rob_Red]

I love building with sawmill wood! Something about a 2x4 actually being 2x4 is nice. Also I havn't seen any issues building with green wood for a shed, wood rack, chicken coop, or barn type structure.

Plus cosmetically it looks so much better than a home depot 2x4