September and October for seasoning

[tumm21]

Are september and october good months to season firewood. I hbave some hickory that is just not seasoned and want to know if i should cover the top at this point to keep the rain off or just cover it lets say mid october

 

[Woody Stover]

Been good here so far. We've had a string of >90* days with <40% humidity in the afternoon. Back in the 70s by Monday, but humidity still only 40-50%. My main stacks for this year are White Ash and Cherry, so I think I'll be OK with some more good drying weather. I may cover the tops if it looks like a lot of rain, then uncover again if it's going to be dry. It's a lot of messing around but I need every advantage I can get.
Hickory doesn't dry as fast so depending on how wet it is, you may or may not have enough time to finish it. If it's split small, your chances are better. I'm going after as much dead. dry stuff as I can get my hands on. I cut some the other day that was 12-16%...ready to burn now.

 

[shawneyboy]

Are september and october good months to season firewood. I hbave some hickory that is just not seasoned and want to know if i should cover the top at this point to keep the rain off or just cover it lets say mid october

If that Hickory is green I may consider it for NEXT year.

Shawn

 

[gerry100]

+1

next year for the hickory

 

[Backwoods Savage]

tumm21, you said it is not seasoned but does that mean it is freshly cut? If so or cut within the last few months, I would enjoy looking at those wood piles for another year before burning them.

September and October can be good months for drying wood but they also can be poor months. It all depends upon the weather. Here in MI the last several years have been great for drying wood in those months but then, I've also seen many years when it was not so good.

As for covering the top of the wood piles, if it were me I would not....unless we run into a prolonged wet period. I recall one year when it rained almost every day in October. In that case, I'd cover the top, but even if you don't, the wood will be okay.

 

[Kenster]

September and October MIGHT be good but not nearly good enough to season hickory. It really should have two full years. Now if it was down where I live and the temps are still over 100 every day with hot dry winds, you might speed it up a bit but there's no way to season much of anything in two months.

As for covering. I NEVER cover wood. The only cover it gets is when I bring two or three days worth of firewood up to the front porch just prior to burning it. That's plenty of time for any surface moisture from a recent rain to dry off.

 

[woodchip]

I've just cut and split a small standing dead tree and might just get away with drying it in the greenhouse during the fall, but I reckon it may well be better leaving it for the shoulder season in the Spring.

No way would I manage to dry out any freshly split wood outside or in the greenhouse in a couple of months.

 

[Kenster]

I've just cut and split a small standing dead tree and might just get away with drying it in the greenhouse during the fall, but I reckon it may well be better leaving it for the shoulder season in the Spring.

No way would I manage to dry out any freshly split wood outside or in the greenhouse in a couple of months.

Aren't greenhouses designed to provide high humidity and moisture. Seems counter intuitive for drying firewood.

 

[woodchip]

Aren't greenhouses designed to provide high humidity and moisture. Seems counter intuitive for drying firewood.

Yes, you are right, filling a greenhouse to the brim with damp wood leaving no air gaps and little air circulation would be a very good mould factory.....

Mine are surprisingly dry when there are no plants growing as they have concrete floors, they are mostly used for growing seedling plants in Spring for selling, with just one used for tomatoes and peppers.

I have the doors and vents open to allow air movement, the inside still heats up and is a very dry warmth.

The trick to greenhouse drying is to allow plenty of space for air circulation.

Which is similar to drying wood in the open.....

 

[tumm21]

You guys misunderstood. I split and stacked this hickory in early March. Im pretty sure it was green when I had it delivered. unfortunately its all I have for firewood this year and I want the most out of it.

 

[Woody Stover]

You guys misunderstood. I split and stacked this hickory in early March. Im pretty sure it was green when I had it delivered. unfortunately its all I have for firewood this year and I want the most out of it.

Hmmm, that might be pushing it on green wood. How did you determine that it's not dry yet?

 

[joefrompa]

It'll be ok. Not prime, but passable after a full year of seasoning as you've done. Before burning, bring loads inside for a few days to warm up and give a little more moisture in the dry winter heat of a home.

 

[tfdchief]

You guys misunderstood. I split and stacked this hickory in early March. Im pretty sure it was green when I had it delivered. unfortunately its all I have for firewood this year and I want the most out of it.

Well that is probably not enough seasoning time. But September and October can be really good months. Usually are around here. You can hope. I would cover it anytime it is going to rain, if you can. If that is all you have then you will have to use it. Try to get some really dry stuff like pallet material to mix with it. What kind of stove are you burning? Do you have a moisture meter?

 

[Wood Duck]

i think september and october tend to be pretty good months. Both months include lots of windy, low-humidity days. THere are also some rainy days, but I would not cover until you see a long, cool rainy spell forecast in late october or early november. even mid winter has some great weather for seasoning; absolute humidity can be very low during cold winter weather ,and relative humidity can be pretty low when that cold, low-absolute humidity air warms a little during the day.

 

[tumm21]

i have a regency medium insert