Tallied up the total for this fall...

[burntime]

Just over 5 cords of oak and ash! One cord of oak was cut to length fir a year and a half and split in april. Its in the sun, think it will be ready by fall? It already had some pretty good checking in it 18 inch log form. Otherwise I will split a cord and a half of some maple that has been cut to length for a year and a half...

 

[gzecc]

I would rather save the oak and use the ash and maple. Oak takes 2 yrs to season enough. I stay away from it if I can.

 

[Jags]

Oak takes 2 yrs to season enough. I stay away from it if I can.

Huh, thats the first time I have EVER heard of somebody shying away from oak. Who wudda thunk.

Burntime - you would really be pushing it, to expect that oak to be ready. Just my opinion.

 

[gzecc]

Jags, I here that a lot. I would rather season black locust, hickory, ash, and maple. I have oak, but it takes two years to season properly. Locust and ash are 1/2 that.

 

[Jags]

Jags, I here that a lot. I would rather season black locust, hickory, ash, and maple. I have oak, but it takes two years to season properly. Locust and ash are 1/2 that.

I guess that kind of points to a couple different methods of wood storage. I try to stay 2 -3-4 years ahead on wood, so it really doesn't matter to me that it takes well over a year, but I can see the other side if storage was an issue, or if only a years worth of wood is on hand at any time. Well, and lets face it.... if your replacement wood is locust, hickory, ash and hard maple, your not missing the oak anyhow. ;-)

Edit: I LUV locust and hickory. Osage too.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Like Jags, I like to give wood a decent amount of time to season and then you don't have to worry about the age old question of will it be ready by fall? However, we also realize this is not possible for some and for others it is possible but it takes a few years to get to that point.

Now for the question of the thread. Will that oak that has been cut for 18 months but split in April of this year be ready? I say there is a pretty good chance. However, we don't know what type of oak this is either and that can have a bearing on the question and answer. That is why I said it has a pretty good chance. If it is red oak it may or may not be ready. If it is white oak it very well can be ready this fall.

Good luck burntime.

 

[iceman]

if its been in rounds for 18 months and if you split it in smaller pieces it will be ready but hold off as long as you can ... jan -feb it will be fine
i have oak that most was split in late nov 08 and its not ready now but it is MUCH lighter ... i know i could burn it by jan but will wait till next year ...

 

[burntime]

Thats exactly what I was thinking iceman. It was actually a dead tree for sometime so it started much dryer as well. That is my late season pile for sure. I do not expect to go thru 5 cords of oak anyway. I think it was 5 plus last year in a cold winter and a lot of silver maple. Oak is my FAVORITE Next is shagbark hickory!

 

[iceman]

Thats exactly what I was thinking iceman. It was actually a dead tree for sometime so it started much dryer as well. That is my late season pile for sure. I do not expect to go thru 5 cords of oak anyway. I think it was 5 plus last year in a cold winter and a lot of silver maple. Oak is my FAVORITE Next is shagbark hickory!

but be careful mine is only 2 rows wide about 20 something feet long and is getting a lot of sun and wind..... so make sure if you do want to burn it this year it is in the best location you can put it..... i had wood last year that was stacked 7 rows wide and 6 ft tall and when i got to the middle of it i had to resplit some and let them stay out in the open cold for a few days because they werent seasoned all the way through!

 

[joshlaugh]

I had some red oak last year that was sitting in rounds for 1 year and I split it about 7 months before I burned it and it was fine. Although it does depend on the species of oak. I would hold off as long as you can.

 

[burntime]

I stack 5.5 to 6 ft tall and 18 inch long in 2 rows on 4 ft pallets with about a foot between the rows. I know its not the best use of space but it does dry nice! I think it will be cooked by march 1st

 

[iceman]

I stack 5.5 to 6 ft tall and 18 inch long in 2 rows on 4 ft pallets with about a foot between the rows. I know its not the best use of space but it does dry nice! I think it will be cooked by march 1st

i am looking at mine right now and so far so good.. maybe later i will stick it with a moisture reader... but there is no way i will use it this year unless i burn over 6cord .... so i know it will be ready by nov 2010