White Oak for Firewood

[max384]

Hello all

This winter will be my first winter with a woodstove. I'm trying to figure out if I need to change my firewood strategy.

I've been getting all my wood from the forest around my house. I've been either cutting down already dead (or dying) trees or picking up cut trees from a dump pile where they're dumping rocks, stumps, branches, and logs where they're clearing for houses.

About 90% of my wood is white oak. That's the predominant tree species in my little corner of Earth. Last fall I cut and split about half a cord. I'm now in the process of cutting and splitting about four more cords.

Around here (northeast PA), we usually start heating in October to November, depending on the year. This gives me a year of seasoning for the small half cord I cut last year, but only six months for the stuff I'm cutting now.

My question is, should I seek out some softwoods that will season more quickly and be ready to burn this year, and stack them separately? Or will six months be adequate for the white oak?

I know I can (and will) test for moisture content, but I'm more concerned with if I need to find more softwood now.

Thanks for reading!

 

[JSeery]

Get more softwood now. That oak likely needs more time (even the stuff from last year). Even standing dead takes a while to dry out.

Also look at fast seasoning hardwoods like ash, poplar, "soft" maple, sassafras. I'd burn all that stuff this winter before I burned any of that oak.

 

[splions]

White oak takes a long time to dry...seek alternatives if you can for this year

 

[tigeroak]

As others have said give the oak 2 years BUT if you wait the extra year you will love it. Get you some soft maple, cherry, walnut, poplar , ash , hedge and pine NOW. These can be ready by fall burn time. We use woods above I said as our main wood then the hard woods for over night or when it is COLD, like around 0 and down. I am 2 years ahead on softer wood or quick dry and 4 years on hard wood.

 

[EJP1234]

Maple is your friend in this situation.

I just put up a 1/2 cord of white oak, and its for 3 years from now.

A good, fast seasoning super high btu wood that should be in your area, holly.... Its a great wood.

 

[Lakeside]

I have also had good luck with Black birch. Like the others have stated start your three year plan and you will be happy and warm.
An area with good wind for your stacks also helps.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

6 months is not enough time for oak to burn well. Minimum of two summers, if cut small. 2-3full yrs if otherwise.

 

[BrotherBart]

99% of what I have burned for 30 years was/is red and white oak. In medium splits either seriously need two years of top covered drying at a minimum. I used to cut/split/stack it and burn it the following fall. After finding this site and getting dry wood religion I started drying it for three years and wanted to kill myself for what I had been missing.

 

[Babaganoosh]

I had very good luck this past year with shrink wrapping 2 pallets of red oak and putting them in full sun. They were under 20% in that time. I was amazed.

 

[BrotherBart]

I had very good luck this past year with shrink wrapping 2 pallets of red oak and putting them in full sun. They were under 20% in that time. I was amazed.

Full wrap? Half wrap? Top wrap?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[max384]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Looks like I'll be trying to find some faster-drying wood! I wish I had separated it to start. I have a some sassafras, white pine, and maple mixed in... But what a pain to pick it out.

Looks like I'll be out to find some new wood to season in a separate pile to use this winter.

I also have about 1/3 of a cord or so of wood that's three years seasoned (for outside burning), mixed species, at my old house that I'm in the process of selling. I had planned to just leave it, but maybe I'll bring it to my new house (only twenty miles apart, not crossing state lines or anything for those concerned about pests). This will help. I'm used to only burning outside in a fire pit, so this need to properly season wood is new to me.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Wood Duck]

There are lots of hardwoods in your area that will be ready, or at least a lot more ready than oak, by fall. Are your Ash dying yet? Ash seasons quickly. Black Cherry is common and fast drying. Soft maple (Red Maple) is another good choice. Black Birch is a common tree in the forest, Black Walnut surely grows nearby. These are also faster to season than oak, and the birch is nearly as high in density. Of course any evergreens like pine or spruce can be dried by fall. I'd also think about wrapping some firewood in clear plastic in the full sun. I have heard that can dry it quickly (see the comment of babaganoosh above)

 

[Babaganoosh]

Full wrap? Half wrap? Top wrap?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Full wrap. I wrapped to the bottom of the wood and maybe some of the pallet because I didn't want it to fall when I moved it with a forklift. The bottom was open for condensation to run off and to draw air in.

I'm pretty sure I have some pics on my other phone. I'll look later when I get home.

 

[Flame On]

See if you can get your hands on some ash. If northeast PA is anything like southeast PA, there should be a good amount of it infected by the ash borer. I've easily come by about 2 cords of it over the last year and my neighbor has close to 4 cords.
If you got the ash split and stacked soonish you'd be OK for next winter, although I have seen that 1 to 1.5 years is better.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Welcome to yet another PA. person!

If you can get some Ash and Silver Maple those two in our area would help you out very much as well as what some others have said, but those two split easily and dry fast. And we have tons of them both around here!

 

[Woody Stover]

A good bet for you is to go after small dead-standing trees with most or all the bark fallen off. That stuff will be pretty dry already. Soft Maple (Silver and Red) will dry pretty well by fall if it is stacked now and not split too big. Lots of those should be available from storm damage, etc.
I would split the Oak medium-small and stack single-row until you get three years ahead. If you have a hotter-running tube stove you'll want to split bigger eventually to keep the burn under control but the main thing now is to get dry wood, so you may have to split smaller for a couple years. Just don't let too much wood get burning at once on your cold starts...

 

[AmbDrvr253]

If you have access to pallets you could mix some in with the less than seasoned wood and get away with it for the year until it is properly seasoned.

 

[English BoB]

99% of what I have burned for 30 years was/is red and white oak. In medium splits either seriously need two years of top covered drying at a minimum. I used to cut/split/stack it and burn it the following fall. After finding this site and getting dry wood religion I started drying it for three years and wanted to kill myself for what I had been missing.

X2

 

[max384]

Thanks again for all the replies!

I took my trailer out and grabbed a few 6-10 foot logs of white and black pine and some maple today after work. As far as other varieties, I'm really not too great at species identification, particularly without leaves. Looks like I may have to read up a bit

I'm very fortunate to have a place where I have pretty much unlimited (as far as my consumption goes) access to as much free wood as I want, so long as I'm willing to work for it. Unfortunately, it's seriously about 90+% white oak. I guess this is good in the long run, but for trying to quick-season my wood, not so great.

 

[max384]

As far as yet another PA person, that makes it sound like there are lot of us here. Quite fitting, considering the etymology of the name Pennsylvania!

 

[weatherguy]

I'd get a moisture meter and check some of the dead and downed stuff your cutting. I had a cord of sugar maple I burned this year that was cut last spring, since it was dead standing it was below 20% in November when I checked it, normally I'd give sugar maple two years, also try the shrink wrap method mentioned above, lots of guys have had success with it, you can get the shrink wrap at home depot.

 

[Rebelduckman]

I burned some 1.5 year old white oak this year that was around 20% and it burned good but I'm in Mississippi though. As others have said red maple,cherry, ash, pine, etc. will make next winter much more bare able and a lot warmer

 

[osagebow]

You should have some dead ash up there, a few cords of that would be perfect for your situation. You may want to ask some neighbors with dead/ declining trees if you can give them a hand by removing them. I'm in a small pocket of uninfested VA, 5 hours south of you on 81, so it's just a matter of time for me. I already have ID'd the ones in the neighborhood that are in an easy felling situation.

I got ahead with maple,pine sass, and 1.5 year locust, hedge and mulberry. The locust, hedge, and mulberry was much better after 2 years, and now I save it for super cold nights and long burns. All of these species should be up there. Find old farm areas that have been subdivided for hedge, homeowners/landowners usually hate it. It's the best of the best of the best.

It was tough sledding to get three years ahead, hang in there and knock it out.

 

[max384]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I ordered a moisture meter. I also went out and got some already dead and pretty dry logs. After cutting rounds and splitting, they're REALLY dry. I'll see just how dry they are after my moisture meter comes in. I also grabbed a lot of red pine, sassafras, and maple. I'm feeling hopeful I'll be ready to go for this winter.

 

[max384]

Oh, and my wife officially thinks I'm crazy (well crazier) with my ever-expanding firewood stacks...