Wondering about red oak?

[JC88]

Hey everyone new to the forum this may have been discussed somewhere if so I apologize. But I need some others opinions on some red oak that I picked up. I’m fairly new to burning oak... in the past Iv burnt mostly white ash because Iv had so much of it available To me. However I hear great things about oak so wanted to try some. Trouble is the oak I have I’m really having a hard time knowing if it’s seasoned enough to burn without creating tons of creasote. The guy I got it off of very recently split it but said it had been cut for quite awhile. I keep hearing people say it takes a solid year for oak to be ready after being split... it does have some cracking on the ends and has the “seasoned sound” when you clank two pieces together. But a lot of the bark is still pretty firmly attached and is a little spongy ...I’ve thrown a couple pieces in my stove so far and it takes a flame pretty quickly and once my stack gets up to temp (usually about 350-450 degree surface temp) there is no visible smoke leaving the chimney... I’m probably worrying to much about just wanted some other opinions on wether I should just play it safe and save it for next year or just throw it in and burn it some this year. Thanks in advance for any info!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

It is always best to check your wood and not take anyone's word on how seasoned the wood is. The only true way to check MC is with a moisture meter. Take the wood, split it and on the fresh split side going with the grain insert the MM. This will get you a better reading. You can get a MM for like 20 bucks on Amazon. As for red oak you can season it in 2 years or less. Depending on split size and how its being seasoned. I could probably have it seasoned in 2 monthes. There are different techniques on wood drying.

 

[firefighterjake]

General consensus is that oak tends to take 1-3 years to season . . . but there are many variables -- size of the split, exposure to sun/wind/rain/snow, if it was dead before it was cut and processed, etc. which could speed things up.

If the wood is igniting easily enough (with little to no sizzling or spitting), you're getting a good burn (good secondaries, little to no smoke), etc. I would say the wood is probably good to go.

 

[Hasufel]

I have a lot of red oak around me and every one I've processed has been wet as a sponge, even ones that had been dead for years. My MM tops out at 60% and fresh splits almost always exceed that. I did a drying test a while back and calculated a 73% MC for one long-dead red oak. The advice that @Woodsplitter67 gives on checking the MC of a fresh split is particularly important for oak because splits that seem well seasoned on the outside can be surprisingly wet on the inside. The exceptionally slow drying characteristic is a big downer, but in every other way red oak is probably my favorite wood.

 

[Tar12]

What kind of stove are you running?

 

[kennyp2339]

Red oak will turn a grey color at the ends and along the split after awhile, also a big piece should look heavier than what it is, cracks and sound are also a good indicator, the sound test should be conducted though on room temp pieces only and it should be a sharp crack, no thud.
I got a good meter at lowes for $30.00, this is my 3rd season and its held up pretty well, when using a meter, take a room temp piece and resplit it, test the fresh face by inserting the probes along the long way of the grain, make sure the probes penetrate the wood, but don't press so hard that the probes bend or break.

 

[toddnic]

Get a quality moisture reader and then split one of your pieces. Take a inside moisture reading to see exactly what the moisture is. Anything under 20% should be fine to burn. Red oak is a great wood to burn and comprises at least 50% of my wood stash but it takes between 2 and 3 years to season.

 

[JC88]

What kind of stove are you running?

Buck stove model 21

 

[JC88]

The pieces I have thrown in the stove have not sizzled or spit any moisture out and seem to burn good. But just to play it safe I’ll take your guys advice and go get me a MM then I’ll know for sure.

 

[Tar12]

Buck stove model 21

The reason I asked is that you can get away with burning a higher moisture content wood with a non-cat stove...I am in no way suggesting it is ok or wise to do this! You will be well served getting a meter...then you know for sure.

 

[JC88]

Finally made it to get a MM. made some fresh splits yesterday and brought them in over night and check them today. They all seem to be reading anywhere from 25 to 30% so it looks like I’ll be saving it for next year. Thanks again for all the input!

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Finally made it to get a MM. made some fresh splits yesterday and brought them in over night and check them today. They all seem to be reading anywhere from 25 to 30% so it looks like I’ll be saving it for next year. Thanks again for all the input!

Good to know exactly whats going in the stove. Good choice on the MM usage.
You just uped your wood game

 

[Tar12]

Finally made it to get a MM. made some fresh splits yesterday and brought them in over night and check them today. They all seem to be reading anywhere from 25 to 30% so it looks like I’ll be saving it for next year. Thanks again for all the input!

You really need to split them inside after being in overnight and check..this will give a much better reading...and I think you will find the moisture content is even higher.

 

[JC88]

You really need to split them inside after being in overnight and check..this will give a much better reading...and I think you will find the moisture content is even higher.

10-4 I’ll try that and see if the moisture % increases. Not that it matters but now I’m just curious lol. I should have got a MM a long time ago

 

[JC88]

Good to know exactly whats going in the stove. Good choice on the MM usage.
You just uped your wood game

Woodsplitter67 you said in previous post you could probably have it seasoned in 2 months? That sure would be useful... Care to explain?

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Woodsplitter67 you said in previous post you could probably have it seasoned in 2 months? That sure would be useful... Care to explain?

Myself and @Poindexter have put together some threads on solar kilns. I did one called solar kiln wood drying. I did an experiment this past summer with hardwoods. In a matter of months i got my oak to 9% mc and black cherry to 2%. All large splits between 6 and 7 inches. You could get that oak to 20% or less in 60 days or less using this method. But i doubt this time of year in the dead of winter. If you want to burn it in the fall of 18 put on together this spring and it will definitely be ready

 

[hickoryhoarder]

Hey everyone new to the forum this may have been discussed somewhere if so I apologize. But I need some others opinions on some red oak that I picked up. I’m fairly new to burning oak... in the past Iv burnt mostly white ash because Iv had so much of it available To me. However I hear great things about oak so wanted to try some. Trouble is the oak I have I’m really having a hard time knowing if it’s seasoned enough to burn without creating tons of creasote. The guy I got it off of very recently split it but said it had been cut for quite awhile. I keep hearing people say it takes a solid year for oak to be ready after being split... it does have some cracking on the ends and has the “seasoned sound” when you clank two pieces together. But a lot of the bark is still pretty firmly attached and is a little spongy ...I’ve thrown a couple pieces in my stove so far and it takes a flame pretty quickly and once my stack gets up to temp (usually about 350-450 degree surface temp) there is no visible smoke leaving the chimney... I’m probably worrying to much about just wanted some other opinions on wether I should just play it safe and save it for next year or just throw it in and burn it some this year. Thanks in advance for any info!

It if catches quick, and there's no smoke or steam coming out of the ends, that's a decent indicator it's ready. But I season oak splits at least two years in a sunny, windy driveway. And the logs aren't newly cut when I split them. With seasoned wood my fires are smoke-free, beginning to end, even as the kindling catches. That's what I expect seasoned oak kindling to do -- catch in a cold stove and make no smoke.

 

[JC88]

Myself and @Poindexter have put together some threads on solar kilns. I did one called solar kiln wood drying. I did an experiment this past summer with hardwoods. In a matter of months i got my oak to 9% mc and black cherry to 2%. All large splits between 6 and 7 inches. You could get that oak to 20% or less in 60 days or less using this method. But i doubt this time of year in the dead of winter. If you want to burn it in the fall of 18 put on together this spring and it will definitely be ready

Will definitely be checking out those threads. As long as it’s good by next fall I’ll be happy