Wood moisture content

[Havlikn]

I just had a large ash tree cut down that has been standing dead for five years. I tested it with my meter multiple times multiple locations and it’s reading about 16 to 18% moisture content. I started a few pieces up and it appeared to burn well, and I didn’t notice any moisture seeping out the edges.

Instead of going through the overall hassle of stacking it and moving it and stacking and get moving it. Would you go ahead and burn it this year?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

The proof is in the pudding. If it’s burning well…..it’s fine. Enjoy!
Once in a while you get lucky like that and get a dead tree that hasn’t rotted but has dried out pretty good

 

[brenndatomu]

The top half of dead standing ash trees are usually ready to burn...or will be in a few weeks anyways...the lower part of the trunk may be a lil wetter...or not, try it n see...gonna miss these ash trees when they gone...

 

[Ctwoodtick]

The top half of dead standing ash trees are usually ready to burn...or will be in a few weeks anyways...the lower part of the trunk may be a lil wetter...or not, try it n see...gonna miss these ash trees when they gone...

Indeed- burning some right now. 5 yrs from now it will be a rare firewood around here.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Same here with the Ash. Still have a few large ones not completely dead yet. Neighbor has one with about 3 cords in it. Took the EAB 3 years to kill it off entirely. Hope the bark come off of it for it to dry standing.

 

[DonTee]

I was splitting some ash today that was ready to burn now. Especially the top half of the tree.

I still have a bunch of smaller ash that show no signs of EAB. We’ll see if any survive. All the bigger trees are dead or dying.

 

[NickW]

Accurate testing is on a fresh split at room temperature (65-70) which it hasn't been here in Wisco in awhile... That being said, ash will burn pretty well at 20-25%. I've had branch wood at 16% and the trunk over 40% on tree's like you described, other times the trunk has been 25-28%. Pretty rare to have a sub 20% trunk.

 

[Caw]

I was splitting some ash today that was ready to burn now. Especially the top half of the tree.

I still have a bunch of smaller ash that show no signs of EAB. We’ll see if any survive. All the bigger trees are dead or dying.

Same here. We have a bunch of juvenile trees surrounding the back of my property. Maybe 20-30 ft tall and 8-12" diameter. Sadly I expect them to start showing signs of EAB soon. All the ash on the other side of the property was long standing dead when I bought it 4 years ago. Just trunks left and the top 80% was burnable right away. It's a shame as ash are beautiful trees. I just hope nothing comes for the oaks or maples. The gypsy moths try the oaks every so often but it's not too bad.

 

[blades]

Oak Wilt, that's the nasty on Oaks

 

[ScottLewis]

I have wacked dead standing ash that was 24 percent. It is possible that your ash is 16 percent. Bring a piece inside for the night to get it to room temp, and then split it in the morning and test the freshly split face.

 

[NickW]

Oak Wilt, that's the nasty on Oaks

Yep. Whole woodlots dead in a couple of years just like EAB. It can be controlled by implementing a "no cut" policy on oak April-November, but it is bad.

EAB has killed the 3 mature ash that were on my property too, but the clump of 6 small ones shows no signs of it. I started doing the soil soak treatment every year on all of them trying to save the mature ones and as insurance on the small ones about 5-7 years ago. Tough to save them once infested. 3 of the stumps I pulled in the "work done" thread were the big ash. I figure I extended how long it took, but they were too far gone to save.