how to season wood
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whitemountain
ArboristSite Operative
That depends. There are several things to consider:
1. Was the tree dead when it was cut, if so it will take less time to season than one that was dry.
2. Is your climate humid or arid? A dry windy climate like mine can season all but the hardest of woods in 3-4 months.
3. Are you stacking the wood where it can be baked by lots of sun?
4. Are you stacking the wood where it will be beaten by the predominant winds?
5. How big/small are you splitting your wood. Smaller pieces will season faster than large ones.
6. How long is your fuelwood. Longer pieces will take longer to season properly.
7. Are you stacking off the ground? Ground moisture is not to be underestimated in the process of seasoning wood. Not to mention insects and pests.
8. Do you stack wood close together or loosely. Looser stacking allows more airflow and faster drying.
9. Are your wood stacks properly spaced to allow enough sun, breeze to allow the pieces to dry.
10. Do you pray to the wood God?
Hey every little bit helps right?All that being said I think the general consensus is about a year to properly season split oak.
A year + for oak. One cord is 128 cubic feet. A cord is 4' high by 4' wide by 8' long. A face cord is a 1/3 of a cord. If you cut yours to 16", a face cord would be 4' high x 16" wide x 8' long. Three of those would be one cord.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
And to answer the third and final question, the size of "rick" is about the same as me, but a little thinner, although my moustache is much larger. He doesn't work very hard, though, so I wouldn't hire him if I were you.
You must be careful when using the terms you mentioned. They have specific meanings in your state/municipality and some may be illegal to use if selling wood.
Typically, wood that is cut, split, stacked, and allowed to try for a certain minimum amount of time is considered seasoned. Sometimes the wood is just piled instead of stacked and may be covered or uncovered. Where I am, you may only use the term seasoned if the wood dries for at least 6 months; however, being legally seasoned doesn't necessarliy mean that the wood has optimal dryness for burning (usually 20% or less moisture).
Most places I know have the cord as the only legal unit of measure for firewood, and it's defined as 128 cubic feet of neatly stacked wood. Fractional cords are also legal in my area (1/3 cord, 0.75 cord, etc.). Note that some places permit the sale of firewood by weight.
Face cord typically is eight foot long, four feet high, but the logs may be any set length (often 16"). A rick often is defined as a face cord with any log length, but I've also seen it referring to any amount stacked firewod. Because these terms are often misleading, many states/municipalities have prohibited them for the advertisement and sale of wood.
As for green oak, I try to season it for two years.
Poindexter
ArboristSite Operative
Rick and cord are already covered.
What I like to do with green split wood, if I have enough space, is stack it very loosely and up off the ground some. Once I have a good sized stack, bend some branches over it, use some rope and some stakes to kind of make a rafter sytem, then spread a tarp over it. Kinda like a tent.
The tarp will help heat it up in direct sunlight. As water gets driven off it condenses on the tarp, slides over the wood pile and then drips on the ground at the edge of the tarp. Keeps the rain off too.
With this sytem I can start with live, standing oak in June and have well seasoned burnable stove wood in October. In North Carolina.
If I do a neat tight stack of cordwood fresh off a live oak tree (with a good layer of bark at the top and shipping pallets underneath) I like to leave it outdoors for one year and then bring it under a shed roof 6-12 months before I burn it.
The tarp tent is good to hurry some along when I am running low. Better to run two or three years ahead.
Works good for kindling too. Just stuff green bendy small stuff into a clear plastic trash bag. Knot it shut, set in the sun somewhere knot side down. Poke two or three knife point holes to let water vapor out but keep most of the rain off, come back in two or three weeks. You might need a couple more knifepoint holes to let the puddles out before you flip it over.
HTH,
P
Seasoned has to be the most abused word in the wood business - It doesn't mean 'dry' to most sellers - How about layed out in the weather? Thats the same as seasond, right?
huskystihl
Addicted to ArboristSite
I cut my oak this winter and am finishing splitting this week and have no doubt that it will be ready to go this winter. The only wood i've had take a year to season was locust.
cuttinstuff
ArboristSite Operative
My experience with oak has been 2 years, my wood is stacked in a single row off the ground, open to the sun and wind.
I tried some oak with 1 year of drying, did not work for me.
I suggest you burn some of it at the 1 year point, and some at the 2 year point and see what you think.
I tried some oak with 1 year of drying, did not work for me.
I suggest you burn some of it at the 1 year point, and some at the 2 year point and see what you think.
fredmc
Addicted to ArboristSite
Green oak will be ready to burn in 6-8 months, 2 years dry time for optimal burn. I stack all of my wood out in the open sun where it gets lots of ventilation from 4 sides. I stack on wood pallets, 3 wide and cover just the top with a tarp to keep rain off. Let the sides open for air.
Just about all of the hardwood here in Pennsylvania will be dry enough to burn in 6-8 months. Optimal btu dry time varies with the species.
Just about all of the hardwood here in Pennsylvania will be dry enough to burn in 6-8 months. Optimal btu dry time varies with the species.
huskystihl
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep! I sell and burn oak with a year or less dry time and never any issues. In fact, I only burned oak the year before last and when I swept my chimney last fall I didn't get a half cup out of it. I stack my wood out back and cover it with black tarps so it bakes the heck out of it. I actually used some for a cookout this weekend and it was just fine but will definetely be better by oct/nov.
CrappieKeith
Addicted to ArboristSite
Here's a basic concept.
The dryer the wood the more btu's it will make.
Bio mass at 0% moisture has 12,000 btu's per lb.,but it burns too hot for most stoves and furnaces.
At 20% moisture it has aprox. 8000 btu's per lb.
The later is desired.Anything wetter is a poor choice to burn. You'll go through more wood to make the same btu's dryer wood will make and you'll have cooler stack temps with way more water being collected in the flue.Not to mention way more work in falling,bucking and splitting plus hauling heavier wet wood.
Put it up sooner is all you 'll need to do.
The dryer the wood the more btu's it will make.
Bio mass at 0% moisture has 12,000 btu's per lb.,but it burns too hot for most stoves and furnaces.
At 20% moisture it has aprox. 8000 btu's per lb.
The later is desired.Anything wetter is a poor choice to burn. You'll go through more wood to make the same btu's dryer wood will make and you'll have cooler stack temps with way more water being collected in the flue.Not to mention way more work in falling,bucking and splitting plus hauling heavier wet wood.
Put it up sooner is all you 'll need to do.
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great advise CK !! sooner the better and stay ahead a few years will be even better so you can get out to do a little fishing ....
huskystihl
Addicted to ArboristSite
We've been selling for years and my dad taught me that it's ready to burn when it doesn't smell like wood anymore. Served me well.
ShoerFast
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Anything less then a full year since split, oak will not burn cleanly. (in anything less then arid areas)
There are a few benefits with that.
Oak is a better investment then a lot of wood as it dose keep well, save it and it will get better.
Damp areas, some say that Oak will never season in a log, that you have to split it or mill it before it will dry correctly.
As for other then true cord firewood terms, have at them. My return customers come from the 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull####' kind of outfits. Deliver more then they were expecting, the actual wood itself is our cheapest component.
There are a few benefits with that.
Oak is a better investment then a lot of wood as it dose keep well, save it and it will get better.
Damp areas, some say that Oak will never season in a log, that you have to split it or mill it before it will dry correctly.
As for other then true cord firewood terms, have at them. My return customers come from the 'If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull####' kind of outfits. Deliver more then they were expecting, the actual wood itself is our cheapest component.
fredmc
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yeah I even thought that locust was good to go since it burns green. It actually burns better after a year also. Ash is about the only thing that doesn't take forever to season. Hedge is another good one to burn right away also.
Thanks guys. I am saving up for a OWB looking at the forced air kind Bryan was the name. $4100.00. So I have started a small tree service on the side doing storm clean up and taking down some trees. Figured I could sell some fire wood to help me get my OWB faster. I have a couple big oaks 1 came down 3 years ago but is up off the ground, the other came down last winter. Going to cut them up and try to sell this winter. I will stick to the standing dead stuff to sell this year and save the other till next year. also have a couple nice mullberry's to take out for the in-laws. 1 dead 1 alive. It should burn good. Now I need to make a splitter. Thanks again for the info.
CrappieKeith
Addicted to ArboristSite
You been fishing?great advise CK !! sooner the better and stay ahead a few years will be even better so you can get out to do a little fishing ....
We should hook up sometime...Pillager is not that far away.I'm just 15 minutes north of Aitkin.
I been sticking crappies,big gills and walleyes not to mention some of those toothy snot rockets.
I'm fortunate to have a great wood supply...my neighbor Mark who delivers bone dry oak at $100 a cord.
So I do have plenty of time to fish.
With this hot weather bass will be the next target species.
I went and got one of those moisture meters online and I'll say that they are nice to have. Keeps the wood guy honest if he knows your gonna test the wood.
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CrappieKeith
Addicted to ArboristSite
oooops...here's those eyes!
So if ya wanna get out for some great fishing...seen 4000 fish already since the ice went out just give me a shout.
Talk about a thread Hijacker.....sorry but he said fishing!
So if ya wanna get out for some great fishing...seen 4000 fish already since the ice went out just give me a shout.
Talk about a thread Hijacker.....sorry but he said fishing!
gotta love it !! nice fish there also.. so are you teaching MT to log or fish ? lol might have to take you up on that, bout due for a trip on the miss off of # 5 access. 
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