When is the Best time to cut and split firewood?

[Woodsman1]

Having done this for 35 years on and off, here are my thoughts: Whenever you have the time, but if you are machine splitting, I do it right away, since it splits easy and it smells good, especially red oak and black birch. If you are talking splitting red oak by hand, I stand the logs on end, wait until it is below freezing, (the lower the better) and then attack with a maul. Frozen wood falls apart when frozen and after a few logs, you are not cold!! But I really like early spring and late fall, when there is nothing else that needs to be done. There is nothing like it.

 

[kwhite1271]

Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter, yeah that about covers it!

 

[pioneerguy600]

From the time the leaves fall off til the sap starts to run back up the trees, always have a little ahead.

 

[fearofpavement]

I cut it when I come across it as I suspect most do. My son and I have a tree service but we don't do much with it. Lately I have been bringing quite a bit of wood home due to storm damage clean up and a couple tree jobs we acquired. Just got another job today for a large oak and a couple medium size sweet gums overhanging a mobile home.

Sweet gum is somewhat tough to split by hand (hydraulic splitter was stolen) and I don't go out of my way to get it but if I have to cut it anyway I mix it in with the oak and hickory and whatever. I haven't noticed much difference in burning it than oak.

I have been splitting and stacking wood quite a bit the last few days because I am upset about something that took place in our family and it helps to put my frustration energy into the maul and wood.

I have been noodling the pieces that I can't split by hand and running the saw is also therapeutic.

I usually won't bring firewood in from more than a couple miles away unless it needs to be removed from a job site anyway.

If I didn't enjoy working with firewood, I wouldn't heat the house with it. We do save a lot of money in the course of a year but the amount saved probably could be earned elsewhere if I applied the hours spent chopping wood. I like the self sufficiency aspect of it and I like to split it for exercise.

So to answer the OP's question, whenever it's available.

 

[farmboss45]

When you have the time to do it, is the right time.......:msp_thumbup:

 

[Cantdog]

Deciduous trees, any time after the fall, the sap is the most gone from the wood.

When I cut/fell in the summer, I always wait for the leaves to shrivel up before I cut it to size. I cant prove it, but I think they are sucking some moisture out of the wood.

Splitting, as soon as possible. Cut split and stacked is the outcome, so the sooner that happens the theoretical better.

I am somewhat cavalier about splitting though, sport to me, I get to it when I want to, I am several years ahead, so..meh. If I was cutting this spring for burning next fall, split that stuff as soon as I could.

With bug feast hickory, I want the bark off that wood yesterday, if I cut it today. I have gotten into just fast thin slabbing to get the bark off, even if I cant get to the big wood until later..

Well I read the whole thread.....and the second paragraph states my schedule the best.....I dump 25-30 maples and ash (5-6 cord) just after the full moon in August.....and let them lay until mid Oct..... first Nov ...or until the leaves completely shrivel, turn brown and drop off. Then I cut and split in the woods and forward out with the tractor. This was taught to me by an old northwoods saw boss who managed 50-75 full time cutters that lived in the woods for months at a time, through the winter. This method allows the tree stem to try desperately keep the leaves alive to the bitter end....which extracts the sugars, moisture, other nutrients from the stem, trying to keep the leaves alive......and this greatly lowers the consentration of items that cause creosote issues. I have been doing this for 30 yrs or so......and heat exclusively with wood ....if it wasn't the best method I would not continue...... this wood burns best with 1-2 months stacked and covered.....burns hot and clean...and starts easy.....

 

[D. Lane]

When it is cool.

When the weather is cool.

 

[Tazfreak]

24/7 355days of the year ill cut as much as i can

Ditto,when u make ur living with a chainsaw u gotta be doin something almost every day,When I,m not workin the firewood coop I,m cutting,splitting for landowners,today working a vet,s acreage big timber into split firewood.Cut,split sameday doing firewood means it,s ready sooner .U move to next log and repeat.It,s a good feeling to have enough ready to sell for the year ahead and to be able to do private jobs when u can.If ur a home cutter u should cut,split enough wood in good weather so u won,t have to go out in crap weather.I see people head bush to get wood in bad weather because they haven,t thought ahead,then whinge cause they got bogged,lost,hurt by falling branches e.t.c and their wood is wet.I sell firewood in summer about half price to keep cashflowing.Just cut whenever u get the chance and work hard and u,ll always have enough wood.:msp_thumbup:

 

[mainewoods]

I always have a years supply of wood ahead. In the fall when the temps are cooler and the leaves have sucked as much moisture from the tree as possible, I cut and haul out next years wood. Bucking and splitting in cool fall weather with no biting insects and no humidity just makes sense to me. Having 60 acres of forest to cut doesn't hurt either. I am blessed.

 

[cmarti]

Duck hunting, deer hunting, football September through January. Golf, beer, and getting ready for hunting May through August. February through April cutting and splitting. :dunno:

 

[Philip Wheelock]

From the time the leaves fall off til the sap starts to run back up the trees, always have a little ahead...

Pics or it didn't happen. (Reading down...) Whoa!!! :msp_thumbup:

 

[Steve NW WI]

Just after breakfast. Try to be done before lunch, seems everything gets heavier after lunch.

 

[blackoak]

The colder it is the better for me. I hate ticks and critters that like to bite me and make me itch. Plus I hate to sweat.

 

[stihl023/5]

Anytime, but it is raining right now.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[coyotebait]

Hard work

Stand all the pieces up and when the friends come over they can't help but swing the slitter. works great.

 

[stihl023/5]

Anytime, but it is raining right now.:hmm3grin2orange:

Correction it is now 35* and snowing:msp_scared:

 

[lumberjack48]

I was a full time logger, i didn't have time to cut firewood.

 

[Skeeter52]

Right now! Going to get the 5th wheel trailer and haul some back to town.It actually works best for me in the winter when I'm on unemployment from my construction job.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Spring and Fall are the best times to cut. The worst time is dead of summer. But, beggars are not choosers. If someone tells me they have a tree for me to cut up I am there as soon as able. My own preference is the fall and spring. Not a fan of snakes, bees or extreme heat. Seems to work out that most of my cutting happens between February and May. I like to have everything dropped in the late fall or early spring before the sap gets going again. Like to get it out of the woods before the ferns get high and the snakes are about. Did I say I do not like snakes...

 

[Jacob J.]

When is the Best time to cut and split firewood?

Right before dusk, with some ice cold beer in the fridge waiting.