"Seasoned" firewood logs

[jr27236]

Ok maybe we can put this to rest, I keep seeing people looking for or giving away "seasoned" wood as logarithmic or rounds. Now I Know wood drys from the ends, but are rounds or logs ever considered seasoned? I say no, but some feel otherwise.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[buzz sawyer]

I found that standing dead elm (after bark has fallen off) is usually seasoned / ready to burn. Just cut some this summer and it burned great right away. As far as getting logs or rounds that were cut green and stored, I guess it depends on how long and where they were stored but it would take a lot longer than if they were split. It really depends on the species. For harder woods like oak, I think it would take several years in a dry environment, before they would be dry enough to call them seasoned. Just my opinion.

 

[c5rulz]

Easy answer, "It's not firewood till it's split".

Bark is on a tree for a reason, to hold moisture in, the drying process doesn't truly start until it's split. Granted some elm/ash that has been dead for years isn't too bad, but even then, splitting and waiting a couple months helps a lot.

 

[Ironworker]

I've bought seasoned logs that were full of moisture. Every single log that I've cut and split other than ash was full of moisture.

 

[jr27236]

I can see the dead grey tree that makes as a vulture purch being dead and dry but that's about it. I just don't understand how people request "seasoned logs" lol

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Fred Wright]

Left in log or round form, most tree species will go punky before they could cure enough to burn well. Stored in a climate-controlled environment, maybe so. But not if left set outside.

As an aside, green rounds will lose some water weight after setting a few months. But they won't truly "season".

 

[calebng15]

What if you leave the leaves on it for a while. Does that help? I've never gotten wood in log form, just curious!

 

[Deleted member 135597]

What if you leave the leaves on it for a while. Does that help? I've never gotten wood in log form, just curious!

yes the leaves will suck moisture out of the wood, but not enough to consider it seasoned

 

[moondoggie]

Red oak standing dead does exist that is dry. Sugar maple, locust, cherry, ash, even white oak standing dead I have found dry. RTB ready to burn. But, most green wood cut and left for a year or so in log form will not be %100 dry. Until split.

 

[rancher2]

Just cut up and split some elm for a guy today that I had logged out well over a year ago and most were live trees when cut and they were probably almost as wet as the day I cut them and piled them.

 

[Circle B MN]

I have bought cull logs from the mill that were a few years old off the stump and there is nothing seasoned about them....


ETA...the clock starts when it is CSS

 

[tla100]

I have burned standing dead trees right after cutting. 2 winters in a row. bark was all off. wood was nice and dry. Had a little moisture in the main base large rounds in center, but sitting in basement next to burner they were fine after a few days. Only reason I seen it, it was below zero and I cut, split it, and seen ice crystals in wood.

I got one standing dead that I am gonna cut down sometime. It ain't rotting at all, figure I will cut and stack when needed, which is a few years down the road

I have had maple and some crappy boxelder in logs over a year and they were not close to dry. Maple better than boxelder.

 

[jrider]

I've been cutting some logs of soft maple, mulberry, cherry, and sassafrass for the past few weeks that have been down for 2+ years. Most of these logs are under 14" in diameter. The ones that were not touching the ground are ready to burn - especially the mulberry, so much that I'm shocked. Any logs that are bigger than that or were at least partially in contact with the ground have a fair amount of moisture in them still. My experience with any oak, is if it's not spit, it's not drying out.
I also delivered some cherry from bigger logs that were down 2+ years, cut and split in early August that was dried out real nice. Lots of checking on the ends, light in weight, had that nice high pitch sound when 2 pieces hit together and more importantly, the 4 customers were all very happy. We also have only had 1 day with measurable rain in the last 6 weeks and temps running well above average.

 

[Whitespider]

Elm, standing-dead, with the bark fallen off will be as dry as it can get, except for the bottom few feet of main trunk... that few feet may be as little as three, or as much as ten, depending on how wet the ground is. It only tales a year, maybe two, for the bark to fall off. Most of what I cut has around 4-5 feet of wet trunk, but it drys real fast after cuttin'. If Elm is cut green, it won't dry like that... in log form, it'll rot before it'll dry. I cut standing-dead elm every fall and toss it directly in the basement, and then directly in the firebox.

In 16-18 inch long rounds, some species will dry just fine... others won't, they get punky.
*

 

[olyman]

What if you leave the leaves on it for a while. Does that help? I've never gotten wood in log form, just curious!

damn little.........

 

[Trx250r180]

Standing Hemlock snags are the only ones i have found ready to burn in this area .

 

[calebng15]

damn little.........

I mean I've never had wood delivered in logs of length!

 

[olyman]

I mean I've never had wood delivered in logs of length!

as most said,,any hard log,,not soft maple,,drys thouroughly only by splitting,,and stacking in a row,,NOT IN A PILE!!!!!!!! softwoods,,as stated,,may rot right where they are..i know black birch down here,,will rot standing.....so will willow of any type...

 

[fordf150]

hickory will rot standing before the bark falls off and i just split some this weekend that has been cut to 8 foot logs for over a year. stored off the ground. It was getting punky in the middle but still solid on the outer 4 inches or so.

 

[flotek]

Seasoned logs ? Never heard of such things . That's kinda like a fiscally conservative democrat