# When to split wood after cutting?



## Joe Matthews (Oct 11, 2010)

A friend and I were talking the other day, and could not come up with an answer. When is it best (easiest) to split wood after cutting? Is it easier to split green wood, or wood that has been laying around a while?


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## Wood Duck (Oct 11, 2010)

I think it may depend on the type of wood. I know a lot of people find that splitting old, dead standing elm is a lot easier than splitting fresh Elm (and Elm is among the most difficult woods to split). Another example is that splitting White Pine is easier, or at least neater, when the wood has dried out because fresh White Pine is very sappy. On the other hand, I was splitting some  1 year old White Oak that sat around in log form until I sawed it up yesterday, and it seemed harder to split than when it was fresh - it seemed to be stringer so the splits hung together and I had to pull them apart. Most of the White Oak didn't do that when fresh, although of course I don't know how the particular pieces I was spliting yesterday would have been when they were fresh. so, I think the answer might depend on the type of wood you're splitting. I usually split right after I cut the wood, but not because I am sure it is easier to split, just because I want to get it stacked and seasoning asap.


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## Joe Matthews (Oct 11, 2010)

Interesting... I usually split wood pretty quickly for the same reason. Get it stacked and done with...


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## KeepItNatural (Oct 11, 2010)

Some folks say splitting when the temps outside are subfreezing is best b/c the water in the wood is frozen and makes the wood a little more brittle- but for no other reason than this... I split the wood about a week or so after cutting, because once it's split thats the only way it will really season correctly.  
Why do I wait a week?  I'm so tired of cutting I need a break.


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## gzecc (Oct 11, 2010)

Splitting immediately saves an extra handling step. I usually split immediately. I usually work on less than a cord at at time, probably 1/3 to 1/2. I try to limit the amount of times I touch each piece.


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## Heem (Oct 11, 2010)

I would say yes.. definitely AFTER you cut it.


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## blowell (Oct 11, 2010)

I split the wood about a week or so after cutting, because once it’s split thats the only way it will really season correctly. 

I'm new to this splitting business, and would like to know the reasoning behind this.  Thank you.


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## oldspark (Oct 11, 2010)

blowell said:
			
		

> I split the wood about a week or so after cutting, because once it’s split thats the only way it will really season correctly.
> 
> I'm new to this splitting business, and would like to know the reasoning behind this.  Thank you.


 Split wood dries much quicker that rounds, rounds dry from the ends, splitting wood give more surface area to dry the wood.


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## KeepItNatural (Oct 11, 2010)

Definitely, and - more or less- the smaller the splits you have, the easier it is for the wood to dry out.  I'm not overly technical on the physics of wood drying, but basically- the more of the inside of the wood that is now exposed to the outside, the quicker the water will evaporate out. I wont win any awards for that explanation, but the basic idea is pretty sound.


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## Joe Matthews (Oct 11, 2010)

I understand that the earlier the wood is split, the faster it will start seasoning, but I was really asking is newly cut wood easier to split, or is wood that has been laying around a while easier to split. Wood Duck mentioned he had different experiences with diffrent types of wood in this respect.


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## Wooddust (Oct 11, 2010)

colder the wood, easier the split.


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## oldspark (Oct 11, 2010)

All but about 2 or 3 types of wood split better green. Elm is one that does not split well green.


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## FWWARDEN (Oct 11, 2010)

Generally, I find it easier to split wood that has been recently bucked.  Some woods (silver maple for example) are a bear to split when the rounds start to dry, but split easily when they are wetter.  This certainly does not hold true for all types, try both ways with the most predominant species you have, and you'll know.


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## Bigg_Redd (Oct 11, 2010)

Joe Matthews said:
			
		

> When to split wood after cutting?



Whenever I get around to it.  IMO it's not a question that deserves a lot of thought.


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## Bigg_Redd (Oct 11, 2010)

Heem said:
			
		

> I would say yes.. definitely AFTER you cut it.



x2


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## nate379 (Oct 11, 2010)

I have split wood in -20* temps and I don't know if that's really true.  I do know it's not fun doing anything in those temps though!



			
				rsgBJJburner said:
			
		

> Some folks say splitting when the temps outside are subfreezing is best b/c the water in the wood is frozen and makes the wood a little more brittle- but for no other reason than this... I split the wood about a week or so after cutting, because once it's split thats the only way it will really season correctly.
> Why do I wait a week?  I'm so tired of cutting I need a break.


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## savageactor7 (Oct 11, 2010)

a.s.a.p. 
asap
as soon as possible.


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## maplewood (Oct 11, 2010)

My dad used to cut it all, then split it all, then stack it all.
I like to cut, split and stack one tank full per "workout".  I can see what I've done for that evening's work.
I split with a maul, and don't really notice the winter freezing effect helping much.


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## Dune (Oct 11, 2010)

It depends. Red oak, it doesn't matter. White oak, split it as you cut it. Pine likes to be dry, which can mean a few weeks in the heat of the summer or a year. Elm likes to be frozen, but you hear all manner of opinion on this. If you are using a power splitter, none of it matters.


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## oldspark (Oct 11, 2010)

Found this little tid bit, as mentioned above does not hold true for all woods but is a general rule to keep in mind.
"Dry wood is twice as strong as green wood. This is the main reason why green wood splits easier. The brittleness does not typically occur until under 6% MC. But even if brittleness increases, if the wood fibers are intertwined, the wood will not split well"


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## toytrkman (Oct 11, 2010)

I've alway found dry wood to split easier. It develops nice cracks to follow. The colder the weather, the easier to split too. I usually split right away though just to get it done. Nothing says happiness like a full wood shed before the snow falls!


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 11, 2010)

Generally speaking, green will split easier than dry, but not always. If you have a hydraulic splitter it doesn't matter! We cut the wood in winter, split in spring and stack immediately after splitting is done. Then we leave it alone and let time and Mother Nature do her thing with the drying. 

On the elm, correct that it does not split well when green. Nasty stuff it can be. Don't even cut it when it is green. Wait until the bark has fallen off and it will split nice.


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## AKSHADOW (Oct 11, 2010)

wait till about -30, -40. Then hit with the hatchet, dry or wet splits every time


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 11, 2010)

Does the wood split then or the hatchet? lol


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## AKSHADOW (Oct 11, 2010)

wood, but only if its a Gerber camp-axe


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## firefighterjake (Oct 12, 2010)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> I think it may depend on the type of wood. I know a lot of people find that splitting old, dead standing elm is a lot easier than splitting fresh Elm (and Elm is among the most difficult woods to split). Another example is that splitting White Pine is easier, or at least neater, when the wood has dried out because fresh White Pine is very sappy. On the other hand, I was splitting some  1 year old White Oak that sat around in log form until I sawed it up yesterday, and it seemed harder to split than when it was fresh - it seemed to be stringer so the splits hung together and I had to pull them apart. Most of the White Oak didn't do that when fresh, although of course I don't know how the particular pieces I was spliting yesterday would have been when they were fresh. so, I think the answer might depend on the type of wood you're splitting. I usually split right after I cut the wood, but not because I am sure it is easier to split, just because I want to get it stacked and seasoning asap.



+1 to all of Wood Duck's comments . . . but especially the part about splitting sooner rather than later to start the seasoning process.


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