# Does wood "season" over the winter?



## kubes14060 (Dec 1, 2010)

Just curious...I have wood that I think is close and want to burn it in the colder spring months at my cabin.  We are not there in the winter.  What do you think.  Right now it is covered with a tarp.


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## donmattingly (Dec 1, 2010)

In my opinion, no. Seasoned wood needs "Seasons." The rain of spring, the sun of summer and the wind of late summer and fall. Let it sit there for the year and you will be glad you did.


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## guy01 (Dec 1, 2010)

I have always assumed the freeze thaw cycles in winter and the dry air would speed drying. I however have no proof
Guy


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## Got Wood (Dec 1, 2010)

yes it does


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## woodsmaster (Dec 1, 2010)

yes freeze dries.


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## loon (Dec 1, 2010)

here i am last year trying to show my youngest boy how to drive a loader at the sewage plant where i work...







and ya thats human waste that came out of the centrifuge which is around 22% solids but over the winter that other 78% "water" turns into about 70% so yes i am thinking wood would freeze dry for sure  ;-P 

sorry about the crap i just put up  :cheese:  but figured it was a pretty close example of moisture loss from freezing

loon


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 1, 2010)

loon said:
			
		

> sorry about the crap i just put up  :cheese:  but figured it was a pretty close example of moisture loss from freezing



now there is a load o chit


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## LLigetfa (Dec 1, 2010)

You won't get any crap from me, just years of experience.  The wide temperature swings in Winter "dehumidify" the air and everything else.


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## Rockey (Dec 1, 2010)

Since you live in western NY, you will find that during an average winter that wood drying will slow very drastically in the winter.


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## Wood Duck (Dec 1, 2010)

Wood can definitely dry in the winter, but how much depends on where you live. In winter you can get very low relative humidity during the day, especially if cold arctic air moves south and warms up. Low relative humidity and wind can lead to good rates of evaporation and good wood drying. The problems with this include wood covered in snow and places where the relative humidity is high. I think western NY has both. I am not too far south of you in central PA, and we have lots of cold, dry, windy winter weather that quickly evaporates the snow from my wood stacks and I am sure dries out the wood. Not far north of here you enter lake effect snow belt, and I think they probably get a lot less drying of firewood in the winter. You results will depend on where you are. PLus, wood covered in a tarp isn't going to evaporate much water. Snow cover would be just as bad, or worse.


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## CTYank (Dec 1, 2010)

kubes14060 said:
			
		

> Just curious...I have wood that I think is close and want to burn it in the colder spring months at my cabin.  We are not there in the winter.  What do you think.  Right now it is covered with a tarp.



Depends on what you mean by "season." Lots of fuzzy thinking there.

To me it means some combination of three processes: decomposition of plant nutrients in the wood, evaporation of inter-cellular water, evaporation of "bound" intra-cellular water. With emphasis on the former.

Answer: possibly. Temperature is important, as is protection from rain and soil moisture. (Tarp should divert moisture away from wood, not down through it.)
Rate is unknowable from here; size of splits is your control input here.


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## dave11 (Dec 1, 2010)

There was a long, long debate about the relative importance of temperature vs. humidity on this site a year ago. The evidence says that wood will continue to dry in the winter, but not as fast as when temps are warmer. The lower the humidity, the better, but higher temps contribute more to wood drying.


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## North of 60 (Dec 1, 2010)

donmattingly said:
			
		

> In my opinion, no. Seasoned wood needs "Seasons." The rain of spring, the sun of summer and the wind of late summer and fall. Let it sit there for the year and you will be glad you did.




Ahhhhh Yes, the Rain of spring is needed.  This is exactly why wood never drys in Arizona. %-P 
 Ok I am gone now.
Cheers.


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## Battenkiller (Dec 1, 2010)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> In winter you can get very low relative humidity during the day, especially if cold arctic air moves south and warms up. Low relative humidity and wind can lead to good rates of evaporation and good wood drying. The problems with this include wood covered in snow and places where the relative humidity is high. I think western NY has both. I am not too far south of you in central PA, and we have lots of cold, dry, windy winter weather that quickly evaporates the snow from my wood stacks and I am sure dries out the wood. Not far north of here you enter lake effect snow belt, and I think they probably get a lot less drying of firewood in the winter.



In winter the relative humidity can be rather high, it's the absolute moisture content that is low.  For much of the country (including NY and PA), wood reaches a lower EMC in the spring than in any other season.  That is because the RH is lowest then.  This is true, in spite of our famous "April Showers".

Oh... firewood will definitely dry during the winter.  This hickory was cut from living trees last December.  The photo was taken after it had been stacked outside for about a month.  There is some oak in there, too.  As you can see, it didn't fare as well as the hickory.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 1, 2010)

My opinion: Yes.


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## quads (Dec 1, 2010)

kubes14060 said:
			
		

> Does wood “season” over the winter?


Yes.  Wood is always 'seasoning' as time marches on.  And time is the single most important thing splits of firewood need before they are ready to burn.  But wood 'dries' less in the Winter than it does in Spring and Fall during the sunny, windy, warm, dry days.


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## billb3 (Dec 1, 2010)

If you don't want the wood to dry out put chapstick on it.
Maybe some moisturizer, too.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 1, 2010)

I agree. It will dry some during winter but the best drying is during the summer months.


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## Adios Pantalones (Dec 1, 2010)

Temp swings, freeze thaw- those are not driving the drying.  Freezing cold slows drying- so it's drying slower when cold.  That is a fact.  The dryer air helps a bit.  

The real answer- it does dry.  It dries faster in warmer months.


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## formula_pilot (Dec 1, 2010)

In my limited experience,  if the wood is frozen, it dries very, very slowly. Last year I was given a load of punky maple that that was rather wet, and I just wanted to burn it to get rid of it.  Even when split and tops covered, it did not dry much in the dead of winter, with all the water inside frozen. But as soon as daytime temps started to get above freezing, that stuff dried right out and it burned well (we get alot of wind here).   Water will go from a frozen state to vapor, a process called sublimation, but it occurs at a much slower rate than evaporation from liquid state.


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## mayhem (Dec 1, 2010)

Move it into a dry basement...the parched air will suck the moisture right outta there.

I keep about 3.5 cords in the basement.


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## bboulier (Dec 2, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

> Move it into a dry basement...the parched air will suck the moisture right outta there.
> 
> I keep about 3.5 cords in the basement.



Don't think my wife would let me stack 3.5 cords in the basement family room!


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## Rockey (Dec 2, 2010)

bboulier said:
			
		

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Would she be cool with storing it in my basement?


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 2, 2010)

If you remember George in Seinfeld, he had significant shrinkage in the cold water.  I believe it drys year round, it probably won't dry if you get ice on it.  But the wind is still doing a number on the wood.


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## Stump_Branch (Dec 2, 2010)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> Temp swings, freeze thaw- those are not driving the drying.  Freezing cold slows drying- so it's drying slower when cold.  That is a fact.  The dryer air helps a bit.
> 
> *The real answer- it does dry.  It dries faster in warmer months*.




Agree. Think about Bourbon, if any of you are fans. they say Kentucky is the best due the drastic changes in 'seasons' ie as the temp and humidty change the whiskey is forced in and out of the wood barrels. (out in cold and in when warm) while i dont kow about cold months and water traveling in, it certainly would slow the whole process down a bit. I read a post earlier in which people discussed putting wood by a fire to dry. if winter time was better for drying then why wouldnt that discussion have been about putting spilts in the fridge?


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 2, 2010)

formula_pilot said:
			
		

> In my limited experience,  if the wood is frozen, it dries very, very slowly. Last year I was given a load of punky maple that that was rather wet, and I just wanted to burn it to get rid of it.  Even when split and tops covered, it did not dry much in the dead of winter, with all the water inside frozen. But as soon as daytime temps started to get above freezing, that stuff dried right out and it burned well (we get alot of wind here).   Water will go from a frozen state to vapor, a process called sublimation, but it occurs at a much slower rate than evaporation from liquid state.



One cannot compare good wood vs punky junk even in the drying process. There is just too much difference in the two.


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## oldspark (Dec 2, 2010)

GolfandWoodNut said:
			
		

> If you remember George in Seinfeld, he had significant shrinkage in the cold water.  I believe it drys year round, it probably won't dry if you get ice on it.  But the wind is still doing a number on the wood.


 So George was drying out?


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 3, 2010)

oldspark said:
			
		

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Well his wood was shrinking.


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## Bigg_Redd (Dec 3, 2010)

donmattingly said:
			
		

> In my opinion, no. Seasoned wood needs "Seasons." *The rain of spring*, the sun of summer and the wind of late summer and fall. Let it sit there for the year and you will be glad you did.



Did you really just say that wood needs rain to dry?  Rilly?


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## Skier76 (Dec 3, 2010)

Interesing thread. 

I ordered another cord of wood last week so I could have it stacked for the winter. It's next year's wood, but I figure the extra few months of drying time won't hurt the situation.


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 3, 2010)

Skier76 said:
			
		

> It's next year's wood, but I figure the extra few months of drying time won't hurt the situation.



Yep, also means that if you have a sloppy wet spring or just don't have time, your wood is already drying when the warmer weather comes.


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## oldspark (Dec 3, 2010)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

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 Thats the reason I like to get it stacked it the fall and winter, you never know what spring will bring and I do NOT think the wood drys that much in the winter, sure a little here and there but for me the real drying season is march to november.


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## Skier76 (Dec 3, 2010)

Maybe I'll do a little experiment. 

The cord I had delivered last week had a lot of white birch in it. I'll see if I can get a reading on the ol' moisture meter this weekend. Once spring rolls around, I'll do anther test. This should give us an idea of what happens over the winter. Totaly unscientific, but we'll at least have a rough idea. :lol:


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## Battenkiller (Dec 3, 2010)

mayhem said:
			
		

> Move it into a dry basement...the parched air will suck the moisture right outta there.
> 
> I keep about 3.5 cords in the basement.



So true.  It's amazing how quickly it dries once the outside temps drop and the air loses basically all its water holding capacity.  Once that air infiltrates your home, the relative humidity nose dives and the nose bleeds start.   But I say, let the drying fun begin.  Adds a bunch of much needed humidity to the air as well.

I can only get about a cord in there, though.  The rest of the space is filled with about 10 cord of metal, glass, and wood working tools.


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## Rockey (Dec 3, 2010)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

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Ha. You refer your tools and misc. in terms of cords too. When I was looking for garage plans this past spring I kept asking everying for a 90 corder. They all looked at me funny.


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## SolarAndWood (Dec 3, 2010)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> I can only get about a cord in there, though.  The rest of the space is filled with about 10 cord of metal, glass, and wood working tools.



Damn, I put the wall on the wrong side of the shed.  Honey, just nail those picture hangars right into the ends of the big splits :lol:


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## formula_pilot (Dec 4, 2010)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

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I agree, punky wood is somewhat like trying to dry out a smelly sponge, fresh cut wood is quite different.


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## John the Painter (Dec 4, 2010)

Yes the wood will dry in the winter.The "dry" frosty air will help pull out the moisture.


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## graycatman (Dec 4, 2010)

I think someone posted a link to this article on equilibrium moisture content of wood last season.  It shows the EMC for various temps at various relative humidities, as well as EMC for each month for various places around the country.  It may surprise you.

http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/5913


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## burntime (Dec 4, 2010)

I know the 2 ash and 2 hickory I just dropped are splitting and checking.  Me thinks its drying :lol:


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## LLigetfa (Dec 5, 2010)

When I was in my 20's and living hand-to-mouth, I would measure firewood seasoning in weeks, not months, and certainly not years.  I was mostly scrounging Birch culls from a plywood mill.  I would buck it up short, burn the end pieces right away and let the rest season for a few weeks.  A few more days inside near the stove and it was golden.

I spent a Winter trapping on a remote island and we cut most of our firewood late in the Fall and it all burned that Winter.  Mind you, all this was before the advent of EPA stoves.

Until recently, I would buck up wood one Winter and burn some of it the folowing Winter.  The wood that was all bucked at the same time burned better in February than it did in November.  Proof that it did season between Nov and Feb.

Also until just recently, I would just toss all my splits in a heap and then move it to the shed late Fall.  Now the heap would not season evenly.  The splits on the top would be ready to burn but the splits in the middle needed more time.  The stuff on the bottom needed much more time.  I would sort it into now, later, and much later stacks in the shed and burn it in that order.  I would select splits from the "much later" stack for overnight burning and as the Winter progressed, I could see the difference in how well it burned.

Another measure is shrinkage.  I would stack the wood tight to the rafters and see a space form over the course of the Winter.  Also, the last row of wood would shrink more on the exposed face than it would on the backside and as a result the stack would lean out and need to be continually pushed back to prevent it from toppling.


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## oldspark (Dec 5, 2010)

Like some one else stated, its not that it does not dry at all in the winter it just drys way less than the warmer months.


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