# Seasoning by Wood Type



## iod0816 (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey All, 

Sorry if this is a repeat topic, I tried searching and couldn't find much and googled... not much useful-ness out there.

My question is how long does it take for the various types of wood to season into the ideal ranges for burning? I found this excellent site but it would help a first year wood burner become a lot more knowledgeable about seasoning times... Oak is a topic of discussion frequently so I understand that to be about 2 years, the more the better but what about the other types of wood on this page? I couldn't find anything on those. http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html?

Beech/Birch/Maple/Ash etc... I know there are varying types, esp for maple that influence but what others? Is there more I can read up on this or did everyone just find out by T&E with a meter and time?

Thanks!


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## Wood Duck (Feb 1, 2010)

According to comments I have read here, I think oak, hickory, sugar maple, beech(?), apple, and osage orange (hedge) are all in the two years seasoning category. Most other woods are seasoned in one year. I don't think I have ever seen a chart of wood seasoning times, and don't expect to see one, since the definition of seasoned varies a lot, and conditions and rate of seasoning vary a lot too.  Generally denser wood with more BTUs per cord seasons more slowly, lighter wood of course seasons more quickly. The climate must have a major influence on seasoning too, so be cautious when a guy in nevada tells you that wood seasons in three months - it probably does for him, but won't for you.

It seems a lot of people need wood to season in 6 months, so they can cut in the spring and burn in the fall/winter. For this I'd say pine, aspen, Red maple(?), Ash are good choices, but a lot will depend on the location where you season, how small the splits are (smaller is better), and how you stack (more air space is better).


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## Bigg_Redd (Feb 1, 2010)

This question is easy to answer:  there is no answer.  Depending on ventilation,  sun/wind exposure, seasonal temperature variation (for example, summer skips us altogether about every 5 years or so), stacking technique,  size if splits, etc.  The answer will be unique to you.


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## prajna101 (Feb 1, 2010)

You would think that we could come up with a list.  Not like Oak = 2years because there are variables.  But more comparative like Black locust is faster than oak.  So if all the different species were cut and split to the same size on the same day and stacked in the same place and method, what would season to 20% first?  What last? and what order in between.  I am guessing most would agree that Ash would be ready to burn first, and red oak would probably be last.


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## westkywood (Feb 1, 2010)

Maybe a better way to pose the question would be..... If the different types of wood were stacked in the same location and same size cut etc, which would season quickest.. i believe that would be an answerable question.
 I have several types of wood that has been seasoning for over a year. The White Oak seems to be taking the longest. Some of it reads in the 30's or high 20's on my moisture meter. I have some Red Maple that seasoned in a years time. It read about 16-19  on my moisture meter. Elm seasoned pretty good in a year. 
The bigger pieces of Hickory are not ready, but some of the smaller to average size pieces were ok, but probably another year would do them good.
 Suger Maple is still not quite ready.


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## iod0816 (Feb 1, 2010)

TriTodd/Westkywood thanks. I should have phrased the question as such... If all conditions being the same how do the species season? And when I do say season, I mean to a consensus moisture content that one would burn the wood... It seems 20% is the magic number for moisture content, whether that be 20% +/- a percent or two so I would say that would describe the degree of seasoning... Average split size I guess of 14-16" length and what, a 12-15" rounds split into 8ths or so... Just trying to stick with averages... 

Reason I am asking is that its common knowledge that oak seasons for two plus years but ash and locust doesn't since they start out lower in moisture... But if I let the locust and ash sit for two years plus when I didn't really need to I could have been letting other stuff season in its place... Just trying to get an idea for the species... And how to plan for the coming winters.

Thanks!


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## rdust (Feb 1, 2010)

This site may help, scroll down to "Regarding Seasoning of Wood".  http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html


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## mikepinto65 (Feb 1, 2010)

rdust said:
			
		

> This site may help, scroll down to "Regarding Seasoning of Wood".  http://mb-soft.com/juca/print/firewood.html



The OP already referenced this link in the first post.


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## rdust (Feb 1, 2010)

mikepinto65 said:
			
		

> rdust said:
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Opps!  I have great reading and comprehension skills when I'm working and reading.  :lol:


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## mikepinto65 (Feb 1, 2010)

rdust said:
			
		

> mikepinto65 said:
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LOL


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## iod0816 (Feb 1, 2010)

mikepinto65 said:
			
		

> rdust said:
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Haha, yup but thanks. I did read that and it certainly helps but it also says that one foot long cut piece generally dries within two to three months and then double that for a two footer... Well, who knows what split means or how they did it but even still, I find that a little hard to swallow.

I don't know if its possible or not to answer my question but we will see.

Thanks again!


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## gzecc (Feb 1, 2010)

I scout out Ash and Black Locust. They only need 6 mos after split. I stay away from oak, unless it falls in my lap. It takes too long to season.  All the other hardwoods are at least 12 mos split in single rows.
When I stack, I do it according to seasoning maturity.  Oak alone (2ys out), Ash, BL together, Pine, all other hard wood for next year.


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## dave7965 (Feb 1, 2010)

Does anybody else take issue with the claim this website makes that using a tarp seasons the wood quicker and that splitting only slightly helps the seasoning process as opposed to rounded pieces?


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## gyrfalcon (Feb 2, 2010)

The Wood Dog said:
			
		

> Does anybody else take issue with the claim this website makes that using a tarp seasons the wood quicker and that splitting only slightly helps the seasoning process as opposed to rounded pieces?



Yes and no, but it depends on your climate and where your stacks are.  Using tarps slows down the seasoning process somewhat for me, since my climate is quite dry and I can stack in a windy, sunny location.  A tarp only interferes with that.  Splitting definitely, without question, hastens seasoning, especially for larger pieces but even for small ones.  Bark is designed, after all, to keep the moisture inside the tree.  It still does that even when the tree has been cut down.


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## gyrfalcon (Feb 2, 2010)

iodonnell said:
			
		

> Hey All,
> 
> Sorry if this is a repeat topic, I tried searching and couldn't find much and googled... not much useful-ness out there.
> 
> ...



There's an even further question, which is what stuff burns better with less seasoning.  Not the same thing.  After reading all the horror storiesi here about how long oak takes to season, I've found that the small amount of red oak I got this fall and split down pretty far is much, much more burnable now than the rock maple I got at the same time that got the same treatment.  Beech and Black Birch in the same lot were really good and burnable even sooner.  Again, this was very small splits, 3 to 4 inches or so, which dries much, much faster.  But still, I've found the comparison interesting.  So for small splits, I'd put the order of fastest seasoning to be in burnable condition, which doesn't necesarily parallel moisture content, as Black Birch, beech, red oak, then rock maple-- all high BTU hardwoods.  Red maple seasons in no time, but it doesn't give you a lot of heat.  I've no experience with ash or any other woods as of yet.

But those are my conditions-- dry, windy and sunny, and quite small splits.

FYI,  I find rock maple generally, in my dry climate and stacked in sun and wind, seasons in about 6 months in 5 or 6-inch splits.  Give it another year and it's even better, but it's easily usable in less time than that.

In that size split, pretty much anything other than white oak, which everybody swears takes forever to season, should be in fine shape in 2 years.  Generally, though, the denser the wood and therefore the higher the BTUs, the longer it takes to fully season.  So you really can use that BTU chart as a general guide for your purposes, I think.


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## billb3 (Feb 2, 2010)

The Wood Dog said:
			
		

> Does anybody else take issue with the claim this website makes that using a tarp seasons the wood quicker and that splitting only slightly helps the seasoning process as opposed to rounded pieces?



Using a tarp "how" ? 

In some areas, keeping the rainwater off will accelerate seasoning a small per centage. 

All the old timers I know who sold seasoned wood had a roof  up on poles  that they stacked the wood under to season.
These structures had walls that hung on hooks like curtains that were put up to keep out the drifting snow in Winter and also to block the wind. They cut and split in the rain under this structure when they couldn't be out in the fields farming.  


If the guy  is cutting his wood in 10 inch lengths he probably sees little benefit from splitting.


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## Backwoods Savage (Feb 2, 2010)

iodonnell said:
			
		

> Hey All,
> 
> Sorry if this is a repeat topic, I tried searching and couldn't find much and googled... not much useful-ness out there.
> 
> ...




Why not go for the ideal? Cut and split your wood 3 years ahead of time and you will not be the least concerned about how long each type takes to season.


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