# Seasoning time for Hickory and Sugar Maple



## tumm21 (Jul 18, 2011)

Ok I know we you guys have heard this question alot but here is my delema.  I worry about this every day during the summer.  I had some hickory and sugar maple delivered in early March.  It was cut down when it was delivered.  I split and stacked it all in the month of March.  Its stacked on pallets in the back yard.  The pile is stacked loose with plenty of air gaps so air could work through it.  Will it be seasoned enough by October to burn?  That's about 7 months.  I just used some of it over the weekend to make some camp fires while camping and I really didn't have a problem with it at all.  It smoked for just a bit and then fine.  Here in NJ we have had nothing but 90 degree days for a while.  Unfortunately I dont have enough room to be 2 years ahead so I cant keep any more than a years worth of wood at a time.  Also my wood pile is not covered with a tarp.  Do you think I will be ok to burn it.  I'm planning on covering it in early October.  Good or Bad


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## smokinj (Jul 18, 2011)

I think you will be fine. I cut a lot of hickory this spring and will be burnd in Jan-Feb also some sugar maple but that was done in Sept.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 18, 2011)

It may not be the best but it certainly won't be the worst. Stacking it loosely in the wind is the best thing to do. When you do cover the top this fall, try to get something other than a tarp to cover it for best results. Good luck.


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## tumm21 (Jul 18, 2011)

Would you say its about seasoned by then or not even close.   Also what should I use.  I have plenty of black tarps from my swimming pool cover.
I was also thinking I was going to split and replenish my wood pile as I use it during the fall and winter. Maybe this will give it more seasoning time.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 18, 2011)

btw tumm21, welcome to the forum.

Those black tarps from the pool cover should work great. Your idea of replenishing the wood as you use it is excellent! That is the way it should be done. However, with you not having a long time to dry the wood I would stay away from oaks. They simply take too long to dry. I have burned hard maple, or sugar maple that was cut in March and then split right away. Burned it the following winter and we got along just fine. I still prefer a year though, but then, most of the wood we burn has been in the stack 3 years or more. We really like it that way and never have to concern ourselves if it is dry enough or not. It will be ready to burn.


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## tumm21 (Jul 19, 2011)

Will I be getting the most btu's out of my firewood by October or not.  Or should I just hold off and not use it this year.  What % of heat am I loosing by using it this year?


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## dafattkidd (Jul 19, 2011)

hey Tumm21,  Welcome to the forum.  Good choice to burn wood.  It's a lot of fun, and will save you a ton of money.  

I would say definitely burn that stuff this year.  

I burned a cord and a half of sugar maple that was seasoned for a shorter period of time than yours and it burned awesome.  Really good stuff.  I think you'll be fine.  If you're afraid it's not going to be seasoned enough you may want to try to get a hold of some construction debris (2x4s, wood flooring, decking material). Mix it in with your cord wood.  It helps with not so perfectly seasoned wood.  I have the same problem as you.  I can only store a little over a year's worth of wood on my property.  

Burn it.  Mix in the construction debris if needed.  And do your best to refill your supply as you burn it so you get the longest seasoning time possible.

The important thing to look out for with burning construction debris is make sure it's not treated or painted- and be sure it's wood.  

Hope that helps.  What are you burning this stuff in?


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## thewoodlands (Jul 19, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> Ok I know we you guys have heard this question alot but here is my delema.  I worry about this every day during the summer.  I had some hickory and sugar maple delivered in early March.  It was cut down when it was delivered.  I split and stacked it all in the month of March.  Its stacked on pallets in the back yard.  The pile is stacked loose with plenty of air gaps so air could work through it.  Will it be seasoned enough by October to burn?  That's about 7 months.  I just used some of it over the weekend to make some camp fires while camping and I really didn't have a problem with it at all.  It smoked for just a bit and then fine.  Here in NJ we have had nothing but 90 degree days for a while.  Unfortunately I dont have enough room to be 2 years ahead so I cant keep any more than a years worth of wood at a time.  Also my wood pile is not covered with a tarp.  Do you think I will be ok to burn it.  I'm planning on covering it in early October.  Good or Bad




We like the sugar maple seasoned a full year.

zap


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## cptoneleg (Jul 19, 2011)

Tumm21;  what hind of stove do you have?  Did you move into a place that has a woodstove insert what?  You need to list your stove with your signature there are lots of folks here that will help you get through your first year.  They helped me my first year, and my wood wasn't perfect but we stayed warm.


  And Welcome :zip:


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 19, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> Will I be getting the most btu's out of my firewood by October or not.  Or should I just hold off and not use it this year.  What % of heat am I loosing by using it this year?



It isn't the btu factor to be really concerned with when burning marginal wood. It is creosote and hard to handle fires. If the wood is sizzling or just too wet yet, you will be fighting the stove trying to get heat (and most folks will blame the stove) and then you'll also be fighting the creosote in both the chimney and the stove. You will also get that terrible smell in the house.


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## 3fordasho (Jul 19, 2011)

I don't get alot of sugar maple but did get a gnarly trunk section about 3 years back.  Split nice but the splits reminded me of why it's sometimes called rock maple.
That stuff took a good two years to season, seems that part of the tree was more dense and really held onto the moisture.  The splits are still very heavy and remind me a bit of petrified wood.  Lotsa btu's for sure.

Just got done splitting some green ash like that too, mainly the center of the 30" diameter trunk sections.  Seems to be loaded with more sap and just harder/denser than the rest of the tree.


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## blades (Jul 19, 2011)

Had some Shag bark hickory a couple years back , after 2 years of being split it was still close to 20% in the middle of a 6" split, same for some red oak of the same vintage.


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## golfandwoodnut (Jul 20, 2011)

Not sure about sugar maple, but most maples I have season very quickly.  Hickory is supposed to be great wood,  I have some that I may burn this year but it has been sitting 2 summers.  I is a pretty heavy wood.  It should get easier once you get through the first year.  If you want a quick wood to season start looking for cherry.


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## tumm21 (Jul 20, 2011)

Actually I have been burning for about 3 or 4 years now.  I have a tree guy in town that drops the wood off to me in long log lenghts and then he cuts it up for me in 18" pieces.  He charges me about 50 bucks a dump truck load which is about a cord and a half.  I usually call him in February and he delivers in March.  I dont own a log splitter so I get about 5 cords of wood in my back yard and rent a splitter for the weekend and split all 5 cords by Monday morning.  Its back breaking trying to do it all over a weekend but unfortunately I cant afford a splitter of my own to do it at my leasure.  Oh by the way I have a Regency insert if I didnt tell you yet.  Bought it about 3 or 4 years ago.  Couple years ago my neigbor next door cut down like 4 ash trees.  He gave it all to me.  It did season fast.  But it also burned quick.  Hopefully this years hickory and maple will be good to go.


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## laynes69 (Jul 20, 2011)

Tried burning 1 year hickory last year. It burned but wasn't seasoned fully. It should have had another season but I needed the heat. Maple tends to season well within a year, but I burn silver maple and not sugar maple.


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## tumm21 (Jul 20, 2011)

Being I split it in March, would you consider it to be a year of seasoning being that wood does not season much in the fall and winter?Or would you just consider it 7 months in October.  Also should I try to hold off covering it til like November to try to squeeze a little more drying time?


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## tumm21 (Jul 20, 2011)

Also does hickory have a long burn time?


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## Kenster (Jul 20, 2011)

We don't have sugar maples around where I live but we do have pignut hickory.  Even in our hot, dry summers with lots of hot wind, hickory needs two full years and three would be much better.  Three year seasoned hickory will give high heat all night long.  I don't see how there's any way possible to season fresh cut hickory to ready to burn even halfway decently by October.   Frankly, I think you're wasting good wood.  If your maple is acceptable, fine, burn it.
Save the hickory for two more years.  You'll be glad you did.


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## dafattkidd (Jul 20, 2011)

Kenster said:
			
		

> We don't have sugar maples around where I live but we do have pignut hickory.  Even in our hot, dry summers with lots of hot wind, hickory needs two full years and three would be much better.  Three year seasoned hickory will give high heat all night long.  I don't see how there's any way possible to season fresh cut hickory to ready to burn even halfway decently by October.   Frankly, I think you're wasting good wood.  If your maple is acceptable, fine, burn it.
> Save the hickory for two more years.  You'll be glad you did.



Please note I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but I am really interested in knowing what you think he should do this winter?  Isn't better to burn not perfect wood instead of oil/natural gas/electric?  Granted I live in NY where hardwood is very easy to come by, so maybe my perspective on this is different.


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## tpm1952 (Jul 20, 2011)

I cut a load of hickory here in Mich last August. Split and stacked back then. I just chked moisture content and it was at 16. (close to 1 yr later) 

I assume this s/b ready to burn come late Fall this year.


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## wood-fan-atic (Jul 20, 2011)

I dont know how much oil costs by y'all, but here on L.I. its north of $4 a gal....... I would be more apt to burn >25% MC wood anyday before spending the $4000 it would cost to heat my home with oil for the winter. A dollar saved is a dollar earned, in my book.


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## tumm21 (Jul 20, 2011)

Well Im going to burn it.  I appreciate everyones advice, but I agree if I could save some money I will.  I just went out and looked at the wood and the bark is starting to seperate from most of the splits.  Im assuming that its really starting to dry out if I am seeing this.  No matter what my situation is, Im only going to be able to season any of  my wood on any year no more than a year anyway so Looks like I just have to deal with it.


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## smokinj (Jul 20, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> Well Im going to burn it.  I appreciate everyones advice, but I agree if I could save some money I will.  I just went out and looked at the wood and the bark is starting to seperate from most of the splits.  Im assuming that its really starting to dry out if I am seeing this.  No matter what my situation is, Im only going to be able to season any of  my wood on any year no more than a year anyway so Looks like I just have to deal with it.



Still be the best firewood in your area!  ;-)


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## Battenkiller (Jul 20, 2011)

I haven't found that hickory takes longer than a year in good sun and wind, but keeping it three or more won't hurt it at all. ;-) 

I burn my wood as I need it, not as I feel it is ready.  If I did my job correctly and it's ready... great.  If not, I burn it anyway, but real hot with plenty of air.  Burns fine that way.  You really won't lose that much heat from the evaporating water itself, but many will argue (incorrectly) that is false.  In the real world, most of the heat loss will come from forcing more hot flue gases out the stack from the increased air you're letting in.  Not much choice with wetter wood, though.  Burn it with not enough excess air and you will get a cool burn and lots of dreaded creosote.  Besides reducing your flue diameter and creating a possible fire hazard, creosote is wasted fuel, so you might as well burn hot with plenty of excess air and lose some extra heat up the flue without forming the creosote.


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## DexterDay (Jul 20, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> tumm21 said:
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X 100..  Burn that Wood. A lot of people I know, still get there wood delivered in Sept, Oct, or Start to collect and split it then. If you season your wood, just 1 year, your ahead of a lot of people out there.

How large is your property? You could build a "Wood Fence" around your property. There was just a thread about them. They can look pretty good and you would store a lot of wood. Or quarantine off an area. My wife wanted the "Wood Area" to look good. So I kept it in a small area in longer rows. 
. . 8 stacks at 12 ft long by 4.5 ft tall. Each rack is a half cord. All 8 racks are in a 35 ft wide by 15 ft area... The big stack itself is a cord. Big Stack is just over 18 ft long x 5 ft tall. Just split it today (All Silver Maple).. Its destiny is the little woodshed for next winter. I could prob burn it this year. But have enough wood already put up. I have only been collecting wood since the middle of May. My 1st year with a Woodstove. (Had a fireplace for years). Goes to show, with a little work and perseverance, one can do anything. 

Don't know how large your lot is? But if done in Long single rows, it does not take up as much room. 

All depends on how you want the pile. Tall and long, short, series of stacks all together, etc...... You may have room for more wood???


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## tumm21 (Jul 20, 2011)

I do but it really would not look good.  My property is 75 by 250 and basicly all grass but I really keep up with it.  I have about 4 or 5 cords stacked against my neighbors fence that seperates our properties.  It works fine.


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## DexterDay (Jul 21, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> I do but it really would not look good.  My property is 75 by 250 and basicly all grass but I really keep up with it.  I have about 4 or 5 cords stacked against my neighbors fence that seperates our properties.  It works fine.



It sounded like you may not be able to get 4 0r 5 cord. Thats a GOOD amount of wood. You will be fine. In time you (We) will get better at judging the stove and wood.. The year will be a learning curve for many people with there 1 st Woodburning device. Good luck nd sounds like your doing a great job already.


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## Battenkiller (Jul 21, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> I do but it really would not look good.  My property is 75 by 250 and basicly all grass but I really keep up with it.  I have about 4 or 5 cords stacked against my neighbors fence that seperates our properties.  It works fine.



Funny how your own wood stacks look beautiful but the neighbor's stacks can look like they belong to the hillbillies from Hell.  I was driving around my daughter's neighborhood last fall and there is one place that has about 15-20 cord or more stacked 5-6' high all around his property.  It was done neatly and it was really pretty impressive to see, but to be honest, aesthetically it looked like dog doo-doo.  Maybe out in the country where I live, but I'd be a little more considerate of my neighbors before I erected such a monument to wood heating on a city lot.

BTW save that hickory bark.  There's a _lot_ of heat in hickory bark.  It makes fantastic kindling, way better than twigs and small round sticks lots of folks save up.


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## mecreature (Jul 21, 2011)

I got some hickory cut this last March.. it was cut and stacked that day. 
I will burn it this year and see how it goes. I have plenty to use before I get 
to the hickory so it will be in the dead of winter before I know.

From the looks of it it will be fine. 
I love the smell of it seasoning in this 90+ weather.


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## tumm21 (Jul 23, 2011)

Well its been about 100 degrees here for about a week and the bark is starting to seperate.  Lots of cracks in the wood too.  I think I will be ok for october or november


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## HittinSteel (Jul 23, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> Well its been about 100 degrees here for about a week and the bark is starting to seperate.  Lots of cracks in the wood too.  I think I will be ok for october or november



I think so too


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## lukem (Jul 23, 2011)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> tumm21 said:
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Hickory bark is the best stuff for use in a smoker or charcoal grill too.  A little goes a long way.  Don't throw it away.


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## smokinj (Jul 23, 2011)

lukem said:
			
		

> Battenkiller said:
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I run 100 percent wood 100 percent of the time. Only difference is what percent apple vs hickory. (that's a trade secret) ;-)


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## CTYank (Jul 23, 2011)

tumm21 said:
			
		

> Would you say its about seasoned by then or not even close.   Also what should I use.  I have plenty of black tarps from my swimming pool cover.
> I was also thinking I was going to split and replenish my wood pile as I use it during the fall and winter. Maybe this will give it more seasoning time.



Any old waterproof tarp will work fine, and the sooner, the better. You can fold it so it's a foot or so wider than a stack, then put some large twigs or 2x scraps on top of a pile, sticking out maybe 6" and lay the tarp on them. Couple 2x or such on top of the tarp, and you're in business.

'Round here, when the rains come again in Sep/Oct, an uncovered stack would be a bad idea. Not a religious thing, in that it matters not what I believe.

I have no idea what you mean by "seasoned." Dry enough to burn, likely. Do what you can, and don't obsess.


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