Moisture content of 3-4 year old wood?

[48rob]

If a person has 3-4 year old wood, cut, split and stacked inside a weatherproof shed (no rain/snow landing on the wood, just normal outdoor humidity) what should the average moisture content be?

Rob

 

[Danno77]

If a person has 3-4 year old wood, cut, split and stacked inside a weatherproof shed (no rain/snow landing on the wood, just normal outdoor humidity) what should the average moisture content be?

Rob

not just a roof, but an actual shed? What kind of wood.

Oak cut down live then split and put in a shed for 3 years is probably something like 25-35%
same oak put in a open, but covered wood-shed is probably 18-25%

 

[48rob]

not just a roof, but an actual shed? What kind of wood.

A shed, like a yard barn, but with vents cut into it.

Wood is Oak, Ash, Cherry, Walnut, and other misc. varieties.
Wood was split and left outside for several months in the summer, then stacked in the shed when it seemed reasonably dry (some is split, some small stuff left in rounds).

The shed holds wood that we cut on the job, from a tree here, and a tree there, then stack in the shed for future camping trip wood (at least it was before the move bans started).

I checked a piece of Oak yesterday, a small round, about 5" in diameter.
It looks dry, and sounds dry, but after splitting it, the moisture meter read 14.
Same for a 6" round of Cherry, but it showed 10.

Seems like it should be drier?
Does humidity in the air maintain a moisture level in the wood, and under ideal air dry conditions, what should I expect wood stored as above to get down to?

Rob

 

[Danno77]

not just a roof, but an actual shed? What kind of wood.

A shed, like a yard barn, but with vents cut into it.

Wood is Oak, Ash, Cherry, Walnut, and other misc. varieties.
Wood was split and left outside for several months in the summer, then stacked in the shed when it seemed reasonably dry (some is split, some small stuff left in rounds).

The shed holds wood that we cut on the job, from a tree here, and a tree there, then stack in the shed for future camping trip wood (at least it was before the move bans started).

I checked a piece of Oak yesterday, a small round, about 5" in diameter.
It looks dry, and sounds dry, but after splitting it, the moisture meter read 14.
Same for a 6" round of Cherry, but it showed 10.

Seems like it should be drier?
Does humidity in the air maintain a moisture level in the wood, and under ideal air dry conditions, what should I expect wood stored as above to get down to?

Rob

No, your scenario sounds better than what I posted for the shed, then. if you are getting 14 and 10 then you are good to go.

there is another thread going right now where they talk about Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC), this is what you really want to look at:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/64871/

 

[48rob]

Thanks!

That link explained it pretty well!

Kiln-dried wood is down around 10 percent moisture. Depending on climate and conditions of storage, normal firewood won’t dry down to kiln-dried moisture because of normal outdoor humidity. For example, I’ve never measured wood below about 14 percent in my firewood supply. But I suppose that firewood could get very dry by natural seasoning in desert conditions. Or firewood stored in old barns, which are like kilns in hot summer weather.

Rob

 

[Danno77]

ok, now that we got that taken care of, I have been planning a teardrop build for some time now. When can I come see yours, lol?
edit: are you on this forum? --> (broken link removed to http://www.mikenchell.com/forums/index.php)

 

[48rob]

Yes, I'm still there, but I spend most of my time running this one;

http://repairingyesterdaystrailers....ault/t/yuku-community.html?new_community=true

You're welcome to come see the teardrop most any time (just give me a little warning).
It is inside a garage so you can even see it during the winter.

Rob