Nineteen days hath September: a wood drying calendar

[Applesister]

Ive tried to download links from my phone and it doesnt work. I need to.load Tapatalk or something. URL locations wont transfer. Im playing on my cell phone here. Which is why I havent downloaded the tons of pictures I take either. Its the dumb hick thing. lol

 

[Jon1270]

Here we go: Outdoor Temperature and Relative Humidity - US Winter and Summer Conditions

Normal outdoor relative humidity in Philadelphia at 7:30 AM: 74% in January, 78% in July. As far as firewood stored outdoors is concerned, that difference is inconsequential.

 

[billb3]

Yeah, a pie chart would be a much simpler way to convey virtually the same information. It even occurred to me to use one, but this seemed more fun. You should post yours here!

ooh, I want a pie chart with 115% of data in it. That hurts some people's brains.

 

[oldspark]

"Yep, have read quite a bit on the topic. The 32 degree threshold doesn't actually mean much unless your woodpile is coated in snow and ice. Trees contain a natural antifreeze that prevents the water from freezing unless it gets ridiculously cold (way below zero F). That's why you don't see trees cracking and splitting all the time."
That was not aimed at you, I can tell you have, I can try and find the info about the 32 degree threshold, not sure I can find it now.

 

[oldspark]

The free water in wood is just water, it is the bound water that wont be affected by the lower temps so much, the bound water (sap) is removed more slowly so I guess it would be the free water that does not move so much under 32 degrees.

 

[TradEddie]

What about the fact that the humidity around here is 80% in summer and 20 % in winter. At 20 % the air will suck the moisture out of just about anything even if its frozen.

That may be what it feels like, but take a look at a weather report on a blue sky day in January and July. Dewpoint, which is a measure of the actual water content of the air, varies a lot, but humidity doesn't vary so much. Neither RH or Temperature alone give a perfect measure of drying power, take a look in your freezer ice box, ice cubes shrink over time because water sublimes (solid to vapor without forming liquid in between), even when the temperature is 0F.

TE

 

[TimJ]

Or you could get ahead a couple of years and stack it out in the wind and sun.

Oldspark, you just ain't scientificer

 

[Applesister]

My guess is the lumber industry has this all figured out. Its a really big money industry. How wood releases its moisture. Im surprised Backwood Savage isnt doing flipflops with his 3 year solution. I think it seems as if we all accept that but obviously there are those of us who still want to know WHY it takes 3 years.
Of all the plants in the animal kingdom, the tree is my most beloved plant. It seems many people here share my same curiousity as to the How and Why of its growth, death and demise.