Well “seasoned” oak

[glenng]

Oak really needs to season for 3 years or more to be great
. Dry wood is awesome but few are burning it.. Wood supply, seasoning and storage is way more important than the brand of modern EPA stove you pick. If your not 4 years ahead your wasting wood and effort. Your replacing joy with frustration. Folks that purchase wood should also be 4 years ahead aswell . Dry wood is the key to long hot burns and economical heat. A wood pile is just like an investment. The longer you sit on it the more it will return. You will get more heat by just letting it mature.

I used to think the $1100 I paid for my stove was expensive. And the $600 I paid for the chimney liner also. But now I think about what a bargain my $2000 woodshed is and how much stored potential it holds. In the 5 years I have been heating with wood I dont know if I have saved a penny. I dont want to know, Between the stove, ss pipe, splitter, chainsaws, time, fuel, etc.... But damn I certainly have been warm and comfy. Every year means dryer wood , hotter fires and less work. Now that I am 5 years to the good I only need to cut 1 year of firewood to remain status quo. Life is good. Dry wood is awesome.

I say this as an eastern mixed hardwood burner whom happens to be on Christmas vacation, currently tapping his home brew. Yet there may still be a message here in this barley induced babble. Peace Glenn,

 

[Rockey]

I just moisture tested some one season oak this fall and burning most of it now. It was felled in jan 09, bucked in Feb, march stacked in the sun by beginning of May. I made most of the splits 5" or less. The rows that got the most sun ranged from 20-25% with some as low as 15% and others at 28-30% - that heavy stuff went into next years pile. Time of year felled and full sun/air flow seems to make a big difference when dealing with oak.

I have had similar results with the red and white oak that I burn. One year I had a couple cords that was in the sun for about 10 hours a day. It was a record hot summer with very little precipitation and almost every split was about 20-25%. Some of the splits that didnt recieve as much sun or were a little bigger were closer to 30%. This was oak that was split and stacked in the spring and burned the following winter..

 

[fyrwoodguy]

According to the dealer, this oak was split 10 months ago. Looks really wet to me. I’m going to buy a moisture meter and start re-splitting wood and check the internal moisture before I hand anyone my hard earned money! I’m sick of buying crap that’s advertised as “seasoned”.

Thanks for letting me vent.

hell, i had some oak given to me that sat beside a steam furnace for 27 years. looked just like that in the stove that it warped! (riteway) :bug:
i hauled the wood out of the basement where it sat to its new location at my place. and i had heard "stories" of oak sizzling, oh little did i know what was comming my way as far as the term "dry" :sick:

 

[Duetech]

By the picture I would only think the outside was wet and not the center. Might have been on the ground with a crack in it for 8 months. That's "split" ain't it?