What's the seasoning "curve"?

[midwestcoast]

In my experience neither sugar maple nor hickory are "pretty close to ready to burn" at all, but I don't know how they are after being split for 3 months or so. Anyone?
Ash, locust & cherry are much more ready to burn. Other than those 3, I would be looking for softer woods that will dry fast when split smallish, such as silver maple, birch, pine, cedar & many others. Not all softwoods or soft hardwoods are very fast drying though, as some start-out very wet (like cottonwood).
Small limbs & branches of standing dead (anthing-but-oak) are often dry enough to burn, lower trunks are often still sopping wet.
Slabwood scrap is another good option, dries very fast if not already dry & can often be found really cheap.

 

[madrone]

Best graph ever, Battenkiller.

 

[gzecc]

In my experience neither sugar maple nor hickory are "pretty close to ready to burn" at all, but I don't know how they are after being split for 3 months or so. Anyone?
Ash, locust & cherry are much more ready to burn. Other than those 3, I would be looking for softer woods that will dry fast when split smallish, such as silver maple, birch, pine, cedar & many others. Not all softwoods or soft hardwoods are very fast drying though, as some start-out very wet (like cottonwood).
Small limbs & branches of standing dead (anthing-but-oak) are often dry enough to burn, lower trunks are often still sopping wet.
Slabwood scrap is another good option, dries very fast if not already dry & can often be found really cheap.

The species I listed are, for me, very high quality fuels and ready in one year of seasoning.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It would be interesting to do some experimenting with this concept. As of late we've been cutting mainly white ash because it is all dieing. I usually stack the wood at 54" which will shrink down to 48" or less within a year. I do recall measuring one stack that was started at 54" and 2-3 months after it was stacked it had lost already 4" in height. So I very well may start taking measurements of our wood piles monthly starting with the wood we cut this winter....if I'm able to cut any at all.

I think Battenkiller's graph might hold true for most if not all types of wood.

 

[wendell]

I'd love to be 3 years ahead as much as I'd love to stop hearing about how great it is to be 3 years ahead. I'd have to line the perimeter of my yard with pallet racking to achieve that.

So? What's your point? ;-)

I've already got 2 sides completely closed in. Only 1 more to go!

 

[CJRages]

(broken image removed)

http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-023-wood-is-good-but-strange

Lowest moisture content if time is infinite (wood does not rot) and relative humidity is constant. Time to reach 20% for example will be decreased by lower humidity and higher temperature. I don't think anyone can give an accurate rule of thumb without saying give or take 300% based on 20 different variables.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

I found this graph, but it only pertains to red oak. Hope it helps.

I like your curve better, BK. It's, ahhh- somewhat realistic. Something about 'asymptotically approaching equilibrium MC value...'

You only get this shape of curve when you split wood that is highly complacent. If you then yell at the wood for not seasoning fast enough, the wood becomes terrified and seasons a little faster. %-P