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Logs Don't Dry

Started by doctorb, January 16, 2014, 06:40:39 PM

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doctorb

Just to re-make a point that's been made here several times before......

In the summer of 2012, I had a stand of Ailanthus trees, (Tree of Heaven - horrible non-native invasive) cut down in my woods.  Stacked as 8 foot logs between 4" and 20" diameter.  They sat down in the woods until this fall, when they were hauled out and stacked by my barn.  This week, 18 months after felling those trees, they were cut to 24" lengths.  I went out this evening and split a couple of the 12" logs.  The measured moisture content on the split surface was between 26 - 28%.  Logs don't dry. 
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Firewoodjoe

Don't know what that species of wood is like but considering wood will only air dry to about 20% I would say that's not bad for the large chunks

M_S_S

In my area all the commercial firewood cutter, me included, fall trees in the winter (western juniper). Then in the spring go back and start limbing, bucking and splitting to sell in the next winter. Some don't split till winter. Usually this is on Forest Service or BLM ground. There is kinda a unwritten code that you don't cut someonelses tree, which works pretty good except for the homeowners. They see a tree down and say oh goody lol. I am cutting on private now, behind a locked gate. I fell a lot of trees this summer and am in the process of winching them out, they are in big rocks just below a rimrock, and limbing , decking them. I will buck and split the logs this summer. If logs don't dry I guess everyone in Modoc county is burning green wood lol. The lodgepole I cut is all standing dead on Forest Service ground. Pondarosa is all dead and down, can't cut standing dead. Got to save them for the bugs and birds. Ed
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r.man

I don't know what the difference is and I haven't checked with a moisture meter but I am cutting logs that are older and were specifically chosen for me because they are at least partly dry. Some are quite dry with the bark completely off them. I have heard it said that logs don't dry out but if that is the case then why are veneer logs kept wet. I expect some species don't dry well when in the round but others seem to.
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beenthere

There are many different stages of "dry".

Veneer logs are kept wet so that the surfaces don't dry and crack. Doesn't mean the interior of the log isn't still wet. Also, keeping the logs wet prevents mold and decay, i.e. bacteria from growing to an extent.

On the other end of the scale of "dry", would be dry for burning to get the most heat from the wood.

As well, there is quite a difference between the moisture contents of different species of wood. Softwood vs hardwood differences as well as differences within these two groups.

In general, logs don't do much drying through and through, whereas bucking and splitting speeds up that process considerably.

Trees that die and stand (or lie above the ground) and lose their bark will on the average be drier than if the bark stayed on or the tree lies tight to the ground.
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Corley5

Yes they will if they're stacked up out of the woods where there's air movement and sunshine.
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timberlinetree

We try to put as much firewood on the ground in early spring when leaves start coming out. The leaves suck out some of the moisture. Winter cut wood seems to hold the moisture. I have seen sprouts shooting out of winter cut logs 10 mounths after they have been cut. Seasoning firewood is no fun. Seasoning stake I'll take that. :)
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Peter Drouin

I find for me if I want dry wood you have to cut it, split it and stack it and cover just the top out side then come late august put in the wood shed. For me anything ells the wood is not dry
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