Wetting wood so it dries faster?

[cityevader]

Saw a post somewhere(which I now cannot find) that mention occassional wetting of wood that was laid out in the sun so that it would dry faster. I vaguely recall it working better for soft wood to bring to sap out... Did I imagine this? Or is it an actual practice? I've got red and white Oak, Doug Fir, Madronne, Bay, and Pine that sure could use a boost for drying. I've got about 2.5 cords spread out on the ground, with the beginning of each course propped up on the previous course so that each piece has maximum sun and air. Was cut green about 2-4 months ago.

 

[gink595]

Put a propane salamandor on it! I've heard it takes about 2-3 yrs. before white oak is at it's peak BTU value for burning. Though I've seen here where people swear on 3 mo. dry time As for putting the water on it I kinda remember something about that.

 

[Ductape]

The claim is that wetting the wood draws moisture out of the wood as the water you've sprayed on it evaporates. Much like the way that when your lips are chapped, licking them makes them more chapped. I've never sprayed water on my firewood....... nor put chapstick on it.

 

[mranum]

I think if your processing dead trees that are losing their bark and aren't in direct contact with the ground, 3 months would be sufficient, but if its green wood then I would say a full year. Its also been my experience that when you get repeated exposure to rain and sun that that will bring out the natural moisture in wood and want to speed up the drying process, like dry rot. Natures way of breaking things down I suppose.

 

[cityevader]

I kinda wish somebody had previously wondered the same thing, enough to "scientifically" prove it, like having the same tree split up and laid out, with and without wetting, over "X" period of time and the results....that is, so that I wouldn't have to do it!

 

[NDtreehugger]

I cover my wood

as I have found if green wood is allowed dry a bit then wet then dry then wet, mold will tend to grow and wood boring bugs will be attracted, if you have good air flow the mold will be kept to a minimum.

I have some wood to show, its late so tomorrow, I have 6 or 7 piles of wood some are covered and some are not, the uncovered wood becomes lite brown to Grey with dried black spots (mold) soft and punky with no splinters, the covered stuff becomes a dark brown hard and the splinters become unbearable must wear gloves, there is a big difference in the quality of the wood if it is kept dry.

 

[turnkey4099]

Saw a post somewhere(which I now cannot find) that mention occassional wetting of wood that was laid out in the sun so that it would dry faster. I vaguely recall it working better for soft wood to bring to sap out... Did I imagine this? Or is it an actual practice? I've got red and white Oak, Doug Fir, Madronne, Bay, and Pine that sure could use a boost for drying. I've got about 2.5 cords spread out on the ground, with the beginning of each course propped up on the previous course so that each piece has maximum sun and air. Was cut green about 2-4 months ago.

Never heard of that one. Doesn't sound reasonable to me.

When it comes to drying wood, air movement through it is far more important than whether or not the sun is shining on it.

Harry K

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I wouldn't know if wetting it occasionally helps with the drying time vs. BTU's lost.

If wetting it does dry it faster, Does wetting the wood help it dry quicker by diluting some of the sugars/sap in the wood ?

To think about it a bit differently, which dries quicker , an ounce of syrup or an ounce of pop? Now which one has more BTU's ? or More notably which has more sugar left?

It raises the question, how many BTU's are lost to dilution of the sap and by microbes in the moist wood working away at it.

I start cutting on Jan 1 split, stack and cover ASAP. Works for me.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

When it comes to drying wood, air movement through it is far more important than whether or not the sun is shining on it.

Agreed, but BOTH is probably the best.


Around here, with our humidity, 1 year is good, 2 years and your wood is a mushroom farm.


If I had room in direct sunlight that might not be the case, but most of my lot is treed.

 

[Husky137]

but most of my lot is treed.

Or possibly even wooded?:biggrinbounce2:


With the wet summer in the Northeast my seasoned firewood ought to be wicked seasoned if this wetting theory is true.

 

[Ohiowoodguy]

Saw a post somewhere(which I now cannot find) that mention occassional wetting of wood that was laid out in the sun so that it would dry faster. I vaguely recall it working better for soft wood to bring to sap out... Did I imagine this? Or is it an actual practice? I've got red and white Oak, Doug Fir, Madronne, Bay, and Pine that sure could use a boost for drying. I've got about 2.5 cords spread out on the ground, with the beginning of each course propped up on the previous course so that each piece has maximum sun and air. Was cut green about 2-4 months ago.

I tried to dis that post as BS, but got crucified by a couple others who said it was true:sword:

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Or possibly even wooded?:biggrinbounce2:

Uh,, yeah. That.


:bang:


What can I say. I'm tired.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I tried to dis that post as BS, but got crucified by a couple others who said it was true:sword:

I'm skeptical, but not having done any kind of testing, I won't argue the point.

 

[flewism]

I tried to dis that post as BS, but got crucified by a couple others who said it was true:sword:

I agree with you, I've only been cutting wood for only 5-6 years, don't sell it, give my share away. The wind and sun season's wood, I stack my wood in single rows 3' apart 24' to 28' long rows, need to season fast, less than 6 months, then split them small. The wood stays uncovered until the first snow, then covered for the winter, haven't had a problem yet. The wood does get rained on, but wetting it on purpose, I'll don't see me ever doing that.

 

[Andyshine77]

I will guess that wetting the wood causes it to dry faster through capillary action. How much faster I don't know, but I doubt it's worth the trouble.

 

[myzamboni]

isn't it akin to dryrot? my fenceboards that get hit by my sprinklers dryrot faster than the rest of the fence. must be that capillary action being mentioned.

 

[avalancher]

I think you oughta go ahead and hose that woodpile down for several reasons. One, if your neighbors see you, they will be convinced that you are nuts an leave you alone. Esecially if you mention the reason you are doing it is so that it will dry faster.
Second, just think how nice it will be to have nice clean wood! No sawdust or mud, etc.
All kidding aside, I read an article somewhere that pertains to this issue, and it was mentioned that wood that is exposed to ALL elements of weather dries faster than wood that is just exposed to heat and air movements but the article really did not explain in terms that could be understood as to why.
Personally, I leave my piles uncovered all summer, rain or shine, then cover them up after it gets cold enough to burn being careful to have at least several days of dry weather before covering them up.

 

[NDtreehugger]

I cover my wood depending on its importance

Just because.

Every time it rains lets say 1 or 3 inches then it gets humid I saw mold starting to grow after a few days.

That tells me the wood is wet.

I have stored wood in the small tractor shed

On that pile I had time to play with so when I was splitting, I debarked the Ash, it dried but not as good as the pile in the sun and wind, I will not store wood in the small tractor shed to dry again.

Then there is this pile the first pile it is never covered the wood there was a nice brown color now its grey and has black spots (mold)

Then there are these three piles, my main piles, I save these for the coldest part of winter, you know when the power goes out and its below 0 maybe 20 to 40 or so below and there is a blizzard, I always cover this pile making sure the sides flap in the wind this removes the moisture and the black plastic attracts the suns heat, I do uncover when there is no threat of rain.

With this I get a good dry wood that when split there is barely any trace of smell after about 3 months.
I start getting nervous this time of year because its ready to go and the night time due gets into the wood if uncovered I can smell the wood again.

This is uncovered and next years wood, it will be ready by spring, the dry snow pack of the winter will dry the wood it needs to be covered before the spring snows.

(note the big Elm)
I was unable to split so I practice boring with the tip of the bar this will split easy next year

My bottom line,

wood is the heat I use the most, gas and electric only go on to keep the pipes from freezing when there is no snow to cover the bottom of the house.

I take wood very serous, and to cover or not to cover depends on the importance of the wood.

 

[ray benson]

Thought the wood dries from the outside in. Moisture is wicked out during the drying process because the wood is equalizing the % of moisture throughout the wood. So if the outside is dryer than the inside - the moisture is pulled out. Hard to believe wetting the wood could speed up this process but would inhibit the process. The sun and wind would accelerate the drying process.

 

[Coldfront]

I read were green wood takes 9 months to dry if it is cut into about 2 foot pieces, and splitting the wood has little affect on drying time, wood drys from the ends in, not from the outside under the bark in. Just like you see water boil out of the wood from the ends, it drys from the cut ends of the grain of the wood. I doubt wetting it does any good.