wood drying times?

[Wood Scrounge]

Hi all
Looking for a little input (opinions, experiences) on how long different species of wood take to season. I know most people say 9 months for everything but I know that is not always true most oaks take longer and Ashes can be ready sooner. I would just like to know what your ideas are on the following species mostly because it’s what I have in my pile:
Sugar Maple
Silver Maple
Apple
Red Oak
Black Oak
White Oak
Pignut Hickory
Shagbark Hickory
Green Ash
Mulberry
Tulip Poplar
Black\Sweet Birch
Black Locust
Black walnut.

Thanks in advance

 

[Peacock]

I've got pretty much everything you've got there. I've not found any wood that wasn't ready to burn by winter assuming it's been split by summer. My wood all sits in the sun and wind for the summer and is about as dry as can be buy winter.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

You have a nice variety of species there! The ones that I would be concerned about would be the Oaks and the Mulberry; to me, they are the ones on that list that would take the longest to dry properly. Split the Apple (if you can); that also may take some time to dry, especially if it's in unsplittable pieces.

 

[Wood Doctor]

You have a nice variety of species there! The ones that I would be concerned about would be the Oaks and the Mulberry; to me, they are the ones on that list that would take the longest to dry properly. Split the Apple (if you can); that also may take some time to dry, especially if it's in unsplittable pieces.

+1! Add locust and hickory to that list of slow driers also. Sugar maple will take longer than silver maple, which dries as fast as anything. Mulberry that's cut in the spring after it takes on water may be even slower than oak to dry. Ditto for hackberry and apple or pear.

Rule of thumb: Rank the species on the basis of density or specific gravity. The denser the species, the longer it takes to dry. Then factor in when you cut the green tree down. The more water the tree had a chance to take on during the spring and summer, the longer it will take to dry.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

Most of the wood I have was cut within the same 3 month period and all split in the same couple of weeks. I would like to stack by species in order of which one becomes usable first. I know that sounds nuts but that's just how I am.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I would like to stack by species in order of which one becomes usable first. I know that sounds nuts but that's just how I am.

Well just for kicks and giggles, if I were to do that I guess it'd be something like this:

Top to bottom, first to dry to last to dry, I'd go:


Green Ash
Silver Maple
Tulip Poplar
Black Walnut
Sugar Maple
Black Locust
Shagbark Hickory
Black Birch
Pignut Hickory
Apple
Mulberry
The Oaks, Red on the bottom


Great variety we have here in Pennsylvania; we're damn fortunate.

 

[woodbooga]

I would like to stack by species in order of which one becomes usable first. I know that sounds nuts but that's just how I am.

I do this myself - kinda. I keep all the real low btu wood and punkier stuff in a seperate stall with the better quality wood occupying its own place. Makes it easier come early season and spring time when all I need/want is wood that'll take away the chill, saving the real good stuff for deep winter.

I usually have a supply of partially seasoned wood I keep seperate, too - way off so it doesn't get mixed in. One year when wood was in short supply, I dipped into this stuff. Put it in the cookstove oven prior to burning to further season. Worked fine, but it's better not to be in this position.