What moisture is "Seasoned"?

[gensetsteve]

If I ever do get any complaints in the future I will need to get a meter like Woodpeckers. They sound great

[18 stoner]

If I ever do get any complaints in the future I will need to get a meter like Woodpeckers. They sound great

 

:lol:

 

I could just see the advert for them;

 

"Harrogate Moisture Meter, guranteed to dry your wood quicker"

 

 

 

 

 

[woodrascal]

Seriously Woodpicker, you need to get a new meter...

[Hogs Breath]

I have beech which is 2 years old and bone dry, burns poorly and goes black. Same trees, same forest, cut into cord a year ago processed last week and left in the rain put straight on fire burns all over with yellow flame produces good heat and does not put the fire out ?. I have been sending it out as unseasoned or very little and people are ringing up to reorder because its great. I think when you take too much moisture out of the wood it fails to give of a gas and so very little flame. The wood is by no means green but its not seasoned either

 

I find that below 20% it turns to more of a charcoal so lots of heat and a pile of embers.Above that and you get a better flame and general feel to the fire, which is why they probably recommend the low moisture for wood burners as its charcoal.

[jonathan hall]

i find my wood sits at 20% for air dried, under cover, but in an open ended barn, in winter. thats on a soggy farm in the cottish borders. ( thats after a year from cutting)

and it drops to about 16 % in summer.

[Kev P]

I have a moisture meter by protimeter.Having owned timber for over a year.It had been split in long lengths for six month,which meant we were in the month of september.Very little timber in our very airy buildings was below 15%.By the end of november I recorded 19%.These readings were not done this last year but in 06.

[18 stoner]

Not sure where to put this without starting another thread, but thought i would share todays "moisture vs value" sighting;

 

Today, we called in to a very high class garden center, just for a look round. This is one of those rustic type places that sells everything from a lawn mower and flower seeds, through to a deerstalker and a jar of £6 chutney.

 

On the way out, i spotted a heap of various firewood, softwood, hardwood, kindling and coal, even smokeless fuel. On closer inspection, the hardwood nets were £4.99 each and softwood £3.99 each with approx 12 logs in a net.

 

Pretty much what you would expect, but, there was no mention of moisture content, and in very bold letters on the labels it said 10kgs:cursing:

 

Sometimes i feel we are fighting an up-hill struggle:thumbdown:

[Hairyloon]

i double cheched to make sure but its been drying for 10mths

Was that with a moisture meter?

You cannot always trust them, various types of decay and other factors can throw off the readings.

The only way to know for certain is to weigh a sample, then cook it and weigh again.

[wills-mill]

Meters work on electrical resistance usually so the are easily fooled....

For a true reading the more expensive meters have calibration blocks so that you can set the meter up for a particular density of timber. With a 'normal' meter you can have Oak and Pine at the same moisture content and the density of the Oak will give a drier reading.

[Roger Day]

I have beech which is 2 years old and bone dry, burns poorly and goes black. Same trees, same forest, cut into cord a year ago processed last week and left in the rain put straight on fire burns all over with yellow flame produces good heat and does not put the fire out ?. I have been sending it out as unseasoned or very little and people are ringing up to reorder because its great. I think when you take too much moisture out of the wood it fails to give of a gas and so very little flame. The wood is by no means green but its not seasoned either

 

Very Interesting point.

This must be link to why Ash Hornbeam and others burn green.

I heared a rumour somewhere it was something to do with PH levels.

Maybe it is also linked with sap movement and seasonal felling.

Any ideas? Someone has time to google maybe?

Would be interesting for understanding the timber properties for wood other than burning too.