Softwood drying times

[paul1966]

We have had a log burner fitted last November and got a load of seasoned mixed  logs delivered to start us off, I recently got a load of unprocessed softwood delivered from a local tree surgeon, if i get this split and in a log store asap will it be ready by next winter?, and also when is the latest I could process softwood to have a chance of it being ready for winter?

[Ben Pinnick]

Drying it isn't a problem, it will dry quickly. You need to get it seasoned. I stack it in the open for min 6 months, not covered just in a stack. Then when there's a good dry spell at the right time bring it under cover allowing a couple of months for it to dry out the final bit. 

 

Having said all that my source wood is already a year old in the log stack. So you may need longer to season. Best get it done!

Edited January 16, 2022 by Ben Pinnick

[Stubby]

47 minutes ago, paul1966 said:

We have had a log burner fitted last November and got a load of seasoned mixed  logs delivered to start us off, I recently got a load of unprocessed softwood delivered from a local tree surgeon, if i get this split and in a log store asap will it be ready by next winter?, and also when is the latest I could process softwood to have a chance of it being ready for winter?

yes .

[paul1966]

Thanks, at least i know i should have some firewood for next winter, i think we will need about 3 tons to see us through, this is the lot that was delivered so i am guessing there is a good ton and a half there so another load when i have processed this should do.

[Will C]

Plenty of air flow will be key, get it cut, stacked and a board over the top to keep the worst of the rain off.  Some rain won’t hurt it but a month of driving rain it can go backwards.
Get it under proper cover before the weather turns (early sept ish here) but keep as much air flow as possible. 
 

p.s nice to see more folk not being scared of soft wood, it doesn’t bite, just get it dry.

Edited January 16, 2022 by Will C

[Ben Pinnick]

Yeah nothing wrong with softwood as long as you season it properly. I get mine in bulk 😉

Edited January 16, 2022 by Ben Pinnick

[Woodworks]

Easily.

 

The year before last due to covid messing things up my softwood didn't get felled and delivered until September. Still had it dry and for sale at the back end of the winter. That was douglas fir

Edited January 17, 2022 by Woodworks

[Steven P]

Yes, it will dry OK, and as you go you can slowly build up to having 2 years of firewood perhaps.

 The main key is airflow, if you can stack it where the wind will blow it will dry quicker. for example, my drive gets the wnd so my wood is stacked on that leaving plenty of gaps for airflow. Also  if you split some of the longer piece lengthways only and not cut them, raise them up off the ground - a couple of bricks at each and or a split log - and then tack on top of there to keep the logs off the ground.... rain will take a long time to soak into the centre of the log but if it is standing in a puddle it will get wet very quickly.

 

For you, split them as soon as you can, get them stacked up in a windy part of the garden, and off the ground and you'll be OK

[Ben Pinnick]

The main problem to focus on is getting the oil/creosote out of them. The longer you can leave them exposed to wind/air then the better. So the quicker you cut them the better as you increase the surface area as long as you have the space to store it. Particularly if you have to leave it in contact with the ground then better to leave it whole for now until you have some storage. A basic 4 pallet set up would cover that pile though, 2 on the ground, two screwed (one each end) to make sides, tarp over the top (later; I would leave exposed to the elements for a few months personally as this speeds up the seasoning), job done.

You can tell when you split down the wood how seasoned it is from the smell. even a dry split log can smell pretty 'piney' if not aged properly when you split it again, whereas one thats been properly seasoned will have almost no smell at all when split again, just the faintest whiff of pine. Likewise the bark should be falling off when its ready to burn, not still attached.

You'll also know from how dirty your fire burns. Fully seasoned softwood will burn cleanly leaving no glass deposits (unless you burn it wet or its leaning right on the glass).

[Vedhoggar]

If off the ground, in a location were sun and wind can get at it plus under cover come autumn it should be dry enough to burn winter 2022/23. If outside covered with a tarp, tarp just want to cover the top. If putting it into a log shed before seasoned that the shed will need to have slatted sides to allow airflow other wise it will go mouldy. 

 

We have larch which was felled winter 2021 then cut/split into 0.50m billets and stacked on pallets then top covered at end of summer with tarp and is down to 15% moisture content now.  We also have some Scots pine cut August 2020 which is 16-18% moisture content now, this was split and outside until autumn 2021 when it was brought into a shed, we had a bit of a problem drying it - it was initially cut and split into 50cm billets shortly after felling in 2020 and stacked on pallets but not covered during autumn/winter 2021 and some of it got quite wet but was ready to burn this winter after it had been in a shed a short while. I think also because the pine was felled in the summer the moisture content was higher than it would have been if winter felled as was the case with the larch.