Seasoning sitka and larch

[Donnie]

I've an endless supply of sitka and some larch and I've heard both Sitka being one of the longest to season and read up online and others say it is one of the quickest to season I.E 6 months or so. 
 

Looking for info on who is right as I'd like to heat my house on Sitka with it being free. 

[Conor Wright]

Both dry quickly. Anywhere with a cover over them, dry floor or elevated on pallets etc and plenty of airflow.

Downside of sitka is it burns fast.

 

 

 

[neiln]

Agree, dry in one summer

[scbk]

Both great firewood, if the larch is decent might be worth getting it milled, then build a shed with the timber 

[trigger_andy]

 Carry a Sitka log from one end of the garden and it’s lost half its weight. 🤣

[trigger_andy]

41 minutes ago, scbk said:

Both great firewood, if the larch is decent might be worth getting it milled, then build a shed with the timber 

I completely agree. But damn it does make great firewood compared to Sitka. 

[Vedhoggar]

How long to season depends on size of log, the smaller the log is cut and split it will season more quickly ... spruce normally within one drying season in my experience.

[muldonach]

Cut them down, split them, stack them

Keep the rain off and let the wind through

Will not take long at all in my experience

 

[difflock]

This last few years I fell the Sitka, and mechanically handle it leaving it stacked in a pile unprocessed for a year, at least, then when I  start cutting and splitting it, it is so much drier and ergo lighter, which my ould done 63 year old back really really, really  appreciates, this also gives the various bugs and beetles that require dead trees with the bark on a good chance to lay eggs and mature(leaving biro pen sized holes!), which must be good for the whole wildlife foodchain. Anyway after splitting and stacking the 0.5m3 billet bundles 4 high but  uncovered for 1 more season I was taking them in at about 12% moisture, having picked a dry blowy spell to do so. And this is in piss-wet North Co. Antrim.

Splitting and exposure to the wind is the key to drying, though my stack lies to the Sun as well..

So anyway, in my experience Sitka is easy dried.

Edited December 22, 2022 by difflock

[Donnie]

On 22/12/2022 at 23:37, difflock said:

This last few years I fell the Sitka, and mechanically handle it leaving it stacked in a pile unprocessed for a year, at least, then when I  start cutting and splitting it, it is so much drier and ergo lighter, which my ould done 63 year old back really really, really  appreciates, this also gives the various bugs and beetles that require dead trees with the bark on a good chance to lay eggs and mature(leaving biro pen sized holes!), which must be good for the whole wildlife foodchain. Anyway after splitting and stacking the 0.5m3 billet bundles 4 high but  uncovered for 1 more season I was taking them in at about 12% moisture, having picked a dry blowy spell to do so. And this is in piss-wet North Co. Antrim.

Splitting and exposure to the wind is the key to drying, though my stack lies to the Sun as well..

So anyway, in my experience Sitka is easy dried.

In my front garden there's not much space so I was thinking of devoting half my garage to storing it. Obviously it will be covered with little air flow. Will this still dry out OK within a summer or so?