Help - Moisture content in hardwood

[matthew65]

Maplin's sell them, mine a Westfire which is very good - I bought it from my local stove shop.

[gensetsteve]

I am off to buy a moisture meter tomorrow. Can you tell me a good cheap one to look out for?

 

Stihl about £10

[Pete Bannister]

I hope you can help, I bought some timber in rounds, it has been down 2 years ( I know where it came from), it was stored outside but undercover.

 

The moisture content when split ranges from 35% - 39%, yet it feels dry and very light it is all hardwood. I have burnt it on my open fire, it does release a small amount of moisture but not much and not for long. Then the wood burns a treat !.

 

My questions is:

 

Why would the moisture content reading be so high yet the wood burns great and gives of a huge amount of heat ?.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Matthew

 

Matthew, the answer is probably that your timber is significantly less than the 35-39% m.c. you've quoted! Assuming that your meter is reasonably accurate, you're probably taking measurements from the timber surface (up to say 12 mm deep)??. If so, bear in mind that the surface moisture content fluctuates with the weather because wood if hygroscopic. Suggest you split a few rounds and take a few measurements from the newly exposed core material. That will be a far more accurate reflection of the total moisture content. Several previous post allude to the fact that surface moisture readings can move rapidly..i.e. within days. This is not a reflection of the total moisture content of the timber...just the surface moisture condition.

Cheers

[matthew65]

Thanks for the reply, I always test the logs when they have been split as this as you say gives an accurate moisture reading.

[Alycidon]

I am off to buy a moisture meter tomorrow. Can you tell me a good cheap one to look out for?

 

 

 

Good and cheap are not two words that often appear in the same sentence, come and see me and I will show you the Morso one. Not back in till Thurs now though.

 

A

[matthew65]

I hope you can help, I bought some timber in rounds, it has been down 2 years ( I know where it came from), it was stored outside but undercover.

 

The moisture content when split ranges from 35% - 39%, yet it feels dry and very light it is all hardwood. I have burnt it on my open fire, it does release a small amount of moisture but not much and not for long. Then the wood burns a treat !.

 

My questions is:

 

Why would the moisture content reading be so high yet the wood burns great and gives of a huge amount of heat ?.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Matthew

 

 

I thought I would follow up the thread I started 6 weeks ago, I am happy to report the wood when split and stored in my barn for 6 weeks has an average moisture content WHEN SPLIT of 18% .

 

It burns really well and and more than happy to sell to my customers !

 

Thanks

 

Matthew