What "seasoned" actually means
Freshly cut (green) oak can be half water by weight. Seasoning is simply drying: the wood is split, stacked and left in the air until its moisture content falls to about 20 percent or lower. At that point it lights readily, burns hot and produces little smoke.
Oak is dense, so it dries slowly. Split oak generally needs 12 to 24 months in a dry, breezy climate like the Anza Valley to season fully. Softer woods like cedar season in six to twelve months.
Why green wood is a bad deal
- It wastes heat. Energy that should warm your house goes into boiling water out of the log.
- It smokes. Wet wood smolders and produces heavy, dirty smoke that irritates neighbors and violates burn rules on no-burn days.
- It builds creosote. Cool, smoky fires deposit creosote in the flue, the leading cause of chimney fires.
- It is hard to light and harder to keep going.
How to tell if firewood is seasoned
- Color: seasoned wood is grey or faded on the ends; green wood looks fresh and bright.
- Cracks: dry wood shows radial cracks ("checks") on the end grain.
- Weight: seasoned oak is noticeably lighter than the same piece green.
- Sound: knock two pieces together. Seasoned wood clacks; green wood thuds.
- Bark: bark loosens and falls off as wood dries.
- Meter: a moisture meter on a freshly split face should read 20 percent or lower.
What about kiln-dried wood?
Kiln-dried firewood is heated in a kiln to drive moisture out quickly, often to 10 to 15 percent. It burns well but usually costs significantly more per cord, and once it has sat outdoors for a season it behaves like any other seasoned wood. Properly air-seasoned oak gives you the same clean burn at a lower price.
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See our current firewood prices for seasoned oak and oak/cedar mix by the quarter, half and full cord, delivered free in our service area.