^Standing Dead Red Oak^ 16" DBH, I think it died three years ago. Most of the top has fallen out. Not even close A split from the round above the stump cut-50% MC A split from a 8" round near the top-35% No surprise, I've seen similar results in the past. Scheduled burn date-2018.
I have also seen the same results. I cut a dead standing red oak early this summer. Split it and left it in a pile till this fall. Moisture content was still at 30+%.
They have to be standing dead for a LONG time to be burnable. Even when the have been dead for 10+ years they usually will still require a month or two to be primo <15%MC.
I'm guessing SOME of the top may be ready, but the majority will not be. Is there bark and sapwood on the tree? I've cut down standing dead oak that have been dead since the late 1980's from the gypsy moth infestation we had here, all of the bark and sapwood was long gone, and the entire trunk was still wet inside!!
Yea Most areas, red oak takes a few years after it's split & stacked. Another trick: Taking it's Picture & posting it here , proven to help it dry faster
Most of it fell out and rotted on the ground, some of what's left probably is dry. Yes and yes 30 years and still wet. Was the heartwood still solid?
Yes sir the heartwood was perfect. Standing dead oaks lose the bark and sapwood after many years but the heartwood is resilient.
But....what about that fellow on youtube who got a new stove, went out and cut some oak and the stove was worthless because he couldn't get enough fire to even make the stove top hot?
I've had similar experiences. Although I have found that dead oak dries a bit faster than living stuff, even if it's wet when split. I had some fallen dead red oak that was burnable in about a year
I've got some in a pile that I plan to split soon. I'll check. I have no idea how long it's been dead or when the bark fell off.
one of the downsides to trying to season an oak like that is the bugs&fungus are already set inside. By the time it seasons all the sap wood is punky and the remainder has been excavated by the mature beetles
Standing dead is what I usually cut. Love bucking it and splitting is easy as well except for crotches.. not mine tho.. You really should get it split up then stack it and it will be great for NEXT season as even dead standing keeps water for a long time. The limbs, and top portion should be ok to burn tho. Just not 50 foot bottom. If smaller like 10 inch bottom 10 ft should be seasoned for a year. Only way to make sure it's dry imo.
No, not to sound harsh but in my experience on one hand, more time is better, but, if you need it and you know it's been dead awhile w little bark. The bottom say 20 feet 2 yrs, and top half a year. I like to wait too, but if u gotta burn then 1 to 2yrs outside top covered
It's not firewood till it's been split and dried. Standing dead will still have high moisture but it will be cured faster than green aged the same amount of time.
Thats like alot of people where i live when they try to burn elm 4 months after it was cut green. These folks need FHC .
