Standing dead red oak -- surprisingly dry

I've got about a dozen medium size standing dead red oaks that need to come down. They are all within about 50 yards of my barn. They got sick and eventually died after I poured the concrete floor 6 years ago and did some grading around the barn.

I cut one yesterday that was maybe 24" diameter at the ground, 18" diameter at breast height, and about 60 feet tall. The first 8 feet of trunk was pretty wet, but I was pleasantly surprised how dry the rest of the tree is. Half way up the trunk the wood is probably about 30% moisture content, and the top of the trunk looks like it's ready to burn. The bark fell off while splitting, and it has absolutely none of the nasty rot smell that I often get from dead red oak. I've cut a lot of dead standing red oak, and most is wet and smelly. No ants or rotten pockets in this one either. I'm not sure if I just got lucky, if it's a good time of the year (hot, dry weather), or what made the difference.

Only photo I took is the stump, but maybe I'll snap a few photos later today of the splits.

 

That’s been my experience a few times. The lower trunk is usually wet, but the upper sections are either ready to burn or just need one summer to be stove ready.

 

I've cut a few standing dead red oaks where most of the bar was gone and many of the small branches had fallen off. It's been very similar to your description: really dry in the top half, and pretty dry in the lower.

I've also had good luck with red oak deadfalls that have been on the ground so long the sapwood has mostly decomposed. The wood doesn't seem to decompose if it's up at all off the ground.

 

Giddyup!

 

I’m sure you hated to lose the trees but now you will make the most of the situation. Great firewood for sure!!

 

I too have experienced similar conditions with chestnut oak. Sounds like a good situation to be in. Hoard on!

 

I have plenty of room on my property for you to dump those oak trees!!

 

You can have them if you come to Michigan and help cut!

 

That's how this one was. The sapwood on the upper half is white and decomposed. I can scratch it off with a fingernail. But the heartwood is perfectly.

I usually cut red oaks when they are sick and just about dead, but not quite there. This one, however, has been leafless for at least two years. I always thought the wood would be better before they totally died, but now I'm thinking I should let them season in place for a year or two.

 

Don’t threaten me with a good time!

 

A nasty tom-cat pizzed in one of my small toolboxes that was sitting open out in the barn once... It ruined the tools (peeled the plating and paint off) and smelled HORRIBLE.


Cutting wet standing dead red or pin oak smells worse...

 

Ive cut a few like that mostly white oak. Still have some heartwood splits of them in the stacks. Sapwood was pretty shot but heartwood solid.

 

I forget Cash...do you have oak in your area?

 

Have cut a few stove ready dead oaks. The smaller diameters don't seem to hold the moisture as much. The bigger ones do still need some time to air out in my experience.

 

We have lots of Scrub Oak, which is amazing firewood, but a PITA to gather and process.

 

Those are small like Gambel oak?

 

Yep. It is Gambel oak. We call it scrub oak here. Good stuff if you have the patience for it. I once found a standing, dead Scrub oak tree that was 20 feet tall and 12 inches in diameter. That’s a a Scub oak pot of gold!

 

Okay. I've seen Timberdog's posts on it and at first chuckled why all the skinnies were taken too. Now I understand they don't grow big like oaks around here and only osage has more btu's.

Is that the only oak there?

 

Yes, as far as I know. Other than yard trees in the city.

 

No small oak species here. They all get huge if they get the chance.