Are there woods that will season in less then a year

Tulip (yellow) poplar and silver maple can dry in six months. Red maple dries faster than other one year woods. Cherry and ash are good too although most ash are now dead. Standing dead is another option. Most softwoods will work too
If stacked the way youve stated i think it will be fine.
Years back dad would CSS all hardwood species to burn the following Winter.

 

As far as hardwoods around northeast ohio ash, cherry, and silver maple all dry in about 8 months. Of course pine and fir will dry in less than a year but they are soft woods. I'm sure I'm missing a few but those are the most common fast seasoning woods around here

 

Have him at some point pick up a moisture meter. And teach how to use it correctly.

 

In southern Wisconsin, barkless elm or live black cherry will definitely be under 20% in one year if split.

 

So many variables to this...your location and average humidity; wet spring/summer versus a dry spring/summer; will the splits be stacked, and if so, where will the splits be stacked (outdoors and covered, indoors, outdoors and uncovered, etc.); will the splits be stacked in an area that gets good sun and wind; is he cutting green wood versus dead (standing or down); size of the splits; when will the rounds be split, and so on.

For my location, and during an average year (climate-wise), I've been able to split red maple, silver maple, ash, and white birch in the spring and have them ready to go by winter. I do double stacks of 16" splits and the stacks are in full sunlight with plenty of wind. I've even had decent luck with beech (smaller splits). Ran that way for many years before I finally got ahead.

 

Isn't it weird how this used to be the norm? And still is for a lot of people. It just blows my mind. As for your dad and that generation, I have often wondered why they didn't season wood. Have wondered if it just seemed senseless to do so. After all, it WILL burn. Just not optimally. I wonder if Europeans have seasoned wood even in the 'old days?' I have that book about wood-burning, "Norwegian Wood" and I suppose this means I should read it again because I don't remember!

 

Like others have said, dead standing. I’d focus on bark less standing elm if it was me.

 

Definitely silver maple. Get it split then 6-8 months and it'll be good to go. Poplars dry fast IME and without a doubt ash.

 

I have had black cherry season in 8-9 months. Stacked in sunny location on a hill. Also dead BL that was pretty much ready. Still let it sit 6 months

 

I suspect your location/relative humidity had a lot to do with the fast drying

 

There was two fireplaces in dads place. The one in the basement was lined with thick steel attacked to the cold air return ducts. Wasnt the most efficient but heated better than a plain old fireplace.

Yeah as the wood was CS it was tossed into a huge mound then stacked as they opened up. Oak was often included. Usually little wood left at the end of the burning season.

 

In the “old days” people used wood for ALL their heat plus ALL their cooking with no chainsaws or hydraulics. Tough to get on the 3 year plan under those conditions.

 

Don't forget Box Elder...I burn that the following year, no problem! And at least around here, that crap grows everywhere! (literal weed tree)
And it might be pushing it a bit, depending on the location of the stacks, but Beech could get close in a year (2 would be better)

 

Uh, we could each beat this to death one specie at a time or we could use the chart.

We have a chart? Yes we have a chart.

HERE IS THE LINK to the chart

Here is what it looks like:

 

I think this chart has some questionable data on it...don't recall what exactly, but I know its reliability has been discussed more than once...

 

Definitely agree w/ box elder. I’ve only processed one that was decent size and it dried like silver maple. Gave it to my parents due to its quick drying capability.

 

The old firewood books say that firewood must be CSS by Easter to be ready to burn in the fall.

Stacked the way you've shown, where the sun can get at it, and split on the smaller side. Pay attention to the species lists in this thread, and he'll probably be fine. Will he need reminding to clean his chimney every year?

 

I've been on a Silver Maple dry spell the last few years, but have been getting plenty of BE, and its been probably 75% of what I've burnt the last couple winters...including this one...but been into some ash and a lil oak the last week or so though...brr