Recognizing seasoned vs. unseasoned firewood can be hard at times. To quicken the seasoning process, plenty of folks look for dead standing trees to turn into wood.
Dead standing trees typically have diminished moisture content since the natural moisture made by the tree doesn’t exist. Though, just because the tree looks dead doesn’t mean it’s ready for use. Also, decaying or dead trees are very hazardous to cut. Their limbs are often brittle, and the trees can be unstable.
Season vs. Unseasoned Firewood: How Are They Different?
Even though every tree varies, as a general rule a standing tree that has been dead for many years will have some wood that’s capable for immediate use or within a couple of months of processing it.
Firewood in a basket ready for the fireplace
An excellent dead standing tree will have peeling bark and will be gone. When you chop down a dead standing tree be cautious since the tops are usually weak, and the limbs can snap off and drop in any direction making it very hazardous.
Once you have felled a dead standing tree, usually the top part of the tree will be the driest. The bottom part of the trunk is the wettest and will require some time to dry out before it can be burned. This wetness isn’t from the tree, but the trunk absorbs moisture from the ground which leaves it too wet to burn right away.
Firewood seasons faster in the summer when you have the warmth of the sun to dry it out. If you chop down a cherry tree with green growth in autumn, particularly a wet cool Orchard Park fall, you can’t burn it until next season. If you want seasoned firewood ASAP, contact a tree care company.
As with any firewood, cutting the wood lets it dry quicker. If you look at the firewood and don’t see any cracks forming on the ends of the wood, it indicates that the wood needs some more time to season. Call an Orchard Park arborist if you need help in getting your firewood seasoned. Seasoned firewood works best in wood stoves and fireplaces.
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