Seasoning time guide
How long to season firewood
Wood burns cleanly once it is below 20 % moisture. Pick the species, how it is split and stored and your kind of summer to get a likely drying window, then see whether it will be ready for the date you want to start burning.
Estimate
What would help
- Dense woods such as oak, hickory and black locust dry slowest. Plan a year ahead, or two in a damp climate.
- Before relying on it, meter a few pieces on a freshly split face. Under 20 % means ready.
Red oak, split 15 Apr 2026: about 12–24 months, ready between Apr 2027 and Apr 2028. Unlikely to be ready in time for 1 Nov 2026.
Check a moisture meter reading
Enter a reading to see what it means.
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How the estimate works
It starts from a typical range for split wood stacked off the ground with the top covered: 6–9 months for softwoods and light hardwoods, 6–12 months for medium hardwoods such as ash, birch and cherry, and 12–24 months for dense woods such as oak, hickory and black locust. These follow EPA advice to season for at least six months and a University of Maryland drying trial in which cherry and hackberry were ready in about seven months while hickory was still too wet after a year.
We then lengthen or shorten the range: unsplit rounds double it, large splits add 30 %, a damp climate adds 30 %, a dry windy one takes 20 % off, and poor storage adds 15–50 %. Those multipliers are our own rule of thumb, so treat the dates as a plan, not a promise.
How to test
Split a piece, push the meter's pins into the fresh face in the middle of the piece, and test several pieces from different parts of the stack. 20 % or less means ready. The outside of a log dries first, so a reading on an old surface flatters the wood.
Worked example
Red oak split in mid-April into normal splits, stacked well in an average climate: 12–24 months, so ready between April 2027 and April 2028. It will very likely not be ready for November 2026; burn it the winter after, and buy wood that meters below 20 % for this one.
Sources
- US EPA Burn Wise, Best Wood-Burning Practices: season at least six months, store off the ground with only the top covered, burn below 20 % moisture and test with a meter. (EPA stopped updating Burn Wise in 2025; the pages remain online as a record.)
- University of Maryland Extension, J. Kays, Measuring Wood Moisture & Drying Time for Hardwood Tree Species, FS-1074 (PDF, 2018).
- University of New Hampshire Extension, How can I tell if my firewood is seasoned and okay to burn?
- UK legislation, The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 (wood above 20 % moisture).
- Utah State University Extension, Wood Heating (green wood may be 50 % or more water by weight).
Seasoning questions
How long does firewood take to season?
At least six months, says the EPA, and 6 to 12 months is the usual advice for split, stacked and covered wood. Dense woods take longer: in a University of Maryland trial, split hickory still averaged about 24 % moisture after a full year, and oak is expected to behave similarly. A damp climate or poor storage stretches it further.
What moisture content counts as seasoned?
20 % or less, measured on a freshly split face. That is the EPA's figure, and in England the law treats wood above 20 % as too wet to sell in small quantities: since 2021 wood sold in units under 2 cubic metres has to be certified Ready to Burn.
How do I use a moisture meter on firewood?
Split a piece, push the pins into the fresh inner face halfway along it and read the meter. University of New Hampshire Extension suggests testing several pieces from different places in the stack. Readings on the outside of a log or on an old end are lower than the wood inside, so they make wet wood look ready.
Does firewood dry faster split or in rounds?
Split, by a wide margin. University of Maryland Extension found that unsplit hickory left outdoors was still over 30 % moisture after a year, and notes that rounds will not dry appreciably until they are split. Split as soon as you can after cutting.
Should I cover my woodpile?
Cover the top, not the sides. The EPA advises storing wood outdoors, off the ground, with only the top covered, because a tarp wrapped round the stack traps moisture. A simple roof of sheet metal or a woodshed with open sides works well.
How can I tell seasoned wood without a meter?
Seasoned wood is darker, lighter in the hand and sounds hollow when two pieces are knocked together. The ends often show cracks, and the bark comes away easily. These signs can mislead, though, so a cheap moisture meter on a fresh split is the reliable test, especially for a delivery you are paying for.