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Depends on what size wood you want to use and drying conditions where you live. In Maine red oak splits can take as long as 3 years to dry so they can be burned in an offset. If you are using wood chunks it will take a lot less time if you cut and split them to the size you want then season them in a cool, dry place. This may take 2-4 months for oak, and IMHO probably closer to the 4 month mark.
A rough rule of thumb for unsplit rounds is 1 yr. for each inch of diameter - but you can cut that time down 4-6 months by splitting them. A good visual indicator is to look at the end of a piece of wood, when you see cracks start to form it is dry. The cracks are formed as the wood shrinks from drying.
A rough rule of thumb for unsplit rounds is 1 yr. for each inch of diameter - but you can cut that time down 4-6 months by splitting them. A good visual indicator is to look at the end of a piece of wood, when you see cracks start to form it is dry. The cracks are formed as the wood shrinks from drying.