how long does it take for wood to dry? 5+ Tips to Dry Wood Fast

Using dry firewood is the only way to keep your fire burning hot for hours on end. Wet firewood creates smoke, and it’s not a high-quality fuel.

Most wood takes 6 months to season, but you’ll get better results if you let it dry for 18–24 months. However, kiln-drying wood can take as little as two days. You can have firewood with moisture content as low as 5% when kiln-drying wood.

I’ve done some research to provide a more comprehensive guide to drying wood below. You’ll learn about the best ways to dry wood, how to identify dry wood, and more.

How Long Does It Take For Wood To Dry?

Wood takes around a year to dry per inch of wood. So, if your logs are 2 inches thick, then they’ll take two years to fully dry out. 

This is why you’ll want to ensure your logs are as thin as possible. Not only will they ignite easier if they’re thinner, but they’ll dry faster.

Appropriately sized logs will season in approximately 6–18 months, but it varies depending on the weather, the wood type, and other factors.

Some types of wood take longer to dry than others. Unfortunately, there are no resources on exactly which woods dry faster than others. However, the denser the wood, then the more likely it is to take longer to dry. 

Oak is one of the woods that takes the longest to dry. Hickory and beech are also on the denser side, so expect to season them for longer, too.

If you’d like a guide in wood density, here’s one that may be helpful.

The Easiest Way to Get Dry Wood

The easiest way to get dry firewood is to purchase it from a local reputable seller. Ensure this seller has good reviews, and make sure you ask them about the firewood drying process. Kiln-dried wood is ideal, and I’ll talk more about that soon.

If you’re familiar with kilns and have access to one, then you can also learn to dry your own wood. If you wish to kiln-dry your wood at home, this article may help.

Factors That Influence How Fast Firewood Dries

As I said earlier, several factors influence how fast firewood dries. Although it will always vary considerably, there are three elements of the drying process that you can keep an eye on.

The Temperature and Humidity- How Fast Firewood Dries

If it’s warm outside, your wood will dry faster. Ideally, place your firewood so it’s directly in the sun for at least part of the day. 

However, you need to pay attention to the humidity, too. It doesn’t matter how warm it is if it’s also extremely humid. Humidity will only help keep the wood damp, so if you live in a humid area, then you may wish to dry your wood during spring and winter when the air is dryer.

Species of Wood- How Fast Firewood Dries

As you know, dense hardwoods take longer to dry. Some common dense hardwoods used for fire include ash, oak, beech, birch, and hickory.

I talk more about this when I answer, “how much wood do I need for a campfire?”

So, as hardwood dries so slowly, you might think it’s better to harvest and use softwood. However, you’d be making a mistake.

Cedar is the only softwood that’s good for burning, and I talk about that in the article linked above. Cedar burns hot and ignites quickly, so if you desperately need a quicker drying wood, then go with cedar.

I still recommend hardwoods for use 99% of the time, though.

Size and Stacking- How Fast Firewood Dries

As I said earlier, your smaller logs will dry faster. I recommend splitting a round log into at least two pieces before seasoning, but splitting it into four is even better.

An inch in diameter is a good size to aim for, with only one side of the wood covered in bark. That way the wood is more likely to season in about a year.

Then you’ll want to stack your wood so there are gaps between each piece. This is so air can circulate.

Stack the wood so the cut end faces the wind. This will help them dry faster. 

What Are The Best Conditions For Air-Drying Firewood? 

The best conditions for air-drying firewood are warm temperatures with low humidity. There are some outdoor dehumidification systems you could look into if you live in an extremely humid area.

You should also ensure your wood isn’t touching the ground, and as I said, have gaps between your logs.

If you’re buying your wood rather than drying it yourself, I suggest you check out the wood drying area. 

Ensure the wood is stacked correctly, ask how humid the area typically is, and ask how they’re handling that to ensure their logs dry correctly. And if you’re not satisfied with their air-drying process, then look for your firewood elsewhere.

How Can You Dry Wood Fast? All About Kiln Drying

You can dry your wood in less than a week, but you’ll need a kiln to do it.  Most households won’t have a wood-drying kiln, so you’ll want to look into kiln-dried wood sold by a company. 

Most campfire enthusiasts will tell you that kiln-dried firewood is preferable to air-dried wood.

Kiln-dried wood is often better, as it has a lower moisture content than wood that’s just been left to season. However,  kiln-dried wood isn’t always perfect, either. The USDA only requires kiln-dried wood to be dried for 75 minutes at 160 degrees.

It’s better if the wood is dried for around 48 hours at 250 degrees. This ensures the wood is fungus, mold, and bug-free. It also gets the moisture content down to around 5%. 

You should ask a company how they kiln-dry their wood before you purchase from them. The longer and hotter they dry it for, the better.

Once you have some good kiln-dried wood, then it’ll burn for longer than air-dried wood, and it burns hotter, too. 

How Do You Dry Firewood At Home?

Start by removing the bark from your firewood, then stack your wood in single rows with gaps between the pieces to ensure air circulation. When it rains, cover the top of your wood, and ensure the wood is in a direct line of sunlight during summer.

If you live somewhere particularly rainy, then it’s a good idea to build a roof over your wood. You can hang a tarp from this roof to cover one side of your wood if the rain is coming at the wood from an angle.

You never want to enclose the wood completely, as this will create condensation and your wood will take longer to dry.

If you’re crafty and good with technology, you can also build a DIY kiln, such as the one in the video below.

Can You Test Firewood For Moisture?

Once you dry your wood or are purchasing some firewood, how can you ensure it’s truly moisture-free? There are several ways.

Look At It- Test Firewood For Moisture

Dry logs are easy to differentiate from wet ones. They should have cracked ends and be a dull, greyish color. If there’s any green visible in your wood, then it’s definitely not dry.

Listen To It- Test Firewood For Moisture

Try knocking on the wood and dropping it on solid ground. If it thuds, then it’s still wet. If it’s sufficiently dry, then the wood should sound hollow.

Weigh It- Test Firewood For Moisture

Weighing your wood will let you know if your wood is sufficiently dry. If you’re drying your own wood, weigh a few pieces, note the weight, then mark these pieces. After your seasoning period, weigh these again.

This chart will help you see how much the weight typically reduces for different types of wood. Use it to determine if your wood’s weight has reduced enough to be dry.

Meter It- Test Firewood For Moisture

This is a guaranteed way to figure out how wet your wood is: use a multi-calibration moisture meter. You want, at most, a moisture content of 20%. Less is always better.

Wrapping Up- how long does it take for wood to dry

The amount of time it takes for wood to dry can vary depending on several factors, including the type of wood, the thickness of the wood, and the environmental conditions where the wood is drying.

Generally, freshly cut wood has a high moisture content or “green” moisture, that needs to be reduced before it can be used for woodworking or other purposes. The recommended moisture content for most types of wood used in construction or woodworking is around 6-8%.

Air-drying is a common method for drying wood, and it typically takes about 6-12 months for the wood to reach the recommended moisture content. However, this time frame can vary depending on the thickness of the wood and the environmental conditions. In general, thicker pieces of wood will take longer to dry than thinner pieces, and wood exposed to dry, warm, and windy conditions will dry faster than wood in a damp or humid environment.

Alternatively, kiln-drying is a faster and more controlled method of drying wood that can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. This method involves placing the wood in a heated chamber with controlled temperature and humidity levels to speed up the drying process.

It’s important to note that properly dried wood is essential for preventing warping, cracking, and other issues that can compromise the quality and durability of the wood. It’s always a good idea to use a moisture meter to measure the moisture content of the wood before using it for construction or woodworking projects.

Wood takes 6–18 months to air-dry, but it can dry in as little as two days in a kiln. You can dry wood yourself by stacking it in a way that allows airflow and covering it when it rains. When you think it’s dry, knock it, examine it, and use a moisture meter to ensure you’re right.

When buying from a vendor, always ask about their drying process, and don’t be afraid to use a moisture meter on their logs, too!

Frequently Asked Questions- how long does it take for Firewood to dry

Finally, you may have a few common questions about drying wood, and I’ll answer them below.

Does Firewood Dry In The Winter?

You can dry wood in winter, but it’ll take longer due to the lower temperatures. However, winter drying is ideal for areas with high humidity, as the air will be dryer.

Can You Dry Firewood With a Fan?

Drying firewood with a fan can be effective, but it’s often not effective enough to warrant the drain on electricity. It’s worth trying if electricity costs aren’t a concern for you, but it’s not necessary.

Can You Burn Fresh Cut Wood?

You can burn freshly cut wood, but it won’t burn for as long as dry wood. It also won’t produce as much heat, and it produces a lot of smoke. Try to only burn dry, well-seasoned wood.

One of the reasons why your campfire keeps going out is that your wood is too wet, and that’s often because the wood is too fresh.

Can You Dry Wood In An Oven?

You can dry firewood in your oven, but you won’t be able to dry much of it. You should avoid drying wood in your oven if you can, as you don’t want to overwork the oven. If you want to dry firewood quickly, then it’s always better to use a kiln.

Should you store firewood in your tent to keep it dry?

No, you should not store firewood in your tent to keep it dry. Storing firewood in your tent can be dangerous for several reasons.

First, firewood can attract insects and small animals that can carry diseases and cause damage to your tent and other camping gear. These pests can also create a fire hazard if they chew through electrical wiring or nesting materials come into contact with a heat source.

Second, storing firewood in your tent can create a fire hazard. Even dry firewood can contain hidden pockets of moisture that can cause it to smolder and eventually ignite. If you store firewood in your tent, any heat source such as a cooking stove or a lantern could accidentally ignite the wood and cause a fire.

Therefore, it’s important to store firewood outside of your tent, in a dry and well-ventilated area away from any potential sources of ignition. If you need to keep the firewood close to your campsite for convenience, consider using a firewood rack or a covered firewood shelter to keep it dry and protected from the elements.

What should you do if there is no dry firewood available while tent camping?

If there is no dry firewood available while tent camping, there are a few options you can consider:

1. Bring your own firewood: One of the best ways to ensure you have dry firewood is to bring your own. It’s important to check local regulations before doing so, as some areas may prohibit the transportation of firewood due to the risk of spreading invasive species. If it’s allowed, make sure to store the firewood in a dry location to keep it from getting damp.
2. Use a portable camping stove: If you’re unable to find dry firewood, a portable camping stove is a great alternative for cooking and heating. There are a variety of options available, including propane stoves, liquid fuel stoves, and wood-burning stoves.
3. Look for alternative fuel sources: If there’s no dry firewood available, you can try using other natural materials for fuel. Pine needles, cones, and small twigs can be collected and used as kindling. To get the fire going, you can also try using a firestarter, such as a lighter or matches.
4. Consider a campfire alternative: If you’re unable to have a traditional campfire, other alternatives can provide warmth and ambiance. For example, you can use battery-powered string lights or lanterns to create a cozy atmosphere.

It’s important to always check local regulations before starting a fire, as some areas may have restrictions or prohibit fires due to dry or high-risk conditions. Additionally, practicing fire safety is essential and never leaving a fire unattended.