Kiln dried or air dried firewood bundles - What is better?

In the State of Wisconsin, to be a certified firewood the wood is required to be heated to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F for 60 minutes or air dried for a minimum of 2 years. Most large camp firewood bundle manufactures lean to the kiln drying process to certify their firewood bundles. But is kiln dried firewood the best way to dry firewood? Does it actually dry firewood?
Today we test the firewood purchased from various gas stations and hardware stores, testing different vendors and their "certified" firewood. We also test our firewood sold at our roadside stand.
Sample A - Kiln Dried Firewood
Red Oak: 35-38%
Other hardwoods: 21-24%
Sample B - Kiln Dried Firewood
Hardwood: 22-25%
Sample C - Kiln Dried Firewood
Popple/Aspen: 17-19%
Sample D - Air Dried Firewood - In the Northwoods
White Ash Hardwood: 17-18%
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[@planetmoving9180]

The requirement for Bundle to be certified kiln dried.p is More for bug and disease concern than for moisture. But if ourchased and left on the dirt till next years camping trip it can get buggy and wet again. Good video and testing.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

For sure. Certification is 140+ for 60 minutes to kill bugs, or air dried for 2 years plus, which I think causes bugs to leave? Not sure the theory. But wood will suck up that moisture again, induce rot if left on the ground.

[@ElijahLynn]

I found your work here valuable! Thank you If you make another video, I was thinking that writing the moisture content percent on the edges of the pieces with a black marker would be useful too. Then when we see them burning we can see the moisture content right on the end. And I suggest putting a link to a moisture meter in the description. Then people can take objective measurements on the wood before/after they buy it.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Thanks!

[@yogibeer9319]

This was an informative video! I’ve run into the same problem here in North Florida as far as the mass production “kiln dried” wood being wet inside giving me those chunks that smolder and soot up the glass on my wood stove. Thanks for a great demonstration 👍🏻

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Thanks for watching! We will be heading your way in two months to Disney!

[@yogibeer9319]

@@OutdoorsEngineer Have a great time!!!

[@markbelanger5757]

There are so many variables. How thin did you split your wood, The thinner the faster it dries, What kind of wood? makes a huge difference, Red maple and white Ash are just a few samples of faster drying wood. What state georgia or Maine? Ive see people stack there firewood under a huge tree and cover it! Its much better kept in the sun. and only partially covered. I have seen people advertise seasoned two years. And it was red oak over 24" that stuff was as wet as the day it was cut. I put up a big hoop house. It holds about 6 cords. When the sun is out feb is 60, march is 70, april is 80, may is 90, june is over 100, july and august is 130. My firewood is dry.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

For sure. Tons of variables. But some of these bundles were advertised as "kiln dried"

[@steppoffaith8426]

The heat temp cycle is more for the invasive insects.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Yep. But still marketed as kiln dried ;) But 60 minutes at 140 degrees is not long enough to dry.

[@healyfamily4]

Definitely buyer beware. Very good review of what people are getting.

[@danielbuffington2041]

Would wood that was kiln dried for a 2 month stretch of time at around 140°F+ be good to burn? Wood was split before drying

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

That's a good question. I honestly do not know. To be certified in the state of Wisconsin it has to get to 140+ for 60 minutes, so I'd imagine 2 months it for sure would be dry. I bet 10-20 days it would be dry enough. But I honestly have no idea.

[@geterdonegranny1639]

I have a King wood stove with a jacket. I put my higher moisture content wood on top of my stove. I can get it below 20% in not time. Of course I have to watch it so it doesn’t catch on fire! Lol

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Great Idea!

[@outdoorsinthe608]

Thanks for sharing. Very informative 👍👍

[@mjmtreeservicemaintenance2940]

Heat treated at 140 for an hour to kill insects. No way will Oak dry in an hour. I had to dry Oak in a Solar Kiln for 10 days to get it to 20% inside. Smaller splits as well.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Yes! Exactly. But people buy it for some reason.

[@TheDriftlessHomestead]

Nice. Video! I see bundles that claim to be hardwood contain pine.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Yep. it is hard. It is wood. I guess.

[@nicholasbotts6103]

The wood needs a core sample certification temp of a minimum 60 mins or per state recommendations. The little prongs on those testers are just showing the surface MC. We kiln dry lumber and all readings are core tested. Your MC reader needs to know wood core ambient temperatures. That affects core MC readings also

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Yes, but we are looking for ball park. I understand it's just the surface MC, that's why we split it open to get the surface MC of the wood on the interior. It's the best we can do without having a wood core testing. Here in Wisconsin, to be certified, the wood interior has to be heated to 140 deg for 60 minutes (which won't actually dry the wood), or it has to be dried on premise for at least 2 years. An argument can be made that 2 year old dried wood is much drier than 60 minute heated wood, and that's what this test showed. Some firewood producers do it right though, kiln drying their wood for 1-3 days, allowing it to actually dry.

[@nicholasbotts6103]

@@OutdoorsEngineer I also should have wrote my comment differently once I read it again. When you kiln dry wood. You run a kiln at desired temps along with alot of air flow across the product while it dehumidifies the air. Unit you reach desired product MC. The sterilization temp is set for the product to hold a set core X temp then time by whatever agency. Hopefully I said that better. Great job on the videos. 👍🏻

[@michaeltang7238]

Would you like to test propane quick connect y splitter with two shufoff valve ?

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

No thanks.

[@michaeltang7238]

@@OutdoorsEngineer ok

[@freeforester1717]

When you can play a tune on them like a xylophone, then they’re dry. Above 20% is not dry. Can’t beat time and wind to dry. ‘Kiln dried’ is misleading marketing, that’s all, but people love to kid themselves they’ve got the ‘real deal’ when they’ve in reality just paid for water. 🖐🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Good call! Dry wood for sure has a sound. I agree. Kiln heated wood is not all that it is cracked up to be (for burning purposes).

[@sawdustacres]

I'd complain to the dealers who are selling the bundles that's still wet, prove it to them with your meter. Their getting cheated by their suppliers.

[@integralstanley]

There is a difference between kiln dried and heat treated firewood. Kiln dried takes a lot longer.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Yet they market it as kiln dried, implying it is actually dry.

[@steppoffaith8426]

If it was green it wouldn't be burning that good.

[@chrisduffy2737]

Letting Big Brother protect you is no protection at all.

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Sir, I'm not sure how this comment fits in with this video, but anyways thanks for watching.

[@KNLFirewood]

Nice video. You are certainly the best quality sample at the party. 👍🔥🪵🍺

[@OutdoorsEngineer]

Appreciate that