Will firewood dry in winter? It's called sublimation.

[@TheFirewoodHut]

I even pull back firewood tarps when there is a stretch of sunny days. I found out there is A LOT of condensation on the underside of tarps during cool evenings that comes from the moisture of firewood. It maybe beneficial to prop up tarp & provide an 'attic' space to allow moisture to escape.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Excellent idea! Almost creating a tent above the wood would allow the wood to breathe even on the top layer. And you're right about all the condensation. It does build on the underside of the tarp against the wood. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@WoolysWorld]

I always try to leave a gap so air can circulate , if I can I don't use a tarp for the condensation issues,

[@PurpleCollarLife]

@@WoolysWorld Thanks!

[@kevinbrewer2141]

In my opinion it's possible because food left in a freezer will dry out. Great video you explained it better than I ever could.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great example, Kevin! Thanks for watching.

[@TS-sx3rf]

Good information that many people may not be aware of. Thanks for doing the videos you do!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad you like them!

[@shottyshoshco]

Sublimation, I love learning and using words like this. It will impress my clients. Thank you for the video.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

You're very welcome!

[@judge058]

Very good video, clearly explained. I cover just the top of my stacks, leaving the sides and ends open and wondered if it seasoned in the winter. I too questioned whether the moisture would be frozen inside the wood. Your analogy with the Amish hanging their laundry to dry in the winter was spot on. You have earned my subscription!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thank you! We appreciate you watching, commenting, and subscribing.

[@ww3ok]

I agree, the low humidity is key.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Gary!

[@davida.p.9911]

Sublimation definitely is an important factor in drying. And in melting ice too as you mentioned. Most of our wood was left open, but occasionally we would cover it with a tarp or plastic sheeting if conditions warranted. Thanks for sharing Chad!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@nickguthrie9309]

Get a firewood moisture tester $25 or so, and learn to use it. There are different variables re tree species, green vs.partly dried ,RH of your air and its amount of wind over the year , how narrow your boards are split, how exposed are your piles of wood blah, blah----buy or share a meter@@PurpleCollarLife

[@botabob]

I agree Chad - sunshine is a key ingredient to dry firewood - I have some oak that is setting in the shadow of for years and it still will not burn - have a great day - cheers

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Bob. Move that oak out into the sunshine! :)

[@watershedoverlook]

I'd never really given this question a great deal of thought but I would have probably initially guessed "no". Your explanation is spot-on though...I stand corrected! Good info Chad!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad you liked it!

[@k6outdoors]

Great video Chad, -12 F tonight here. I live in an amish community myself and never thought about how the clothes actually dried! Stay warm!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

BRRRR - minus 12F - that's when it's too cold to have much fun outside. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelteti5148]

SEPA HERE. TY Your explanation was great. 8" of snow yesterday spots in my driveway that didn't clear with

[@michaelteti5148]

The shovel were melted this morning when the sun came up. It was 10 degrees. I hang my laundry out in the winter also

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching and commenting from southeast PA. We didn't get much of that snow storm that came through. I did drive back from Messick's Friday night though and came through snow until I got further west.

[@AkDadStuff]

Heyhey Chad you are exactly right. Here in Alaska we can get a heavy wet snow at 30 degrees but then the temp drops to -20 degrees for a few days and all that wet heavy snow is now light and fluffy because the moisture gets pulled out of it at our cold temps. Thanks for the video my friend

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Another great example, Mike. Thanks for watching!

[@bfoutdooradventures]

Great examples, well put together video!!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad you liked it! Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@thaimuayshoo1171]

Thank PCL, very informative, well thought out video. Interesting how I've done similarly over the years, though through a lot of trial, error, & wet wood failures 😂. I split at least 5 cords every winter - white ash, red/white oak, cherry, hard & soft maples etc & I split the pieces a little bit thinner. I then stack them single file onto tarp top covered pallets 2 rows deep max (w/ an inch or two of gap spacing), I leave them covered during rain/snow streaks & then uncovered during dry hot sunny streaks. Now almost all my firewood here in the North west New Jersey climate will season in 12 months (and the majority in 10 months below 20% moisture content). Thanks for the physics lesson man, great video PCL 👍

[@shawnboss5542]

I agree with you completely, new subscriber here great info thanks !! Cold here in Orrville Ohio !!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@samb4678]

Nice video!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@larrykluckoutdoors8227]

I agree that wood that gets sun and air flow dries wood during the winter

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Larry!

[@keithpeterson9179]

Great video! From the deep freeze in central Minnesota, proof of dry air causing sublimation, if I can't clear completely my concrete driveway, in a few day's the rest just disappears. I have 3 cords of oak sitting in the sun and the wind can move through it freely, the winter is a great help in drying fire wood. It will need a full year, but winter is part of the equation.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Very cool!

[@redsquirrelftw]

That's good to know, I never would have figured it could still season in winter.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@WichhartAcres]

Makes sense got to have airflow! Keep up the hard work!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks! The airflow makes a huge difference. That's one of the things I really like about the IBC totes for firewood storage. It allows airflow from all sides. I try to leave about 2 feet between the totes.

[@taylz1200]

I agree 100%. The sunlight and airflow is critical.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@gregmerckx8557]

Good video for many. Anyone who’s been using wood for heat knows how wood dries in different seasons, how long it takes, etc.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@rz6692]

At which point as long as you have are moving around it and a sun to warm it up gently you are right is a moisture will pick up

[@sassafrasvalley1939]

Chad… top covers are the best bet for drying firewood. A full tarp just turns into a sauna when the sun hits it. My neighbor hasva bunch of metal roofing sheets that we salvaged from an old garage that we tore down. We put them over the wood stacks as soon as we build them. The wood dries out all year long… granted it is slower when it is cold but… it still dries. As for my wood… I have a firewood shed. It has the west wall open and vents in the upper portion of the east side. Because we rarely get wind blown snow or rain from the west… it stays perfectly dry inside. The heat from the sun beats down on the uninsulated metal roof and causes the air to flow out the upper vents. It moves a lot of air through the wood… even when the wind isn’t blowing. I don’t put wet or green wood in the shed. Instead, I stack it outside on railroad ties. Then I drape a tarp over it. Window weights and a few chunks of wood hold it down. But, I’m careful to leave the bottom 3 or 4 feet of the 6’ tall stacks open to air flow. As the stacks in the shed start to dwindle I move in the wood from under the tarp. By spring, the seasoned wood is burnt and the shed is filled with next winters supply. I know it is double handling but… I get the most BTU’s, without creosote problems. And, without doing it, I can’t imagine how I would control my girth!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I"ve heard that old metal roofing is great for firewood cover. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@mikeshobbyhomestead8917]

Just put 25% moisture in the wood shed 2 weeks later it was 20% moisture today. I would say wind sun and winter dry air did the trick. It even checked up on the ends. So much for the old saying you need to have your wood drying by spring

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for sharing!

[@davesauerzopf6980]

Great video. Sorry if this is a long post. I have a bank barn and I store my wood in the basement side. Always have are flow. The barn over hangs on the basement side and I put my new cuts there. The sun hits it most of the day and plenty of air. Once it dries, I put it inside the barn. I do put a little cover over the outside wood just to be safe. One thing I did not hear you mention or I missed it is, keeping the wood of the ground. I use pallets to ensure air flow underneath and keep the wood on the bottom off the ground. I use pallets in the barn and outside. Last question. What moisture level do you feel is the best. I hear too low is bad and obviously too high is bad. Thanks....Dave

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great point - keeping the wood off of the ground is key. Sometimes even concrete will let moisture build up in the wood. It is best to have airflow underneath the wood by using a pallet or some other framework that allows airflow to all four sides of the stacked firewood. I prefer 8-15% moisture content. But I've burned firewood at as high as 20%. I'm sure I burned firewood higher than that before I invested in and started using a moisture meter. They're a great tool. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!

[@mjmtreeservicemaintenance2940]

Split wood will 100% dry in the winter. The air is so dry and dew points are so low the wood will dry without question.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching and commenting. It makes sense to me, but I know there is quite a debate out there.

[@nickguthrie9309]

New Mexico or Alaska---?

[@ajjenga4316]

I do this for a living. I live in mid canada. I can 100% guarantee that wood does not dry in the winter. I have a moisture meter and continually test my wood. I've done this for about 20 years. Water is frozen in the winter. Period. Maybe sunshine hitting the endgrain can result in about 1 or 2 % over the entire winter season. Don't make assumptions based on dewpoint. It doesn't matter when water turns to ice...

[@Comradez]

Mid Canada probably has temps that are too low to really make sublimation or occasional sunshine melting effective, regardless of how low the dew points are. Here where I live in Missouri temperatures will hover around freezing all winter, and wood definitely dries in the winter, partly from sublimation when the wood is just below freezing, partly from when days' air temperatures peek just above freezing, and partly when the days' air temperature is technically below freezing, but when objects in direct sunlight can still get above freezing. But if you have -20C temps, I highly doubt much drying is going on.@@ajjenga4316

[@rz6692]

Freezer burn works in a manner of extracting water from the centre of the object in the deep-freeze pushing it outward

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great point!

[@tinman1955]

Depends on humidity. Here in the great Pacific Northwest rain forest firewood absorbs moisture in the winter - even under cover. I've weighed samples and they always gain weight in winter.

[@michaelteti5148]

The shovel melted into puddles it was 10 degrees. I hang my laundry out in the winter also.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Check out our firewood playlist! Lots of videos about chainsaws and firewood. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2nMYoJul5aJp5I

[@thesmallwoodlot433]

I agree with “roofing” over wood piles, and open slat sides on the shed or rows of wood. A full coverage tarp is a bad idea for many things not just wood, and can create mold growth, definitely not good. So now the real question… wood storage bark up, bark down or no bark at all?😂😅😂😅 I like to leave the bark on the wood, it gives you the hottest coals during the night! And I have also found out that a full round of seasoned wood will burn longer then a split of roughly the same size!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Oh that's another video for another day (bark up or bark down). I honestly prefer no bark at all. If I can get it to come off, I throw it in the woods. If the bark stays on, I usually put it on the side (not up or down). If there's bark on wood that I'm putting in the wood stove, I put it bark up. I feel like the wood catches on fire better than the bark. Thanks for the comment and discussion!

[@thesmallwoodlot433]

@@PurpleCollarLife and for a moment, I thought I was “barking up the wrong tree”

[@randydeskins9359]

@@PurpleCollarLife I have noticed a lot less ash if I’m burning wood with out bark.

[@eduardocarcacheperez9281]

What about morning frost on uncovered wood? And later dry out in the day.. did the wood keep some of that moisture?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Yes, there is some surface moisture gain from frost on uncovered wood. But that surface moisture is removed quickly with some sunshine and airflow. That is a different kind of moisture than moisture inside the wood. The inside moisture takes longer to remove.

[@ChrisLascari]

Good video

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@rudygtrz]

when will you build a firewood shed.?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I was hoping to get it done before the snow! But it looks like I'll have to wait until next summer. I ran out of time.

[@MaryDullforce]

How do you make that snow cap for your wood stack? Or is it ready made and purchased? I live in Wales, U.K. so there is constant precipitation of rain, snow , mist humidity sometimes daily 8-10 months of the year.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I use a combination of tarps and plastic sheeting. It lets the air get under the cover, but still keeps the moisture/show off the top. Thanks for watching and asking a question!

[@photocontrol]

Low humidity will be the most effective to dry out the wood. Here it's so rainy, wet / damp nothing will dry out through the winter months lol.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Location, location, location, right?! You're right that low humidity is the key.

[@blackwell1384]

I believe that you can prove that wood dries at different rates through out the year using a kitchen scale ( I find that using the grams scale is easiest for me). When I am splitting wood I pick a couple of pieces that are easy to write on, so I record on the piece what it weighs at each point in the drying process. I live in the northeast and I find that when wood is fully dry it stops losing weight. I think you will be surprised how much water by volume a log loses

[@PurpleCollarLife]

That's true - weight loss is a good indicator of the firewood seasoning/drying.

[@OntarioFirewoodResource]

Wood dries as long as the air is dry. Temperature doesn't matter as much as wind and lack of humidity extreme heat and cold do make a difference though

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@OGAOutdoors]

For sure down here it dries great in the winter. I call it freeze dried firewood.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Ben!

[@WoolysWorld]

I find that as long as it's not in a river and off the ground it will dry

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks, Wooly! :)

[@rz6692]

Which case we will call it overtime freezer burn Everything acts in the same manner that contains water as it continues to freeze the colder it gets the more the water is squished from the Product

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

Good evening Sir 👌😇 and what about CANADA COLD Sir 🤣👍 YES FIREWOOD DOES DRY at a certain level when exposed to full SUNLIGHTS 👌👍 I have videos that show firewood start to cracks and create air ventilation helping to dry 👍👌🧐 So Yes ( cover it on the top, facing due south exposed to Sunlight's are VITAL FACTORS to firewood to dry ) 👍👌😉 The only problems here is the humidity level here is around 70% since we are near the sea 😉👌👍 Yes my mother use to whitening cotton in Winter time 👍👌😉 OUSTANDING FULL WATCH video Sir 🧐👍👌 Cheers 🍻

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thank you, Sir!

[@braydenlowe2025]

Hello purple collar life would you be able to make a visit to the Massimo motor facility in garland Texas usa?

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Hi Brayden. No, that facility is too far from our location.

[@rickkoshak4919]

👍

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@michaelmeyers1827]

Yes it does just not as fast!

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for watching!

[@thomasfogerty3515]

Yes wood drys in winter! Try splitting an oak with in axe in July! Good luck! I've if it has been dry. Split that Oak on cold January day, it shatters! With no humidity in the air in winter it will actually dry faster. You can stack in the shadeiest spot and it will still dry. It's all about humidity. Think of hay in barn, same concept. And of caurse your clothes won't dry, your body is letting off humidity. This whole concept works the same way as as silage in in silo.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks for the examples! I think our wood dries out sometimes better in the winter due to the dry air. We appreciate you watching and leaving a comment!

[@rodneysweetnam8653]

Hi PCL - it's Big Rodders in Ireland. I firmly believe wood dries very effectively in the winter time, even here where we have a damp climate. Check out "fricknjeep" who is in New York state and is a fascinating character. He conducted seasoning rate trials by regularly weighing a quantity of logs and maintained records, which are detailed in some of his videos. However, I always ensure there is an air gap between the top of the log pile and the roof. Also, your tote roof should extend over the metal perimeter of the tote to prevent water dripping onto the logs, I prefer cutting the plastic tank diagonally to obtain a pitched roof that provides such cover.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Great tips! And we've watched fricknjeep for about a year now. Fun channel!

[@nebraskawoodstr]

Freeze dried winter wood is real. Nebraska WoodSTR

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Thanks!

[@denverbasshead]

Some of the driest air you can get is in the winter

[@PurpleCollarLife]

That's absolutely true (at least in our area of the USA).

[@denverbasshead]

@@PurpleCollarLife yep. I moved from Colorado where it's dry 365 days a year to KY

[@rz6692]

And move out with the dry air you mean lie just need to protect the pile from added moisture mice and soforth

[@seriouslyflawed]

Clothes dry in the winter so why not wood. Remember in the olden days when clothes were hung out to dry? Amish still do.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I pass Amish houses all winter long with clothes out on the line. Thanks for watching!