Seasoning wood question

[JAKs Q & brew]

I just got a 1/4 cord delivered, oak and pecan.
I wasn't there when it got dumped in my driveway, but I come to find out that the pecan is totally green. It measures 50%-60% percent on the cut end, but when managed to split a piece the inside was 99%.
A few questions for those more experienced.
1. About how long should it take to season?
2. I stacked it on my normal rack, alternating direction each level. I get plenty of wind at my house, but the rack is in the shade. How much does sun exposure matter. I am in Los Angeles, so it is hot and dry most of the year.
3. What should I do about this wood supplier? Finding pecan in LA is tough, but almond and oak are pretty available. When I called and spoke to him about this delivery he offered to give me a discount on my next load.
4. I have space to season a 1/2 cord. Should green wood be less expensive? How much less?

 

[Beentown]

1. In my climate oak takes about 2.5 years to get at 18% (where I prefer it). Hickory (close to the same as pecan) takes 1.5 years.

2. Sun matters but airflow matters more. We don't get very many sunny days so that my just be my experience.

3. I'd be happy with almond and oak if the price is that much different. I would make sure I was there next time or find a new supplier.

4. Yes, green wood should cost less. I would pay about 25% less for green, maybe pay less than that.

Wood guys are less reliable than painters. If you find one that follows-thru and is honest about seasoning stick with it. Most say its seasoned and that means 6 months...

I used to cut all my own but don't have the time now. I just assume it isn't seasoned and rotate between 2 racks.

 

[rque]

Green wood will take about a year to season, and it should definitely not have been sold as seasoned and should have been cheaper-they didn’t need to spend money, time, and space on watching wood dry out but now you do. Unfortunately a lot of wood suppliers seem to be hawking green wood as “seasoned”. Since you’ve already got it, let it season for a year and try someone else. Maybe ask some people locally for a word of mouth recommendation?

 

[pmad]

Wood guys are less reliable than painters.

So true. I don't mean to insult anyone, but as an industry, it has a high level of either blatant dishonesty or simple ignorance of the product.

When I was young, my father had a rack that he built that held a cord.
He agrees to a price and the guy starts to stack it criss-cross.
When my Dad complained, the guy started mumbling about air-flow.
My Dad told him to give him a cord or leave.
Reluctantly, the guy filled the rack properly.

 

[Beentown]

Don't worry about offense I owned a painting and trim company so.... same boat. [emoji38]



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[BBQ Freak]

I season my own wood and buy it green and i would split it down to the size you are going to use and keep it out in the elements . I found getting rained on and drying out helps speed the process and should take about a year and I always have a different stack seasoning to be ready each year .

 

[Monkey Uncle]

I've been cutting my own heating and cooking wood for close to 20 years. I'm in WV, so my experience might not fully translate to southern CA.

We don't have any pecan here, but I've cut a decent amount of hickory, which is very similar. I find that green hickory (as well as oak) needs about a year of seasoning before it will burn reasonably well. It needs to go through the full cycle of seasons, including a hot summer and dry fall. Some folks say two years, but I find that hickory and the sapwood of oak are starting to get a little punky at two years. Still useable, but past peak.

I stack my wood as neatly as possible in a location that gets wind and as much sun as possible (we have a lot of cloudy weather here). I don't bother trying to keep the rain off. If it's stacked neatly, the rain runs off and the wood dries out after a couple of days of good weather. It's more important to make sure it's exposed to the weather while it's seasoning. Definitely don't cover with a tarp, which will hold in moisture.