Measuring the moisture content of firewood

A dry wood produces around 40% more heat than a green wood.

The best way to check humidity is to use a moisture meter.

If you don't have a moisture meter, we'll look at a few tips for recognising dry wood...

How to use a moisture meter :

Switch on the appliance.
Push the clips into the desired position.
Read the result.

Optional: if your appliance offers options such as «hardwood», select the appropriate option.

Video summary

Frequently asked questions

How can you recognise dry wood without a moisture meter?

If you don't have a moisture meter, the best way to identify dry wood is to knock two logs together and listen to the sound. If the sound is clear and high-pitched: the wood is probably dry. If the sound is soft and low-pitched: the wood is probably damp. However, this trick is not completely reliable. The best way is to use a moisture meter.

What is the ideal humidity level?

16 to 20% is an optimum rate that is fairly easy to achieve.

Legally, wood is considered dry if it is less than 23%. The drier the wood, the better.

But there's no point in waiting too long: at a certain rate the wood stops drying.

The equilibrium rate is the rate at which the wood hardly dries at all, as it approaches the moisture content of the ambient air.

It ranges from 8 to 12%, depending on the regional climate. As a result, even wood that has been drying for years rarely falls below 10% moisture content.

Does it matter if the wood gets caught in the rain?

If the wood is not yet dry, and you don't intend to burn it straight away, it doesn't matter if it gets caught in the rain.

On the other hand, if the wood is already dry, it is best to store it under cover. Dry wood must not regain moisture, otherwise it will turn black and degrade over time.

Note: Wood that is wet on the surface may be dry on the inside. To find this out, split the log and prick the moisture meter into the core.

How do you store wood?

To dry the wood, you need to store it outside, so that it can breathe. If the wood is dry, you can store it indoors.

For more information, read our article : how do you store firewood?

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