How long to season newly cut maple?

[SteveL1]

We have a very large sugar maple that did not make it through the winter and will be bringing it down in a few months. Would like to keep a fair amount of it for smoking but have no idea how long it will take to season properly. Also, am I better using the larger limbs or split sections of the trunk?

Will also be harvesting some of the trunk for lumber as I do a lot of wood working and thought it would be cool to make something from it as I think there will be some really nice figured grain from the main part of the trunk. Really sad that it has died as it was an awesome sight each fall for the past 30 years.

Any guidance will be appreciated.

 

[chambersuac]

Sorry your tree died, but thankfully, it won't go to waste.
As far as how to cut it, I would recommend cutting it I to sizes that easily fit I to your smoker. I don't know for sure, but I would think smaller pieces will,dry faster.

As far as how long to,season, I'm not sure, but I think six months to a year. Someone with more knowledge will probably chime in soon. You may be able to use maple while still somewhat green - I know Myron uses green peach.

I've used Apple that was seasoned for only six months or so and did fine. YMMV.

 

[IamMadMan]

Seasoning depends on the amount of air and temperature it is exposed to.

Rule of thumb for me is to let it dry until the wood begins to show obvious cracks in the end grain. At that point it is also easier to split so it can then be stacked and covered from the elements for use.

 

[Smoke Dawg]

Cut and split wood will dry faster if that is what you are looking for. It is all about surface are exposed to air and the weather as mentioned.

 

[Fwismoker]

Cut and split wood will dry faster if that is what you are looking for. It is all about surface are exposed to air and the weather as mentioned.

This....


Further it is split the faster the drying.

 

[Shagdog]

I recently harvested a decent sized maple. They take a while to season.. As a woodworker you know, its a pretty dense wood. I let mine sit a year before I split it, just because it was so tight there was no splitting it green... when I finally did split it, it was still really difficult to split and still pretty green. Probably be another year before I can use it.. Like these guys said, splitting it will help it dry faster, so do it when you can, but don't expect to have any burning wood for a while.. Maple dries S L O W

 

[spider22]

I would say 9 months to a year to have it ready for smoking. If it has any size to it and if you don't own a wood splitter you might want to consider renting or borrowing one. That can be some of the toughest wood to split.

 

[Fwismoker]

I know the silver maple I did wasn't super hard to split at all but the oak i have sure is! It seemed to cure pretty quick too....less than a year, the above 9 mo's seems about right.

 

[spider22]

I know the silver maple I did wasn't super hard to split at all but the oak i have sure is! It seemed to cure pretty quick too....less than a year, the above 9 mo's seems about right.

Sugar Maple is an entire different wood. Like any wood some can be easy but some sugar maple is a bear. I am surprised you had trouble with oak.

 

[Fwismoker]

Sugar Maple is an entire different wood. Like any wood some can be easy but some sugar maple is a bear. I am surprised you had trouble with oak.

Oh my this oak I have is a bear.

 

[Beentown]

Sugar Maple is an entire different wood. Like any wood some can be easy but some sugar maple is a bear. I am surprised you had trouble with oak.

Big leaf, silver, red or any other type of maple is really soft compared to sugar maple. Sugar maple (used for maple syrup, also known as hard maple) is REALLY dense.

 

[spider22]

Oh my this oak I have is a bear.

My guess is that it is from a tree that grew in the open so it has a lot of knots.

 

[Fwismoker]

My guess is that it is from a tree that grew in the open so it has a lot of knots.

Not much knots but pretty gnarly might be the right word....not complaining though because it sure burns good! :biggrin1:

...and yes Silver maple is much softer

 

[Smoke®]

Split green into small splits, stack for air circulation facings west for the hot evening sun and it will really speed the curing time. This is hickory, white oak and red oak that needs to be split again.

 

[haussanator]

Thats a nice wood pile

 

[SteveL1]

Thanks for all of the replies. Not exactly what I wanted to hear but not unexpected either. Biggest challenge is going to find a spot to let it dry. May call a local guy that runs a lumber yard that is supplied by mostly downed local trees. His partner cuts 'em down and hauls to the yard and then he mills and dries and eventually sells. I've gotten some really nice figured maple from him in the past so maybe I can work a trade for the main trunk portion and keep the larger limbs for smoking chunks. Since I only have a Weber and a pellet grill that is on it's way, I'm not really in need of the larger stuff.

 

[missin44]

There are those that will say seasoning isn't needed. I tend to be one of those, I've used "green" hickory and oak in WSM with no ill effects.