A common hardwood tree in much of the eastern United States is the sweet gum. It is famous for having beautiful grain patterns and heartwood that is a clear reddish brown color. On the other hand, sweet gum is notorious for being hard to dry properly because it bends and breaks easily. How long does it really take for firewood or sweet gum lumber to dry?
Drying any wood takes time patience and proper techniques. With sweet gum, these factors are especially important. This whole article will tell you everything you need to know about how sweet gum dries, such as
- The challenges of drying sweet gum
- Estimated drying times
- Tips for faster, more effective drying
- Common mistakes to avoid
- How to check moisture content
- Strategies to optimize drying time
The Difficulties of Drying Sweet Gum
There are a few key properties of sweet gum that make it more difficult to dry compared to other hardwoods:
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High shrinkage rate – Sweet gum wood shrinks around 15% from green to oven-dry states This is much higher than many other woods
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Interlocking grain – The fibers in sweet gum are arranged in an interlocked, spiral pattern which restricts moisture movement and leads to internal stresses.
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Tension – Sweet gum logs often contain significant tension which gets released as the wood dries, causing warping and distortion.
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Low permeability—Sweet gum is not as permeable as most hardwoods, which means it loses water more slowly.
Checking, splitting, bowing, cupping, and twisting become very bad when the wood loses water because of these traits. It’s not unusual to see over 2020% declines in losses during the drying process.
General Drying Time Estimates
Most sources estimate sweet gum lumber or firewood requires at least 6-12 months air drying time to reach suitable moisture content levels. However, exact drying times can vary substantially depending on climate conditions, drying methods, and wood sizes.
Here are some general guidelines:
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Air drying lumber – 12-18 months
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Air drying firewood – 8-12 months
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Kiln drying lumber – 4-8 weeks
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Drying time after rain/snow – Add 2-4 weeks
Even after prolonged drying, sweet gum is prone to rapidly reabsorb moisture compared to other woods. It’s best to use it soon after drying is complete.
Tips for Faster, Better Drying
Here are some tips to help accelerate drying times and minimize defects when seasoning sweet gum:
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Cut logs in early winter and let them sit for a few months before milling to release stress.
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Use wedge-shaped splitter blades to follow the grain direction.
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Seal log ends with wax after cutting to reduce splitting.
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Ensure stacks have excellent airflow and are in sunny areas.
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Use narrow sticker spacing around 6-8 inches to minimize bowing.
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Weigh down stacks to restrict movement.
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Rotate and restack boards every 2-3 months for even drying.
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Consider using a solar kiln or dehumidification system to speed up drying.
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Avoid exposing dried wood to rain/snow. Store under cover when possible.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
There are a few common mistakes when drying sweet gum that can ruin the wood or lead to quality issues:
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Inadequate airflow – Leads to trapped moisture and spoilage. Ensure good ventilation.
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Incorrect temperatures – Too hot causes brittleness, too cold causes mold. Keep between 60-80°F.
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Insufficient monitoring – Check moisture content and wood condition regularly.
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Improper stacking – Restricts airflow. Use thin stickers and good spacing.
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Leaving wood exposed – Reabsorbs moisture quickly. Cover or bring inside after drying.
Checking Dryness
It’s important to monitor sweet gum’s moisture content during drying to know when it’s ready for use. There are a few ways to test if boards are dry:
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Visual inspection – Check for lack of shine, cracks, and dry surface.
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Texture test – Dry wood will feel hard and brittle.
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Moisture meter – Gives precise moisture content readings.
Ideal moisture content is around 10-15% for sweet gum. Monitor regularly and adjust drying time accordingly. Proper storage is also key once dried.
Optimizing Drying Time
There are several strategies that can help optimize drying times with sweet gum:
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Pre-treatments – Cleaning, cutting into thinner pieces, applying drying agents.
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Multi-stage drying – Short drying intervals with rest periods to prevent over-drying.
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Drying accelerants – Desiccants, specialized drying agents, dehumidifiers.
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Climate control – Managing temperature, humidity, and airflow.
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Frequent monitoring – Adjust drying based on current moisture content.
The specific conditions and requirements of the wood being dried must be considered when optimizing time. But following these general strategies can significantly speed up results.
Drying sweet gum takes patience and attention to detail. With its high shrinkage, tension, and tricky grain, it can easily warp and split if not dried properly. In general, plan on air drying times of 8-18 months depending on climate, wood thickness, and drying techniques used.
Proper stacking, sealing the wood, frequent monitoring of moisture levels, and maintaining optimal temperature and airflow are key to minimizing defects. There are also various methods to optimize the drying process and achieve faster results.
While sweet gum presents challenges, its beautiful heartwood makes it worth the effort. By understanding the drying process and using the right techniques, you can successfully dry sweet gum to make stunning lumber or firewood.
The Chinese Sweet Gum
Scientifically known as Liquidambar formosana, this is a popular Sweet Gum variety regularly called Chinese Sweet Gum. The Chinese Sweet Gum is typically found in Central and Southern China, Indochina, and Taiwan. It grows mostly in the woodland of the warm temperate region.
A native tree to the eastern Mediterranean area occurring as pure stands majorly on the Greek island of Rhodes and floodplains of southwest Turkey is the Turkish Sweet Gum.
It’s also called “Chang’s gum,” and it comes from a tree that grows naturally in Southeast China in East Asia. You can also find Changs gum in the US and southern China, but not as much as in Asia.
Properly drying out Sweet Gum is a difficult task, compared to drying out other types of firewood. This can even be more difficult if you are planning to use it for furniture. It might take up to a year to season a sweet gumwood.
After splitting your wood, properly store it under a roof or cover because Sweet Gum is more likely to rot quickly and produce mold when you expose them to moisture.
Due to its interlocking grain, it is more likely to warp severely when it dries. This wouldnt only increase the hardness but also change the overlook of the furniture.
To overcome this, you might have to use a 12-inch sticker spacing to increase the time of drying. Or, you could stack the wood in a tall stack using the right sort of firewood rack to get superior air-flow and thus better seasoning times.
If the moisture content is 20 percent or less, the wood can be burned, but 12 percent or less is best for Sweet Gumwood firewood. Burning it with less than 20 percent moisture content gives off better BTUs, burns longer, and makes better coals.
Although Sweet Gumwood does take much work and energy in splitting into usable sizes it does burn hot. It produces around 20.6 million BTU per cord, which is pretty decent. It also burns for a long time, although when compared with other woods, such as Oak, it has a shorter burning time.
However, how long it will burn depends on the moisture content. If you are using sweet Gumwood solely, then you should buy more woods than you would if you were using an Oak tree or you can increase the burning time by mixing it with other woods such as Hickory and Oak.
Another great thing about this firewood is that it is very easy to start a fire with it. This is due in part to high the higher than average resin content found in it.
Is Sweet Gumwood useful for anything?
Yes, it is very useful aside from being burned as firewood. Sweet Gumwood is one of the main species of trees to produce commercial hardwood in the United States. It is used for numerous purposes, which include the making of upholstered furniture, electronic cabinetry, veneer flooring and siding, plywood, crates, pallets, and much more.
Is Sweet Gum any good for firewood?
FAQ
How long does it take sweet gum to dry out?
Period of Time It takes a lot of work to dry out sweet gum properly compared to other types of firewood. This can even be more difficult if you are planning to use it for furniture. It might take up to a year to season a sweet gumwood.
Is sweetgum good for firewood?
Sweetgum wood is generally considered a decent firewood, though it has some drawbacks. It burns relatively hot and long, but can be challenging to split and produces a lot of smoke when it ignites.
How long does it take for gum wood to dry?
Softwoods, like pine and macrocarpa, normally take 6-12 months. Hardwoods like gum can take up to 18 months.
Are sweetgum balls good for anything?
Sweetgum balls, while often considered a nuisance, can actually be put to good use. They can be used as mulch, for crafts, and even as fuel for fires, according to Bag-A-Nut.