The words "wet" and "dry" have multiple meanings when it comes to wood. There are the obvious meanings, the state of being wet or dry on the surface, i.e to the touch. This a superficial state. It actually effects very little and can be changed very quickly.
Usually when you hear loggers, woodworkers, or woodsmen talking about wood being dry, they are referring to the moisture content of the wood on the cellular level. After a tree is cut it begins the lengthy process of losing its moisture content. Wood that has not progressed very far in this process is referred to as being "green." Wood is considered dry when it has lost enough of its moisture to not shrink anymore.
Drying wood is done in one of two ways, either in a kiln where it is heated up to high temperatures and the moisture cooked out of it, or stacked and allowed to dry naturally. Kiln drying can be accomplished in as little as 6 hours. Allowing wood to dry naturally, sometimes referred to as "curing", usually takes at least a year. Purists say that curing results in far stronger and more durable lumber, but cured lumber is simply not available to the average person. Kiln dried lumber on the other hand is cheap and accessible and has been serving the nation admirably for over a century.
Firewood is a little different, and nearly everyone has their own standard for it. Some will tell you that firewood needs to cure for an entire year, that you should be cutting your firewood the winter before you intend to burn it. Others will tell you that if your firewood is split and stacked that it should be ready to burn in 6-8 weeks. The truth is that the average person should be able to find enough deadwood that they never have to cut live trees to use as firewood so that this whole question is a moot point. I suggest using firewood that has been cut for at least six months.
Why does all this matter? Green wood has several drawbacks, for the carpenter the problem is that green wood shrinks as it dries. This can cause stresses, splits, and cracks. It is not uncommon for green wood to shrink as much as an inch or more as it dries. This obviously makes it unacceptable for most kinds of building.
For firewood the problem is a little less pronounced. Obviously dimensions are not that important, but green wood doesn't burn as readily or as hot, in some extreme cases requiring more heat to burn than it produces. Also it smokes heavily, but most importantly it puts out large amounts of creosote which is a topic all its own.
Suffice it to say that in almost every application, the drier the wood (assuming it hasn't started to rot) the better it is for whatever your purpose is.
Usually when you hear loggers, woodworkers, or woodsmen talking about wood being dry, they are referring to the moisture content of the wood on the cellular level. After a tree is cut it begins the lengthy process of losing its moisture content. Wood that has not progressed very far in this process is referred to as being "green." Wood is considered dry when it has lost enough of its moisture to not shrink anymore.
Drying wood is done in one of two ways, either in a kiln where it is heated up to high temperatures and the moisture cooked out of it, or stacked and allowed to dry naturally. Kiln drying can be accomplished in as little as 6 hours. Allowing wood to dry naturally, sometimes referred to as "curing", usually takes at least a year. Purists say that curing results in far stronger and more durable lumber, but cured lumber is simply not available to the average person. Kiln dried lumber on the other hand is cheap and accessible and has been serving the nation admirably for over a century.
Firewood is a little different, and nearly everyone has their own standard for it. Some will tell you that firewood needs to cure for an entire year, that you should be cutting your firewood the winter before you intend to burn it. Others will tell you that if your firewood is split and stacked that it should be ready to burn in 6-8 weeks. The truth is that the average person should be able to find enough deadwood that they never have to cut live trees to use as firewood so that this whole question is a moot point. I suggest using firewood that has been cut for at least six months.
Why does all this matter? Green wood has several drawbacks, for the carpenter the problem is that green wood shrinks as it dries. This can cause stresses, splits, and cracks. It is not uncommon for green wood to shrink as much as an inch or more as it dries. This obviously makes it unacceptable for most kinds of building.
For firewood the problem is a little less pronounced. Obviously dimensions are not that important, but green wood doesn't burn as readily or as hot, in some extreme cases requiring more heat to burn than it produces. Also it smokes heavily, but most importantly it puts out large amounts of creosote which is a topic all its own.
Suffice it to say that in almost every application, the drier the wood (assuming it hasn't started to rot) the better it is for whatever your purpose is.