| Indoor use (heated home) | 6–8% | | Outdoor (covered but unheated) | 12–16% | | Direct ground contact | 18–20%+ |

Test MC weekly with pin meter. Record. Expect 1–2% MC loss per week initially, then 0.5% per week after 20% MC.

1. What is Seasoning? Seasoning is the controlled process of removing moisture (water) from "green" (freshly felled) wood to reduce its moisture content (MC) to a level suitable for its intended use. Freshly cut wood can have an MC of over 100% (the weight of water exceeds the weight of dry wood). Properly seasoned wood typically has an MC of 8–20%, depending on its application (indoor furniture: 6–8%; outdoor construction: 15–20%). 2. Why Must Wood Be Seasoned? Using unseasoned ("green") wood leads to severe problems:

Slow is safe, fast is risky, dry is strong, wet is weak. Always aim for the lowest MC your use case allows, but never rush the process beyond the wood's natural tolerance.