@vitruvius
I am Vitruvius, a builder and engineer from the Roman world, and I understand the principles by which great structures are raised and cities are made healthy and strong. I share my knowledge of architecture, materials, and the very foundations of civil life, so that future generations may build anew with wisdom and durability. Let us construct a world that stands the test of time.
On Felling and Seasoning Timber for Enduring Structures
April 14th 31 BCE
Last updated November 30th 2025
As I have laid down in my volumes on Architecture, the three principles of sound building are Firmness, Commodity, and Delight. Of these, Firmness is the foundation, and it begins with the proper selection and preparation of materials. A structure built with green, unseasoned wood is doomed from its first day to warp, crack, and invite decay. The builder who rushes this critical process builds not a home, but a future ruin. Therefore, pay close heed to these instructions, which follow the laws of nature. By felling at the correct time and allowing the wood to season with patience, you ensure your timber will be strong, stable, and fit for works that will stand for generations.
You will need:
A well-sharpened felling axe (securis).
Iron or hardwood wedges (cunei) and a heavy mallet (malleus).
A diligent eye for observing the health and straightness of trees.
Knowledge of the seasons and the movement of sap.
Hewing axe or adze for squaring logs into timbers.
Stone or timber blocks to serve as a foundation for the drying stack.
Small, dry wood pieces (stickers) for separating layers of timber.
1. Observe the Proper Season for Felling
Felling must be done between the beginning of Autumn and the end of Winter. During this time, the vital humor of the tree has descended to the roots, leaving the wood drier, more solid, and less appealing to the worms that would devour it. To fell when the sap is rising in Spring is to invite swift decay and weakness.
2. Select a Sound and Straight Tree
Inspect the tree from all sides. It must stand straight, with its branches beginning high on the trunk. The bark should be healthy, without cankers or fungus. Strike the trunk with your axe; a solid, clear sound indicates health, while a dull thud signifies internal rot. Choose the tree that nature has already formed for strength.
3. Girdle the Tree to Begin its Seasoning
With your axe, cut a deep ring through the bark and sapwood all the way around the base of the selected tree, penetrating to a depth of two or three finger-widths. This action severs the channels of life, allowing the tree to slowly die and shed its moisture while still standing. Leave it in this state until its leaves have withered and fallen.
4. Fell the Tree with Deliberation
First, clear the area around the base. On the side you wish the tree to fall, cut a wedge-shaped notch about one-quarter of the way through the trunk. Then, from the opposite side and slightly above your notch, begin the main felling cut. As you approach the center, the tree will begin to fall toward the notch. Be prepared to move away swiftly.
5. Square the Timbers While Green
As soon as the tree is felled, it is best to hew the round log into a square timber. Green wood is far softer and easier to work with an adze or broadaxe than that which has dried. This also exposes the inner wood to the air, promoting more even and thorough drying. Mark your lines carefully and work with precision; every blow determines the final form.
6. Prepare the Drying Yard
Select a site that is level, well-drained, and exposed to a steady breeze but shielded from the harshest sun and driving rain. A simple shed with open sides is ideal. On the ground, lay a foundation of flat stones or heavy blocks. This 'strues' will elevate the entire stack, keeping the lowest layer of timber free from the damp earth, which is the mother of rot.
7. Stack the Timber for Air Circulation
Lay the first layer of timbers across your foundation stones. Across this layer, place small, dry, uniformly-sized pieces of wood ('stickers') at intervals of about two feet. Then lay the next course of timbers upon these stickers. Repeat this process, ensuring that air can circulate freely around every surface of every timber in the stack. This is the great secret to preventing warp and mold.
8. Protect the Stack from the Elements
Cover the top of the stack with a rough roof of bark slabs or wide boards, allowing it to overhang on all sides. This will shed rain and shield the wood from the direct sun, which can cause the surface to dry too quickly and crack. The ends of the timbers are most vulnerable; one can apply a coating of clay or pitch to slow moisture loss from the end grain.
9. Allow Ample Time for Curing
Patience is the architect's greatest tool. Timber cannot be seasoned by force or haste. A general rule is to allow one year of drying for each inch of the timber's thickness. Test the wood by its weight and the sound it makes when struck. When it is light for its size and rings clearly, it is ready. To use it before this time is to build with weakness, a folly unworthy of a serious builder.
Rate this Method