How long does modroc take to dry?

How long does it take Oak wood to dry?

• I cut up a fallen oak tree and am now building a bench out of it. The tree has been dead and fallen for 3 years, but the piece I'm using was suspended in the air so the forest floor didn't rot it. I live in central Wisconsin and that's where I got the tree. After cutting it up and constructing the bench I noticed that the oak is quite damp all the way through. I'm guessing this occured because of all the rain and snow there is in this climate. The thickest parts of the bench is around 6-8 inches, but it always tapers to points of 1-0 inches. I'm keeping it inside my house, which is of average temp and humidity. How long, under these conditions, will it take to dry enough to the point that it can be stained and varnished? I want to do this right so I don't mind waiting, but is there a way to speed up the drying process without having the wood crack too much or is the cracking and its intensity going to occur no matter how long it takes to dry? Also as I was cutting through the wood, the vibrations of the saw made insects and larvae come out of the wood through small holes. How do I kill them? They looked like black ants with wings. I've heard freezing the wood kills them. Is this true? The temp in WI at night night sometimes will drop below 0. Thanks for any input.

• Answer:

  Use that existing wood for firewood, and buy some insect-free kiln-dried wood for your project.