Seasoning is the single most important step most new cigar owners skip, and it is the reason so many humidors never hold a stable humidity. If you have just bought a traditional wooden humidor, seasoning is not optional: it is what turns a dry wooden box into a stable micro-climate that protects your cigars for years. In this guide we explain exactly what seasoning means, how to do it correctly, how long it takes, and how a modern, Boveda-driven humidor makes the whole process far simpler.
What does it mean to season a humidor?
Seasoning is the process of gradually introducing moisture into the wood that lines a humidor, such as okoumé, before you store any cigars inside. A brand-new humidor leaves the workshop bone dry. If you place cigars in it straight away, the thirsty wood pulls moisture out of the cigars themselves, drying them out and ruining the draw and flavour. Seasoning saturates the wood first, so that once your cigars go in, the interior stays at a steady 68 to 72 percent relative humidity.
Why seasoning matters
Cigars are agricultural products. They are rolled and aged at a controlled humidity, and they keep their character only when that humidity is maintained. Dry wood is extremely absorbent, so an unseasoned humidor behaves like a sponge, drawing water from the air, from your humidification device, and eventually from the cigars. The result is cracked wrappers, a harsh burn, and lost aromas. A properly seasoned humidor removes that risk by making the wood part of the humidity system rather than an enemy of it. For a fuller primer on how a humidor works, see our guide on what a humidor is and how it works.
How to season a humidor, step by step
Method 1: the Boveda method (recommended)
This is the cleanest, safest, and most consistent method, and it is the one we recommend for every wooden humidor.
- Wipe the interior only if there is visible dust, using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth. Never wipe the wood with a wet cloth.
- Place one or more high-humidity seasoning packs (Boveda 84 percent is made specifically for this) inside the empty humidor. Use one large pack for a small humidor, and more for larger cabinets.
- Close the lid and leave it undisturbed for 10 to 14 days.
- Remove the seasoning packs and replace them with your normal storage packs, typically 69 percent or 72 percent depending on your preference.
Because the packs release moisture as a vapour rather than as liquid water, there is no risk of over-humidifying or staining the wood. If you want to understand pack sizing and replacement cycles, our guide to Boveda 320 gram packs covers it in detail.
Method 2: the distilled water method
The traditional method still works if you do not have seasoning packs, but it demands care.
- Fill a small shot glass with distilled water only. Never use tap or mineral water, which contains impurities that can cause mould and odours.
- Stand the glass upright inside the humidor without letting it touch the wood.
- Dampen, do not soak, a clean sponge or cloth with distilled water and rest it on a plastic bag inside the humidor so it never touches the wood directly.
- Close the lid for 24 hours, then top up the water and repeat for two to three days until the hygrometer reads around 70 percent.
What never to do
- Never wipe or spray the wood directly with water. This warps the wood and raises the risk of mould.
- Never use tap, filtered, or flavoured water. Distilled water only.
- Never rush the process by adding cigars before the humidity has stabilised.
How long does it take to season a humidor?
With seasoning packs, allow 10 to 14 days for a small or medium humidor, and up to three or four weeks for a large cabinet. The distilled water method is faster, often two to three days, but it is less even and needs closer monitoring. Patience here pays off for years, so it is worth doing once and doing it properly.
How to tell when your humidor is ready
Your humidor is seasoned when a calibrated hygrometer holds steady at your target humidity, usually around 70 percent, for at least 24 hours after you remove the seasoning source and close the lid. If the reading keeps dropping, the wood is still thirsty and needs more time. Always calibrate your hygrometer first, because an inaccurate gauge is the most common reason people believe a humidor will not hold humidity.
Do marble humidors need seasoning?
Yes, but the process is far easier. It helps to understand how our humidors are built: every Litolite humidor, marble or wood, shares the same internal wooden body, and the marble is the outer shell. What the marble adds is aesthetics, prestige, superior build quality, and greater thermal stability. The mass of the stone buffers temperature swings, and because relative humidity moves with temperature, a steadier temperature helps keep humidity more stable and lowers the risk of condensation. On our dynamic models the marble also pairs with active temperature control.
Because every Litolite humidor is built around a Boveda humidification system, you can skip the messy distilled-water ritual entirely. We always recommend starting with the Boveda starter pack and following its instructions: you place the pack inside and it conditions the interior to a stable level, with no mess and no guesswork. Explore the full Litolite humidor collection, discover our dynamic humidity control system, or compare the two materials in marble versus wood humidors.
Keeping the right humidity after seasoning
Once seasoned, a humidor still needs attention. Check the hygrometer weekly, replace or recharge your humidification packs when they stiffen, and avoid opening the lid more than necessary. If you store a large collection, match your pack count to the interior volume rather than guessing. Our article on how many cigars a humidor holds helps you size both the humidor and the humidification to your collection, and our essential humidor maintenance tips cover the routine in full.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I season a humidor?
Only once, when it is new, or again if it has been left empty and dry for a long period. A humidor in regular use with fresh humidification packs does not need reseasoning.
Can I use tap water to season a humidor?
No. Tap water contains minerals and chlorine that encourage mould and odours. Use distilled water, or better still, seasoning packs.
What humidity should a seasoned humidor hold?
Most cigars are stored between 68 and 72 percent relative humidity. Around 70 percent is a safe, widely used target.
Do I need to season a marble humidor?
A Litolite marble humidor has an internal wooden body, so it still benefits from conditioning. We always recommend starting with the Boveda starter pack and following its instructions: it conditions the interior for you, so you skip the distilled-water ritual.
Why is my humidor not holding humidity after seasoning?
The most common causes are an uncalibrated hygrometer, incomplete seasoning, a poor lid seal, or too few humidification packs for the interior volume.
